<p>I've recently been accepted to Columbia for Architecture, however the fact that it is a B.A. kind of scares me away from it due to the fact that I would then be forced to get a M.Arch to practice. I want to get a M.Arch anyways, however I wouldn't be able to get working experience until I do get a M.Arch. </p>
<p>What I'm worried about is if I spend 4 years getting a B.A. and then 3 years getting a M.Arch I'll be 30 when I graduate and have no experience in the field.</p>
<p>I am currently a GIS analyst and have been accepted to UIowa, PSU, LSU, and UIUC for GIS. I would rather do Arch, but I feel like my 5 year delayed start would hurt my chances on the job market. </p>
<p>The profession is changing and in 5 years it will be different than it is today. Architectural firms as we know them today may disappear in favor of design-build contractors with in-house design department. Contractors and Owners have used the computerization of the field to their advantage while Architects have found ways to make the computer benefit everyone but themselves.</p>
<p>you will need a professional degree (BArch or MArch) plus experience (Look into IDP requirements) to **sit **for the exam. after you pass the exam (which was a week long before they computerized it), then you can get licensed to practice in the state(s) you want to work in.
as a student you can get the working experience you need (it is required). in fact, I can tell you that as a practicing Architect I have never seen anyone come out of school knowing what an Architect needs to know- no matter where you go to school you will be trained on the job. FWIW- some of the best and worst that I have seen came from Harvard.<br>
You really need to love Architecture to work in this field, and I don’t know how you can find out unless you try. the problem is, Architecture has to be one of the lowest paid, overrated professions out there (see my rants on two other threads).
You will wind up working for someone who believes that you have no life other than your job. if you don’t love it you will be 30 and miserable, getting paid a low salary (everyone is salaried ASAP so they can get 60 hours a week out of you while only paying for 40) and saddled with debt from however many years of college you attended. The AIA never does anything to help the income or college debt situation, but they charge a lot to belong to their club (you have to pay both local and national dues, for which you get a magazine subscription AND you get the “opportunity” to join committees) </p>
<p>On the other hand, construction management is involved with the building of projects and pays better though there still may be some crazy hours required from time to time.</p>
<p>I typically advise against going into Architecture, especially if there is anything else you’re good at.</p>
<p>I don’t know what a GIS Analyst does, but a good thing to do is look down the road and evaluate what kind of life do you want to have. look at the benefits and pros and cons of the two careers. do you intend to have a family? do you like to have time off? what kind of profit sharing/incentives are available? do you want to own your own house? own a car or use public transportation?</p>
<p>If you go into Architecture, both you and your spouse will need to work.
I know an architect who had no kids and rented an apartment in the city with his wife (both worked) until his late 50’s when they bought their first house. He was good at what he did too. They were ok using public transportation most of the time and playing parking roulette for their car during the week.</p>
<p>Old Man, when you talk about where the profession is going, how you need to love it, to go in with your eyes open, etc. I concur. But when you begin with telling everybody that you won’t make any money out of school, you’re going to be abused, you won’t be able to buy a house, etc., then I have to disagree. It does not mirror the reality of my career, or that of my closest 50 architecture friends or employees.</p>
<p>I suspect I have been in the profession as long as you have, and the kids I hire out of school are paid well, treated well, given opportunities to grow, and seem to live good rewarding lives. The ones that have stayed are running studios or regional offices, and some of the ones that left have their own successful offices. I didn’t enter this to make a lot of money, but I cannot complain about the way I have been compensated in my career.</p>
<p>This has been a brutal economy and it has had a serious impact on the profession. But tell me one profession that has not been impacted by technology and globalization. My son is studying architecture, so I still believe in the future of the profession. I still love it as much as the day I entered it and am amazed at the variety of projects I have been able to work on in my career.</p>
<p>hi rick-you sound level-headed and I sound like a crackpot.
I think it’s great that what I describe doesn’t reflect your experience, I wish you continued success as I do any who go into the profession. Perhaps if I was fortunate enough to work at a firm like yours, I would have had a better experience. There is no shortage of Architects encouraging students into their “noble profession”. I just want to make sure that career decisions aren’t made based on romanticized ignorance.
FWIW- I think given the choice to do over, I probably would still become an Architect. just would do things differently.
I’ve also seen how architects in their 60’s and up are treated if they are not a principal of the firm. when you are in your 50’s, and you career path leads to a cliff, you want to warn others who are taking the same path.</p>
<p>I understand your frustration and desire to warn students to go in with their eyes wide open. It seems that the last five years have been a perfect storm for senior architects in their 50’s. First the use of Revit and BIM has significantly changed the way we design and produce builidngs, and then we have had the worst economy in 75 years. I talk with architects in their 50’s, out of work trying to figure out how to get back into the profession. I don’t have a good answer.</p>
<p>The pace of change is amazing, and you are right; architects need to be careful because contractors have more money to invest and a much higher tolerance for risk. They have really embraced the new tools. Architects seem to spend most of their time trying to avoid risk.</p>
<p>Students graduating today have to be ready to retool many times during their careers. What we look for is not so much skills in one particualr piece of software, but an attitude towards technology. Because it will surely change multiple times. Right now for us things are better than they have been since 2007, but as sure as the sun rises, it will also go down again.</p>
<p>“Students graduating today have to be ready to retool many times during their careers. What we look for is not so much skills in one particualr piece of software, but an attitude towards technology. Because it will surely change multiple times. Right now for us things are better than they have been since 2007, but as sure as the sun rises, it will also go down again.”</p>
<p>That is excellent advice! this is the kind of info that all considering a career should hear.
It sounds like you are in one of the pockets in the profession where firms are successfully making Architectural design work as an Art, a Product and a Business. keep up the good work! </p>
<p>FWIW- I have worked thru many rounds of layoffs over the years and never fell victim until 2008. I had been with that firm for 12 years and intended to be there for the rest of my career. when the layoffs started, I knew I wouldn’t be as fortunate this time but I didn’t expect it in only the second round, the friday before Christmas. I was back at work within a month, but everything had changed. I am now working as an Owner’s Project Manager and I can sleep at night.</p>
<p>WarreJor- sorry for hijacking your thread! As much as I may whine, this is obviously something I am still passionate about. Maybe try asking some Architects in your area for career advice? go to a couple different places and keep an open mind.
best of luck!</p>
<p>No problem haha, I’d rather get the real story than have someone sugar coat it. I took “Arch” classes in HS 3 years in a row so I at least know I like it a little. Other than the fact that I’ve always been really interested in Arch and can truly say that I would do it even if I did end up making less than a spouse. I also see a lot of different career paths available down the road after I get my B.A. and Columbia has a few dual M.S. degrees so as long as I stay focused and work hard there should be an opportunity somewhere. I was just more concerned with being an older student, I completely forgot ‘equal opportunity’ so I’m not worried anymore. </p>
<p>Just a side note re: age and school. at the Boston Architectural College, the average student age was 27 or 28 - so there were plenty of people older than that still studying Architecture. FWIW.</p>
<p>Your plan sounds valid. Best of luck to you!</p>
