<p>so....give it to me straight guys. lol. I've been interested in architecture for a long time, and at one point I had really thought that was what I should major in in college. But the threads I read sometimes make me think that the choice to go into architecture might be the wrong choice, due to......</p>
<p>-overcrowding of workforce; not enough jobs for all the grads.
-the jobs that grads do find are usually internships which leads to hopping from small job to small job for several years.
-the salary is one of the lowest of professional careers, and stays fairly low for several years into the job.</p>
<p>I'm not presenting those statements as facts, they are just what I've read and seen on the internet. One major deterrent is the site I saw a few months ago after google-ing architecture that stated that architecture was one of the worst jobs to have. A few months after that though and on an updated "top careers 2007" type website, arch. was listed as one of the very best. confusing!</p>
<p>I know that architecture is a career that you must really have a feel and desire for. I'm not wanting to be rich, i'm happy with 50-60,000 year after 5-10 years, which may be hard to come by even with arch. not sure about that. </p>
<p>If i was going to major in arch. it would be at Notre Dame. I'll be attending there in the fall. I'm very much in to the school's teaching of classical architecture and design.thanks for any posts guys.</p>
<p>1) overcrowding of the workforce: this isn't really a problem right now, grads with any intership experience are in high demand. Maybe one of the older posters can correct me if this is a misconception, but I get the impression that these things tend to be cyclical. Sometimes there are too many grads for too few jobs and people end up switching fields more than normal, and sometimes grads have several offers to choose from. It all follows the economy and specifically the new construction rate.</p>
<p>2) an "internship" in architecture isn't like an internship in other fields: it doesn't necessarily (or even usually) have a fixed time period associated with it. You are either an Architect, or you are an intern. So until you've passed those exams, techinally, legally, you are working internships, despite things like having benefits, being on salary, and eventually even being in charge of your own projects. So don't let the word "internship" confuse you, as architects abuse the term.</p>
<p>3) yeah, the salary isn't exactly on par with other professions of similar education requirements, but you can certainly live on it. You will definitely be able to make 50-60k/year within ten years of getting a professional degree in a major market. If I stayed where I was at now, I would hit the 50k mark either this year or next year, and I graduated in '05.</p>
<p>I have to say that I think doing architecture at Notre Dame is a big mistake. If you really wanted to do architecture, you'd be better off somewhere else. But I'm sure you've heard that before; be prepared to keep hearing it.</p>
<p>if you all you learn in notre dame is classical architecture, you limit yourself to only one portion of the architecture market. i'm not sure how big the market is for classical architecture...maybe it is in america with people so clung onto tradition and history...</p>
<p>i'm pretty sure that more is taught than just classical architecture at ND; I just think that is the "core" of the study of arch. there. I also am aware of the "arch. at ND is not the way to go" argument, and I can understand the logic behind it, but i'm not so focused on the new modern and sole creative aspect of some current projects; i'm more focused on forming a building that is useable and sustainable, or in conserving and upgrading current great arch. works. that is where the classical aspect of ND will best suit me I believe. but we'll see. thanks for the replies.</p>
<p>i just wanted to post on here what sort of debt i'll be incurring while at ND. i'm looking at $3500 my first year in loans, thats not counting supplies (what is the avg. for an undergrad for all the supplies and materials needed for all the studios?) I figure that at the very most I will have about $22,000 in loans, and thats the absolute most. it is below the avg. for a private school education, and it will be for 5 yrs. BArch rather than a normal 4 yr undergrad degree. is that alot of debt for an arch.?</p>
<p>i'm a rising sophomore...and for first year, i prob spent about 700 dollars on arch supply only. but as you progress, you begin to use a lot more expensive materials....not to mention plotting tends to be really expensive. architecture is expensive cause you usually buy so much material....some 5th years i know spend prob around 2k just in their 5th year.</p>
<p>i think another thing that begins to cost a lot is the amount of external hard drives and computers you buy throughout your 5 years. architecture is very computer-oriented these days so you constantly need a lot of memory and computer power....a lot of students buy new powerful desktops by their 3rd year. i know my TA had 5 ext hard drives just for his thesis</p>
<p>sashimi, you're getting by pretty well with regards to the material expendature... I spent that for my first semester, seven or eight years ago! First semester there will be a big outlay because you have to stock your toolbox with the basics, and these days get a computer (yeah, back sooo long ago when I was in school we weren't allowed to use them for first year). Fifth year is also a big kicker... I remember just the plots for my thesis presentation costing $600. I had to call and get my 'graduation present' early from the parents because that left me flat broke.</p>
<p>$22k is manageable if you're not planning to do grad school. It'll be a little harder if you are. But on the optimistic side, if Notre Dame is anything like SC (yeah, I know, they try to be nothing alike, but still), it's a lot easier to get scholarships after you're in school for a couple of years, so you may get a couple grand a year later on that helps you out with that sort of thing.</p>
<p>dec, whatever else folks may think about the teaching philosophy at ND, there is no doubt that the graduates are in high demand. There are far more practicioners of classicism than schools that teach it. Depending on the overall economy I would guess that the starting salary in 5 years for a top graduate with a BArch is going to be somewhere between $45,000 to $55,000. That would seem to be enough to handle a debt of $22,000.</p>
<p>Right now the market is overheated. At a large firm roundtable we attended in NY, some of the top firms in the NE were saying that they were having to pay $60,000 to get the top graduates. I do not believe that level is sustainable, but the overall starting salary has definitely gone up. Work hard, because like most of the better firms we are willing to pay a higher starting salary, but we also want the best students. </p>
<p>Question:
How much salary do I need to support my student loan debt? </p>
<p>Answer:
Based on student loan debt of $22,000.00 to be repaid over 10 years at 6.8 percent interest, my estimated monthly payment is $253.18.
