<p>ok. I'm a high school sophmore from boston mass. im extremely interested in architecture so far, but im beginning to think about broadening a field of study. i love studio art and fine art in general, but i also like architecture.</p>
<p>in a competitive private high school in boston, i have about a 87-88 uw average and about a 92-93 weighted. taking 4 honors this year. I do well in english, not as well in math, which is beginning to bring my doubts in my choice of architecture. </p>
<p>i was projected to get around 750's on SAT verbal and writing, while middle-to-high 600's on math. i will have an above average portfolio, as i take classes at RISD and am enrolling in their 6 week summer program this summer. my question to you is this:</p>
<p>do you think i have the grades to get into a top arch school like rice/cornell/RISD? if i dont, read further (well read further anyways please) :)</p>
<p>if i wanted to apply to a school with a good fine arts program, can you double major in something like english also? english and writing are my strong points. im looking for a school with a great art program, and where an academic degree is acceptable. i'v heard a lot of stuff about CMU, so maybe someone could enlighten me about them. im still a sophmore, but im just curious. thanks</p>
<p>are there any other schools that offer a double major program like CMU? i found their bachelor of humanities and arts very nice, anyone hear anything about it or know other schools with a similar program?</p>
<p>Wash U St. Louis is very well-known for offering double majors.It has a great fine arts program,but I don't think that it has architecture.</p>
<p>Syracuse University would also be a good choice. They have a very well regarded art and architecture program , and I believe that you would get some nice merit aid there too.</p>
<p>There are some good lacs that are known to have strong fine arts programs such as Alfred University and Skidmore, Williams etc. However, LACS don't have architecture.</p>
<p>RyanMac,
I agree that Syracuse might be interesting for you. It has a great creative writing department. It has had one for years, according to my sister, the fiction writer. So does Cornell, of course. So does RISD, actually. All by its lonesome, without Brown. And you can get a concentration in creative writing at RISD (along with one in Architecture). Hey, you'll never sleep anyway once you're an architecture major. Seriously, it would not be a difficult thing to do, especially if while in H.S., you get a few liberal arts credits (not English classes) under your belt through AP or IB credits or a few classes at a communtiy college. Then, once you're in an arch program, you may have at least a few of your liberal arts requirements met, and you can fill your liberal arts slate with English/writing/humanities classes. Think large.</p>
<p>Oh, and Washington University/St. Louis does have a fabulous architecture school It doesn't, however, offer the BArch. But its B.A. in Architecture is widely respected. They have a terrific dean of architecture and, even as undergrads, do quite involved work.</p>
<p>yeah..i looked into WUStL but it seems a little too far of a reach for me. i dont have amazing grades, but like B+'s range in honors classes in a private school. so far iv really been impressed with CMU, but who knows, im still young. is it recommended to go for the b.arch instead of the BA then get a masters? im definatly way more of an artsier person than a technical/math person if that has any difference. thanks for your help</p>
<p>The question of B.A. or B.Arch -- well, it's one to seriously consider. The B.Arch isn't more math-driven -- that's not the issue. But you would need to be pretty sure that you wanted to be an architect. If you're not sure -- or if you want to spend your college years not immersed in architecture -- well, then, explore the B.A. A lot of well-known, masterful architects have gone that route. Some B.Archs also go on to get M.Archs (though their M.Archs are gained in half the time). Some people maintain that if you go for the B.Arch, you won't have a chance to explore other subjects. In one sense, they're right. You'll be too darn busy to do much beside architecture. Yet, architecture doesn't exist in a vacuum. It is a social art, and architects and architecture students are among the most curious and widely read. It really depends on the individual. If you want a more college-like experience, go for the B.A. If you are chafing at the bit to become immersed in architecture (and all the history and literature, psycology, philosophy, and social science that goes with it), go for the B.Arch. (I'm just a little prejudiced :-)</p>
<p>Btw, CMU is no cakewalk. It's a hard school to get into -- and probably less designed-oriented than others. Really, look at Syracuse -- a really good program. Or consider any number of good solid LACs, then think about grad school for the M.Arch.</p>
<p>Please note that a B.Arch. degree is a professional degree and normally requires 5 years to complete. If you go the B.A. route, you will have to get a M.Arch. degree (which usually takes 2 -3 years beyond the B.A.) in order to even sit for your professional licensing exam. Either way you will have sevreal years of intense architectural studies.</p>
<p>If you aren't sure that architecture is what you really want yet, or if you really have diverse interests that you want to study, the B.A. route may be the best option for you. Just keep in mind the requirement of extra years of schooling beyond that before you can actually become a licensed architect.</p>
<p>do certain architecture programs focus more on an art/creative aspect than a gpa/stats and all that? what are some of the "artsier" ones if anyone knows. thanks.</p>
<p>Sorry, RyanMac, I don't know how architecture programs view gpa v. art. I suspect that, in some places, this comes down to the individual's talents and the overall rigor of the school. Some arch programs are definitely more design-oriented than others, but I'm not sure that translates into not caring as much about a gpa. For example, the programs at CalPoly and UCinncinati (both very good) seem to care more about technical prowess than design. Conversely, schools like SciArch, Cooper Union, Cornell, RISD, Syracuse (all v. good, too) would probably be described as design-oriented. But please don't think that "artsier" means "less rigorous" -- couldn't be farther from the truth as far as I can tell.</p>
<p>I didnt mean to say that artsier means less rigorous - I know pretty much all B.Arch programs are very tough. I've just explored certain types of architecture and I was just curious about certain programs.</p>
<p>I don't know if it has exactly the types of programs you're looking for, but Lehigh is great for double majoring. They let you take classes in any of the schools, and when I visited all of the 6 tour guides had multiple majors and minors accross different fields of study.</p>
<p>Check out University of Cincinnati, which has one of the top rated architecture programs in the US> It is rated higer than that of CMU, Rice, Pratt etc.</p>
<p>All <em>professional</em> architecture degrees view portfolio as more important than GPA. I would really encourage you to apply to Cooper Union, which is not only one of the most respected architecture schools in the country (for undergrad anyway), but tuition is free for anyone who can make it in (which is admittedly not many). Definitely go for RISD, Pratt, Cincy, and Cooper. The programs that care more about grades and scores are those who don't require portfolios (usually 4-year pre-professionals), and Ivies, just because they can afford to do that.</p>