Pro Tips on a spring transfer to...?

College Majors Architecture Major
1

<p>I'm currently a second year at the University of Texas at Austin. I've been floating around the university's various schools since withdrawing from the electrical engineering program I arrived in. I've become very drawn to architecture and want some advice on choosing a school to study at.</p>

<p>I'm now trying to decide if I should transfer and where to transfer to study architecture. UT's architecture program is great, but the transfer is only allowed for fall and since I've been here my experience has been a bit uninspiring. I don't feel that I'm growing as much as I should as a student and I think being in a different environment would help. I've really wanted to go to school in Boston or NYC for a long time, so now is the opportunity to do it.</p>

<p>I'm primarily interested in B.Arch programs. However, I realize that in order to get into some of the best programs I need to transfer in my spring semester. Now the question is whether or not I pursue a spring transfer to a school in Boston or NYC.</p>

<p>These are the benefits I have outlined to transferring spring semester:
- If I transfer to a design school (right now I'm looking at Parsons School of Design), I could begin work on a more legitimate portfolio that I could use to transfer to a school like Cornell.
- Coming from an arch. design program gives me more credit when applying to B.Arch programs.
- Transferring into a city in the spring would give me time to adjust to the setting (I love cities and have traveled a lot with my family, so I don't think this will be a big issue)</p>

<p>What I want to ask is this:
- Am I just irrational for wanting to spring transfer? UT clearly costs much less than any of the schools I'm looking at.
- Is it a good idea to transfer in spring in order to apply to B.Arch programs in the fall?
- If you do think I should transfer, what programs should I look at? NYU doesn't have a well established architecture program as far as I can tell.</p>

<p>Additionally, I'm applying to Northeastern's architecture program (not sure if spring transfers can make it into the B.Arch or just the design). My GPA is 3.45 and it should be higher by the end of this semester.</p>

<p>I really want to go to school in NYC or Boston, but I also am going to make the smartest decision.</p>

2

<p>@Myroc, Your plan sounds complicated and expensive as transfers into BArch programs often are. I follow the logic of a semester at Parsons to work on your portfolio before transferring again to another BArch program, but the timing seems unworkable. Check the costs of these schools and your eligibility for need based aid before you make any moves.</p>

<p>What UT school are you enrolled in now?</p>

<p>The simplest route would to try to transfer into UT’s BS Architectural Studies program as soon as you can. If your first 1.5 to 2.0 years of credits apply, you could probably complete the BS in 4.0 to 4.5 years (maybe with some summer makeup). A BS would give you a strong foundation to apply to a good MArch program. </p>

<p>With a BS you should be able to finish an MArch in 1.0 to 2.0 years (though this is variable depending on the program).</p>

<p>Have you looked at the BArch program at Pratt?</p>

<p>Northeastern is a good choice but again, transferring in is complicated.</p>

<p>Northeastern doesn’t offer the B.Arch. It has a BS in Architecture and a BS in architectural studies. With these degrees you can go on to a 1.0 or 2.0 year MArch plus a 1.0 year co-op. So your total (if you were starting at the beginning) would be 6.0 or 7.0 years. You’d have to ask them how much transfer credit you’d get for your 1.5 years at UT. </p>

<p>I would also look at the BArch at BAC (Boston Architectural College). It’s hard to tell how may credits you could transfer in, but it seems that you wouldn’t have to submit a portfolio.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the help @momrath‌.</p>

<p>I’m currently in the School of Journalism. I haven’t taken any classes in the School of Architecture as it’s difficult to get into unless you’re enrolled in the school (they have small classes), but I would be able to take a class next semester on the history of architecture (required for anyone who wants to transfer in).</p>

<p>I guess a large part of this decision is based off of the fact that I really want to transfer in the spring. I’m not too hot on the university I’m currently at and can see myself better at a place in NYC or Boston in an architecture program.</p>

<p>I have looked at Pratt and am impressed by their program, but they don’t accept Spring transfers into architecture, so that would be a school I’d look at for Fall. (source: <a href=“https://www.pratt.edu/admissions/applying/applying-undergraduate/ug-application-requirements/transfer/”>https://www.pratt.edu/admissions/applying/applying-undergraduate/ug-application-requirements/transfer/&lt;/a&gt;).</p>

