Dear Joel: Is there any chance that interview days will last less than 5 hours? I am trying to book the most economical airfare, but I am afraid I may not catch my flight home on time if the interview day lasts exactly 5 hours or runs overtime.

It won't run overtime but it really is a 5-hour experience. The last half-hour is a campus tour. The tour is optional -- but if someone is really making an informed decision about a graduate school, why miss out on a tour?

Ask me anything