Picking a program

College Majors Architecture Major
1

<p>Hey everyone! I would really appreciate some advice and opinions of my problem. </p>

<p>I know that I want to study architecture, I've known for a while and I'm set on it. </p>

<p>However, I'm struggling picking a type of program. I just got accepted into Stanford, which I know isn't very known for it's architecture classes (incredibly small program, organized out of the Civil Engineering School). They do, however, frequently send their students onto grad programs at Yale, Harvard, Columbia, etc. If I get into Princeton, it would be a similar situation. </p>

<p>I've also applied to UVA's architecture school (4 yr undergrad degree, I'm confident that I can get into UVA). I know that this would be followed by grad school. </p>

<p>I'm also fairly certain that I can get into Virginia Tech's 5 yr B.Arch program (or hopefully a B.Arch program at Cooper Union or Cornell). This would be my only schooling then. </p>

<p>I'm curious what you guys think would be the best track for me to go on! Should I go to a top-tier university not known for arch and then go to grad school, pick a much more focused and highly-regarded B.Arch program, or go for the middle ground at UVA? I'd pay in-sate tuition at UVA and VT, but you don't need to consider the money when responding.</p>

<p>I'd love to hear advice and opinions on how this could effect me in college and beyond, thank you so much!</p>

2

<p>V.Tech has a good B.Arch program if you get in. If you are certain about Arch and money is no problem go for B.Arch. You will have to spend less time in school but you will be working harder. </p>

<p>Here is the full list of schools offering B.Arch: [NAAB:</a> Schools Database](<a href=“http://www.naab.org/schools/results.aspx?vSchoolYMGHFREschool_name=&tSchool_Degree_OfferedYMGHFREprogram_type_id=1&startrec=1&searchtype=A&nextbttn=Search&union=AND]NAAB:”>http://www.naab.org/schools/results.aspx?vSchoolYMGHFREschool_name=&tSchool_Degree_OfferedYMGHFREprogram_type_id=1&startrec=1&searchtype=A&nextbttn=Search&union=AND)</p>

3

<p>You sound a lot like my daughter; accepted to six architecture schools including UVA, Rice, and Cornell, but also accepted to Stanford which has no architecture program (what they have is an architectural engineering program; very technically focused). Of all her choices it came down to architecture at UVA or product design at Stanford (one of the few design degrees at Stanford). She decided that she could not say no to Stanford, and graduated a year ago having had a great experience.</p>

<p>So far she has not gone back to architecture, she is practicing product design in Germany and having a great time. So if I went to Stanford I would study something other than architecture and enjoy the great education. However if you go back to a top Ivy graduate school you are facing 7 years of $50,000+ costs.</p>

<p>I think UVA has a great undergraduate program, and a four year degree there would be a nice compromise between a completely focused BArch and a general studies approach. A UVA undergraduate degree followed up by a two year Ivy league MArch would be a very strong combination, and as an in-state student at UVA it would be much more cost effective.</p>

<p>BTW; congratulations, you have some incredible choices available to you. Don’t worry, I don’t think you have any bad options.</p>

<p>rick</p>

4

<p>lb, congratulations on some fine choices. I think your first and foremost decision is whether you want to pursue a general liberal arts education vs a professional track. If you go for the liberal arts, it’s hard to do better than Stanford. After that if you’re still determined to be an architect, you’ll have more fine choices.</p>

<p>This is what my son did. Four years in art / art history at an academically rigorous liberal arts college. After a couple of years of real world work experience, three and a half years in an M.Arch program. Intellectually and creatively it was the right decision for him. </p>

<p>Professionally and financially, time will tell. He made excellent industry connections through his M.Arch program, but the debt is worrisome. So that’s the second question, how are you paying for Stanford and how do you project paying for graduate school? If you are serious that money is not an issue for you, then you’re very lucky.</p>

<p>You’re also lucky in your home state as UVA is a good school, both overall and for architecture. So that’s the third question, which do you want: stay close to home and develop regional ties or experience other parts of the country?</p>

<p>I may be reading more into your comments than you intended, but it seems that a B.Arch at V. Tech is too far toward the professional side of the spectrum. Acceptances to Cooper and/or Cornell would further complicate, so let’s see what happens there.</p>

