A Chat with IMD's Admissions Director Katty Ooms Suter, director of MBA admissions, and current student Jennifer Mowat on what it takes to make the grade at the Swiss B-school
An excerpt from the Q&A:

Q: Is it absolutely imperative to have a campus visit, even for applicants from far-flung countries?
Ooms: A campus visit is recommended. It isn't a requirement. But an MBA is a serious investment, and you should get a feel for the school where you're going to spend the next year, and a lot of money. We interview each candidate who comes into our program, and we strongly encourage them to do those interviews on campus. The interview day is more than just an interview. It's a combination of a personal interview, an impromptu presentation, and a case discussion run by one of our professors.

Q: When are campus visits scheduled? Is it possible to just show up?
Ooms: You can go on the Web site and register for a visitor's day. Every Monday of the month we have one. You can also drop by, but it's less recommended. If you come on the visitor's days, we have everything organized, including sitting in on classes, meeting with the MBAs, and a full Q&A session.

For the full version of this Q&A

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Comments from Student 1:
IMD's interview took place on campus. I am not certain if it is possible to do an interview in your country of residence. A group of about eight of us (from all over the world) participated in daylong activities. The day was very informative and included an interview, a case study, a presentation, a lunch with current students, and an opportunity to participate in a class. The case study material was sent ahead of time and some preparation was required. All of the interviewees participated in this activity, the goal of which was to come to a consensus on the strategy. We then shared and defended our decision with the admission staff. It was a very interesting activity that forced participants to not only apply their business acumen, but also exhibit high level of teamwork capabilities. I would recommend being closely familiar with the contents of the case and do the preparation work prior to coming on campus. The presentation was an individual activity, where each of us was given a topic and had a set amount of time (I believe it was 30 minutes) to prepare a presentation on the topic. It is impossible to prepare for this presentation in advance, as you are unaware of the topic. You then present on the topic in front of the admissions committee, who may ask you follow-up questions. The interview itself took place with two members of the admissions team and was fairly structured. Overall, it was a very enjoyable day allowing for plenty opportunities to communicate with the students and gain a perspective on life as an IMD student.