<p>“Gomestar, you clearly have little clue as to the sustained work and extensive time involved in being a committed architectural student under deadline after deadline”</p>
<p>but I do know - my GF for the past 5 years studied architecture at Cornell (for reference I graduated 2 years ago). I spent many hours in that studio hanging out with her and my friends (also architecture students). In fact, I may know MORE arch students than non-arch students. We had a good time in that studio, but I could never complete my work there. Too much noise and commotion, really hard to concentrate.</p>
<p>“You also don’t realize the thought and monumental effort that goes into the production of detailed physical model making to scale”</p>
<p>But I do - I was volunteered to work on numerous models for her semester after semester. It was fun, a little break for me and some help for her. Tedious work, really, but monumental? A laugh. </p>
<p>“And that is just the tip of the iceberg: architectural students are required to study structural engineering, strength of materials, mechanical and life safety systems…”</p>
<p>here is another bit to that. Those classes are a joke compared to legit math and engineering classes. They’re watered down since the architecture class, while creatively stellar, is statistically a little weaker than the rest of the student body. Furthermore, some students produce rotten work for these classes (my GF was a TA for structures and some of the grading work she would show me was just pitiful).</p>
<p>I am not discrediting architecture students in any way at all - I will be very happily married to one in the not so distant future. But to say its an extremely demanding and difficult major is really overblowing it. I’ve spend countless hours in that studio, there is a lot that people don’t see.</p>
<p>“What you see in studio with the procrastination is largely with the 1st years who have yet to grasp a strong productive work ethic to studio (which btw, is very different from studying for an exam or writing a paper and takes a long time to grasp). Anyone who has gone through 1st year knows very well that they are sick of pulling all nighters and would work hard to finish everything on time.”</p>
<p>This is a big part of it. My GF pulled a total of 1 all nighters (it was during her second year, I remember bringing her breakfast) during her time at Cornell. I think I pulled 1-2 in my major. My point is as long as you don’t screw around in that studio and get a good start at your work, there is no reason to be pulling these ridiculous hours that people associate arch students with. I think the myth is far overblown, but I agree it can be a huge amount of work and responsibility that, like any Cornell student, takes a plan and proper prioritization to finish.</p>
<p>In addition to what I had mentioned above, architectural students need to work a minimum of 3 years under a licensed architect after graduating from their 5 year professional program before they are even qualified to take their registration exams (which are exhaustive). In order to pass those exams – which a huge percentage don’t pass on the first round – aspirants must also be well schooled on extensive building code regulations, as well as zoning guideline tendencies, in addition to everything I had mentioned above.</p>
<p>The rigorous (though rewarding) game does not stop at graduation from the 5 year program. Sounds to me like you may be a little unaware of what an architecture curriculum really entails, Gomestar. You think you are an expert because you have a GF, but you clearly are not, nor will you likely ever be. Try to apply to an architecture program … let’s see if you can even take the first small step, as most who do don’t even get past the first small gate. Finally, good luck to your you and your GF in these hard economic times.</p>
<p>^***, why the hell would anyone do that if they already have a degree and don’t plan on being an architect. You are getting way to defensive here man. He is not saying that Arch students are lazy Dbags that do nothing all day, but he is saying that the difficult of the program is overstated. That is understandable.</p>
<p>“He is not saying that Arch students are lazy Dbags that do nothing all day, but he is saying that the difficult of the program is overstated. That is understandable”</p>
<p>I think a critical reading class is something more arch. students should take.</p>
<p>so you have a minimum of 8 years to figure some building code. Or you could also earn an MD degree in that same amount of time.</p>
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<p>when have I claimed to be an expert? I am merely stating my observations from countless hours spent in the architecture studio with friends. I would most certainly be rejected if I applied to the arch program - I have the art skills of a chimp. But you’re going off on logical tangents that have nothing to do with my argument.</p>
<p>Since when did it become “defensive” to simply state facts from experience? If you look into what it actually takes – beyond talent – to become a licensed architect (and accept the facts) than you might have a clearer picture of the mountain that it is … to claim that architectural students have an easier road than is generally perceived is simply wrong. If anything the opposite is actually the case.</p>
