<p>so i am considering applying to grad school at UCLA, but i have no idea what my chances are. this is due to the fact that i want to completely switch industries, from civil engineering to architecture, and not to mention the fact that i didn't do very well in my undergrad for engineering.</p>
<p>i absolutely adore the Master's program for architecture at UCLA. i even attended the summer graduate program for students who were interested in the Master's degree, did fine (2 As and a B+), but it does not guarantee my spot in the program. my dilemma is more about how much UCLA would weigh my undergraduate GPA and how recs from professors not in the field of architecture would affect my chances.</p>
<p>i didn't attend some prestigious engineering school-north carolina state-since it was the only practical choice for engineering (duke was too expensive and hard to get into) for north carolina residents. but it had a great program. i did civil engineering because i thought i would enjoy the challenge, cared about designing safe structures, and partially because my parents wanted me to. eventually i found out a little too late it was not the right major to pursue because i discovered i was more gifted in the arts rather than math. i didn't switch majors because 1) i felt it irresponsible to switch majors and thus would have prolonged my undergrad career on my parents' money, and 2) i didn't want to quit but rather fight the struggle because i knew i could do it. i finished, got my degree, though it doesn't mean much to me.</p>
<p>not sure whether grad schools look at your grades outside of your major, but i was nearly 4.0 for my first two years. i studied abroad for a whole semester without taking any engineering courses, and still managed to graduate in four years. it wasn't until i started my major where my grades started plummeting and i got loads of B's and C's. i made a few A's but not nearly enough. my overall GPA in the end was a 3.23, with no honors. (honors would have been a 3.28 and above! blah.) i think my major GPA was around a 2.8. it's low, really low, and i'm embarrassed to even tell people i want to apply to grad school.</p>
<p>having seen the design portfolios of graduate students who got into UCLA's architecture program, i feel as though i have a good chance. i know they weigh your portfolio heavily, which works to my advantage, but then again, there are a million other students who have excellent portfolios and excellent grades to boot.</p>
<p>i would love to go to UCLA for their architecture program, but i simply have no idea what my chances would be in this situation. i know i can't explain all the circumstances that affected my poor grades, but i can explain why i think i will excel in architecture.</p>
<p>-what would my chances be with such a low GPA?
-how can i explain away these low grades in my essays? i'm definitely not lazy and i work very hard. i can do math...just not applied math!
-would my recs from civil engineering professors make any impact even though they're not in the field of architecture?</p>
<p>any advice?</p>
<p>(sorry for writing so much!)</p>
<p>thanks!</p>