Kent State B.S. in Arch vs. Penn State B.Arch?

College Majors Architecture Major
1

Hi all,

I am a current high school senior looking to become a licensed architect in the future, so I know that I’ll need to earn a professional degree in order to be on the path toward licensure. This past fall, I applied to a number of architecture programs in hopes that I’d receive some sort of scholarship from some schools. But unfortunately, most schools – generally the more ‘elite’ schools – did not offer much scholarship, so I have taken them off my list. Virtually, my choice is now between two schools: Kent State in Kent, OH, and Penn State in State College, PA. Most online rankings of each architecture program and each university as a whole puts Penn State on top. Therefore, my decision should theoretically be a no-brainer.

But, here’s where it gets tricky: Penn State offers a 5-year B.Arch program, meaning I could be licensed and ready to practice soon after graduation. Also, Penn State has a great alumni network, especially in PA (I’d be paying in-state tuition for PSU, too). On the other hand, Kent State has a 4 year B.S. in architecture program, and then a 1 year M.Arch program. So, at Kent State, I could also be licensed and ready to work after 5 years, but I’d have TWO degrees (bachelors and masters) instead of just one.

Another thing about Kent State is that due to a family tuition-waving benefit, we’d only have to pay for room and board rates, which is about $10K a year. Assuming I stay at Kent for 5 years, my family and I would only have to pay roughly $50K total. At Penn State, however, the total cost per year is roughly $33K, so a 5 year education there would be $165K. So we’d be saving $115K if I were to go to Kent State instead of Penn State. But my question is – is it worth it? Is it worth it to go to a school that is ranked a good amount lower than the other one, even if we’re saving a large amount of money? What are your overall thoughts on both universities and programs?

Thank you for any responses!

2

I would consider Penn State’s school of architecture a notch above Kent State’s. Whether it’s worth $115K more is hard to answer without knowing your family’s financial situation and your parents’ ability and willingness to fund any choice that’s not Kent State. Are you sure your tuition waiver will cover the additional MArch year?

Though you can start accumulating work hours during school, most of the licensing process takes place after graduation. It generally takes 3.0 years, plus or minus, depending on your motivation and your firm’s insistence.

3

D2 had the same choices as you did. (She was also accepted into the architecture programs at Va Tech and Cincinnati) Kent State was the lowest cost option. She chose Penn State and is presently working as an architect for a firm in Washington DC, primarily based on the contacts she made at Penn State.

Only you can decide where the value for your dollar lies, but Penn State has a much higher profile then Kent State.

4

we on in the same boat, Syracuse would have been our top choice given it’s ranking and proximity to home. But now it’s likely VaTech and second either Penn State or Maryland. We still need to visit the schools to get a better feel but the sticker shock at the moment is high…