I’ve noticed a lack of content here recently, so lets start a thread for those of us who are interested in architecture. Feel free to post what schools you have applied to, and whether you have been accepted/rejected/deferred from any of them (ED or RD). List the school you will be attending.
D’s school:
Accepted:
Auburn
Drexel
Pratt
Tulane
Clemson
Miami Ohio
WashU
USC
Penn State
Denied:
VA Tech
Northeastern
Cal Poly
Waiting:
Cornell
Berkley
Accepted:
VA Tech
Cal Poly
Iowa State
K-State
I only applied to schools I would be happy accepting if they were my only option. I will be attending VA tech this fall.
did either of you apply ED to VaTech?
I’m a parent and my kid is primarily interested in a B.Arch degree instead of the extra year needed for a M.Arch. My brother is an architect and has given us good advice. He suggested to not apply for a program which does not have a NAAB accredited B. or M.Arch program. For example Lehigh has a BS Arch degree and is a great school, but we have dropped it off for the reason above. Our top choices are ranked in this follow order and are limited to the NE region. We visited schools in large cities and have dropped them off our list as well. Also not considering Art and Design schools like RISD since Engineering needs to be an option after the first year if interest in Architecture loses steam.
- VaTech
- Syracuse
- Penn State
- Maryland
- RPI
My D did RD to VA Tech and was denied. Funny thing she was accepted to USC, Pratt and WashU with a lower acceptance rate. I believe the main difference was that VA Tech does not look at portfolios whereas the others do. VA tech was not on her list but living in VA she applied. They might have seen that thru her essays. Tulane , USC and WashU are the top three. Visiting USC and WashU next week. My D primary went with BArch schools. WashU is a 4 plus 2 MArch so the visit will be to see how they present the major. Heard great things about the school and campus so a 4 plus 2 might be worth it there. Tulane has a lot of hands on which is great for growth. They do a lot of community service as well. They get out into the community and build houses. She could build a house for one semester. The visit to USC will be to compare it to Tulane. My D was accepted into Pratt but decided against it because if her interest changes. She was accepted into Penn State as well and we are going to squeeze a quick visit to make sure we don’t miss anything.
My D is currently a senior at WashU. She loves it and highly recommends it. She also highly recommends the 4+2 track. Actually so does NAAB. That’s what they even recommend. A BArch is insane if you ask me. Arch is already one of the hardest majors along with engineering and medicine and you want to fast track it? A 4 year college is typically 120 credits and a BArch is a whopping @170 credits. That’s multiple semesters of 18 credits. I tried that once in college and it was awful!
In my opinion anything over 120 credits should be a masters! I’ve advised my kids no double majors. Instead get a masters for the same credits. A 4+2 is typically 180 credits. So the point out of all this is you cannot get an accredited Arch degree via Undergraduate degree. It definitely requires an advanced degree to begin with so it’s going to take over 4 years no matter which path you take.
My advice is to pick the school that fits you. Everyone is different and it really helps visiting. Good luck and your D has a great selection to choose from. 
Thanks for your response. She will definitely be looking at WashU’s program. She was at Clemson last week and didn’t like how they presented the 4+2 degree. Her ACE mentors are directing her to a BArch degree. It good to hear that your daughter loves WashU. Will she be continuing there for her masters? Is it an automatic acceptance into the masters program? Thanks again
@qclabrat and @Mopep why and why not choose at 4+2 over the 5/year accredited NAAB program? My D has been acceptd to UIUC’s BS Arch which is a pre professional 4+2 program. How 's UIUC’s BS Arch program?
I don’t have an answer for your question. My D was always directed to a BArch. The visit to WashU and USC that will be her main question. I believe because she can come out in 5 yrs and work as opposed to doing that extra year or two. She has plans on getting her MArch but no right away.
@Amber168, The decision whether to go immediately into a 5.0 year BArch program or to get an undergraduate degree in architecture, architectural studies or anything else is a purely personal. It involves several issues such as the student’s readiness to commit to a career in architecture, their interest in a general liberal arts education vs a professional degree and not insignificantly, your budget.
Many undergraduate degrees (architecture included) can be funded through need or merit based financial aid. Though some MArch degrees are funded by grants, the extent and reliability of funding is highly variable. Thus, cost can be a major consideration.
Many universities offer 4.0+2.0 BS/BA+MArch programs (and a few 4.0+1.0). If you decide to go elsewhere for your MArch, the time involved can vary, from 2.0 to 3.5 years depending on the undergraduate degree and the MArch program.
