Hi everyone
I’m a high school rising senior and I recently suffered a mid-application mid-life crisis and decided I might want to change my plans in major from engineering and computer science to architecture. I still love engineering, I just think I might want to expand my options a bit. The problem is that all the courses I’ve taken so far have been engineering and computer science oriented, so I have no portfolio to speak of, and most of the colleges that I’ve seen require portfolios. College applications are due soon and I need help.
Best,
ZeeZeeBee
VA Tech, Penn State, Pratt Institute (with GPA > 3.0), Cincinnati are all schools that do not require portfolios. There are several others out there.
When my middle son applied to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, they didn’t require a portfolio (and they’re top ranked in architecture.
Check out Clemson
Have you toured an architecture college? I ask because my engineer husband was surprised at all the art involved. While he liked some of the aspects, he knew there was NO WAY he would have done well with it rather than engineering. My daughter is very happy studying it though. Her first year is all hand-drawing; no computers.
If you get a chance, search this forum and read the past posts about architecture and different schools. they are helpful. good luck!
Thank you for your response! I actually love drawing (I’m not classically trained though so most of the stuff I do is hit or miss: it’s great or it’s trash), and I thank you for your advice.
Do you know anything about whether MIT, Stanford, or Cornell require portfolios? I was going to apply to them for reach schools and was wondering where they stood on the issue.
Illinois Tech and Kansas State are also good programs that don’t require a portfolio. My daughter switched from engineering to architecture in October of her senior year, so I understand how stressful it is to change gears like that – but we survived! But you also don’t need to rule out all schools that require a portfolio. Just be honest in your application about how your interests have evolved and that you haven’t had a year or more to assemble a portfolio. If the rest of your application is strong, it may be that they just want to see that you have some level of skill and creativity.
Make sure you understand the different architecture degrees. In most states you can not become a licensed architect without a BArch (5yr undergraduate) or March (NAAB accredited masters). A 4-yr degree (BS or BA) may not be sufficient if you want to become a registered architect. I don’t think MIT and Stanford offer the BArch, but I think Cornell does. You can check the NAAB (National Architecture Accrediting Board) website and there’s a lot of info on these boards.
@zeezeebee, As @cagb1016 indicates, the first step is to identify the degree you’re going after. You can approach architecture two ways: with an undergraduate Bachelor of Architecture degree (the BArch) or with an undergraduate Bachelor of Science or Art in architecture or, really, anything else, followed by a Master of Architecture (MArch).
In most states – there are exceptions – you need either a BArch or MArch in order to become a licensed architect.
The BArch is highly architecture intensive and usually takes 5.0 years. The BS/BA+MArch route allows you to explore other disciplines and can take from 6.0 to 7.5 years, depending on your undergraduate degree and graduate program. Costs are all over the place.
There are about 45 BArch programs in the US. Many do not require portfolios, and for a few portfolios are optional. You need to check the requirements one by one one on each school’s website. Cornell, which you asked about, requires both a portfolio and an interview and is one of the most selective in the country.
MIT does not offer BArch, but it has a school of architecture which offers the MArch. MIT’s undergraduate degrees are the BS in architecture and a BS in Architecture Studies, which could be followed by an MArch at MIT or any other school. You would apply directly to MIT central admissions and declare your major at the end of the first year.
Stanford doesn’t have a school of architecture and does not offer the BArch or the MArch. It offers a major in architectural design which is part of the engineering school. Check on line for their admissions requirements.
I would suggest that you try to take a drawing course the first semester of your senior year. If it’s too late to change your schedule then look for a course outside of your highschool – at an art school or community college. Even for schools that don’t require a portfolio for admissions, having some basic skills will be helpful. As @bgbg4us mentions architecture school is heavily design focused and many schools require hand drawing as well as computer aided design.