help with architecture school choice

<p>So i recently got admitted into UTSOA, and though i still haven't heard back from Columbia and Upenn i want to prepare for the possibility that i might have to choose between the 2 or the 3, what are your experiences with them? UT austin seemed very excited to have me and is a great school (5th in the nation), and being out of state is was very hard to get in. What should i do if i have to choose between it and the others? (Finance isn't a huge consideration), and the chance to live in new york sounds wonderful. But i don't know a lot about the prestige of C and UP undergrad architecture major, and continuing on to a masters after that</p>

<p>UTSOA? I will assume that is UT Austin, which is an outstanding school and very different from what you will find at Columbia and Penn. UT has one of the best professional degree programs in the country, and after five years you will come out very well prepared for professional practice. Columbia and Penn are what I would consider architecture lite. Their focus is on providing you with a broad education with some amount of architectural exposure. You will have a wonderful educational experience, but after four years you do not have a lot to offer as a job candidate (with only two years of studio work), and typically you may be required to do a 3 year Masters degree. The architecture program at Columbia is taught at Barnard and not associated with the graduate school of architecture.</p>

<p>Do you want to go to a very focused architecture program, or do you want an outstanding broad based education? One will be five years with an option for a 3 semester masters, the other is typically a 4+3.</p>

<p>rick</p>

<p>I think the decision is not only between UT and the other two (although that difference is considerable) but between getting a B.Arch and a BA or BS. </p>

<p>Congratulations on a solid acceptance. Now you just have to exhale and wait a few weeks and see what your final choices are. After you know, come back and we can help you weigh the options.</p>

<p>Did you apply to any less selectives?</p>