<p>Hi everyone, let me explain my situation:</p>
<p>I just finished my freshman year at Brown University and am starting my second year in September. I chose Brown so I can explore my options, since I really had no clue what I wanted to major in when I entered college.</p>
<p>My first year there I took some very random classes that didn't help me much in deciding a major, but this summer, on my own accord, I've really taken onto architecture and began researching my options. </p>
<p>From what I know, Brown doesn't have a BArch, but it does have an affiliation with RISD, where I can take some basic architecture courses. </p>
<p>So here are some of my problems:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Should I stay at Brown (I do like it here) and major in Urban studies and/or History of Art and Architecture (while taking a few architecture courses at RISD) and then apply to an Architecture program for graduate school, or should I transfer to a 5 year BArch program? Is that even an option at this point?</p></li>
<li><p>I am not especially skilled in mathematics, art, and physics. Should I be worried? I am more concerned about the math and physics, since I do find myself to be a creative person; how much math and physics are really required of you in an architecture program?</p></li>
<li><p>Since I have no serious art skills, what is my best option for assembling a portfolio in preparation for applying to graduate school?</p></li>
<li><p>What are some of the architecture schools I should be looking at, both undergrad (if that is an option for transferring) and graduate?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I hope I can figure some sort of flight plan out with your help! Thanks!</p>
<p>I am sorry that I am in a rush at the moment. I can’t answer all your questions for now. </p>
<p>However, my D graduated Brown in 2008 and majored in Architectural Studies there. She also took two Arch classes at RISD. She also was the student advisor (DUG) for that department, as well as a TA for one of the courses there. She did not have “serious” art skills. She did take Drawing as an Indep. Study with a professor in the art department at Brown. She had all the Calculus courses via AP prior to Brown. She did have to take a Physics class at Brown that most grad schools require. She did the Career Discovery program summer after freshman year at Harvard Design School. She also did a semester abroad in junior year in Architecture through Syracuse University in Florence. She also interned the summer between junior and senior year for an architecture firm in Paris. While Brown is not strong in Architecture, she was able to piece enough background together to realize she wanted to go into this field and to have some coursework and real experiences in it. She did do a portfolio and some of the experiences I just mentioned fed into it (remember she also had the RISD courses). She applied for MArch programs right out of Brown and had a very successful outcome getting into 6 very well regarded programs. Another kid in her class at Brown did as well. She is now at MIT and he is at Harvard. When my D was a senior at Brown, she organized an event where alum in architecture came back and did a seminar/panel for current students in the department and shared about all the kinds of things you are mentioning. This past year, her first year in grad school, she was one of the invited guests for this same event that she had started at Brown the previous year. I imagine it may be done again this year. Talk to people in the department. Her advisor was Evelyn Lincoln. If you mention the girl from Vermont to her from class of 2008, she will know who you mean. </p>
<p>Right now, my D is working for an architect this summer in the French Alps. If you email me (click on my name and do “send email”) perhaps I could put you in touch with her as she did this very thing you want to do. She never considered transferring into a BArch program however. She also valued the liberal arts background and loved Brown. She did not want a BArch school. In your case, by the time you could transfer (after your soph year), I would imagine you would have to do over some years of UG to fulfill the very specific BArch requirements. It makes more sense for you to amass a portolio, some courses, some real experiences, a summer program perhaps, an abroad program, and apply for MArch schools after Brown. </p>
<p>I hope this helps in the meantime. The department advisors and the DUG students in that department can also guide you. Perhaps you can be in touch with my daughter who has already been there done that.</p>
<p>Please realize that there is a concentration at Brown called Architectural Studies (can’t tell from your post if you realize that). It is a BA. Brown doesn’t have a BArch.</p>
<p>A-V, my son did his BA at Williams in art studio and art history and is just about to start his M.Arch at Cornell. To respond to your questions:</p>
<ol>
<li>I can’t comment on the feasibility of transferring into a B.Arch program at this point. I can say, however, that many, many architects get BA/BS degrees in art, archtecture studies or something all together different, then go on to get an M.Arch. Many work in between degrees.</li>
</ol>
<p>It takes longer and of course costs more, but the advantage is that you get a well rounded undergraduate education. This is purely a personal choice – one is not better than the other.</p>
<ol>
<li>Getting in requires minimal math (calculus) and physics. Some M.Arch programs don’t require it at all. I’ll have to tell you how much math/science is involved once you’re actually in in a few years.</li>
</ol>
<p>Art skills are important as drawing is the main vehicle for expressing architectural creativity. Maybe computer aided design could supplant artistic talent, but I’d say this is something you need to work on.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Start taking art and architectural drafting classes. The portfolio is critical to acceptance to M.Arch programs. For B.Arch programs, it depends.</p></li>
<li><p>Peruse some of the other posts on this site. There are about two dozen well known schools in each B.Arch and M.Arch – in varying degrees of selectivity. I’ll bet Brown has an architecture graduate school advisor.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>My son also did a career discovery program – his was at Columbia and he attended a couple of information sessions for M.Arch programs, which are usually held in the Fall.</p>
<p>It’s probably too late to transfer to a BARCH program for this coming fall semester. If you decide to go this route, you will most likely have to start as a first year student in the program and complete all 5 years. So, if you finish your sophomore year at Brown and then transfer, you are probably looking at 7 years (2 at Brown and 5 at another school) to complete the BARCH. If you complete one of the degrees you mentioned at Brown and then go on to a MARCH program, it would probably take you about the same amount of time.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for the great advice. I will spend the next few days away from the computer though, so I may not be able to view or reply to posts but I will be considering these options given so far!
I appreciate the help given so far and will check back when I have access. You all answered my questions perfectly and I will be looking at those options this coming year.</p>