Looking for schools that give a 5 year BArch degree
4.5 W on 5 scale 3.4 UW (note missed 3 months of sophomore year and had to complete 2 classes online)
AP World History- test not taken due to time missed
AP Calc AB- tbd
AP US history- tbd
AP Physics - tbd
Merit Scholar semifinalist
SAT: tbd
Will graduate with 7 architecture credits in HS- non transferable to college
ECs:
Animal Shelter volunteer
Photography since sophomore year
Look into Syracuse.
@merc81 thank you
Have you talked to your parents about what they will contribute?
State of residency?
Look here to find NAAB accredited BArch programs:
http://www.naab.org/architecture-programs/school-search/
@ucbalumnus my parents can contribute a fair amount, it would be safe to say that anywhere I can get into, I can afford. I live in Texas, and I have looked at the accredited programs, I just was wondering if anyone had any recommendations beyond the dream schools like Cornell, Columbia, and Rice.
http://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/11865-americas-top-architecture-schools-2017
There’s always debate around rankings like this, but it’s a good starting point. You can also google arch firms near you (or where you want to live), and check out where their employees graduated from. Also different programs will emphasize different things. Theory v Technicals is a big one; programs generally do better at one or the other.
I assume UT-Austin would have a good program? Their interior design program is consistently solid, at least.
The 5.0 year Bachelor of Architecture is offered at about 40+ schools in the US. You can look at Design Intelligence for the top ranked schools and at Wikipedia or NAAB for the complete list. The BArch is an intensely focused program without a lot of flexibility to experiment in other disciplines. You wouldn’t want to take on the BArch unless you’re quite sure that architecture is for you. Some BArch programs require a portfolio as part of the admission process, some do not. Cornell and Rice, for example, put a lot of weight on the portfolio.
Many universities with highly regarded architecture programs (e.g., Columbia, Yale, MIT, Penn, Berkeley) do not offer the BArch. Instead their undergraduate programs are a bachelor of arts or science in architecture or a bachelor of environmental design in architecture. After you get your BA/BS/BED you continue on for a Master of Architecture either at the same school or a different one. The MArch takes 1.0 to 3.0 years depending on the school and your undergraduate experience. The combination of the BA/BS/BED+MArch will take a longer than the BArch, but will give you more exposure to other academic areas.
There are quite a few excellent BA/BS/BED+MArch options. Columbia, Yale, Penn, MIT are very selective. Some others to look at would be WUSTL, Virginia, Michigan, Cincinnati, Northeastern, Tulane. You should be aware, however, that admission to the school’s MArch program is not always guaranteed to its undergraduates.
When you talk to your parents about the cost of attendance, you have to consider the total of the entire sequence, either the 5.0 year BArch or the 4.0 year BA/BS/BED plus the 1.0 to 3.5 year MArch. The range is significant.
There are basically three different types of architecture schools for both the BArch and the MArch: Art schools, tech schools and design schools. You’ll find all three represented in DI’s rankings, but you may prefer the environment and culture of one over the other. Some, both BArch and MArch, include a year of co-op or workstudy in their curriculum. I hope you’ll have a chance to do some visiting.
@momrath thank you so much, I definitely plan to visit Columbia, Cornell and Rice. I think my portfolio will be fairly strong since I do freelance photography in my spare time along with my large amounts of Architecture.
@atxCO18 – Take a look at Kansas State University. It’s was previously a 5 year BArch, but now it’s a 5 year masters program. On 10/7/2016, K-State posted info about their CAPD’s latest rankings by DesignIntelligence, and quote the following:
“…The graduate programs in architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture offered by Kansas State University’s College of Architecture, Planning & Design are among the best in the nation, according to annual rankings by DesignIntelligence…”
Not sure what kinds of scholarships are available for OOS students, but I highly recommend considering Kansas State. I’m a graduate and I absolutely loved being a K-State student.
@our2girls awesome, thank you for that recommendation, K-State is definitely getting a second and third look now
bump
It’s difficult to gauge acceptance rates for BArch programs, as few schools post BArch rates separate from the rates for the parent university. You can however look at the university acceptance rates as a general guideline. Some top rated, but less selective, BArch programs that you should look at are
Auburn, Tulane, U of Oregon, Rensselaer, Iowa State, Penn State, Boston Architectural, Woodbury, Arizona, Tennessee, Syracuse
Less highly rated but still solid programs: Drexel, North Carolina State, U of Miami.
Depending on your interests, you might also look at art schools like RISD, Parsons/New School and Pratt.
You should consider Cornell (and I think Rice) super reaches.
BS/BS/BED programs often don’t have admissions channels separate from admission to the parent university. Some relatively less selective but with very good architecture programs are U of Cincinnati, Clemson, Northeastern, Texas A&M, Tulane, U of Colorado Boulder, U of Florida, UVA, UMich, WUSTL
Most of these offer 4+2 MArch programs.
Columbia would be considered a super reach. If you are female you could look at Barnard.
I second looking at K-State. My son is from TX and will be attending there in the fall (different program). We heard about their LA program and it is amazing. They give really good OOS scholarships and there are Alumni scholarships available for students applying there from the Dallas or Houston areas. We got one from Houston area. The school is very nice and the professors are the most friendly of any college we looked at. Good Luck.
@atxCO18 – I’m glad you’ll give K-State another look. If you haven’t visited I’m hopeful you’ll love it when you do. It’s an excellent university, and both the university and the CAPD are awesome. In addition, I think their renovation of the program’s building will be completed this fall…take a look at the web site to see construction in progress.
@momocarly – Yay! Another Wildcat! Honestly, I can’t say enough about Kansas State, and their LA program in the College of Architecture, Planning & Design is top notch. My H graduated from the LA program. So happy to hear about your experience during your visit 
Some people are hesitant to go to a larger school, but though it’s hard to make a small school feel bigger, you can usually make a large school feel smaller, and programs in the CAPD is exactly one way. Hope your son loves it!
My son is also interested in the LA program and we had visted K-State. A very solid presentation on CPAD and theyy allow you to explore all avenues in the program the 1st year. They are ranked in the top 10 have about 400 applicants. Must have a 3.5 and a 25 ACT to get in. They take about 180 students and about 20% drop out of that down the road.
I did not like that they put some pressure on students to get some of the other general ed clases out of the way like college algebra, english and public speaking before they arrive their freshman year otherwise they end up taking 18 cr hrs thier freshman year , which is way too much. Other schools like U of Arkansas, MIss St, and Oklahoma St have a more relaxed entrance but they are 5 yr BA/BS and not the MS that K-State offers.