Undergraduate Architecture

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

Hi everyone! I am a graduating senior in high school and it’s that time of year…TIME TO PICK A COLLEGE!

I was admitted into Universtiy of Southern California (Architecture) , UC Davis (Sustainable environmental design), University of Michigan (Architecture), UCLA (Design Media Arts).

I am extremely fortunate for my choices but I have no clue as to which one to pick! BTW UCLA, even though I was accepted for DMA, offers a B. Arch for juniors.

Please give me advice!

2

Best wishes on your choices.

  1. Are all these choices affordable for your family?
  2. Have you visited each campus, taken a tour and viewed the architecture school and facilities?
  3. You did not state your location. Is distance from home a factor?
  4. Does each school offer strong support for job placement?
  5. Is the alumni network active after graduation?
  6. Students DO change majors. Does this school offer a range of majors if you change your field of interest?
3

My S2 is finishing up his last year of the 5-year BArch major at USC, and he’s also minoring in Cinematic Arts (so, for what it’s worth, it is possible to have a minor with this insanely intense major, and still graduate on time). Expect long hours and overnights in studio, but the reward is that my son feels inspired by forward-thinking professors, and they were extremely helpful regarding internships.

A couple of years ago, I posted this article that suggests USC offers one of the most well-rounded architecture programs available. http://www.archdaily.com/450367/are-ivy-league-schools-really-offering-the-best-architectural-education/ I don’t know if that’s true, but my son has had an overwhelmingly positive experience at USC.

You have great choices, by the way. Good luck!

4

@CCMThreeTimes
My S was just accepted to the 5 year architecture program. It’s nice to hear your son has had a positive experience! Do you know if he was involved in his studio classes beginning his freshman year? Did he ever study abroad?

5

@strawshort yes, the arch students jump into studio classes right away with Arch 102A and 102B. Both are 4 unit classes, but for the other four years, the studio classes are 6 units each. You can find the entire curriculum spelled out here: https://arch.usc.edu/programs/bachelor-architecture

Most of my son’s friends did a semester abroad (several in Spain and a few in Japan). My son did a two-week summer abroad session in Paris instead of one of the longer programs, and he had a great time exploring architecture in the city with his classmates and professor. He then had to complete a project after he returned.

Congrats to your son – he’s in for an intense but ultimately rewarding experience!

6

@CCMThreeTimes Thanks so much for your insight. My son is really looking forward to his experience at USC! Good luck to your son, and his career in architecture!