Afraid that convention is out of range for your student budget? Consider these ways to trim the expenses:
Work for your registration fee
APA will waive the fee for students willing to work six to eight hours in the Resource Room for Persons with Disabilities for APA's Convention and Meeting Services Office. See the APAGS Website for information. Students can also earn free convention registration if they monitor workshops for APA's Continuing Education Office. The CE Office sends out an email blast to APAGS members in mid-April. One full day of service is required. There is no deadline, but opportunities are first-come, first-served and fill up quickly.
Share a room
Work your social media contacts to find another student who wants to split the hotel expense. Last year, student representatives from Div. 44 (Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues) organized a room-sharing service, and APAGS encourages students to use its listservs and social media to pair up on housing.
Take the new train instead of a cab
This month, Denver's light rail starts running between Denver International Airport and Union Station in downtown Denver. A one-way fare is $9. Free shuttles run between Union Station and the Colorado Convention Center and surrounding hotels.
Refill your water bottle
Stash a refillable bottle rather than pay for a soda, juice or bottled water.
Use bike-share service
Use the bike-share service to sightsee. Denver's bike-sharing program, B-Cycle, offers 700 bikes and 87 stations throughout downtown Denver and nearby suburbs for $9 for 24 hours.
Eat at the 16th Street Mall
Eat at the 16th Street Mall, a mile-long pedestrian mall within walking distance of the convention center. It features dozens of restaurants that are less expensive than the convention center eateries. Free shuttle buses run from one end of the mall to the other.
Take advantage of the free fun
Visit the 13th step of Denver's Capitol Building, which is exactly a mile above sea level. The Denver Art Museum offers free admission the first Saturday of every month, which coordinates with the APA meeting. Most of Denver's many brewery tours are also free, including the Great Divide Brewery Co. and the Coors Brewery in nearby Golden. The U.S. Mint also offers free 45-minute tours you can book online.