<p>This question is directed to those who have been accepted to good graduate schools. What do you think really put you a step above other applicants? Is it the types of things that were put in your portfolio, your GPA, your GRE, what? </p>
<p>I am a third year student starting to prepare for graduate school. I know that for instance that including CAD drawings is not as as desired as hand drawings, but what specifically do graduate schools look for in their applicants' portfolios?</p>
<p>For grad school apps, the importance of all parts of the app is as follows:
portfolio
personal essay
LoRec
GPA/GRE (which really aren’t that important)</p>
<p>While some schools have GPA cutoffs, a stellar portfolio always trumps that (though it’d be good to at least have a 3.0 GPA). Same with the GRE. If you really want to get an idea of the GPAs and GREs of accepted students, some schools post student profiles. UMich had an average GPA of 3.47 and GRE Average score: Verbal 559, Quantitative 683, Analytical Writing 4.2</p>
<p>While the content of the portfolio really depends on your background, what most schools generally want to see in ports is 1) how you see/analyze/understand the built env. and how that’s carried through in your art/architecture pieces, and 2) your creative process in producing said pieces. </p>
<p>Aside from that, I’ve known people who have gotten into top schools with portfolio of only photos, or only installation work. Just make sure that it’s cohesive and isn’t just a bunch of photos of finished work.</p>
<p>@CU, as far as I know, there isn’t one single location that contains the average GREs and GPAs for every single M.Arch program. Either it’s listed on their website, or an admissions person/whoever leads the tour if you’re touring the school will tell you those numbers, or they just don’t release that information.</p>
<p>M Arch stats are hard to come by as there is no “definative guide” or common practice amoungst schools. “DI Rankings 2011” is somewhat helpful, but hardly worth the $45ish, your better off searching for it in the library or pawning it off a friend, even if it’s a year or two out of date (it’s not like schools change all that rapidly).</p>
<p>Visit [Archinect</a> - Making Architecture More Connected (since 1997)](<a href=“http://www.archinect.com%5DArchinect”>http://www.archinect.com) and browse through the discussions. Especially the ones labeled “M.Arch Applicants Commiserate here.” There are stats as well as portfolios in the threads.</p>