anape

The email I got said "Recommended attire for the orientation is casual or business casual." I'm going with jeans.

That's super weird. They wanted to put me on Delta first. I asked for a United flight out there, but I still got a Delta flight back (taking a rather long route, but whatever). I don't quite get the system, but if there is one that gets you there on time it might be worth calling back, although 4:30 is better than 5:40! My guess is they have some system that they use for what's the cheapest.

I ended up doing that flight too.

I'm using Hipmunk.com. You can change the time you want to leave after or arrive by, which is super nice in cases like this! There is a redeye the night before from SNA that I'm considering but then I'm there super early. I'm also thinking about just going a whole day early and getting in the evening before. Time to check facebook for friends I can crash with!

Any thoughts on flights from people in SoCal? There is only one flight leaving on the 3rd that I've found that get in before 4 (the 5:50am out of LAX). Are you gonna do that? Take a red eye? Try to come in a day early? I like to think through all of my options before calling.

That might be the case, but the tentative offer I got said "Participants must attend the EAPSI Pre-Departure Orientation on April 3-4, 2014 in Arlington, VA. Information on how to book airplane tickets and hotel room at no cost to Fellows will be provided if this tentative offer becomes final." so that makes it sound like they will finalize the offer before DC. It might be officially done in DC, but they wouldn't fly us out there if they didn't expect to finalize things. Besides, as I understand it, the tentative offer is like when our grad programs say they accept us, but we still haven't gotten a letter from the dean. It's as good as done barring any crazy circumstances, which is why (at least for Japan) we're supposed to look into housing options even at this stage. ...that's not to say it won't be nice to officially know! I guess we'll post which comes first (letter sending us to DC or letter that finalizes our acceptance) when it happens.

Me too! Congrats!