<p>university of architecture to Venice to the WORLD does not exist better</p>
<p>ummm....what????
bneg, i dont think youre cut out for architecture as you dont sound like you actually want to study all its facets.</p>
<p>I'd loved to be convinced that the history and criticisms and stuff are essential, and I love design! I just don't know if it's wise to spend too much time on them.</p>
<p>Question for everyone-
I'm applying to colleges this year for arch.major.
Although my academics are fine(GPA3.8, SAT2300, 4 Sat2s scoring above 770, 8APs scoring 5 and 2APs 4), I "don't" have a portfolio(disaster huh). I can do some drawings based on middle-school art class experience, but you all know how midschool art classes are. What level of arhc.colleges should I aim for?</p>
<p>with those scores, even an ok portfolio will get you into the top colleges. ie Cornell and Rice. Try for Yale, although their undergrad arch programme is a bit artsy.</p>
<p>Thanks Jimminy!</p>
<p>Oh, by the way, many prestigious schools provied need-based financial aid I think. Do schools like IIT, which is not among the top-notched rich schools, still provide need-based finance support?</p>
<p>How's Boston Architecture Center? I've never seen anyone mentioning it here..</p>
<p>IIT does provide a lot of aid. I recently spoke to one of their grads and she said just about everyone got aid of some sort. I was at their end of year show last month and they have a lot of exciting work going on. Their first-year studio does some wonderful projects. They have the advantage of having an architecturally significant campus in a city full of architectural history. Many of their students work through internships while they are in school.</p>
<p>BAC, (Boston Architectural Center), is a unique program. It is based on the atelier model of architectural education; you work in architectural offices during the day and then attend classes taught by professionals in the evenings. The offices are specified as our your responsibilities. As your education progresses your activities in the offices become more complex. It is an interesting program but does not give you the college experience. No campus, dorms, library. It puts a lot of responsibility on the student, you have to find your own housing and I think you have to find your own job as well. It seems to be geared towards older students and those who must work while they attend college. The only other school, that I know of, with a similar format, is Drexel in Philadelphia, but there work/study doesn't start until the second or third year.</p>
<p>As to a portfolio, there are lots of schools that don't require a portfolio for freshman. Many of them have a second review process at the end of the freshman of sophomore year for final acceptance into the architecture program. If they do require a portfolio they are typically looking for any creative work with in visual arts, photography, ceramics, computer art etc. Usually they are very interested in your creativity and imagination as well as any skill you might demonstrate.</p>
<p>The biggrer concern of someone who has nothing to show would be if architecture is the right field for you. Though I wasn't required to submit a portfolio I wouldn't have had trouble doing it. Though I took art through HS my portfolio would have consisted of my own projects from home. Most architects that I know have some sort of creative activity as a fundamental part of their lives. You are going to spend hours and hours in studio drawing and modeling. If these activities don't inherently satisfy you, you will find it difficult to succeed.</p>
<p>BNEG you will not find an architectural program that is not based on design studio. You typically spend 12 hours a week in studio class plus every available moment working on your studio projects. The process of design is the core of architecture. It is our version of the "scientific method", we hypothesize, test and revise with our "proof" being our own satisfaciton with the final product. The question might be the design for a library of the detail for a flashing; the process is the same. It is the study of history and criticism that informs our designs. We learn from others and apply those lessons. Mies looked at ionic columns on classical greek temple to learn how to articulate the corner of post office in Chicago, one of his masterpieces. Corbusier looked to the Parthenon to understand a facade composed of columns and simple masses on the Villa Savoye. I wonder if you want to be an architect of if you would be bettter off simply studying engineering. If these aspects seem unimportant and a waste of time I don't think you will be happy or successful studying architecture.</p>
<p>Sorry if I conveyed the wrong message: the problem is that i love design studios and I'd rather do design than other courses, but i don't want to design a beautiful house that falls apart. I want to be able to judge my designs without an engineer who has no artistic training to do it for me. I just don't know if any of the b.arch program can value both these aspects adequately and allocate adequate time for both. Also, I'd love to study something like Pueblo Bonito where the sustainable design totally rocks; I don't want to study a building that was and is simply considered pretty. In fact...although i don't consider my stats to be bad, I simply cannot compare with someone like fannywonder, so I am counting on my portfolio ALOT and am personally not a techy person~ arch is what I want to do because it integrates art and tech and sustainable des, and I'm looking for a program that doesn't focus on history/theory so much as it is only part of "art".</p>
<p>bneg, engineering still seems to be better for you if you ask me.</p>
<p>Really? Well, if there was a prestigious progam that taught engineering only on houses and sustainable design and allowed me to be an architect, I would pick that over others, because i know whether I'm required to be in a design studio or not I will always design.</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I'm the previous fannywonder; I had a problem with my ID and had to get a new one :)
People here do know a lot of things!
