Is it acceptable to add on a visit to another school?

[MathCat]

One program that has offered to fly me out for a visit of the department. They will cover my plane ticket, hotel, and transportation. Would it be inappropriate for me to add on one extra day in a nearby city (at my own expense) to visit another school? This would not be an official visit, but I have an old friend who is now there who could show me around. It would not increase the costs this program is covering in any way.

 

It feels a bit wrong to be looking into another school when this one has paid to fly me out there, but it would be very expensive (and time consuming, as it is on the other side of the continent) for me to visit that second school at another time.

Edited January 8, 2015 by MathCat

[rising_star]

You could definitely ask. You could say that you want to use the time to explore the city on your own if you feel weird about telling them the real reason.

[doyouevenchop]

I don't think it would be inappropriate. Illinois specifically mentioned that they would split travel costs with any other school I was also interested in visiting in the area.

[MathCat]

Well, I have not been offered anything from the second school I would be visiting, so I can't expect them to fund the visit. And I don't want to lie to the program that invited me, but I am worried about how they will feel.

[TakeruK]

I would say that you want to fly back on a different day (say when) because you want to visit a friend in (other city X). If you end up getting an offer from the school in (other city X) prior to your visit and the other school agree to pay for your visit, then you should disclose this to your first school and work on a fair way to split your reimbursement between the two schools. Otherwise, you don't have to worry about it.