<p>Hey everyone! I’ve never been on this thread but I thought I should introduce myself since we are all going to be graduating soon in the next upcoming school year (some of you still may be in your junior year still, but my school let out the last day of AP testing so I’m already a Senior)! </p>
<p>Anyway, I want to major in Architecture. I would prefer to attend a 5-year B.Arch program so I can get my accreditation without having to get a Master’s right away so I can start looking for jobs. However, it’s very expensive, especially for my family, who probably could not even afford to send me to community college. </p>
<p>My parents don’t even want to send me away for college (but I need to because even the closest school that offers the major is at least 3 hours away). So recently it has been causing a lot more friction between my mother in particular and I. I really don’t even know how to deal with her anymore. :/</p>
<p>That’s really cool! Architecture is amazing. It’s art and practical, like the perfect combination. I cannot say that I am in your shoes exactly financially, I do understand the friction.</p>
<p>As I said earlier, I want to double major in Japanese/East Asian Studies and Filmmaking. My parents aren’t happy about either major. What would I do with Japanese? and Filmmaking isn’t the most stable job either. We’ve gotten in many arguments over the past few years over this (otherwise, my parents and I are very close). I get where they’re coming from, yes. They just aren’t meeting half-way. It’s frustrating.</p>
<p>Rayna and Descuff: thank you for welcoming me!</p>
<p>Also, Rayna, I am a firm believer in that everyone should do what makes them happy. While I can understand parents being frustrated when college-bound teens are adamant about pursuing careers that are not usually found on lists saying what jobs pay the best, I think parents should still be supportive of us wanting to purse college degrees that may not have been profitable in their time growing up, as the society we are becoming is more fluid in the workforce then when our parents were young. For example, with filmmaking, I’m sure you could become a historical or journalistic reporter, or you could use Japanese to teach, become a translator, or utilize both majors so that you can go abroad and report on stories in East Asian countries for the national media. I’m also sure you could name off some possibilities of what you could do with your major. In fact, I think you have it right with dual majoring so you can keep the possibilities of careers open.</p>
<p>Yes! That’s very true. While my parents see “no career” in either Japanese or Film, I see a plethora of options. Several of which you’ve already mentioned. I’m painfully aware of the financial aspect of college. My goal is to come out of college not in debt. I may be a “starving artist” for a while, but at least I won’t be a “starving artist in debt”.</p>
<p>What made you want to study architecture? :D</p>
<p>I feel like in this day and age there is no major or minor where there are no job opportunities whatsoever. You just have to be a bit more creative with some majors, like for example becoming involved in the media after studying Japanese/film like you guys are talking about. There are majors like premed where it’s pretty obvious what jobs you’ll be looking for but for others you have to experiment a little bit.</p>
<p>It’s cool that you guys have a good idea what you want to do in college. I’ll probably go in as some type of engineering but I have no idea if I will stick with that.</p>
<p>Initially, I wanted to be a graphic designer because I have always been interested in design or an Art Historian because I like learning how cultures play a role in shaping the arts. However, my freshmen year of high school, upon taking more traditional art classes and advanced science classes, I became interested in the environmental concerns that the built world is dealing with and how it is still possible to create beautiful and culturally rich homes and buildings while still being eco-friendly.</p>
<p>I guess I have become an environmental- nut, but I definitely think environmental design is needed as we enter the future and progress in developing third world countries and renovating the already established communities of America.</p>
<p>@yankee: thanks much! I just have a good idea of what to do in college because I know what I want to do with my life. I’m just kind of working backwards from there. :)</p>
<p>@Mystical: that’s really cool! I agree completely. I told one of my friends who wants to be an architecture that she should specialize in eco-design. It will be a major field, I’m positive.</p>
<p>How many volunteer hours do you guys have? I have 1200, but I have little involvement in other things. I’m the president of the SADD club. Other than that it’s just school and volunteering. Every time I thing I’m going above and beyond, someone else has the same and a lot more on here. -_-</p>
wow… I have no where close to that. I have never participated in a routine volunteer program. Also, what do you consider volunteering?
Last summer I was a CIT and a worked for a month without getting paid; however, I’m not sure if that counts or not. Also, I’ve done some volunteer work for my school as part of my clubs, does that count? Other than that I probably have 50 hours.</p>
<p>For other ECs:
3 Years of cross country
4 years of track
2 years of swimming
4 years of environmental club, 2 years as president
4 years of GSA, 1 year as president
3 years as a newspaper writer</p>
<p>I also did other sports for the years when I wasn’t doing the sports I mentioned, but I don’t really count those since it was kind of a joke.</p>
<p>@alwaysleah, I don’t care about # of hours, in fact I think it’s more important to be able to talk about what you have learned from volunteering and not just show a number. I was just commenting how Rachel should be proud of 1200 hours she has, it’s a lot and I’m inferring that it is something that means a lot to her.</p>
<p>I was bored so I just made a countdown clock for the ED Deadline at most schools, which is November 1st. A bunch of schools have later ones like November 15th, but the majority (and they one I want to apply to) are November 1st, so that’s what I made the countdown for: [Countdown</a> Clock](<a href=“Countdown Clock”>Countdown Clock)
It’s actually scary seeing how little time we have left (161 DAYS!!!)
I’m excited and nervous at the same time. About 10 days left till summer, and then I can start focusing on my essays and my app. Still need to ask one more teacher to write a rec for me. I’m gonna try to get that done tomorrow.</p>
<p>No, only Rice my top school for ED. Then EA at the schools on my list that offer it. So:
Rice: ED
Tulane: EA (probably)
UChicago: EA (maybe)
UMiami: EA (maybe)</p>
<p>UMiami and Tulane are my likely schools, but if I don’t get into Rice I can at least know I got in somewhere, and not have to do as many safety schools in RD. UChicago is possibly the hardest school to get into on my list, but they have EA, so why not?</p>
I’m painfully aware of the financial aspect of college. My goal is to come out of college not in debt. I may be a “starving artist” for a while, but at least I won’t be a “starving artist in debt”.</p>