I’m an international student and I did my ACT exam, it felt Awful (really short time to prepare. My bad). Now, my plan is to get into Pasadena city college then transfer to one of the California Uni. However, when I was looking through cal poly admission I found out they don’t require ACT/SAT in their checklist. So, I wonder if there is a good chance for me to admitted (I won’t be surprised if I didn’t)?
I was graduated in a British school so my transcript is mostly 2-4 A’s, 2-3B’s, 2-3C’s and sometimes D in Arabic. Since I’m forced by the ministry to take it…
IELTS score 7
IGCSE 1 A* (art), 3 A, and 3 B.
Prefect in my school, charity walkathon every year (3years, 8km), I will be doing intership in arch company as well as being an assistant In a school, body fitness or gym (I doubt it matters).
Should I even try applying or it’s better off to just apply for CC then transfer?
As an Architecture major, you do have to submit a portfolio. The expected acceptance rate for Architecture is around 31% so not an easy admit. I would apply, if you are unable to get an acceptance, then consider a CCC for 2 years and reapply as a Transfer.
Also note that there are 2 Cal Poly’s: San Luis Obispo and Pomona. Both offer an Architecture major.
Both Cal Poly’s offer the Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) degree. As far as I’m aware neither requires a portfolio for admissions, though submitting an art portfolio may be a plus.
Doing your first two years at Pasadena CC then transferring into a BArch program sounds like a good back up plan should your CalPoly BArch application not be successful. It also might give you a chance to determine if architecture is really for you before you dive into an intensive BArch program.
The first thing I think you should do is take a step back and think about your long term goal. In the US there are several routes to becoming an architect. You can either get the 5.0 year Bachelor OF Architecture (BArch).
Or you can go for some combination of a Bachelor of Science or Art (BS or BA) IN architecture or architectural studies or anything else then get a Master of Architecture (MArch). This route takes from 6.0 to 7.5 years depending on the degrees and programs. The BA/BS+MArch would give you more flexibility exploring other disciplines and in undergraduate admissions.
As an international student you have to think about where you’re likely to end up practicing architecture, and what the requirements are for that location. If you want or need financial aid, that’s also a major consideration.
@momrath the problem is that I never really experienced architecture and many have been saying is a dead job, which I don’t believe. Also, people saying it’s a really intense major (I believe). it kind of demotivated me to go straight into architecture school. I think it’s a safe idea for me to try the course in PCC and decide. Since, it’s kind of save up some money for uni as well as I can truly experience the course.
The second option sounds good, but too time consuming and financial as well. I will think about it. About bachelor of science or art, can it include architecture major if the school offers BA for it? Like UCLA, UCB, etc. BA/BS+MArch can only be done in USA or I can obtain MArch in Europe?
Is it possible to find scholarship or financial aid for CC? My parents doesn’t have financial issues to send me to CC for 2 years, but I want them to save as much money possible for university in California.
Architecture can be a wonderful career, but it’s not for everyone. It’s hard to grasp what working as an architect entails (or for that matter what architecture school entails) until you experience it. The drop out rate for the BArch is high. If you’re unsure, I wouldn’t recommend it.
The BArch is a highly architecture intense program. If you decide to get a BA or BS and then an MArch, then, yes, your undergraduate degree can be a BA or a BS in architecture, art or in anything else that appeals to you. To get into an MArch program you need to fulfill the program’s requirements – which may include some art and art history, some physics and some calculus. Your portfolio will be a major part of admissions. If you have studied architecture as an undergrad the time it takes to get your masters will usually be shorter, but not always.
I don’t know much about studying architecture in Europe, but it’s not uncommon for architects to have multi-country educations. Again, you’ll want to consider the requirements of the country where you are most likely to practice.
In architecture you are likely to receive more financial aid as an undergraduate than as a graduate student, though I’m sure there are exceptions. Many undergraduate schools offer financial aid to internationals, both need based aid and to a lesser degree merit aid; however, my understanding is that schools in the UC and CSU system do not.
PCC doesn’t offer financial aid to international students. I don’t know if that is typical of all community colleges. You’d have to research them one by one. As a general statement financial aid is always complicated for non-US citizens, but it is available.
My suggestion would be to sit down with your parents and talk about the various scenarios and how they could be financed. My understanding of the 2.0 year program at PCC is that it is the equivalent of the first two years of a BArch program, so either way you’d only be doing 5.0 years and the cost would be similar. If you did an undergraduate BA or BS in architecture, you could probably get your masters in 2.0 years, so the difference would be 5.0 versus 6.0 years in total.
@momrath is it possible to get a arch job with architecture BA degree? if I’m doing BA, I’m thinking to take a year gap then do master.
Is TAP even necessary for architecture school, or it can be a bonus for increasing the chance to get accepted into uni? Also, what other CC would you recommend with architecture course?
Is it recommended to start the first semester with arch course, or is it better to start with basic like maths, and English.
I have been hearing a lot of things for sci-arc (positive and negative) like risky choice, really unique, etc. what’s your thoughts about that school?
Yes, it’s possible to work in architecture with a BA or a BS in architecture, but in order to advance in the field and to become a licensed architect you will want to get a BArch or an MArch. (Licensing is administered by state and there are exceptions.) I believe other countries have similar requirements.
It’s quite common for people who are interested in becoming architects but who only have a BA or BS to work for a year or two at entry level architect jobs before returning to school to get an MArch. On the average MArch students are in their mid-20’s and industry experience is a positive in admissions.
I’m not familiar with TAP. I’m also not an expert on the best CCs for architecture. I just know about PCC because of its track record for getting its students into CalPolySLO.
What you study your first year would depend on the school you attend and the program you choose. Some have structured curriculums, some are more open ended.
SCI-Arc is, as you say, unique because it’s all architecture, all the time. Its emphasis is on the design side of architecture – and a portfolio is required for admissions-- but as an accredited BArch program, it would also cover the course requirements in the structural side of architecture.
Thank you for all the information! This question is kind of irrelevant to the topic, but I need a new laptop for college and there’s always debate between apple os vs windows. I have been using windows when I was a kid. Do you know which laptop can last me for the next 2-4 years that’s good enough for the architecture course? No specfic budget in mind. Thank you