Hello! I will soon be a junior in high school and wanted to pursue a career in architecture. However, the college (Colorado State University) I’m currently planning on going to, doesn’t have a architecture program (only interior). What do I do? CSU offers the NALA to native American students, so switching really isn’t an option. Civil engineer looks interesting, but do you get design stuff as a civil engineer? Can I still go to the college, and somehow pursue a degree in architecture? Any help or feedback is greatly appreciated!
You could do civil engineering and then take any other classes you’d like to at another school, or transfer schools for the last 2 years. You could get an engineering degree and get a masters in architecture.
That could work. However, if I transfer schools I obviously loose that helpful Native American scholarship. Is it possible to gain similar scholarships at other schools? (Whether it be for academic performance or heritage)
Sure, other schools have NA scholarships (Dartmouth does) but it’s up to each school (or a private organization) as to what it covers.
Are there any helpful resources where I can find colleges like these that offer similar scholarships/awards, or will I have to search around?
@MadLad0913, I can’t help with NALA scholarships, but here’s a list of universities that offer the Bachelor of Architecture (BArch), which is the undergraduate professional architecture degree. Most (but not all) states require either the BArch or the Master of Architecture (MArch) in order to become a licensed architect.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Architecture#United_States
Many of the universities with BArch programs offer need-based aid. Ask your parents to use the schools’ on-line calculators to find out how much need-based aid you would be eligible for. This may turn out to be enough; it depends on the individual school’s policy and your family’s economic situation. Some with also offer merit scholarships, but these are more difficult to predict.
As far as I know there are no BArch programs in Colorado, but there are several, both public and private, in nearby states. You have to research them one-by-one to find out whether you’d be eligible for need-based or merit aid.
Getting an undergraduate degree in engineering, architectural studies or anything else, then getting an MArch is a common route to becoming an architect. Funding is available for the MArch, but it’s also difficult to predict. I suggest you start by asking the University of Colorado Denver College of Architecture what type of financial aid they offer for the MArch.
Some (but not all) schools of architecture require that applicants submit an art/architecture portfolio with their application. You have to check each school’s requirements. Engineering is a fine profession, but it’s quite different from architecture. Before you give up on architecture, try to match up BArch programs with NALA awards and run a few net price calculators to see if need-based aid is workable for you. Since you’re just starting junior year, you have plenty of time to sort this out.
Alright, thank you for your detailed response!
You asked an important question… “do you get design stuff as a civil engineer?”
Absolutely, they design bridges, roads, foundations, dams, etc.
Maybe the link below can shed some light.
https://civilengineersforum.com/difference-between-architect-and-civil-engineer/
In California there is Cal Poly. (California State University, San Luis Obispo ) the school has a Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.) It is a beautiful campus with a college town atmosphere. They have Architecture and they also have Native American Scholarships. They actively look for successful minority candidates.
https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/education/article139445283.html
https://admissions.colostate.edu/nativeamerican/
The NALA is for OOS students. OOS cost of attendance is $44k and the NALA is worth $18k, leaving you $26 to pay. That’s still a lot. What state do you live in? You might find a program in your home state that is cheaper.
What kind of budget are you looking at for school?
I live in Nevada, but since I’m registered with the Navajo tribe I get in state tuition to Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico.
The NALA at CSU is for those classified at OOS, so it really just brings the tuition down to instate rates (still a good thing).
Wyoming: http://www.uwyo.edu/civil/
Utah: http://www.cap.utah.edu/
Plenty of options for you.
Should I just go to a university in Montana or Maine and have my tuition completely waived?
@MadLad0913 I guess the first decision you need to make is how serious you are about getting a BArch. Since you’re only a rising junior you can explore several majors simultaneously, but if the BArch is one of them, then you need to look at schools that offer it.
The BArch is available at the University of Maine, Augusta, but not at any school in Montana.
No BArch at any school in the three states listed in post #12. Or Nevada.
There are, however, plenty of BArch programs all over the country at which you might qualify for need-based or merit aid, separate from NALA. If you’d give an idea of your grades, artistic interest and family income we could help narrow down the search. If your grades, scores and interest in architecture are within range, then your native American demographic would give you a boost at many schools.
I probably should be asking these question by the end of my junior year so I can give you guys my ACT/SAT scores. Until then I have a lot of time to plan this stuff out. Thank you for your help regardless!
Good luck with this process and as you proceed you’ll see some of the options others have mentioned. I think you mentioned Arizona - there’s a BArch program at U of Arizona that’s supposed to be quite good.
Run the NPC on Dartmouth, Wesleyan, etc… If you have excellent stats.