Does anyone use couchsurfing.com when visiting particular universities?

[InquilineKea]

So... Academics travel a lot. And this could cost a lot of money - but thanks to couchsurfing.com, maybe it isn't necessary for us to pay for any hotels at all. Does anyone else have experience with this?

Are there any tips that you'd have for academics in particular? In particular, I'd like to buy airline tickets after talking to a couchsurfer who might be willing to host me - but don't want to get screwed over if they cancel at last minute.

Edited May 29, 2011 by InquilineKea

[studentaffairsgrad]

So... Academics travel a lot. And this could cost a lot of money - but thanks to couchsurfing.com, maybe it isn't necessary for us to pay for any hotels at all. Does anyone else have experience with this?

Are there any tips that you'd have for academics in particular? In particular, I'd like to buy airline tickets after talking to a couchsurfer who might be willing to host me - but don't want to get screwed over if they cancel at last minute.

I haven't used it myself, although I have heard good things about it.

Personally for myself, I would feel more comfortable in contacting current grad students in the program I am looking at to see if they would host me. I did that when visiting schools, and it worked out great. If you aren't going as a potential student though, most universities offer steeply discounted rooms to vising academics. Good luck with the couch surfing if you decide to do it, and let us know how it turns out

[tew]

Speaking as a couchsurfer (though not a terribly experienced one), I always had a great time. Bad experiences are possible - as they are basically anywhere - but unlikely. The saving money part is nice, obviously, but first and foremost it's about the people you get to meet. If you are only doing it because of the free place to stay, well, that may not work out...

Anyhow, always be sure to check out previous references for the people you'd like to stay with. Identity check and vouching are also good indicators. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to have local hostel contact information just in case.

[Kathiza]

I did use Couchsurfing when doing research for my Master's thesis in the U.S. two years ago. I didn't have any problems at all and I really enjoyed it. I always stayed with a (grad) student at the school I was visiting. Many of them were kind enough to show me around, introduce me to people etc. I'd really recommend Couchsurfing. Although I have to say as a girl and travelling alone, I didn't want to stay with single men (I got several weird offers, like men in their 50s offering me free housing for several weeks but making weird suggestions about sleeping arrangements etc) So I only stayed with girls or couples until now. But maybe I just had bad luck...

[rising_star]

When visiting universities, I always stayed with graduate students in the department I was visiting. It's the best way to get insight into the program and your potential future colleagues.

[juilletmercredi]

Most graduate students don't mind hosting a prospective on their couch for a few days. That's how I went to visit my current school, so I'm always into paying it forward, and everyone else knows what a struggle it can be for a student to find a place to stay especially in expensive cities.

I contacted my departmental secretary and asked her if she knew of any students that would host me. She then forwarded my email to the entire department of students. Within a day I had two students volunteer to host me and another one volunteer to give me a tour, and on top of that, one of the women who hosted me became a close friend.

[Boricua]

I am looking for a place to stay between 22nd and 27th of July in New York City, since I want to take a look at NYU and Columbia.

Couldn't find anybody through couchsurfing.com yet. It seems most people don't know more than a month in advance whether or not they are going to be around, which I can understand completely.

Yet, I would love to have the security of a place to stay rather sooner than later. I'm 25 years old, female, applying to Comparative Lit. / Romance languages in the fall and am looking forward to getting to know people from NY.

So, if anybody out there is interested in hosting me for a couple of days, please drop me a message.