I’m looking at arch schools that “recommend” a portfolio (particularly Rice and WashU) and I’m wondering just how optional they are. I did WashU’s Architecture Discovery Program (ADP), so I got some (2/3) pieces for a portfolio, but I will have a lot of trouble finishing it. I guess my main questions are:
- Realistically speaking, how possible would it be to get into these schools with no/unfinished/mediocreatbest portfolio? Where would I have to be academically for getting in with that type/lack of portfolio to be possible? Would something more be expected of me after ADP?
- Is it better to have an unfinished Portfolio, a bad portfolio, or no portfolio? If I was to fill my portfolio with photographs (is that even a good idea?), would they be looking for meaning, photo/photoshop quality (I have no talent whatsoever with photoshop), or both?
- Any good schools that I don’t need a portfolio for (not too cold, not too big, willing to compromise a bit of the school is a great fit)?
You still have 5 months before you have to send off your application. Surely you could add a few more pieces in that time. You could also explain that the reason that your portfolio is narrow is that your interest in architecture was a recent development and that you were unable to take an art course senior year. (Unless you’ve managed to work out a way to fit an art course into your schedule.)
A few photographs are fine, but not as “filler”.
Since you have attended ADP you should make an attempt at submitting a portfolio, especially at WUSTL.
Which degree are you interested in at Rice?
Some other ideas for good non-professional architecture programs where the portfolio is either optional or not required. This is just a start. There are many others, especially in the BA category.
Clemson U BA Architecture: Not required
Connecticut College BA Architectural Studies: Not required
Penn State U BS Architecture: Not Required
Tulane U BS Architecture: Recommended
U of Cincinnati BS Architecture: Not required
U of Colorado, Boulder Bachelor of Environmental Design: Not required
U of Florida Bachelor of Design Architecture: Not required
U of Virginia BS Architecture: Optional
There are also several BArch and undergraduate MArch programs that do not require portfolios.
These come to mind. Again, there are many others.
Auburn U
Kansas State U
Penn State U
U of Arizona
I could put together something in the time that I have (I really want to submit applications before the star of my school year on August 26), I know it won’t be up to par with other applicants though, and I’d have difficulty budgeting my time for it because I’d have to balance between finishing my portfolio and finishing college apps. I want to make both as good as I can, but I also want to get them done early. I just can’t find the right balance between the two, especially at places that heavily consider interest and “recommend” a portfolio.
I’m going to Korea in a few weeks, so I could probably get some nice pictures there that would mean something to me and be somewhat beautiful. Do I need to buy/bring (I’m not sure if my family has one already) a nice camera?
That list is very helpful, thank you, I like Clemson and Tulane, and I’m thinking about U of Cincinnati, U of Florida, and Penn State U. Also U of Miami, but again I’m not sure how “recommended” their portfolio is and/or how serious. If you know much about them, could you tell me about some of those schools (academic/social environment, etc)?
Thank you very much for all of your help. I would be so lost without CC lol.
Oh oops I forgot the @momrath
Also, I would really like the BArch program at Rice. The preceptorship is a very attractive aspect of the program. I think the application for all of their arch programs is the same, is it not?
http://arch.rice.edu/Undergraduate-Overview.aspx
Also, sorry about the false information in my first post, Rice requires a portfolio, not just recommends. They recommend an interview, I guess I was confused between those two for them. Sorry!
Rice accepts a rather small number of students per year, and living in Houston… well… :). It is an awesome school and the campus - last time I visited 30 years ago - was
beautiful.
I think you’re putting an unrealistic and unnecessary restriction on yourself. How about finishing all the applications that don’t require portfolios before the end of August, and then giving yourself four more months to work on the portfolios for those applications that require them?
I believe the portfolio will be important for WUSTL, Tulane (and UVA if you add) and very important for Rice. I’m not a portfolio expert, but I’d be less inclined to add photographs and more inclined to add drawings – architectural or other – and other artwork.
