BA + MArch vs. BArch

<p>I'm in the process of making some last minute decision. I was accepted to a god liberal arts school, and a 5 year architecture program, and was debating which would be the better route. Academically, it seems better to earn an undergrad degree and then apply to grad school (potentially 7 years of school), but financially it is much better to pursue the 5 year degree. Is the 4+3 route worth the additional time and cost?</p>

<p>I don’t regret doing it that way (4+3). I know some people feel that three years isn’t really enough to learn what an architect should know. If the longer route means a lot of debt, that would be a factor in favor of the five year program. OTOH if you aren’t positive you want to be an architect, you might be better off having a BA to fall back on. There are no easy answers here.</p>