Individual contact vs. open house?

[niceweather]

Hey guys. I am looking to apply for urban planning phd programs this fall. Unlike many of the strong candidates for the admissions I don't come from architectures or urban planning background but from political science and public policy. I see this as both opportunistic and disadvantageous in the admissions process. I heard that some committees would give high priority on those who made individual contacts with the professors at schools while some would not. I think that attending open house events at some schools could bring a benefit but you may not necessarily have to spend money on paying merely for the attendance at the events.

 

So my questions are:
- Does contacting make big difference in urban planning admissions?

- If so, which one would you say is more effective? Individual contacts or attending open houses?