I’d suggest you add UVA and UC Boulder to your “look into” list. These are very good programs with good MArch admissions track records. I would also consider Texas A&M Bachelor of Environmental Design. I don’t think they require a portfolio, but their website is a bit opaque.
When you’re looking at BS programs you need to give the academic standard of the architecture program priority over the academic standard of the university as a whole, but I would say that Rice, WUSTL, UVA are some of the most academically challenging.
At U Miami I think you’d be looking at a BArch or a 6.0 year BS+MArch. I’m not sure that you can do a 4.0 year BS. Miami is a vibrant, urban driven program with the possibility of merit scholarships.
It’s impossible to judge the chance of admission if you don’t submit an optional or recommended portfolio to Miami or any of the schools that don’t require them. I guess it depends on how you stack up against other applicants in other admissions criteria, which you really can’t predict.
I’ve learned so much from this whole college process and it is daunting at best.
The college process today is rather different than it used to be. I would say it is because of the large number of applicants using college board and these colleges are trying to figure out which applicant truly puts their school first. They have their ways of figuring out where you rank their school, such as have you visited, when did you apply, did you interview, your essays, etc. No college wants to give away spots to students that treat them as a “back up” school so they have ways to see if you are serious or not.
Our private college consultant (who used to work at Princeton admissions) told my kids they had to apply by September to get the maximum results. She said it shows huge interest and that they only have a few applications trickling in by then. They love early applicants and will review your file. Applying ED is the ultimate interest. So when you apply early it means essentially the same thing. So my children applied ED, EA and RD all by September (before their Senior year) and they all had great success. My D is grateful she applied early because it was virtually impossible to work on college apps with having 5 AP courses and she saw her friends struggle.
SMU told us at their information session to apply early because it is easier to get in simply because they have an empty slate.
ND told us to apply early (EA) only if you have at least a 1500 (Math/CR) AND if you are the top 1% of your class - otherwise apply RD. In my opinion, this is unusual and not very common.
Rice - we were told by a friend that at admitted day they were told it was easier to get in via RD vs. ED for Architecture. Interesting! In this case the OP can apply RD!!
Tulane - we were told the earlier you apply, your chances of not only being admitted jumps but you chances of getting merit is higher. It is like first come first serve. They usually fill up their class way before the Nov. EA deadline. It seems to be a big secret but they LOVE their super early applicants. If you are a solid top candidate, you will also hear within 2-4 weeks. It is like a “quiet” rolling admissions process which they say they don’t have. So for sure you have to apply to Tulane by September of your Senior year. Tulane LOVES early applicants because they feel that you are very serious about attending. Apparently this process works for them.
WashU - they contacted my D a month after she applied (RD) asking if they could interview her. They were impressed she applied 3 months early. I’ve also heard that it is easier to get in via ED vs. RD. Its like she applied ED but officially didn’t. I know of several students that also applied RD early were actually offered admissions in the ED round.
So it does help to apply early but yes, you have to have your portfolio done by then especially if they require it.
As far as OP, I don’t think he’s taken many art courses and just recently attended Wash U architecture discovery program. He seems to like both Wash U and Rice and I believe he’s trying to figure out if an outstanding portfolio is required to get into either of these colleges.
In my opinion, I think Rice is looking for a strong portfolio simply because their program is a BArch and their class is very tiny (25 students). I believe they are looking for serious Architects that already know they want to study Architecture. I think they require a portfolio so they can see if you have a strong Art background because it will definitely help with the transition into their Architecture program. You cannot move into Architecture while you are at Rice - instead you have to apply to get in. So I think they use your portfolio to determine if you fit their program/culture.
Whereas, Wash U seems to have a more lenient program where I believe their portfolio isn’t required and is only recommended. I think that’s because they offer a BA/BS/BDES in Architecture where you can easily move in or out of Architecture.
What do you think?