<p>I’m just telling you what I see. I’ve seen the life of arch. students from years 1 - 5 and I’ve been on these boards for a long time and I’ve been saying the same thing for years, feel free to dig up any old threads or posts I may have made.</p>
<p>Gomestar, if you were able to spend “countless hours” in the architectural studios, how does that reflect on the rigor of your own program? I doubt that you will find the architectural students spending that kind of time with their BF at the Johnson School, because they simply don’t have time. When they’re done with studio (which they never really are) they are usually catching up on sleep.</p>
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<p>Okay, and I’ve lived the life of architectural practice for many decades, and have been on these boards for a bit, and have written a few times about architectural education and practice. Feel free to dig up any of those threads or posts that I have made.</p>
<p>I’ve had to derive the wave equation from f=ma on almost every one of my physics 3 hws so far, last time we had to include air resistance in the equation as well. Take from that what you will. Though its really only hard the first time since the steps are relatively similar with every type of wave and force we’ve seen so far.</p>
<p>or because 1) arch. students tend to keep away from other students at Cornell and because 2) nobody likes hanging out at the libraries, and 3) arch. students really don’t need to spend much time in the library (aside from a few research projects or other non-arch. classes). In the library, we’d get yelled at for socializing anyways, the studio is way more fun to hang out at. </p>
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<p>So here I am thinking you’re a 2nd or 3rd year student trying to defent how utterly rigorous their program and studio life is. But no. Apparently you haven’t been a student in the studio for “decades”. </p>
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<p>Pass rate was 80%. Compare that to a Certified Public Accountant Exam where the pass rate has historically been in the 44-49% range and, well, you get the picture…</p>
<p>Gomestar, your assumption above, as to where I’m coming from, is quite wrong. If you wade through some of the posts I’ve made over the past year-and-a-half you will be able to easily realize that, especially if you are as “super brilliant” as you claim. ;-)</p>
<p>I did a check. 80% of your posts are in “cornell vs. X University” threads, 5% are on the Ann Coulter vs. Kieth Olberman debate, and 15% is a mish mash of stuff of which 1-30-2009 when you talk about architecture salaries. Not much else about architecture, at least in the 11 pages of posts it gives me. And you have a child in AAP. But I’m sure you know more about life in the studio than I do, you’ve probably spent quite a bit of time there in the past few years, no?</p>
<p>All I’ve been saying is that I believe the general perception that architecture is an extremely demanding and academically rigorious major is far overblown. I say this based off of my personal experience inside and outside of the studio and compared to the workload in my own major and the majors of my other friends (I lived with an engineer during my junior year and with 4 math majors my senior year). This is my opinion based on my own personal observations. You can disagree with me, but I’m going to continue to just call it as I see it.</p>
<p>Well, I took several classes that produced new insights into the way the world functions. They weren’t in the English department or other conventional humanities pursuits. I guess you missed those opportunities.</p>
<p>^ and they do order food frequently too. As I passed rand hall last night I saw an insomnia cookie delivery man waiting outside rand w a box o the goods presumably to give to arch students.</p>
<p>although I thought insomnia cookies was a terrible idea at first - the cookies are delicious. And it is really conveneient. I can remember many late night orders with them.</p>
<p>Cornell students have a ridiculous amount of work. i have a gf and some other friends that go there and they were listing off the hw they have which goes on and on and on…</p>
<p>Gomestar, thanks for acknowledging that you were mistaken about where I was coming from, that is a decent gesture. Also, I can accept that you have a different perception of the demands on architectural students than me. I went through a 5 year professional program a long time ago in the 70s, and at a different school than Cornell, but, as you discovered from reading some of the archived posts, I do have a daughter currently in AAP. To say it keeps her challenged and busy is an understatement. So, we will both have to stick with what we have gleaned from different sets of experience, and agree to disagree.</p>
<p>Also, when I have described the demands on architectural students, I haven’t argued that there aren’t other programs that are at least as challenging – I was simply sketching a picture about professional requirements from my perspective in the field, along with my child’s initial experience at Cornell.</p>
<p>Finally, I wrote a little about the substantial commitment it takes to become an architect in the 01-30-09 post you mentioned above. It was addressing an architectural student who claimed that he was quitting the program because he couldn’t live with the challenges (anonymous), as well as to a aspiring student with questions about the cost and potential rewards of becoming an architect (Air Painter):</p>