<p>I applied to Cornell, Syracuse, Cooper Union, Oregon, and Virginia Tech for their B.Arch programs. I only got accepted by Oregon and Virginia Tech, but pretty good schools considering their 2010 rankings (#7 and #4, respectively).</p>
<p>However, I don't know whether I should go to Oregon or Virginia Tech. I attended Oregon's Summer Architecture Academy last year (2009) and really liked the school a lot. However, Virginia Tech seems to teach a lot more in terms of architecture, planning, engineering-aspects, etc., but I don't know if I would like the environment of the Blacksburg area, since it's virtually in the middle of nowhere. Even after comparing both their programs and the courses they offer, I still don't know where I should apply.</p>
<p>If anyone has any tips, opinions, or experiences they would like to share, please do!</p>
<p>First - congratulations on your acceptances. What a wonderful choice you have.</p>
<p>If you were my child (and I hope she gets these choices next year), I would ask you to think about the following:</p>
<p>Which school feels right to you? Do you think you’ll fit in at one school better than the other? Do you care about “fitting in”?
Which school is a better financial fit for you and your parents?
Which school is closer to home?
Which school do you think you are more likely to succeed at?
Which school’s graduates go on to do things that you are interested in doing? Oregon seems to be big on sustainability - is that your interest as well?</p>
<p>Both schools are excellent choices and seem similar in some ways - big athletics, beautiful parts of the country, good looking campuses. </p>
<p>Naturally only you can answer these questions for yourself and please don’t feel the need to respond here. If you know what you want from a school your choice will be easier. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>From an educational standpoint, you will get excellent training at both schools. Both have well-respected architecture programs, so academics are pretty much a wash.</p>
<p>How do the 2 schools compare in terms of cost for you? And remember to add in the costs of traveling to/from the school as well. Unless you live in the middle of the country, transportation costs are likely to be much higher for one than the other.</p>
<p>Assuming both schools are financially feasible for you, the real differences between the two will be the non-academic aspects – size, location, demographics, sports programs, etc. Have you visited both schools? Where do you feel more “at home”? Remember that you will be spending 5 years there.</p>
<p>Financially, i’m pretty much fine. On average, UO costs about $35,000 a year and Virginia Tech costs about $30,000 a year. However I got a $5,000 scholarship from Oregon, so that evens out the tuition costs. FYI I live in Washington, so those are out-of-state costs.</p>
<p>As for housing costs, UO costs a lot more than Virginia Tech, so my parents suggested buying a house or condo in Eugene if I decide to go to UO. The good thing about Eugene is I can get around easily without a car, but in Blacksburg I will certainly need a car if I want to get around.</p>
<p>One of my main concerns is the course requirements. I don’t know what to make of Virginia Tech’s Foundation Design Laboratory, it sounds like a good basic building block, but since I already had some previous art and architecture-related training (college art classes and the UO Summer Architecture Academy, not to mention the portfolio), I don’t know if I would feel “bored” taking the Foundation Design Laboratory class. For me, the first year would be the big deciding factor in going to whichever school. However, after the first year, Virginia Tech’s program goes into high gear, with a lot of emphasis on building construction/materials/structures, since VT’s engineering program is also top-rated.</p>
<p>Overall, the feeling I have right now is, should I take Virginia Tech’s seemingly-more vigorous training that will prepare me for the future or be in a more urban-like environment like Oregon while still getting good training?</p>
<p>arch2015, Congratulations on your acceptances! I have a son at VT in the College of Architecture. He is in his 2nd year there and is a Landscape Arch major. As you probably know, all of the design disciplines, with the exception of studio art majors and urban planning majors, go into the the Foundation Design first year class together. It is a great preparation for all of the students and the school really emphasizes how proud they are of it. CAUS has their top professors teach the first year students what principles of design they feel are crucial for the students to utilize as they go through their schooling. </p>
<p>Previous /arch experience is helpful, but I am sure you will learn a lot more in that year that will excite you- at least my kid did! He took 4 yrs of art and arch/engineering elective classes in hs. Tech also has a summer arch preparatory class for high schoolers and I am also pretty certain some of the kids admitted as VT arch majors went to it like you went to Oregon’s. So, in other words, I doubt you will be bored! </p>
<p>About the car…You really don’t need one at VT. There is a transit bus system that runs all over the city and into Christiansburg (a nearby town) where you’ll find the Wal Mart, mall, etc. They also started this year something called UCarShare, whereby you can go online and reserve a car and use before returning it to its place on campus. I think they have about 5 cars and a truck for students to use. Here is the link to look at how it works:</p>
<p>Blacksburg is a small town but it embraces Virginia Tech. I have never been out to Oregon to compare, but the surrounding countryside around VT is beautiful to me. Hope some of this info helps! Good luck in your decision!</p>
<p>Virginia Tech does seem pretty nice, but looking over both schools’ courses and course outlines, as well as architecture-related activities and study-abroad programs, and a host of other factors, i’ve decided that I am going to the University of Oregon.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you! I am sure you will get a fine education at the Univ of Oregon and will save a bundle of $ on airfare over the course of your five years! :)</p>
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