This probably why my D is being directed to a BArch due to her readiness by her mentors.
@Amber168, our position was to get into an accredited program, BArch, so as to not have to go through another round of applications. It’s also not uncommon once students get out with a pre-professional degree, that they don’t follow through with the MArch as life and money takes a short term precedence. I guees it’s sort of a risk mitigation tactic. But I hear the valid reasons for the 4+2 and in reality may be better for my D who may not be as ready of some others for college. Actually is it possible to finish a BArch in more than 5 years? If so, what’s the curriculum difference between the two?
Also my D is more of a B student, so the top schools are off the list, though she tested well in her SATs. She’s also just starting to work on her portfolio and is short on free-hand drawings which I know is important. She was following an engineering tract in HS (Project Lead the Way) so mostly worked with computers. But this year she really struggled with Honors Physics and Algebra last year. For some reason she’s really good at Trig this year, which lead us to suggest that she instead consider Architecture over Civil Engineering.
@Amber168 Don’t give up on top schools due to her being a B student. My daughter scored well on SAT with a B type GPA. I believe it was her portfolio that gave her the boost she needed to get into her top colleges. My daughter is an artist who does well in math so that is why she was directed to Architecture by her math teacher. Have your D do some art classes or go to summer classes that help with portfolio development.
@Mopep, did your D go to a summer program? Mine is very artistic, but with academics and sports there wasn’t much time for art. We have a lot of work to do. Fortunately my brother and his girlfriend are both in the field and helping us a ton.
@Amber168 no my D was pretty much self taught. She interned with two different architecture firms in the summer between Jr and Sr year. She started a architecture club at school and was able to meet and work with great mentors thru the ACE organization. She did take a couple of art classes in her earlier years. Her portfolio included her drawings, short animated stories that she created,photographs,projects done on a architecture program and even her creations on minecraft. You can look around for a summer course that will help your D on her portfolio. She did AP Art Studio her Jr year. She used a lot of those pieces for her portfolio. Your brother can help your D prepare her portfolio. Good Luck to your D.
@qclabrat,I think at this point your daughter should explore both BArch and BS+MArch programs. Her list should include reach/match/safety options as it would for any college applicant.
I think the major difference between the 5.0 year BArch and the 4+2 BS+MArch is that the extra year allows a little more breathing space for liberal arts electives.
If you need – or just want – financial aid, it’s never too early to start experimenting with the colleges’ net price calculators. Generally (but not always) all 5.0 years of the BArch can be funded by need-based aid if you’re eligible. MArch funding is more unpredictable. Co-op programs (e.g. Northeastern, Cincinnati and Drexel) are a great way to save on costs and get experience along the way.
At some BS/BA programs, first years apply directly to the major. At others, the student applies to architecture later in the process. Most 4+2 schools automatically admit their own BS students in good standing to their MArch programs, but admission may not be guaranteed. If she decides to go elsewhere for her MArch (which is common) the time it takes to complete the MArch varies widely.
Because BArch curriculums must cover NAAB requirements, they are quite similar in content though the focus from school to school may be different. If your daughter isn’t keen on college level courses in calculus or physics she’ll want to review the number and intensity of required math and science courses. She’ll also want to compare other variables like thesis semesters, summer sessions and study abroad options.
A summer career exploration program is a good way to get an idea of what architecture is all about. It is also a good way to generate a portfolio, but this can also be done through normal high school art courses. Architecture admissions will be looking for creativity, skill and presentation, not necessarily architectural drawings.
Some very good BS programs do not require portfolios at all, e.g. Clemson, Penn State,Cincinnati, Northeastern. If the portfolio is optional or recommended, she should plan to submit one. Virginia, Michigan, WUSTL and Tulane require or recommend a portfolio.
Most BArch programs require a portfolio. Auburn is one top rated school that does not. There are probably others.
For my D, she got into her second major at UIUC without a portfolio. People are advising against attending UIUC’s bec their undergraduate architecture is not NAAB credited so it is the 4+2 route. And based on what people have posted here, it is advantageous to take the BArch route if you are certain this is the field that you want to get into. But my D has never been really exposed to any architecture program in high school.
Can someone comment whether getting into a MArch program is even more competitive than a BArch?
What makes Auburn top rated? My D was accepted but unfortunately she did not want to go South.
@Mopep No first hand knowledge, but it’s consistently on the DesignIntelligence annual rankings.