Calling all HBS Fall 2009 Applicants

I'm on the other end of the spectrum. I did not attend any local events nor did I visit campus prior to applying. Out of all the top programs, HBS seems to care the least about you "demonstrating" an interest in their program. It's almost certainly because they lose so few applicants to other programs that they aren't as concerned with their yield. This is perhaps best exemplified by their application - they do not ask whether you have visited/attended an info session nor do they ask "Why HBS?" in their essays. Contrast that with MIT which has an entire page of their application dedicated to stating every single thing you have done to research the school. If you're applying to Sloan, you really need to visit the campus but with HBS it's not even taken into consideration for admission.

That being said, you can still gain a lot by visiting the campus prior to applying. I agree with forcefeed that the only way to truly understand the value of the case method is to see it firsthand. Any opportunity you have to get a deeper feel for the culture of a program will work to your advantage when writing essays or interviewing. You have nothing to lose by taking the trip if you have the time and money, but it certainly isn't a necessity.