<p>My D will be applying to a 5 yr Undergrad arch program. I wonder what would be the important aspects in an arch program -faculty, class size, enthusiasm of the current students, resources, internships, college location, facilities, rankings? if someone could please give me some light about this would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>My D main interest is in green/environmental friendly arch, skyscrapers, public spaces. I wonder if each college arch program specialized in a particular area such as preservation, skyscrapers, etc? or the undergrad arch programs are more general in nature? what would be the best under arch program for green/environmental friendly arch?</p>
<p>I think all arch programs want to present the best of them when they advertise and give you info about their arch programs, so I wonder what are the smart questions to ask to really learn about the arch program and to learn if that particular arch program will be a good fit for my D?
Of course all the decision making and questions will be done by my D. I want to learn more about arch programs so I'll be able to provide some helpful advice to my D.
Thanks so much in advance!</p>
<p>to add to my first post and to my last Q..i'm trying to figure out what questions to ask or things to look for when one visits the campus/arch programs so my D can really get a feeling of the arch program in a short period of time. Again, thanks!</p>
<p>I think any school should be focused on green at this point, however there is a solar decathlon competition held every year among the architecture schools. They design and build a sustainable house. You might look at the winners, since these schools will probably have at least a few sustainable advocates. I know UVA and UT Austin have won in the last few years, and UVA takes great pride in their sustainable focus.</p>
<p>I don't think schools emphasize one building type over another, though some schools may focus more on the urban context. A nice architecture building is OK, but the students are going to trash the studio in short order, so I don't know if it is critical.</p>
<p>Technology has become critical in the profession. Most senior faculty are tenured and seem to have very little interest in learning new skills. The world is changing around them. I would ask about how they use technology in studio. Is it an organized approach balancing hand drawing, model-making and computer work? Or is it just some random approach that depends on which professor you happen to get?</p>
<p>Ultimately what really matters is the quality of the faculty. This should be reflected in the quality of student work produced. When I judge a school I look at the student portfolios, or the quality of the work pinned up on the walls. I would also expect to see a good visiting lecture/critic program, rather than having just the in-house faculty teaching all the courses. I know we love to bash the rankings, but any school in the top 20 DI ranking is probably going to be pretty good (though we may want to debate the order).</p>
<p>rick12, you are such a good resource of information. Thanks for the suggestions. My D is very much interested in Rice. what do you think about their arch program? thanks a bunch.</p>
<p>I am a little biased because I know a few of the faculty members at Rice, but I think it is a terrific school. My wife has her MArch from Rice. They have very small class sizes (+-25), and my sense is that it is a close knit and supportive environment (not very common among architecture schools). The program is a one year longer because of the one year preceptorship program, but it is a great opportunity with the students working in some of the leading offices around the world. The influence of the fifth year students returning from their preceptorships gives the school a level of sophistication that is beyond what you would expect in a school located in Houston, Texas.</p>
<p>I was thinking it would be a great program for my D, but she was not going to stay in Texas for college, and the allure of Palo Alto was too much. Rice takes great care in selecting their students, and the portfolio seems to carry a lot of weight. I would encourage you to visit the campus and meet some of the faculty, it is as nice an environment as you can possibly create in Houston ;-)</p>
<p>rick, Palo Alto? so you're D is at Stanford. It's really hard to get in. The campus is really amazing. Thanks for the feedback about Rice. I can see how you can be a little bias a/ it ;). My D really likes Rice for the arch program. We're also trying to find a good arch program that it's affordable just in case, my D doesn't get enough merit aid (we're not poor enough to get need-based aid). So, my D is thinking about San Luis Obispo. We live in CA so it's affordable for us. SLO has an very good ranking, and how does it compare to Rice arch program? what do you think are the major advantages or disadvatages- SLO vs. Rice? Thanks a lot in advance!</p>
<p>sorry one more think. I'm losing my sleep already. What are the good arch that are not so hard to get in. I know Rice is very selective, and SLO is becoming very selective too. I'm not sure if we should based everything on rankings? any light a/ this..Thanks so much.</p>
<p>S was accepted at SLO and I toured with him so I can offer a few observational comments. Arch at SLO is heavily impacted and hard to get into unless you have great (and no missing) UC a-g classes gpa plus a high SAT. (Was told having a summer job is a boost, arch related summer job a double boost). If your D has that covered it certainly is a good value for instate students. I don't know the architecture business so can't comment on that or compare it to Rice other than to say a classmate of S is now at Rice, in music, and loves it, even with the hurricane troubles.</p>
<p>Do go visit SLO, they have an open door policy in the arch department, very friendly students and staff. It is a different setup there than the other arch studios I visited last fall with my S. Not that it's a bad thing but instead of the common huge studio areas I've seen elsewhere SLO uses many smallish rooms designed for 12-14 students but now crammed with wall to wall work stations, -I counted 24 in one room, cluttered with supplies and materials filling every available space except for some warrenlike pathways. S liked it (looked just like his room at home). The kids there all said they loved it. I'd say it's not a place for a neat freak. I was told it does get cleaned out at each quarter break as the kids switch rooms. Do pay attention to the level of maintenance and repair, bring it up with students and staff. Sad really, a very overburdened system and with budget cuts it's only going to get worse. As to merit aid, with grades and scores that will get your D into SLO there are privates that can be even lower in cost, but not rank near as high if that's important, SLO is way up there. Also look carefully at the on-campus housing crunch if that's important.</p>
<p>4trees, i appreciate your post. Instate colleges get hit hard with budget cuts. I also heard that classes will be reduced and students wouldn't ge able to graduate in 5 yrs ;(
We are not too much into rankings, but we are not in the arch field, so rankings gives us some idea about the qualify of colleges. Yes, we're planning to visit SLO.</p>
<p>SLO? I try not to talk about things I don't know much about, and I don't know much about SLO. In California I am familiar with four schools (sci-arc, USC, Cal, and UCLA), my sense is that not many SLO students leave the state so we don't have much exposure to them. If your D wants to stay in California it might be a great school. Elsewhere in the country its name will not be as recognized as Rice's.</p>
<p>As far as good schools that are not so hard to get into, let me throw a few names out; Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State. We went to the job fair for all of them and it was full of national firms who had come to recruit the students. They really produce some strong architects. I have heard good things about Arizona State, but my information may be outdated. Texas is a very strong school, but very competitive to get into.</p>
<p>I would be willing to bet that there must be a significant number of architecture school blogs. Dig around and I bet you find some interesting information about the schools. I think there are a lot of good undergraduate programs, I am sure she will do fine.</p>