Visiting campus or phone conversation?

[literalturtle]

Hi all! I just recieved my first acceptance on Monday from Rensselaer up in Troy, NY for my PhD in Science and Tech Studies. Today (Friday), the director of the program emailed me about the funding process. Their process is separate from admissions and requires either an in-person visit or a phone conversation. The exact verbage was "As a next step, we’d like to encourage you to either visit us in Troy, or to arrange for a phone conversation with myself and one or two other members of the faculty." He has specified that these are conversations, not interviews.

The accepted students day is in a little over two weeks, and it's in the middle of the week for just one day. I really have a lot of commitments surrounding that week that I can't really miss out on, plus securing a flight from Tampa to Albany is difficult (I'd have to fly out of Orlando...). Will it hurt my chances for funding to do this over the phone versus a campus visit? 

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Congratulations on your acceptance. 

Since the option was offered, I don’t think it will hurt your chances whatsoever. Have you visited the campus before? If not, then I would really try to make a way to attend.

If you have already visited, simply write a polite, thank you e-mail, but express that due to other commitments, you won’t be able to make it in-person (but you’re delighted to chat over phone or Skype). Good luck!

[literalturtle]

15 hours ago, checkingmyemail said:

Congratulations on your acceptance. 

Since the option was offered, I don’t think it will hurt your chances whatsoever. Have you visited the campus before? If not, then I would really try to make a way to attend.

If you have already visited, simply write a polite, thank you e-mail, but express that due to other commitments, you won’t be able to make it in-person (but you’re delighted to chat over phone or Skype). Good luck!

Thank you so much! I didn't think it would be a big deal for me to just do a phone conversation, but just wanted a second opinion.