How important is it to attend a school's open house?

[vl3]

I certainly think it's important to attend open houses to experience the atmosphere, and meet professors, staff, current students and other prospective students.

My problem is that I've already registered to attend one open house, and I discovered yesterday that another school is hosting an open house on the same day! They're in close proximity to each other, so I could potentially attend both, but I feel like it'd be rude to show up late and/or leave in a rush (and would they know the other school's schedule and know/care where I was going/coming from??). I'm thinking of proceeding as planned, and instead, I'll make an appointment to visit the second school on another day. Do schools usually host more than one OH per semester?

Am I overthinking it all? I appreciate your help!

[bostonplanner]

I agree attending an open house is important - gives a good feel for the school beyond what you can get from internet research; also, I've found it gave me an insider's view of what the school is looking for, which helped tailor my personal statements, resume, etc.

But in my opinion I do think you're over-thinking things. I wouldn't consider it rude to leave early/show up late. And with all the students they're not going to mark you down for their application process.

On the other hand, you might miss important info at one/both schools. If you're able to make a separate appointment with one of the schools, meet with a couple professors, sit in on a class, etc. that might be a better solution.