Potential MArch 1

College Majors Architecture Major
1

<p>I am considering applying to architecture graduate school after college, to the MArch 1 program. This is a very recent decision. Unfortunately, information on the net about applying to arch grad schools seems relatively scarce (when compared to info about applying to college, law, med, biz school, etc.), and I am almost finished with college, so any help would be very appreciated.</p>

<p>Some information about myself:
- Apparently I am a good artist (according to what I have heard) but have had not any SUBSTANTIAL training in art (as in, art school or whatnot) with the exception of a high school class, which did not really teach me much new technical information (although I was already technically proficient with the art that the class involved anyway).
- I have spanned across multiple categories of art, such as drawing, painting, pastel, collage, sculpture, web design, animation, videogames (i.e. everything in the game, including graphics), music, etc., and will soon begin to experiment with 3D modeling. Within some of these categories, of course, I have experimented with various sub-categories (such as realism or surrealism in fine art). In most of these categories I have achieved what I believe to be an intermediate to advanced level of technical proficiency, and should be able to achieve an advanced level in all of these given a little more time (which I don't have much of when I am in college). I'm not sure how much my varied experimentation will help my portfolio (I'm guessing they focus relatively more on fine art as opposed to something such as music or videogames?).
- I don't have any portfolio work or job experience relating specifically to architecture yet, but apparently (from what I have learned) this is okay for MArch 1. My current concentration in university has virtually nothing to do with architecture (or art, for that matter).
- I specifically have my eyes set on TOP architecture graduate schools (such as Harvard, Columbia, or MIT).</p>

<hr>

<p>Here are some questions regarding admissions to MArch 1 with specific reference to schools in a similar league as the aforementioned:</p>

<p>(1) What are they looking for in your portfolio? Yes, this is broad. Let me elaborate by breaking this question up: With respect to various art forms, do they care more about variety in itself (i.e. including fine art and other types of art), or is there a specific art form that they focus on more than others (such as fine art)? If there is a specific art form they care about, what do they care more about with regards to this art form? Creativity? Originality? Technical proficiency? Versatility? Of course, they must care about all of these to some extent, but what are the relative weights of each? Also, how much should be included? How should it be presented? How much external detail should be provided (such as medium used, intent behind the piece, etc.)?</p>

<p>(2) How much do your undergrad grades matter, both absolutely and when compared with other factors in the admissions process? Do they matter for some undergrad classes more than others, and is this dependent on whether it's a required class (e.g. an arch grad school says they require a certain class to be taken during undergrad in order to be admitted -- is the fact that you took the class with a passing to an above-average grade sufficient, given that they care more about the fact that you have taken the class? Or are excellent grades in such classes almost a necessity when applying to top arch grad schools?)?</p>

<p>(3) How much weight is the GRE, both absolutely and when compared with other factors in the admissions process? How much weight is applied to each section of the GRE? What would you say is a sufficient GRE score, on average, to be accepted to a top arch grad school?</p>

<p>(4) Apparently, MArch 1 doesn't require you to have any prior architectural knowledge/experience. Is this true? Will it hurt you if you don't have anything substantial with respect to this? (In any case, I will probably work on some architectural stuff prior to applying, but I was just wondering.)</p>

<p>(5) What other factors do they care about in the admissions process besides (potentially) the aforementioned?</p>

<p>(6) Where can I find some more information regarding arch grad school admissions? It would be nice to see some actual statistics. They have a ton of statistics for admissions to law, med, biz, etc. schools. I guess the scarcity of statistics relating to admissions to arch schools is understandable since it seems much less down to just grades, etc., and relatively more focused (when compared to law, med, biz, etc. schools) to factors that require a more subjective eye (such as whether this is good art, etc.). Still, it would be nice to be out of the dark.</p>

<p>Thanks for any help.</p>

2

<p>Raz, My son is in the process of applying to MArch programs at selective schools. Since he hasn’t actually succeeded yet I can’t say that this advice is foolproof, but I can share what he learned.</p>

<p>When will you get your undergraduate degree? When do you plan to apply?</p>

<p>There are quite a few practicing architects and parents of architecture students who post on this board. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of information out there and this is a good place to start. </p>

