'Tis the season when seniors trudge between Harvard Square and Logan Airport carrying overnight bags and leather binders, decked out in business suits.

But not all of them are traveling to investment banking and consulting firms, which cover the costs students incur traveling to interviews.

Students interviewing with medical schools have to cover all the costs themselves. Two rounds of applications, flights to far off schools and other travel costs can add up--to more than $4,500. And students generally interview with more than five schools, taking them away from classes and activities for days at a time.

All this to earn the right to pay more than $30,000 in annual tuition, room, board and fees.

But there has been little drive for a more affordable (or "humane," according to one House tutor) admissions process. By the time applicants realize the full costs of the process, they are in the middle of it and just focused on getting admitted.

Prelim Pennies

From the start, the medical school admissions process is grueling and costly. Students usually take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) in the spring of their junior year.

The test itself costs $165. And many premeds take a Kaplan or Princeton Review course--running at about $1,000--to prepare for the grueling eight-hour exam.