<p>I know it will be impossible to make generalizations, but could anybody comment on specific architecture programs? How important is the GPA vs the Portfolio in gaining admission?</p>
<p>As the parent of an engineering student, I completely grasp gpa, but the portfolio thing is a little daunting to me.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>lkf, are you looking at an undergraduate program -- i.e., right after highschool -- or a graduate program -- i.e., already having a college degree?</p>
<p>I know this is not the answer you were looking for, but it just depends on the school. Among the schools that my D applied to it was a very big deal at Rice and Cornell, not required at UVA and Barnard, required for an arch scholarship at WashU. It is really just school by school. </p>
<p>rick</p>
<p>I was talking about an undergrad program for daughter who is currently in high school. Thanks for any and all info on individual schools, as well as general tips!</p>
<p>For a US BArch, the portfolio is very important--trumps the GPA. However, a low or lacklustre GPA will not be a plus at the top schools. A super high SAT (+1450) will also be an asset. Overseas, the GPA is paramount. The US may be the only system that allows the arty and the less than brilliant into architecture school. Only the tippy top high school students need apply in the rest of the world. </p>
<p>If you can, get your D to post her portfolio online to get comments--especially from current/rising students like Tsar and Sashimi--and young' uns like larationlist. Also, some posters like Marsden and some SCAD profs who post in the art threads have experience sitting on admission boards. </p>
<p>Besides a fascile drawing and/or model making ability, I think an ability to 'conceptualize an idea' through a 2D or 3D abstract expression is an important skill for architecture school. Most initial conceptual efforts are overly obvious (ie "Here is where the abstract river runs through the building"). The obvious concepts have been done to death and as a result they have a high 'cringe' factor. With that in mind, high school students would do well to quiz their current art teachers about conceptual art--even asking for assignments that would allow them to explore a few conceptual pieces. Getting past the obvious conceptual solutions before arriving in the architecture studio would be an advantage. Says me.</p>
<p>Thank you so much! I will follow up on advice, although my d has no portfolio yet. She is just finishing up 9th grade, but has been interested in architecture for a few years now. I guess she needs to work on that portfolio!</p>
<p>I know about music auditions and academic admissions, but for some reason the whole architecture thing scares the heck out of me. Honestly, no advice is too elementary or too obvious for me. Bring it on!</p>
<p>I will take a little bit of a contrarian viewpoint about developing a portfolio. Rather than deciding on a major and potential school in the 9th grade and then tailoring your coursework and portfolio to get into the right school, I would suggest your son pursue his passions and see where it takes him. If he does not feel any real passion for his art courses, but is taking them because he knows he will need a portfolio to get into arch school, then maybe there is another major that will suit him better. If he does not enjoy the ambiguity inherent in art then perhaps engineering would be a better choice. This is something he needs to discover in the next three years.</p>
<p>Any opportunity to spend a few weeks working in an architect's office would also be really valuable. One of my daughter's classmates decided she did not really want to be an architect after spending a couple of weeks in our office. Kind of hurt my feelings, but it is much better to find out now.</p>
<p>My daughter has two parents who are architects. However in the 9th grade I was not convinced she had what it took to be happy in this profession. It was not till her sophmore year when art became her favorite course that I felt she might be suited for it. Seeing her stay up till three in the morning to get her art project just the way she wanted it was also a pretty good sign. If you have the talent and passion, this can be an amazing profession. If you don't, it can just be a grind.</p>
<p>rick</p>
<p>The weight given to the portfolio varies from being paramount at some of the artier schools to just being something that can make up for a mediocre GPA or lackluster extracurriculars at larger universities which want well-rounded students. </p>
<p>I would agree with rick12 that she should explore what she's interested in art-wise, not be angling for the best classes to pump her portfolio. If she's good, that'll show through in whatever medium she chooses. Just have her document everything along the way! As soon as a project is done, get it scanned, photographed, whatever it takes to make sure that come time to assemble that portfolio she doesn't end up having to leave great pieces out because they've been lost or damaged by that point.</p>