<p>Most of the top MArch programs have open houses in the Fall. These are GREAT sources of information. Also, several top schools (Columbia, Harvard for example) have summer “So you want to be an architect?” programs, some even are held at night for working people. Highly recommended.</p>

<p>My understanding is that the order of priority is portfolio, UG GPA, recommendations. Followed by in no special order GRE, work experience, personal statement.</p>

<p>(1) The portfolio should show creativity and technical expertise, especially in drawing. It is not necessary to include architectural design. You can always take an art class at a local art school (again night classes are common) to build up your work.</p>

<p>Presentation is very important. For specific examples there are several books available on the topic and many MArch programs make typical portfolios available. </p>

<p>(2) Undergrad GPA does matter, but the admissions committee understands how to view the relative strength of a resume. See the individual programs for their requirements. Most ask for some art studio, some art history. Other requirements are variable: physics, calculus are commonly but not always required.</p>

<p>(3) GRE: My son was told by an architect who is also a college advisor, take it and forget about it. If it worries you, there are prep courses.</p>

<p>(4) Work experience is not required but it is a plus. </p>

<p>(5) Other factors: recommendations, exposure to architecture through travel</p>

<p>(6) Information: Talking to architects, professors, admissions, current students is your best bet. Does your college have a career counseling center? A graduate school placement advisory?</p>

<p>Good luck and let us know how you do.</p>

3

<p>I don't have the time for a lengthy response but I will say that your portfolio is key. Recommendations are also great, especially if one can get them from architects who teach at the schools one is applying to (not applicable to you).</p>

<p>If you want more info on architecture, I suggest archinect.com. The board has a special section devoted to academia and receives many, many posts on the graduate application process. Some people even share their portfolios.</p>

4

<p>I was a student member of the admissions committee at Columbia, but 25 years ago, so keep in mind things may have changed. But this would have been my answers to your questions then.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>We got every kind of portfolio you can imagine. You didn't need to be a great artist, but some indication that you were comfortable thinking in pictures and that you can draw is important. It's also nice to see something that shows you are comfortable thinking in 3-D. I liked to see some sign that architecture interested you - so I considered drawings or photos of buildings a plus, but I didn't expect someone who had no access to architecture classes to have architectural designs in their portfolio. In my day portfolios were usually 8x10 black sheets with minimal labeling (title, medium, a sentence about intent), but every once in a while someone would do something fun. There was one that I stil remember that was a series of postcards of building projects with "letters" on the back. These days I would not be averse to seeing some photoshopped art work. Ideally I'd put together a portfolio and then see if you could find someone in the art department of your school to give you some advice. I was not overly concerned about originality, or versatility. I looked for competence and creativity. But I did not expect artwork from future architects to be at quite the same level as future artists.</p></li>
<li><p>Undergrad grades mattered. We looked at math and physics grades and the overall GPA (but only required a year of Calculus and first year physics.) You could get away with a couple of C's but at Columbia we were certainly looking for B's and better for the most part. A little more if we'd never heard of your college.</p></li>
<li><p>GRE, I'm pretty sure there was a minimum we expected, but it wasn't too onerous. </p></li>
<li><p>My class at Columbia was approximately half students who'd had architecture as undergrads and half who had had nothing. I was somewhere in between, one design course, lots of architectural history, I wrote my thesis about low-cost housing in Europe. The non-architects came from all sorts of places, construction, journalism, a photographer, a longtime Mom, someone who'd been involved in historic preservation, a history and lit major, straight art majors. Work experience is a plus. Work experience in something related to architecture is a bigger plus. It shows that you are interested. For example, I couldn't ever get an architectural firm to hire me before I went to architectural school, but I did give tours of the architecture at the National Cathedral in DC. and worked for an outfit that was running architectural tours of downtown DC.</p></li>
<li><p>We did read the letters and essays, some were more helpful than others. If you wanted to write about how your travels interested you in architecture that would be fine, but travel per se isn't going to give you many brownie points.</p></li>
<li><p>I would have liked to have seen more statistics etc. when I was applying too.</p></li>
</ol>

5

<p>
[quote]
Raz, My son is in the process of applying to MArch programs at selective schools. Since he hasn’t actually succeeded yet I can’t say that this advice is foolproof, but I can share what he learned.</p>

