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Heading to Yale!
This goes out to all the Yale graduates... and the ones who will be attending this fall.
I am an international student, going for M.arch II to YSOA coming fall. The education system and the lifestyle in general is very different from my home country. I have a list of queries, any information you could provide would be highly appreciated. Mostly are related to money though!
1. Does every student get their own PC, in the studio?
2. Do they charge for all the workshop tools like laser cutting machines, printers separately or is it included in the tuition fees?
3. I know we have one travel week per semester. Are these paid for or are we expected to pay for it?
4. I got a decent financial grant, but I would also like to work as a GA/TA. They haven’t mentioned about it in the offer letter. How do I apply for it?
5. What are the software generally used in studio?
6. How safe is New Haven? I have read about security concerns. What are the areas that are safe and relatively close to the school of architecture? Need to find housing….stressing out here. :-/
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Congratulations and thank you for the informative posts and comments. YSoA generously awarded me with a 20k scholarship and I will be joining the M.Arch II program this coming Fall. I can post an update here after attending the Open House in April.
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don't forget your smoking jacket!
Ha ha I wont! ;-)
I'm concerned about safety as well, could anyone who attends Yale currently comment on this?
1. yup you get your own in the studio
2. they charge you for cutting and printing. budget 1-2,000 a semester for supplies and printing/cutting.
3. travel weeks are paid for in your third year.
4. there will be opportunities to do that once you arrive. they wage you earn is very small FYI like something around 10-12 bucks an hour. unless you are financially stretched your time will be more valuable than that in my personal opinion. your first year is going to be insanely busy.
5. rhino mostly. - a few classes will use revit
6. new haven is as safe as any other big city its not especially dangerous. campus is totally fine, just be smart really late at night. i wouldn't look for housing west of dwight street. if you don't mind biking or walking to school every day then i recommend living in east rock or somewhere besides the immediate vicinity of YSOA.
Hey, Thanks for all the information. :-) You mentioned travel week being paid for in the third year. Are you talking about M.Arch I ? I am going for M.Arch II (post-professional), mine is of two years only. We are supposed to have one travel week per semester. Could you elaborate on the living situation? As in what are all the places where most YSOA grad students live? How's the availability and rent? I am coming from a another country all together, so it's all kinda new to me.
oh; yes everything is paid for in your case then. well, most ysoa students live in the vicinity of YSOA, usually in shared apartments. usually there is an email that the office sends out listing peoples' apartments - a lot of graduating students pass on their apartment to incoming people. I would contact the YSOA office to ask for tips about this.
i lived in east rock for 2/3 years of my m.arch there; the minority of students at YSOA live here but more broadly this is by far the most popular grad student area for Yale students. if you like the idea of walking, biking, or shuttling 5-15 minutes to school every day then this could be a good fit.
remember that yale has a free shuttle service that operates like a bus line, and at night you can call a shuttle that will pick you up from school and drop you off at your house.
Thank you so much! :-D
Also, what's the rent these days?
about 1-1300 for a studio, 1400-1500+ for 1Br. I never shared an apartment but I bet most people paid 500-800.
Any idea, how I can start looking for housing as an international student? By that I mean, find listings online.
craigslist is your best bet.
Thanks everyone for the tips.
I am also an international student who is most probably going to attend YSOA MARCH II. Will not be able to attend open house, hence would love some more tips?
Thankyou!
What is the number of students in an MARCH 2 class? (From what I know its 17-18?) And are the main design studio classes shared with MARCH 1?
From what I have researched, it's 17 people. The courses that you get to choose are the same ones for second and third years of M.Arch I.
The Post-Pro program usually accepts 20 students each year. 16-18 matriculate.
New Haven is moderately safe. Yale's campus is very safe, just don't walk too many blocks past Dwight St.
The main design studios are shared with MARCH1 second and third year students ?
The first semester you will be in the Post-Pro Studio with other post-pros. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th semesters are in the Advanced Studios comprised also of 3rd Year M.Arch I students.
Do you know how many students are in the MArch 1 program?
Around 55, from what I have researched!
Thanks! are you headed there this fall?