<p>Thanks for the perspective rick. You are right, of course. It is really way to early to tell what she will be interested in down the road. I do know that she tends to be artsy and creative, good in all subjects across the board, and is a people person. She loved building models during a summer program (they did 2D drawings from life and also built 3D models from original drawings), is hooked on building the houses on Sims games and has no problem being the only girl in a robotics class. She was just as happy studying astrophysics as Shakespeare. I have noticed that for several years now, she has been very opinionated on the aesthetics of the exterior of buildings and on interior spaces of homes. Weird?</p>
<p>Clearly, it is just too early to tell! Many paths might come to suit her gregarious personality. But I really appreciate larationalist's advice to document projects as they are completed. I have not really done this, but it is excellent advice. And if no portfolio is needed, it will be a nice keepsake for both mom and daughter!</p>
<p>lkf, your daughter sounds like my son. He has been drawing buildings since he could hold a crayon and has (to me) amazing three dimensional perception. When he was in kindergarten we visited a famous 8th century Buddhist monument and later he sat down and did an aerial view. But he is also interested in a lot of different disciplines -- fine art, art history, literature, history, philosophy and the liberal arts in general, including math and science. </p>
<p>He chose not to get an undergraduate architecture degree but went the BA route instead with a concentration in art studio and art history. Along the way he kept drawing and studying buildings. He's just about to graduate and has an entry level job at an architecture firm -- doing who knows what, but he's psyched! If he likes the environment he'll go on to get a Masters of Architecture. The managing partner of his firm has a BA, Law degree and a M.Arch. </p>
<p>This is a longer route but I think equally suitable to a student that wants a liberal arts foundation. My son has several friends who went directly from high school to career school -- one in architecture (U.S.) and one in medicine (Europe). Their paths and their college experiences have been very different from my son's. When they graduate they'll be miles ahead in their careers, but they will (I think) have missed a lot of intellectual opportunities.</p>
<p>I'm not being judgmental, as there is no single approach, but for the child who hungers for Shakespeare, astrophysics AND architecture, you might consider steering her toward a BA or a BS before settling on architecture.</p>
<p>We each take our own path into this profession. My wife knew she wanted to be an architect from the time she was 12 as she watched a very good architect design a house for her parents. Took a lot of art courses, was accepted into Cornell and UVA, and ended up at UVA.</p>
<p>I went to an inner city school in Cincinnati, took no art courses and spent all fo my time sketching cars in class. I wanted to design cars and thought that's what engineers did (dumb). I did get an engineering scholarship to Ohio State, but after two years knew I was never going to design anything as an engineer. Transfered into architecture on a fluke because my roomate did it. Said I could keep all my math and physics credits and I would get to draw. After the first week I was hooked, and I have loved this profession since.</p>
<p>As competitive as it is these days I don't think I could have taken the same path. It is a shame, because sometimes you just need a little time to figure things out (though i still love cars).</p>
<p>rick</p>
<p>For the top schools it will help to have a complete package ie a high gpa, test scores and a portfolio. Some schools don't require a portfolio. We focused on the BARCH programs. Admission officers at PennState told us the Arch candidates have the highest grades, and scores and it's just as hard to get into as their combined BA/MD program. Have her take college prep AP classes etc and work on her art skills.</p>
<p>So basically what GPA is the safe point? Or at least enough for the portfolio to kick in.</p>
<p>well for me, 4.1 wasnt safe enough</p>
<p>4.1??? 4.0 is the max right?....</p>
<p>Eh, I'm talking about college gpa, like for transfer or something like that. I never even heard of a 4.1 gpa...whats the max then??</p>
<p>oops sorry i thought highschool gpa</p>
<p>portfolio is the most important.
if the college has two students to choose from.
One with a 4.3 and a good portfolio & another with a 4.0 and an outstanding portfolio.
they'll choose the portfolio over the GPA.
just as long as you get over the safe GPA (ex: 4.0), I think you'll be safe.
the problem is there are plenty of people with a high GPA & a great portfolio.</p>
<p>yeah..i'd say 75% of my class are either valecdictorians or somewhere in the top 5% range. so yeah...GPA is important as well</p>
<p>I would say that it goes like this:
Portfolio-
Grades-
SAT-
Interest and other-</p>
<p>A great portfolio isn’t going to get you in alone—the Grades should be there too. And yes that does mean top 5% of your class.</p>
<p>Remember that at most universities there are two rounds of checks- whether the school of architecture wants you, and whether the university wants you. Some schools do these concurrently, so there's some leeway if the architecture people really want you for them to try and convince the university. But some schools send everything through the university admissions, and if they say 'no' then the school of architecture won't even get your application. So at universities where the overall acceptance rate is low, your GPA/SAT/EC type stuff will count more than you probably want it to.</p>