Hello, I am currently a senior in high school and I have recently decided to major in architecture. Because of my very recent switch from pre-med to architecture, I have absolutely no idea what to look for in an architecture school. I’ve researched schools and have come across the top schools such are Cornell and Rice, but being a mediocre student (3.7 gpa and 1270 sat), I know I’m not a strong applicant for them. I have several questions about applying as an architecture major.
How important will my portfolio be? (I am decent at drawing and pretty good with value, detail, and perspective.)
Will admissions cut my less-than-stellar stats a little slack? (I am retaking my sat in October)
How do I research architecture schools? What should I look for? How dire are visitations to the school?
Unfortunately, my school is way too small to offer AP courses, so I don’t have those to spiff up my transcript. However, my school offers a few dual-credit courses and I will have completed all offered by the end of this year and will have roughly 25-30 college credit hours. My extra-curriculars are also mediocre, I have been a member of many clubs, but have never held any offices. Is there anything else I can do to make myself shine to the admission officers?
Any advice would be helpful!
Because I realized how much I hated science, mostly biology and anatomy. I chose architecture because it had been a previous interest before I thought I wanted to pre-med.
Have you done any job shadowing? Architecture is a very demanding major and a challenging way of making a living. Keep in mind it’s not just drawing pretty pictures of buildings. It’s coordinating ALL of the aspects of a building - structural, mechanical, electrical, etc. You have to know a lot about flashing, brick coursing, finishes, and on and on. You have to know how a building is CONSTRUCTED. It’s hard.
I say this as a structural engineer who works with architects. I really admire the good ones. We are seeing a LOT of poor architectural drawings lately, though. Not sure what the deal is.
Find an architect to speak with about your interest and ask about the process, it can take longer than earning an MD which surprises a lot of people. It’s 8-11 years and there is continuing education requirements as well. You can get a contact by searching for the local chapter of the AIA if you don’t already know an architect. They will be able to provide you with a lot of insight into the process and be able to tell you about upcoming trends in the field.
@tcArch, There are two paths to an architecture career. You can get a 5.0 year Bachelor OF Architecture (BArch) degree or you can get a 4.0 Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science IN architecture, architectural studies or several other degrees, then get a Master of Architecture (MArch) which takes an additional 2.0 to 3.5 years.
There are about 45 universities in the U.S. that offer the BArch. You can do a search for the entire list, which includes national universities, art schools and technical schools. Cornell and Rice are among the most competitive. There are many others that are less selective. Some require a portfolio for admissions, some do not. The BArch is an intensely focused degree. If you’re not sure that architecture is the career for you, you’d be better off going for the BA/BS+MArch route.
In order to become a licensed architect in the U.S. you need either a BArch or an MArch. The licensing process which entails a series of exams plus extensive work experience, takes a minimum of two to three years, though in practice may take a lot longer. Many, many people work in architecture who are not licensed architects. It’s quite common to get a BA/BS, work for a couple of years then head back to graduate school for an MArch.