5

<p>little, I just looked at your profile on your chances thread. If you decide to apply to more BA<br>
programs, then even though it’s eleventh hour, I’d add Yale, Brown and Williams. I have high regard for Stanford, but think there are other good choices for liberal arts with excellent art/art history focus that would segue into top M.Arch programs.</p>

6

<p>Thanks so much for all the advice!</p>

<p>Rick, I think you may have heard wrong about Stanford. Their program is an architecture major, it just isn’t accredited. It teaches engineering fundamentals, that’s true, however it also has architecture studio and multiple art and design courses.</p>

<p>I actually really like the Stanford program, because while it’s unaccredited it seems far more suited to teaching real-world architecture (not all design studio work). They supplement design with business, theory, engineering, communication, etc, and these are all things that I see architects lacking today. </p>

<p>As to the UVA program, I know that it’s very good, but I have a few friends there and they say the work is equivalent to a B.Arch program without the degree at the end. I’m hesitant to give such a large commitment to a program that would both limit my other classes and still require graduate school. </p>

<p>Momrath, you’re right about VT in that their program tends to be very rigid and possibly too professionally-focused. I work at my internship with a lot of VT architects and more than one of them seems to regret their education choice. I’m hesitant to go to a B.Arch program unless it’s very good, like Cornell, because I feel like I could be at a disadvantage following college. </p>

<p>Looking into more graduate school options, Stanford seems like a better and better option when I think about how their program applies to the real world. I’m so thankful that I’ve gotten to see architecture in practice at my internship, because otherwise I may not see the value in some of Stanford’s classes. I’ll probably wait and see if I get into any stellar B.Arch programs, and if I do then it could come down to which would be a better long-term investment. Any advice on that? Which could be the best investment? Rick, if you were hiring a new architect which of these options could impress/appeal more? Assume that the portfolio for each is pretty much the same. </p>

<p>It’s tough thinking about these types of decisions when I’m only 17!! Thank you all so much for the help.</p>

7

<p>littlebuilder, you have a lot of great choices and I applaud you for putting so much thought into what you want to do. Much of my response is influenced by the fact that I believe you need to keep your debt and costs of your education to a minimum, unless your parents are very wealthy and have no issues with the cost of an education at some of the very expensive schools you are looking into. </p>

<p>The allure of Stanford, Princeton, Cornell, etc. is strong, but keep in mind when you graduate you are looking at potentially making a starting salary of 40-45K/yr as an entry level architect. Paying back any loans you have accrued is going to be a very tedious process.</p>

<p>Personally, reading what you are looking for in your undergrad education, UVA would be a great fit for you. You will get the opportunity to take other classes in the liberal arts, but still be in a fine arch program. The amount of money you will save as a Virginia resident would put you in a much better place if you then decide to go for your MArch at a pricier school.</p>

<p>One other thought about VT’s program. It is intense and is very as you say professionally focused, but it does put out some great architects. (if there are a lot at the place you interned, that says a little bit about the school’s reputation) If you have quite a few AP credits going in, you can free up many elective slots in your schedule and you could then take classes in business, engineering, etc. My son did this and was actually able to take a minor in addition to his larch degree. You have to plan it carefully (don’t rely on the advisors!), but it can give you the opportunity to branch out a bit into other disciplines. </p>

<p>Good luck to you as you decide!</p>

8

<p>All the top schools for the most part are ‘good enough’. The difference is how the program is run, how big it is, is it more of this and less of that, what is the studio culture, or the universal differentiator “Chipboard, Basswood, or Balsa” (burn all acceptance letters from schools that require basswood :)). </p>

<p>See if the schools have Facebook or picture sharing pages of review days. DD1’s does and you can learn a lot about what the assignments are. As DD1 is beginning her M.Arch search (never too early) such things play into the decision formula quite a bit. Rice has such a collection and it’s quite telling of the quality of the program. </p>

<p>Also look as to whether it’s possible to take summer classes and free up one class slot in the regular semester (GPA management :)). In a 4+2 program, for example, there is usually some free elective or another that could be done in a community college, online, or at a local school. There’s a big difference between 15 credits (a 6 hour studio, another arch technical elective, and a history/theory class plus some ‘reasonably hard’ physics or math or what-have-you course) and 18 hours (same as before plus some free elective that you will be competing against 12 credit hour a semester general studies majors and the like while you get 4 hours of sleep a day for weeks on end).</p>

9

<p>Just an update, I got into UVa Architecture! So that’s definitely an option</p>