My name is Cooper. I'm a 19 year-old student in attendance at Kennesaw State University, and I need advice! I would like to ask you folks the following:
1) How can I determine if architecture is the right career for me?
2) What advice would you offer to someone considering architecture as a pursuit?
3) Where can I learn more about the daily responsibilities of an architect?
Background: I am thinking about changing my major to architecture, but not without doing my research. I am a sophomore in college, and I have been a music ed major, a music performance major, and a computer science major. I have had some difficulty finding my career, and now, I am simply undeclared in my studies. I've been taking "general education" courses, which apply towards just about any major I could choose, in order to buy me some time to make this "major" decision (pun intended). Anyways, while I have always considered architecture a fascinating and mysterious career, the idea of majoring in architecture really caught a hold of me a few days ago, and it has not escaped my focus. I've turned through a number of podcasts and youtube videos, and it seems like it may be a great fit for me as a career.
About me: I strongly identify with the Meyers-Briggs ENTP personality type, and it was through an MBTI website that Architecture was suggested to me as a career. I have always been very spatial, and had a knack for construction/creative toys like Legos, Lincoln Logs, K'nex, and video games like Minecraft. My best experience with any of these toys has been the times I made my own creations without the aid of instructions, and this is how I spent about 90% of my childhood playtime! I am a very creative and artistic person, and have taken music lessons across piano and percussion for 14 years. I love to draw. I am intellectual (Official IQ of 130, processing score of 132), in both a lingual and mathematical sense. I have a great appreciation for art and architecture, and like a true ENTP, I am obsessed with learning new things and finding new interests (hence my difficulty in finding a niche; I want to do EVERYTHING)! My mother was an architecture major in college, and worked in an architect's office before marrying my dad and becoming a full-time mom, so I may have a genetic disposition (if such a thing exists (it probably doesn't)).
With all of that said, I understand that an Architect's education involves a 5-year degree program, followed by a three-year internship, and I welcome the academic rigor with open arms. I would be very appreciative if you folks could offer me any sort of insight or share your experience, I'd really just love to hear what you have to say.
You won't know until you try, honestly. Music might prepare you for the rigor of architecture school, but it might not. Unfortunately architecture school and then the career after, require jumping in with both feet, in most cases. If you have a hard time settling on a firm path, it's probably going to be a struggle. In many careers you can give it a shot for a couple of years. In architecture, you may not get the answers your looking for, for a decade or more. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
1) Read "Architect?? by Roger Lewis. It's a good overview of the profession.
2) Personally, I would NOT recommend this profession to anyone who isn't financially independent. The earnings are poor, there is no job security, the work is much more mundane that you might expect, the profession is overcrowded, and the long term prospects for the building industry in general are cloudy at best.
HELP! Career advice needed
Hey everyone,
My name is Cooper. I'm a 19 year-old student in attendance at Kennesaw State University, and I need advice! I would like to ask you folks the following:
1) How can I determine if architecture is the right career for me?
2) What advice would you offer to someone considering architecture as a pursuit?
3) Where can I learn more about the daily responsibilities of an architect?
Background: I am thinking about changing my major to architecture, but not without doing my research. I am a sophomore in college, and I have been a music ed major, a music performance major, and a computer science major. I have had some difficulty finding my career, and now, I am simply undeclared in my studies. I've been taking "general education" courses, which apply towards just about any major I could choose, in order to buy me some time to make this "major" decision (pun intended). Anyways, while I have always considered architecture a fascinating and mysterious career, the idea of majoring in architecture really caught a hold of me a few days ago, and it has not escaped my focus. I've turned through a number of podcasts and youtube videos, and it seems like it may be a great fit for me as a career.
About me: I strongly identify with the Meyers-Briggs ENTP personality type, and it was through an MBTI website that Architecture was suggested to me as a career. I have always been very spatial, and had a knack for construction/creative toys like Legos, Lincoln Logs, K'nex, and video games like Minecraft. My best experience with any of these toys has been the times I made my own creations without the aid of instructions, and this is how I spent about 90% of my childhood playtime! I am a very creative and artistic person, and have taken music lessons across piano and percussion for 14 years. I love to draw. I am intellectual (Official IQ of 130, processing score of 132), in both a lingual and mathematical sense. I have a great appreciation for art and architecture, and like a true ENTP, I am obsessed with learning new things and finding new interests (hence my difficulty in finding a niche; I want to do EVERYTHING)! My mother was an architecture major in college, and worked in an architect's office before marrying my dad and becoming a full-time mom, so I may have a genetic disposition (if such a thing exists (it probably doesn't)).
With all of that said, I understand that an Architect's education involves a 5-year degree program, followed by a three-year internship, and I welcome the academic rigor with open arms. I would be very appreciative if you folks could offer me any sort of insight or share your experience, I'd really just love to hear what you have to say.
Thanks!
You won't know until you try, honestly. Music might prepare you for the rigor of architecture school, but it might not. Unfortunately architecture school and then the career after, require jumping in with both feet, in most cases. If you have a hard time settling on a firm path, it's probably going to be a struggle. In many careers you can give it a shot for a couple of years. In architecture, you may not get the answers your looking for, for a decade or more. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Gotcha, thank you very much for the response, I'll make an update here if I reach some sort of verdict!
1) Read "Architect?? by Roger Lewis. It's a good overview of the profession.
2) Personally, I would NOT recommend this profession to anyone who isn't financially independent. The earnings are poor, there is no job security, the work is much more mundane that you might expect, the profession is overcrowded, and the long term prospects for the building industry in general are cloudy at best.
3) See item #1 above.
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