<p>When will you get your undergraduate degree? When do you plan to apply?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I get my degree this summer, and I plan to apply in no more than a few years after I get my undergrad degree, and only after I have a sufficient portfolio (of course).</p>

<p>
[quote]
There are quite a few practicing architects and parents of architecture students who post on this board. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of information out there and this is a good place to start.</p>

<p>Most of the top MArch programs have open houses in the Fall. These are GREAT sources of information. Also, several top schools (Columbia, Harvard for example) have summer “So you want to be an architect?” programs, some even are held at night for working people. Highly recommended.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Cool, I might attend one of them this summer/fall if I have time.</p>

<p>
[quote]

My understanding is that the order of priority is portfolio, UG GPA, recommendations. Followed by in no special order GRE, work experience, personal statement.</p>

<p>(1) The portfolio should show creativity and technical expertise, especially in drawing. It is not necessary to include architectural design. You can always take an art class at a local art school (again night classes are common) to build up your work.</p>

<p>Presentation is very important. For specific examples there are several books available on the topic and many MArch programs make typical portfolios available.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I have only taken one art history class in university so far. I haven't taken any art studio classes (where by "art studio classes" I mean those where you actually work on art) in college, although I have taken a highschool class where most of my non-digital art was done. By showing technical expertise in drawing, do you mean simply being "good" at drawing, be it realistic or surrealistic, and not necessarily having lots of drawings of realistic still figures displaying excellent knowledge of anatomy (and whatnot)? My highschool art class didn't really do any of that. Creativity and originality was preferred over realism. Of course, if by technical expertise you do mean the latter, then I can always take a relevant class outside of my undergrad, I guess, to build up my portfolio in that area.</p>

<p><a href="2">quote</a> Undergrad GPA does matter, but the admissions committee understands how to view the relative strength of a resume. See the individual programs for their requirements. Most ask for some art studio, some art history. Other requirements are variable: physics, calculus are commonly but not always required.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I plan on taking a general physics course later this year. I have taken one semester of calculus. I only have one art history class so far, but it did touch upon quite a bit of architecture.</p>

<p><a href="3">quote</a> GRE: My son was told by an architect who is also a college advisor, take it and forget about it. If it worries you, there are prep courses.</p>

<p>(4) Work experience is not required but it is a plus.</p>

<p>(5) Other factors: recommendations, exposure to architecture through travel

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Regarding "exposure to architecture through travel" - I'm guessing that would go in the personal statement?</p>

<p><a href="6">quote</a> Information: Talking to architects, professors, admissions, current students is your best bet. Does your college have a career counseling center? A graduate school placement advisory?</p>

<p>Good luck and let us know how you do.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Thanks for your help.</p>

<hr>

<p>
[quote]
I don't have the time for a lengthy response but I will say that your portfolio is key. Recommendations are also great, especially if one can get them from architects who teach at the schools one is applying to (not applicable to you).

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Is it highly recommended that they be from art professors, or does it not matter as long as they write you a good letter? I'm guessing the letter should focus more on architectural strengths as opposed to highlighting general qualities? That might be tough since most of my professors aren't art professors and would have a tough time writing about such things.</p>

<p>
[quote]

If you want more info on architecture, I suggest archinect.com. The board has a special section devoted to academia and receives many, many posts on the graduate application process. Some people even share their portfolios.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Thanks, I've bookmarked it.</p>

<hr>

<p>
[quote]
I was a student member of the admissions committee at Columbia, but 25 years ago, so keep in mind things may have changed. But this would have been my answers to your questions then.</p>

<ol>
<li>We got every kind of portfolio you can imagine. You didn't need to be a great artist, but some indication that you were comfortable thinking in pictures and that you can draw is important. It's also nice to see something that shows you are comfortable thinking in 3-D. I liked to see some sign that architecture interested you - so I considered drawings or photos of buildings a plus, but I didn't expect someone who had no access to architecture classes to have architectural designs in their portfolio. In my day portfolios were usually 8x10 black sheets with minimal labeling (title, medium, a sentence about intent), but every once in a while someone would do something fun. There was one that I stil remember that was a series of postcards of building projects with "letters" on the back. These days I would not be averse to seeing some photoshopped art work. Ideally I'd put together a portfolio and then see if you could find someone in the art department of your school to give you some advice. I was not overly concerned about originality, or versatility. I looked for competence and creativity. But I did not expect artwork from future architects to be at quite the same level as future artists.