To support repayment of the debt, I should earn at least:</p>
<p>It's a great profession, one of the best. It can be a frustrating career, especially if you do not find your way to becoming a designer or independent architect. Design is what most students love best about architecture school--yet the opportunities to design are limited, even rare. Don't assume design opportunities will fall in your lap. Make a concerted effort to put yourself into a position to design. The easiest way to do that is to open your own practice--as early as possible. That is my opinion baased on what I've seen in the profession around the world over the past 25 years.</p>
<p>If you love classical architecture, you should enjoy ND.</p>
<p>ND should be a good school- it may be more classical, however if that is what you are interested in- I would say go for it. As far as the profession goes- I think that it is a tragedy that there are so many people willing to point out flaws and the people that have had great success are quiet for the most part and don’t voice the upsides. Every time I hear the “don’t go into architecture” speech I feel like it is a test that ensures that I really do want to become an architect. </p>
<p>I would relate becoming an architect to becoming an actor—a lot of people will tell you how you shouldn’t go into the profession- how it is impossible to get to the top—and how the median salaries are low. But if everyone listened to this “advice” and made the “logical” decision we wouldn’t have the Norman Foster’s, Richard Meier’s or the Renzo Piano’s of this world would we.</p>
<p>i think ppl in architecture like to complain a lot but they never quit..it's a trendy thing. i mean if you hate it, then get out of it right?</p>
<p>this is really true in architecture school...a lot of us complain all day and all night yet no one would really think of dropping out..at least not in college...but maybe this is because i'm only a rising sophomore. if you're highly committed, passionate, and know that architecture suits you, then i think you should do fine.</p>
<p>i myself at least, highly enjoy what i'm doing. hopefully it's the same in the real world.</p>
<p>the loans werent so scary at first, but now that I know i'll be having to spend soo stinking much on supplies, i dont know. i mean i love arch. but i seriously dont want to be stranded with debt. i'll have to think about this some more.</p>
<p>Tzar....it is funny but BEFORE I even read your post number 11, I was thinking the EXACT same thing to myself about the analogy to going into theater/acting and how people try to discourage those who pursue that educational/career path. It so happens that I have one kid going into architecture and one going into musical theater (both are in college) and I can't begin to imagine discouraging them. I think it is great that they have a passion. Neither ever weighed how difficult the path might be or how much money the career might bring. They went after their passions and the rest will follow. I can't imagine doing otherwise. I have no qualms about their chosen fields and the fact that they are seeking these. I am delighted that they are following their interests.</p>
<p>there are many ways to save money in college...</p>
<p>at my school, the tuition including r and b is around 47k but i probably pay about 36k</p>
<p>here are some tips:
1) live off campus...usually it's much cheaper
2) cook your own food...meal plans are usually expensive
3) summer internships, especially when you're around a third year, the pay can help you easily pay off your living fees. i have arch friends who earn about 7k in just one summer..it's harder 1st or 2nd year in the summer but try to gain as much summer experience as possible
4) you can save a lot on supplies...i never bought the architecture kit that was recommended in the first year. instead, i bought a used drafting board that was like far cheaper and bought the essential tools that i really needed. people also tend to throw a lot of good material away at the end of the year and those can be used for the next year.
5) scholarships...there are lots out there..you just have to be aggressive and find the ones that not many people know</p>
<p>with all these tips, you can probably find yourself earning money..which can be used for other things (gf, snacks, entertainment). </p>
<p>With average starting salaries reaching $35K+, architecture cannot compare to acting or dancing or painting or poetry--true artistic 'starvation' professions. The complaining is part of the school culture--"Oooh, we have to stay up sooo late!" It's machismo bragging, nothing more. Hardly anyone needs to stay up if they don't procrastinate--but everyone procrastinates.</p>
<p>Bitterness develops as architects discover they don't have the talent to design--often a late discovery or self-awareness. Or bitterness develops when architects discover they won't get the opportunity to design much--a fact that stems from personality or lack of business sense or lack of drive or life circumstances.</p>
<p>Very few architects get to design large scale buildings as pieces of 'architecture'. That is an elusive prize--one that requires huge focus through years of practice, talent, drive and tenacity.</p>