j, I'm applying to both schools, but as you mentioned, airfare seems hard to justify for an open house. let me know if you find some cheap rates and I might give it a second thought.

this brings up an issue for me though. I was a bs arch as undergrad (I think you mentioned you were as well), and when I went to Princeton's open house a couple years ago I felt it was tailored to people without arch backgrounds. Most of the info was basic common sense stuff about making portfolios that anyone with a design background has heard a thousand times before. I suppose networking is a good thing to accomplish while there, but I suck at that!

Honestly the airfare isn't so bad, it's just finding a place to stay for three nights in L.A. Seems pretty unrealistic, the more I think about it. =/

Good thought, though, Vill. Maybe there's someone on Archinect that can blog about it, or something.

Do not fell obligated to attend an Open House to learn more about a program. If you can visit at another time (more convenient for you), do so; simply contact them prior to your visit. If you cannot visit, ask for referrals to current students or recent alums to connect with via email or phone.

Many programs also host Open Houses in the spring for admitted students. If admitted, you may wish to consider attending at that point rather than the fall.

Call the program to learn more about the curriculum, etc.