Hello,
I am having a hard time deciding between Northeastern and Carnegie Mellon for architecture. I know that because NEU puts you on the BSA and then M.Arch track and CMU gives you a B.Arch, its hard to compare the programs, but at this point I have no idea which path would be better for me. I like both schools, but I LOVE Northeastern. They’re both about the same price, so right now I am deciding between the prestige of CMU’s architecture program and NEU’s amazing co-op. I know it might be smarter to choose CMU because it is technically the better program, but I am afraid that the school may not give me as much flexibility with different classes/minors and opportunities for internships and study abroad that NEU would give me. Carnegie seems very rigid with scheduling and although I’m very sure that I want to become an architect, It’s important to me to be able to explore other areas besides architecture. Also, NEU is the only school that gave me a “gut feeling” (although this could just be because I’ve visited there more than CMU).
I need some advice:
Is it worth the added flexibility in classes to choose the M.Arch path vs B.Arch even though they are basically the same degree?
Also, how much does prestige actually matter in the architecture world? Would a degree from CMU give me a significant leg up when looking for a job vs. a degree from NEU (or NEU plus some other graduate program)?
And how much do firms value previous work experience (which I could get lots of at NEU)?
Putting up with Pittsburgh pro sports fans… Not sure about CMU
Seriously, it’s a tough choice in the sense that NEU has the co-op vs CMU with the deservedly better reputation. Also look into the co-op plus schedule of courses per semester/quarter/whatever and make sure the class load is sane. My daughter was admitted to another school famous for co-op and some semesters looked a bit too overloaded.
Having lived in Boston for a bit I’d say it’s an awesome “college town”, no question there. Pittsburgh is great too but Boston is Boston. Weather is a wash, as is travel to/from.
@tuggis, Two good choices! I don’t know too much about CMU’s architecture program except for its overlay of technology which has made it a forerunner in the interdisciplinary design+tech programs that are so valuable in today’s tech focused world.
Northeastern architecture is a solid, practical program, which is well regarded, especially in the Northeast. In addition to being a great college town Boston is also a great “architecture” town with a lot of internship opportunities and campus interaction with local firm.
I wouldn’t say that the BArch and the BS/BA+MArch are “essentially the same degree.” The BArch is narrower and more exclusively architecture focused, which the BS/BA allows more room for experimentation (and social life). In the event that architecture doesn’t work out for you, you would have many other options at NEU. You’d have to find out how flexible CMU is if you were to transfer out of architecture.
Northeastern offers a one year MArch to its BS graduates, but I’m not sure how the co-op factor impacts the total time required from BS to MArch. You also have to consider the additional cost of getting your MArch either to continue at NEU or to do your graduate work at another school.
I would give CMU the edge in ratings and overall prestige, but I believe that NEU students graduate with a headstart on their resumes.
You say you are sure you want to become an architect. That may well be, but the attrition rate for architecture students is great. In my daughter’s BArch program, half of the arch majors dropped from the program by the end of the first year–I think this is not unusual. The workload is super heavy with frequent all-nighters and also be aware that architecture is really an art-focused major, not engineering. I think these are the reasons that kids drop from the program. You should be prepared to pick another major at the school you choose (as a backup plan). Also, remember you will be spending 4 or 5 years there and if Northeastern gave you the ‘gut feeling’, it might be a better fit.
@momrath do you know how difficult it would be to get into top graduate programs from NEU? Also, do grad schools offer a decent amount of scholarships/aid, and, if I ended up getting in to a top program, would it be decently affordable?
@tuggis, I don’t know much about NEU’s track record with top graduate schools. I think it would be a valid question to ask NEU admissions: What have recent graduates gone on to do after getting their BSA? Their website provides a few alumni/ae profiles. http://www.northeastern.edu/camd/architecture/community/alumni/
There’s no direct feeder from undergraduate to MArch. Top MArch programs admit across a wide spectrum of undergraduate and life experiences. The portfolio is heavily weighted in admissions. NEU’s architecture faculty have outstanding resumes. I’m sure they would be excellent graduate school advisers.
At my son’s MArch program grants averaged around $15-20 a year. You may get more if you can add to the school’s diversity. Women, African Americans, Hispanics, South Asians are underrepresented. Teaching fellowships may also be available. It’s not out of the question to take on some debt for graduate school, but you want to be careful since entry level architecture positions are low paid in relation to the cost of education.
You might also ask NEU what kind of funding it offers to its own MArch students?
I know it’s way past the decision deadline so this won’t affect you much but I just came across your post and wanted to offer more info, more so for others that might be wondering the same things in the future.
Both NU and CMU have great architecture programs, both fairly different but great nonetheless. The BS in Arch really only affects the time it takes you to be able to start taking the ARE’s, or accreditation exams, and honestly for many there is not much of a rush. I am currently an arch major at NU and absolutely love everything about it, while I do have to put in many many hours into the studio work, I found time to explore other academic areas as well as time to spend with friends exploring the city and just having a regular college experience.
As far as how it affects your future, in a field like architecture, experience and connections are extremely important. The connections you will find at both, but NU obviously has an edge on experience. As far as graduate programs, I know many choose to stick with the 1-year option because it’s shorter so also cheaper. Most of our professors are graduates from top architecture grad programs, so you might be able to get a mentor out of them which could help you greatly.
