Interview Weekend - Staying with a grad student?

[Psyhopeful]

I’ve been invited to an interview weekend and was told I will be staying with a graduate student. I’m just wondering what to expect. Like will I be on the couch in the living room? What kind of privacy can I expect? Im assuming that as a female I will be put up with another female, but is that reasonable? This is honestly the part of the visit that is stressing me out the most!

Edited December 22, 2018 by Psyhopeful

[MarineBluePsy]

Well first let me say that you do not have to stay with a student if you'd prefer not to.  You can always contact the applicant interview coordinator and say that you appreciate the option to stay with a student, but you already have overnight accommodations.  If you do decide to stay with a grad student think of it like crashing at a friends place.  You might be on the couch or on an air mattress and privacy will be limited.  If you have pet allergies, dislike cigarette smoke, or prefer a same gender host then definitely mention that to the applicant interview coordinator immediately.  In my application season it was not uncommon for male and female students to host and applicants were not always matched by gender.  I personally was not bothered by this, but everyone is different.  Also keep in mind that you're on the students' schedule.  Meaning expect that if they're leaving to go do something on campus then you'll be tagging along or another student will be taking you somewhere.  Its unlikely to be like a hotel where you can chill solo for several hours to decompress.  I personally found this very irritating and wouldn't do the student host thing again, but other people enjoy this.