Still undecided. Weighing my options between GSAPP and YSOA. I definitely feel more inclined towards Yale!
How about yourself?
I am deciding between Cornell and Yale, also tending towards Yale, more funding there as well. Are you for the MArch 1 or 2?
That'd be MARCH2. And you?
ah, im for MArch 1 :)
Can you please comment on whethe the classes and studios are formally held each day of the week tentatively from 9-5 for MARCH2? (As I experienced during my BArch) or should I expect more flexibility in terms of the workload and schedule?
Studio is Monday and Thursday. Classes can meet either once, twice, or up to three times per week (twice + workshop) depending on the course. As a Post-Pro, you can mostly choose what you want to take and adjust your schedule.
Congratulations and thank you for the informative posts and comments. YSoA generously awarded me with a 20k scholarship and I will be joining the M.Arch II program this coming Fall. I can post an update here after attending the Open House in April.
That would be great! International student here, won't be able to attend the open house, but I am definitely coming to Yale this fall. It would be cool if us potential Yale students could connect here. :-)
Thankyou, would love some great insight on what to expect!
@Continuum are you M.Arch I or II? Look forward to meeting ya~
Based on tours and discussions with faculty and students at the Open House:
They were candid in noting that there are many other great architecture schools. That being said, Yale is a small school that finds strength in the selective student body, not necessarily admitted for best portfolios but for unique ones that can contribute to the diversity there. There is a noticeably friendlier atmosphere compared to some other schools, and this probably helps students and faculty to develop good relationships. They are very well connected to alumni and professionals, and the fabrication / material lab is great. Also, they really like to party .
I understand that the M.ARCH 2, (Post-professional) degree is NOT accredited by NAAB. For most international students, the BARCH degree is accredited by the home country's Accredition Board, but not by NAAB.
How will that affect international students, who would like to practice in the US for a few years before heading back to their home country?
What is the usual precedent?
Thankyou!
The M.Arch2 (Post-Pro) is a program. There is only one degree for Master of Architecture and it is accredited. If you earned a Master of Architecture as a Post-Professional (M.Arch 2), you will be eligible to be licensed in the US (of course there are many more steps to licensure). I happened to also have a B.Arch, but in all applications my M.Arch from Yale was listed as my accreditation. The State of New York, the NAAB, as well as the AIA recognized this degree as accredited. There is only 1 degree. But there are 2 programs.
You were in M.Arch 1?
On the website, there's a clear distinction between M.ARCH 1 and M.ARCH 2. M.ARCH 1 requires 108 credits and M.ARCH 2 requires 72 credits.
Additionally, the website states:
Yale University, School of Architecture offers the following NAAB-accredited degree program:
M. Arch. (pre-professional degree + 108 credits)
M. Arch. (non-pre-professional degree + 108 credits)
So, technically, M.ARCH 2 does not have enough credits to qualify for accreditation?
I was an M.Arch 2. I graduated with other M.Arch 2 internationals who are now licensed with the Yale degree.
You are convoluting the degree with the program. The M.Arch 2 and M.Arch 1 are programs for the same degree, a Master of Architecture. There is only one degree (not counting the few MED and PhD students).
Ah okay! I understand. I had the same understanding of it until someone raised this issue in front of me that post professional programs are not accredited because they do not fulfill the minimum credits required. Thankyou for clearing it out!
@mm09 If you don't mind answering- you are an international applicant from which country?
I am from India.
to All international M.Arch 1 students:
Where are you taking your Calculus prerequisite classes online? I haven't been able to find one that doesn't have a precalculus prerequisite to the Calculus class.
Please let me know, I am freaking out I wont complete it in time!!
Thanks!
Oh,great.. I am from India heading to Yale too :) This is my email id ann.george13@yahoo.com .. Let me know if you would like to get in touch
Hey! I mailed you right now!
Hey guys,
I made a group on facebook "Yale School of Architecture : Class of 2020". Its a closed group so if you request to join I can add you guys on there. Some of us have been discussing housing options and may help to have everyone on there.
Request sent. :-)
Is this only for M.Arch I?
It's for all student's accepted this year
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