It makes sense. But I remember hearing it from my daughter and others that for some strange reason architecture attracts the highest stats - in her state flagship school arch kids had the highest incoming GPA/SAT of any major and I’ve heard this at other places as well. Even in my birth country where there’s Chinese-style entrance exams involved, architecture invariably is harder to get in than medicine and has been for decades. So if you’re competing on GPA/SAT alone to get to a super school you really need to have super statistics. That’s where portfolio helps.
Oh that is so true. I agree that you have to have high stats to get into either ND, Wash U or Rice… The ND Asst. Dean of the Architecture school told us that Admissions decides on their Architecture class. However, he said if the student is on the fence, then they ask him to review the person’s art portfolio to get their input. I was surprised by that.
I’m generally in favor of getting ahead of the game, including EA applications if your list includes participating schools. I also really like ED but only if you don’t need to compare financial offers.
But when it comes to portfolios sometimes that extra senior year semester of art class can really help to add polish. I would say that not just for architecture but for any student for whom art is a significant EC, even if their intended major is something else altogether.
I agree that portfolios can be deal makers or breakers even for portfolio optional admissions. I think the OP would be making a mistake in not taking the extra time and making the extra effort to make his portfolio as good as it can be. I would think that getting the portfolio right would trump getting the applications in before the deadline.
@SomeChoirGuy, I keep thinking about that required vocational course. Now that you’ve attended the architecture summer session, couldn’t you convince your high school that art IS vocational for you?
Momrath is right - and I will add that a portfolio, regardless of quality, is as good a determinant of applicant interest towards architecture and ability to survive ‘studio culture’ as anything else. As a (paying :)) parent I would really want to know if my kid has the energy and drive to actually complete the RISD bicycle or the Oregon whatever and manage that while doing senior year work and avoiding senioritis.
Just to clarify, I meant that improving your portfolio is preferable to getting applications in months before the deadline, not that you should miss the deadline in order to work on your portfolio. 
Thank you all for your extremely helpful comments. Sorry for the slow response; I waited until I could type this on the computer rather than on my phone 
@turbo93
Post 6:
Yeah, I really like Rice. It sounds like such a great school. Too bad I’d have to have a miracle happen for me to get in there.
Post 10:
At this point I don’t think my portfolio can help me. I’m just trying not to let it hold me back from where I want to go.
Post 13:
We were working from about 7:30 AM to 11:00 PM/12:00 AM (not a typo lol) every weekday. Our instructor told us that we would normally be given 6 or so weeks to accomplish what they had us do in 2 (we got 2 college credits for those 2 weeks). I think I can survive studio culture at least decently by now
@momrath
Post 7:
That sounds like a good idea for the portfolio. I really don’t want to apply right near the deadline though. Maybe a couple of weeks/a month before?
I’ll look into UVA and UC Boulder when I get the time to do it, thank you for the suggestions. Do you know anything about OOS merit there?
Miami sounds like a really nice program. Great weather too!
Post 12:
I don’t know about being able to convince my school of that. Art falls under “visual and performing arts” category, which I have filled 4 times over thanks to Jazz Choir. The vocational class you mention is called “practical art”. They allow us to fulfill the requirement also with a specifically designated CTE (career tech ed) class, such as autoshop or intro. to robotics engineering. It would be worth a try though, I guess. Even though I’m only required one semester of practical art, all of the practical art courses offered are year long. If they won’t count art as CTE for me, I might be able to convince them to let me take art first semester only (even though it is a yearlong class) and Peer Tutor (the class I’m currently scheduled to take) second semester only (even though it is also a yearlong class. I wish I could just take more classes. I’d be happy if I could take 8 or 9 classes per year instead of 7, but I’m probably one of about 5 people at my 1800 person school that feels that way, so we don’t have a zero period or lunch/after school classes, just summer ones, and probably not in art, even though I’m too busy anyway.
