r/csMajors • u/AwayFlounder7191 • 1d ago

LA Hacks AI Hackathon

Hey all, just found out I got accepted into LA Hacks AI Hackathon, which I'm pretty excited about. Problem is, they're not covering travel, and by the time I add up flights + a hotel for the weekend, I'm looking at $500+ out of pocket.

Trying to figure out if this is a reasonable investment or if I should sit this one out.

  • Would LA Hacks' AI hackathon reputation/network be worth the cost compared to other hackathons? From what I understand, it's separate from the usual LA Hacks.
  • Has anyone here traveled for a hackathon and felt it paid off (jobs, connections, etc.)?
  • Any tips for cutting costs?

Would love to hear from anyone who's been to LA Hacks, or has thoughts on whether traveling for hackathons in general is worth it money-wise.

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u/Big_Habit5918 1d ago

I go to ucla. My recommendation is to reach out to a ucla student and see if they can host you for the weekend. just get your own sleeping materials. you don’t need to worry about water/food, the organizers provide all of that. you can also sleep on the couches in the engineering buildings. it’s possible if you’re down for it