<p>Is there anyone here from arch department of Berkeley or SLO? I'm still having difficulties deciding between these two schools for undergrad Bach Architecture. I'm still pondering about whether to take the 5-years path or the 6-years path to M.Arch.
I tried to not think about the ranks and such. They (my friends) think that SLO is a better candidate for undergrad B.Arch because of SLO's accomodations and high rank and while UCB is good for graduates. SO i'm still thinking whether to go into UCB or SLO. </p>
<p>i don't think berkeley offers a 5. year program...but calpoly does..but check their website for more information. Berkeley is very sustainability oriented. i would take rankings with a grain of salt. attend the program that you see fit for you</p>
<p>Call both architecture schools and ask them if you can come and visit on a day when 3rd and 4th year students are having a design jury or critique. Politely ask if they would recommend one of the 'hot' design studios--one that all the kids hope to take.</p>
<p>Sit in the back and observe. You should feel slightly intimidated by both--but I think you will get a good feel for the mission of both schools by observing their 'top' design students in action. You should be able to tell which school has more of 'your' people--or the kind of architect you hope to become.</p>
<p>Both are good choices and both are well respected.</p>
<p>I'm still kinda confuse about the five year and six year program... what is the really significant difference between those two? I heard that with the five year program, you can get an architectural license and a B.Arch( kinda inferring that M.Arch makes no difference, Methink). And for six year, you have more semesters of designing allowing you to compete better with the master architects in RL. Hmmm... Sorry for my bad language, I'm rather confuse now whether to stay with UCB or SLO. </p>
<p>RIght now I'm feeling:
70% UCB
30% SLO (even though it is ranked high)</p>
<p>With a BArch in hand, an MArch makes a difference if you want to teach, if you want to aim for a partner position in an established firm, and if you want to expand your design skills to include urban planning.</p>
<p>The six year program doesn't necessarily have more design studios. Often, you don't really dive into architecture until the third year of that sort of program. I don't know specifically about Berkeley, but I'm just saying don't make that assumption without checking out the specific curriculum. </p>
<p>Working in LA, I've known people who went through both programs. I think the people from SLO got a better undergrad education, but also a bunch more structures and math than they really needed. For some reason though, they don't seem to have high expectations as far as what firms they end up working for after graduation. They don't go for high flying design jobs, they go for corporate jobs. This is based on knowing dozens of people who graduated from SLO, not just a couple. So if you go there, remember that you can do better than the jobs a lot of your classmates are getting- the education is good enough to prepare you for it, so I'm at a loss as to why this happens. </p>
<p>The few grads from Berkeley that I've known either left the field of architecture or got into good grad schools (UCLA, Yale, MIT) after a few years of working in the industry. Keep in mind that most people do not do the six years straight through- after four years, they have their Bachelors, get a job and work a few years before going elsewhere for their M.Arch. So if you go the 4+2 route, don't feel constrained to do all six years at the same school, usually the variety of experience works out better than sticking it out at the same school.</p>