Specific Portfolio Questions for non-architecture undergrad applying to Grad School

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

<p>Hello all,</p>

<p>I am currently an accounting major and psychology major at the undergraduate level, and am looking to transfer into architecture next year as a grad student. As is such, I am looking for ways to improve my chances for acceptance at various programs, as I am going to be applying to a variety of fairly competetive schools (namely, Columbia, amongst others). I have a very strong GPA (3.85) and should score well on my GRE - what I would like some suggestions about is what to include in my portfolio. I have the following types of items to choose from:</p>

<p>Drawings, plans, and sketches from an architectural drawing course taken last year.</p>

<p>Sketches, plans, and actual photographs of furniture designed and built completely by me, including a guitar and sculpted drafting table.</p>

<p>Life drawings (self portraits, nudes, etc.)</p>

<p>Internship restaurant layouts/designs </p>

<p>some relief/woodsculpture</p>

<p>Graphic designs</p>

<p>Any suggestions as to which might be my strongest submissions would be extremely helpful. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Quality is more important than type. Include the pieces which best represent your ideal process and aesthetic, those in which your hand and care are most detectable and your creativity is most evident. For instance, if your graphic designs are really out there and creative and you feel that they really represent what you are about, but the restaurant layout is pretty standard fare, then I'd take the graphic designs over the layout any day. Of course this is just an example- it could be an excellent and unique restaurant, I wouldn't know.</p>

<p>Value design choices over craft, though in the case of furniture/object design, nicely crafted bits can show an attention to detail that translates nicely to architectural design.</p>

<p>Most people say to use your two best pieces as bookends, so that the viewer starts and ends with the best possible impression, but don't put in anything that is noticeably of lesser quality than the rest just to 'round out' the content type.</p>