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Value of a prestigious M.Arch? (Question for Experienced/Licensed Architects)
It seems like a most of the top architecture offices are founded by people who went to prestigious institutions. It makes me wonder what is the value of the degree? Is it that talented people tend to go to these schools and then find success professionally? Or, does the school allow you to brush shoulders with the best so there are better opportunities? Or, is the correlation between success and a prestigious institution a myth?
As some without a "big picture" perspective - I'm looking for some wisdom from experienced architects. Thanks so much!
How about this, count the number of successful architects from "prestigious institutions" and divide that by the number of people who WENT to these places.
That's a good percentage of success by said institutes.
Damn.
Most likely the people that can afford to go to such institutions have the money later on to start their own practice and even pursue the type of projects they want to. And spend money on publishing books about themselves etc. Also ivy league schools open up doors to offices simply bc any office would like to have some affiliation to them in order to gain more publicity. Basically those schools act as a sort of country club.
In terms of education most likely not any better then anywhere else. But if you accumulate a large amount of debt going to a such an institution it is definitely not worth it. If anything this debt will hinder your chances to start your own office and thus can be damaging to your career.
The young ones try so hard to get in to the schools and field, and after a few years they all wish they had some other line of work.
What do you (or others) wish they did instead?
Different people wish they had done different things, but probably the common denominator is that they wish they had pursued a career with a better payoff for the effort and education. The lousy pay and job insecurity really starts getting to you as you move into middle age and the youthful giddiness wears off.
i really think its just that the successful practitioners who went to the ivies have an obsession with architecture and the drive to devote all their time to it. of course they're going to try to get the best education while they're at it.
Although not an Ivy, does UC Berkeley place in the range of the top schools- reputation wise? Choosing between Penn and this school and if reputation is more or less similar ( minus the ivy factor ) that would be good to know. Thanks
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