<p>civil engineering on the other hand pays a lot more starting out and is an occupation with much higher demand but its different.</p>
<p>freesnowcone- civil engineer starting pay in general (unless you work for ARUP or exonn mobil) is about the same as architecture. architects hire civil engineers for their projects so when the economy is bad and architects are out of work, so goes the civil engineers. </p>
<p>architecture starting pay is low because starting grads have little knowledge on putting CD’s together, putting together building systems, etc. </p>
<p>Corporate firms are buying up most of the smaller firms because they are largely inefficient. Corporate firms also largely rely on productive software and efficient production since efficient project delivery is so critical today. As more firms continue to rely on new software, starting grads can actually be very useful to the firm (and thus get paid higher). A student who has expertise in new software are in high demand for firms since it gives the firm a competitive advantage over other firms with faster delivery. </p>
<p>Josh prince ramus of REX has a good statement for young people:</p>
<p>I have one specific piece of advice: don’t follow conventional
paths. this is the best moment you could ever be a young
architect, because the playing field in this economy is
becoming even. for a long time, the older generations
ate the young. they’re going down right now and there’s
no definition of what architecture will be. don’t try to get
a junior job at the best firm you can and spend the next
30 years working your way through. this is the moment
to move back home, use all your contacts and start
operating locally. do great work locally and define
what architecture will be for the next 50 years.
the more general advice is that no one can teach you
how to design. no one can teach you how to be creative.
but they can teach you to be self-critical. in school you
should focus on learning to be self-critical and on
contracts (laughs). spend most of your time
- if you’re in architecture school - over at the law school
or the business school because that’s where you’re going
to learn tools. the real things you can learn in architecture
school are tools. focus on tools, not on your studio course.</p>
<p>I don’t quite agree w/ post #22 (JPRamus advice). Tools change constantly. While I think the studio courses can be reduced, and better monitored by administration and professors for time committment, I also think studios provide a critical component. It is typically during studio where you learn to solve problems, think creatively, monitor your time, and work in teams – all important skills in any field. </p>
<p>I DO agree courses (and contacts) in business and law schools can be very helpful.</p>
<p>Interesting advice from Prince Ramus. Let’s see; he goes to work for Rem Koolhaas, gains a name for being the project architect for the Seattle library, becomes the head partner for Rem when the previous partner leaves, then splits off on his own taking Rem’s Wylie theater in Dallas with him. Just think what he could have accomplished if he had just gone back to his hometown and started operating locally as a one man office ;-)</p>
<p>rick</p>