<p>While I understand that Cooper Union is very well recognized among Architects, and has some great opportunities to offer its students, I do not really understand why so many people vie to gain admittance into the school. For one, It's expensive to pay for room and board in NYC even though the school offers full paid tuition and secondly, while ranks are not everything DI does not place Cooper Union in the top 10 for B.Arch programs. </p>
<p>I'm just curious what draws so many applicants to the school. I sort of plan on applying next year, but I want to shorten my list so I'm not having to do so many separate things for so many schools.</p>
<p>Well at cooper union, you have to keep an A average and if you drop in any of your classes theydrop you. It is the best college and it is very hard to get in</p>
<p>^ Yes, I know that it’s very hard to get in, and only has a 1.5% acceptance rate but that still dosen’t answer why it is a good school for preparing students for the real world compared to other B.Arch programs.</p>
<p>If you read that DI article, you would also see that Cooper is among the most admired programs in the nation. The school does lack some resources that you’d find at other universities. But youre definitely going to receive individualized attention, I’m attending this fall, the class size is 23! And everyone there has to be motivated and talented, after all, the acceptance rate is so low. The environment at cooper is completely conducive to the proper training of an architect. Also, the cost of living in ny is not really comparable to that of typical private school tuition. There are so many perks about the school, and that’s why acceptance is so competitive. After all, most people who get in here choose it over #1 ranked Cornell.</p>
<p>cooper union has a very particular and specialized program.</p>
<p>it’s intense where ever. but… it’s about what you’re looking for in your education.</p>
<p>i disagree that most people choose cooper over cornell.</p>
<p>the two offer very different environments of education so apply and choose wisely.</p>
<p>^Bkhc209 and fightthelion… what insights can you give me on the envrionments of Cornell and Cooper?</p>
<p>From those I’ve talked to who have gotten into the two schools, I’ve heard from more people choosing cooper. I’d probably be able to give you more insight once I actually start in the fall. From what I understand, it’s a rigorous nonstop arch program. Student only have two non-arch classes freshman year (English and Calc). And students are in the studios almost all the time - even on weekends. It’s a challenging program, not to say it isn’t at all arch schools 
I’d say a major perk is the individualized attention you’ll be getting. Like I said, the freshman class size generally hovers around 20 or 25 students.</p>