[/quote]
</li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks, this information helps a lot. So it seems from your post that non-digital architectural work is preferred over digital architectural work (at least it was 25 years ago, but I'll try to build up my portfolio in that area anyway).</p>

<p>
[quote]

  1. Undergrad grades mattered. We looked at math and physics grades and the overall GPA (but only required a year of Calculus and first year physics.) You could get away with a couple of C's but at Columbia we were certainly looking for B's and better for the most part. A little more if we'd never heard of your college.

[/quote]

For required classes (e.g. math/physics), is a B sufficient for a top arch grad program, or is an A almost a necessity if you haven't cured cancer and whatnot? I hope only a semester of math/physics won't hurt.</p>

<p>
[quote]

  1. GRE, I'm pretty sure there was a minimum we expected, but it wasn't too onerous.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Cool.</p>

<p>
[quote]
</p>

<ol>
<li><p>My class at Columbia was approximately half students who'd had architecture as undergrads and half who had had nothing. I was somewhere in between, one design course, lots of architectural history, I wrote my thesis about low-cost housing in Europe. The non-architects came from all sorts of places, construction, journalism, a photographer, a longtime Mom, someone who'd been involved in historic preservation, a history and lit major, straight art majors. Work experience is a plus. Work experience in something related to architecture is a bigger plus. It shows that you are interested. For example, I couldn't ever get an architectural firm to hire me before I went to architectural school, but I did give tours of the architecture at the National Cathedral in DC. and worked for an outfit that was running architectural tours of downtown DC.</p></li>
<li><p>We did read the letters and essays, some were more helpful than others. If you wanted to write about how your travels interested you in architecture that would be fine, but travel per se isn't going to give you many brownie points.</p></li>
<li><p>I would have liked to have seen more statistics etc. when I was applying too.

[/quote]
</p></li>
</ol>

<hr>

<p>I'm getting a lot of useful information about the process. Thanks for the help so far!</p>

6

<p>I think a B would be fine. I know I had an A in calculus and a B in physics. Not even a B+. :)
I had a year of each, you'll have to check individual school requirements.</p>

<p>Digital art didn't exist in my day. I don't think you need to have digital art (or drafting) in a current portfolio for a M Arch 1 program.</p>

<p>
[quote]
By showing technical expertise in drawing, do you mean simply being "good" at drawing, be it realistic or surrealistic, and not necessarily having lots of drawings of realistic still figures displaying excellent knowledge of anatomy (and whatnot)? My highschool art class didn't really do any of that. Creativity and originality was preferred over realism. Of course, if by technical expertise you do mean the latter, then I can always take a relevant class outside of my undergrad, I guess, to build up my portfolio in that area.

[/quote]
You don't need to have gorgeously accurate life drawings with perfect anatomy, but you should be able to produce a still life (or a building!) that looks accurate. Perspective should be correct, shadows rendered (unless it's deliberately a line drawing) etc. Not everything in the portfolio needs to be realistic, but I'd have a few examples of realistic work, because that's what will be useful to you as an architect.</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
Is it highly recommended that they be from art professors, or does it not matter as long as they write you a good letter? I'm guessing the letter should focus more on architectural strengths as opposed to highlighting general qualities? That might be tough since most of my professors aren't art professors and would have a tough time writing about such things.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I was never on an admissions committee, but I think you should ask for recommendations from people who know you best, and have them discuss topics they are most comfortable with. If that means you end up with a letter from a chem prof that talks about how willing you were to stay late every night for a month to help him with research, then great! Your art professors might discuss your fearless nature, and eagerness to take risks and try new things (not necessarily that you're Michelangelo 2.0). </p>

<p>So, I guess that means I am leaning toward more general attributes, but that doesn't mean they're not architectural strengths. If you can get letters that will depict you as a good team player, an attentive listener, someone who is capable of responding positively to criticism (i.e. non-defensive), a good communicator, a self-driven learner, and so on, I'd say you'll be a strong candidate.</p>