<p>From what I’ve read, BAC is a good option but very demanding compared to other programs.</p>

<p>One thing I still need to consider is how accurate my interest in architecture is. I’m fascinated with building, have really enjoyed building structures in the past, and have a genuine interest in cities and building as places of space, living, and art. I very much enjoy how tactile it is, on top of the many aspects it encompasses. My father is a commercial real estate agent in Houston and my mother has always been passionate about interior design, so I see architecture as a natural mix between the two. I also really enjoy the study of other cultures, which I’ve found architecture to have much of its foundations in. I’ve had a hard time finding where I want to fit in at UT and have recently found architecture as something that sums up so much of what I’ve been looking for in a study and practice.</p>

4

<p>OK, so let’s make the assumption that you want to make a move from Texas to New York or Boston sooner rather than later. Let’s also assume that you’re leaning toward architecture, but that you’re not 100% on board because you don’t have enough information.</p>

<p>The missing piece of the puzzle is your financial situation. Before making any move, you really really need to analyze your finances. Can you afford a private school? Will you qualify for need based financial aid? </p>

<p>It doesn’t seem to me that you’re ready to commit to a BArch program. If I were you, and I’m not, I’d go for a BA or BS at the best school – in New York or Boston – that you can get into and that you can afford. The afford part is critical here.</p>

<p>Your options will widen considerably if you can hold off until Fall 2015 admissions. You would most likely be able to finish up your BA/BS in two years and could position yourself for a good MArch program. </p>

<p>In the meantime you could attend a career discovery program over the summer – Columbia, Harvard for example – to make sure that architecture is for you. Maybe your family connections could get you a summer internship in a local firm? </p>

<p>Can you transfer into the architecture program immediately or is it too late in the term? Or could you move out of Journalism (Journalism?!) into liberal arts? Or maybe just cut your losses, drop out, save money, do some traveling, take some drawing courses, really research your next step.</p>

<p>What you could do if you stay at UT till the end of the year is try to tick off the MArch requirements like art history, art studio, calculus, physics.</p>

<p>If you try to move into a BArch program immediately, you run the risk of making a premature decision. My guess is that you’d pretty much have to start at the beginning, adding nearly 5 years to the 1.5 or 2 you would have already completed. If you go for the BA/BS+MArch, the time invested would be about the same. The money might be variable, however, depending on whether you get need based financial aid as an undergraduate transfer.</p>

<p>It does sound to me that architecture would be a good field for you. Having broad and diverse interests is a plus. I wouldn’t rush into it, though. You’re already all over the place with engineering, journalism, maybe art school. You’re the perfect candidate for a liberal arts education! So slow down and enjoy it. (Follow the money, though.)</p>

<p>Without knowing your grades and scores it’s difficult to recommend schools, but some others you should look at are:
Boston University, Boston College, Tufts, Brown, Brandeis, Holy Cross, University of Chicago. If you would consider going a liittle outside of the urban core: Wesleyan, Haverford, Bard, Vassar, Conn College. If you’re female add Wellesley, Barnard.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t worry so much about your undergraduate major. You can get into a good MArch program with just about any major. Architectural studies, art studio and art history are common, but it’s okay to pursue what interests you, as long as you fulfill the entrance requirements. You may end up in an architecture related field, like urban planning or environmental design. </p>

5

<p>You’re right, I’m not fully committed to a BArch. I fell in love with the major for a couple weeks, and since my real desire for a full-fledged 5 year study in architecture has resided. I have applied to Northeastern University for the BA in Architecture + Masters in Architecture. We’ll see how admissions go and I still may not decide to accept enrollment.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for the wise advice. I hope it remains here for a long while so that other students in my position can learn from it.</p>

6

<p>Northeastern has a solid architecture department with good connections to many prestigious Boston firms. Because you wouldn’t be starting at the beginng and because of the co-op requirement, you may need additional time to complete the BS degree so check the financial ramifications carefully. </p>

<p>This especially true if you decide to go elsewhere for your MArch. </p>

<p>In the interim, you can continue to research other options for Fall admissions and try to take advantage of UT’s architecture offerings. </p>