1. If you are ambivalent about an institution, schedule your interview later. By late-season you may decide not to interview there at all, saving you some money.

2. Group your interviews geographically. If you think this is impossible, consider this: There is nothing wrong with calling an institution you are waiting to hear from and politely letting the assistant know you have been invited to interview at a nearby school/program. Let him/her know you would like to save money by flying out to the area once, and ask if the admissions committee/ residency might be willing to let you know now if the institution will be offering you an interview. Believe it or not, this technique sometimes works.

3. Check out travel web sites daily or better yet, set an alert on Kayak, Hopper, or Google flights. Occasionally, a low price is available only if you catch it quickly.

4. Consider staying with students/residents if the institution offers. Hotels can be expensive, and sometimes you can gather useful information about the school/program this way. Just beware that anything you do or say may be repeated to the admissions committee/residency. (Make sure to write a thank you note.)