I need some help with my college list right now. I have no problem with choosing top schools, but in choosing second-rate safety schools, I have no idea which one's better or worse. (correct me if I'm wrong in any way)</p>
<p>Here's my compiled list.</p>
<p>University of Virginia
University of California--Berkeley
University of Cincinnati
Syracuse University
California Polytechnic State U., San Luis Obispo
Virginia polytech
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
Pennsylvania State University
University of Illinois Urbana Champaigne
Ohio State University </p>
<p>Among the schools I've stated above, which ones provide most decent architectural programs and get a good recognition in the architectural world?</p>
<p>By the way, how's University of Cincinnati? I heard that it's a great school in architecture, but it's not even on the USnews best college list, so I'm wondering...</p>
<p>Thats a good list to start off with. Consider some of the top schools as well. University of Cinncinnati has a great arch programme, and basically pioneered co-op education, but the rest of the university is ok, unless you get into the honors college.</p>
<p>Thanks Jimminy,
by the way, didn't somebody say university of Cincinnati sucks? I think it was you or JRock. Personally I prefer urban areas and that's what I don't like about Syracuse, OSU, and so on... What are some weak points about Cincinnati?</p>
<p>the university does suck (in my opinion), only its arch programme is good.</p>
<p>Anybody got an opinion about University of Maryland?
Some say it's got a nice graduate architecture school.
What about undergrad? Being near D.C. would be pretty good I think..</p>
<p>I feel you bneg! Hope you're trying out for Stanford, though.</p>
<p>And camac, where's IIT on your list?
Well, I've been to IIT and I can tell you that you will really love it there. The historic landmark - Crown Hall - houses the architecture department and students spend all their days crouched in their studio spaces! Anyway, it's in Chicago, great opportunities for every student. Internships abound. In first year, much less focus on the computer, and more hand drawings, building with hands. there's a wood lab with cutting facilities. I particularly love the focus of IIT's architecture. And the basic design for first year students is the brick house. IIT is tech and you'll spend all your days in the studio. All architecture and you have Chicago at your doorstep - historical architectural city plus reputable arch fims waiting to hire.
You don't need a portfolio to get into IIT. But if you want a Crown scholarship, you need to send in a drawing and you require an interview. Basically, most people get 1/3 merit schol or aid.</p>
<p>I don't know so much about UMd and much of their aid is for instate residents. Yeah, and like jimminy said, try for Yale. But if you're strongly into arch. you really love it and you need aid + prestige, well Cornell.</p>
<p>well sorry camac, I can't guarantee that you'll love it at IIT though.
I don't, for one. It's so techy and it's small (115acres) and worse till, it's in the middle of a large city. The CTA El runs right through it!</p>
<p>Perusing your previous posts, SRMom3 (you really give great advice), I have decided to visit an architect in her office tomorrow and see what her job's like.</p>
<p>I totally understand bneg's quandary and I may also have similar questions.
I love history.
I love debate and public speaking.
I truly love design.
I love music and art very much.
I love maths and physics but I don't particularly like chemistry, tho I'm good at it.
I'm the kind of person that can excel in any discipline though I excel at music and french apparently without effort.</p>
<p>Now, I LOVE designing homes, primarily. I love visualizing spatially. I LOVE bridges, roads and environmental eng. e.g. drainage, etc. I love mechanics, as a subject. Though I watch several documentaries on skyscrapers, I've not spared much thought about their design. I love getting down in the dirt, into the job. I love woodwork and exquisite wooden/steel furniture and I get involved so much in home fixtures especially in the area of home ent. systems, comm., lighting, info. systems, energy supply, HVAC. I like integrating environment and building, conserving natural vegetation. I go green, and not so hi-tech.</p>
<p>In short, I love buildings and structures and talking about them. I'm very good at criticizing inadequate systems and structures here especially in public facilities. Now I love their design, but I lean a lot toward getting out an efficient and reliable structure with aesthetic appeal as well. On different occasions, different aspects come to the fore in my interest, but I can't really pinpoint the ONE. Also I LOVE solving problems and proferring solutions. I love brainteasing calculations.</p>
<p>After reading all these, please could you all tell me what you think? What am I cut out for? Exactly what? I can survive anywhere, but where will I thrive? THat's the BIG question.</p>
<p>Thank you all.</p>