@newjersey17
Post 8:
Rice- I will apply RD for sure, not that it will make a difference lol
Tulane- I’m not sure if I should apply for the BS or MArch (undergrad, so basically BArch) because since the school is so expensive I’d need huge merit to get in, and the portfolio seems to be weighted a lot less in admissions to the BS than to the M (B) Arch. Plus I’d get to go to a different place for grad school too, and aside of the cost that doing so might have, I think that’s a good thing.
Wash U- That sounds interesting. I did an interview while I was at ADP. It went pretty decently. Another thing about Wash U: while we were at ADP, we had an assembly with the ADP and the Portfolio Plus (art) kids where some people who worked for admissions were giving us info on Wash U and the application process. They said they weight transcript most heavily (in particular course rigor/success based on what your school offers). An art student asked if they would accept a student with a “terrible portfolio but good academics” and the girl in charge said “yes” without hesitation. That made me happy :).
Post 9:
Yeah, I’m definitely not getting in to Rice. Still hopeful about Wash U though; their portfolio seems a lot less serious, and the teacher I had there liked me for whatever reason, though I doubt that would make a difference in admissions.
@SomeChoirGuy, could you please remind us of your financial situation? Will you qualify for enough need-based aid or will you also require merit aid? What’s your home state?
I don’t know the answer to your question about merit aid at UVA or UC Boulder.
I wouldn’t give up on building a portfolio. I started mine ~5 months before I started submitting applications and still did pretty well with getting into arch schools. If you pm me I can give you some advice. I’d also recommend applying for Cooper Union if you don’t have a complete portfolio as long as you’re creative and willing to dedicate time to the hometest. Good luck with everything!
@momrath
According to the chart on http://www.forbes.com/sites/troyonink/2014/11/28/2015-guide-to-fafsa-css-profile-college-financial-aid-and-expected-family-contribution-efc/ my EFC is around 42k per year right now, but I will have a brother paying about 17-18k for college and my dad will be retired. If you don’t take into account my brother’s college, my dad’s retirement drops EFC on that chart down to around 20k, but not until the 2016 tax return because my dad is planning on retiring this December. I don’t know how that all works out, and I am willing to work some while in college (with any time arch might leave me lol). I live in CA. Northern CA, if that matters.
@silverarch
How much art experience did you have when you started? What types of works did you include? I haven’t given up on building a portfolio, I’ve just accepted that it won’t be as good as those of other applicants. My strong points (rather, non-weak points) are my scores (2260, 800math2 710span), my gpa (~3.93 unweighted, although that isn’t nearly as impressive or uncommon at my school as at other places), and the fact that I did ADP.
I don’t know how to start a PM on my phone, and (ignoring the fact that I doubt I’d like New York) Cooper’s acceptance rate makes me think their home test requires at least some artistic talent, which I lack.
Thank you both for all of the help!
@SomeChoirGuy My experience before starting my portfolio was pretty minimal. I had done some work in an architecture camp the year before starting my applications, but the majority of my development happened through art/architecture classes at my local university. The best iteration of my portfolio consisted of 2 life drawings, 2 creative drawings, 4 architectural models, 2 photographs, a trash sculpture and an abstract painting (12 pieces total with several photos of a few projects). Although people submit all kinds of portfolios to architecture schools I would say variety/creativity go way farther than technical ability or ‘talent.’ There’s no getting around the fact that portfolios take a lot of time to make, in terms of pieces and time spent formatting/editing them, so definitely take that into consideration. If you’re interested in Rice, they seem to weigh test scores, gpa and essays heavier than other arch schools. I don’t think they’ve been mentioned yet, but Cal Poly and UT Austin also don’t require portfolios. Pratt wouldn’t require a portfolio for you with your gpa, but if you’re not a New York type you obviously don’t want to apply to a school in New York. In the end schools are looking at your potential to succeed in their specific program, which is what you should keep in mind during applications.