Archinect
anchor

University of Florida VS Texas A&M University

qltim2013

hi,guys. Which university's architectural grad school is better? I want your advice!

I am from China    I've get the admission of      University of Florida      and      Texas A&M University.     I cannot make up my mind which to go.

 
May 24, 13 9:33 am
LITS4FormZ

Do you plan to return to China or stay in the US? 

May 24, 13 1:55 pm  · 
 · 
observant

A lot of variables at play for you.  For me, it would be an easy choice.

First, Univ. of Florida (17) has climbed the rankings as a national public university, overall, right behind UT-Austin (13) but clearly ahead of Texas A&M (23).  But they're both good schools.

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/top-public

How things change!  Florida and Georgia were once easier admits ... and party schools.

I would say that people are probably "nicer" at Texas A&M, but that's sort of a Texas thing.  There is also a more conservative veneer and a lot of Texas lore and tradition at TAMU.  I think Florida might be slighlty more aloof, since there are a lot of Northeasterners, who some might find brusque ... and sometimes they are, as well as the diversity coming up from South Florida  I also think there is more diversity, at least from the U.S., at Florida.  On the flip side, TAMU is "somewhat" accessible to Houston, which I believe has 2 Chinatowns, but that shouldn't be a factor when you're trying to earn a graduate degree.  But, hey, Florida has laid-back Jacksonville close by (over 1 million people in the metro) ... and its beaches.  Also, is there a Chinese "pipeline" to either of these schools?  What I mean by that is that some schools seem to be popular with students from certain countries (Thailand, Greece, Austria, Argentina) and I don't know why.  The students are just there, in numbers that you notice.  Are you aware of an international student contingent from China at either of these 2 schools?

I don't know what either UF or TAMU are really known for.  I think UF might have a more noticeable modernist bent in what they turn out because, let's face it, Florida's new buildings are all modernist, avant garde, and mostly nice.  But, so is the new stuff in Houston.

I'd pick University of Florida.  Also, if there is an international student community in which China is decently represented and there is something (a current concern or niche area) you like, then go for UF.

Lastly, any MONEY from either school?  That could tip the equation in a wild card sort of way, and should.

May 24, 13 2:47 pm  · 
 · 
snooker-doodle-dandy

OBSERVANT...YOU SHEETING ON MY ADOPTED BROTHERS.....
i HAVE NO IDEA WHICH SCHOOL IS BETTER.  PLEASE DON'T NARROW PEOPLE BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS.

May 24, 13 5:54 pm  · 
 · 
observant

^

Here we go again. Schools have collective personalities based on their demographics.  That's why some people might like one school and dislike another.  BTDT.

Maybe I should put this another way:  would you like to go to Rick Perry's alma mater, or a school that potentially has a lot of people cut from that same cloth?  You don't need to answer.

I've seen pictures of the TAMU campus.  Kind of vapid.  UF's campus is nice ... with brick Gothic buildings one would not expect in FL, alongside nice new buildings.

The OP hasn't weighed in.

May 24, 13 6:13 pm  · 
 · 
LITS4FormZ

How about Congresswoman Corrine Brown...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgbBP9Em00A

May 24, 13 6:32 pm  · 
 · 
observant

^

That is patently hilarious.  Let's face it, though, football related lore is obnoxious in both the Southeast and the South Central regions, picking up both of these schools.  I was once driving around a nice suburb of ATL and, on a nice warm fall day, I saw flags of GA, GT, Auburn, Bama, FL and FSU hoisted adjacent to people's garages.  You would never see that in LA or SF.

s-d-d got torqued, for some reason.  My best friend at work, prior to grad school, was a Florida grad, but very bookish and now a successful businessman.  He was native to Philly, but raised in Orlando.  He said there were a lot of obnoxious tri-state NY and Miami kids in attendance.  My cousin, from Miami, is a Gator ... and, mostly, an ass.  The asses at TAMU are probably oil trust fund brats and legacy students.  

I got into UF for M.Arch.  I think I would have liked it.  Contact with the program while visiting and making inquiries was positive.  I liked the vibe of the campus, the department, and the program.  There are a-holes everywhere.  I just would have counted on meeting people I liked.

To help the OP, here are 2 links to help you deduce the personalities of the schools.  Understand that these are most likely from the lenses of undergraduate students, but they should make for an interesting read.  There will be tabs on the left and some pictures or a video on the right.

UF:

http://collegeprowler.com/university-of-florida/rankings/rankings-list/

Texas A&M:

http://collegeprowler.com/texas-a-and-m-university/

You will need to create an account, and then you can read all about the enrollments, the best aspects, the worst aspects, academics, student opinions, diversity, what the area is like, and all that.  Things have changed, but UF is quite a bit harder to get into as an undergrad now, relative to TAMU, and that is indicative of something.  I'm biased, but please employ all inputs to make a decision.  And someone else chime in as to these 2 schools ...

May 24, 13 7:27 pm  · 
 · 
qltim2013

Thank you  very much for the information! you are warmhearted!    I'll check it carefully 

For me, I plan to search a chance to put the theory into practice in America after graduation. I mean,a intership experience.   You know, architect need to do real program to proof the theory,   So,  even having to return China,  I hope to get some work experience in American company.

I haven't  get any scholarship from neither  schools, but I'll try to apply for it in later semesters.

I've recieve the admission of UF earlier and planning to go there, suddenly the TAMU also want me.  I leanrt from the internet that  TAMU is excelent in Engineer ,  and has very large Architectural department(though the name sounds a place related to farm industry)    UF is traditionally a good school and higher in overall ranking, but I didn't find much inforrmation from internet about it's Architecture department.

I am making final decision these days, and comparing carefully,from every aspects.

May 28, 13 10:22 am  · 
 · 
observant

Correct.  Texas A&M is ranked higher in engineering, but they are separate colleges. They don't interact with and impact the architectural programs. 

However, both UF and TAMU have Building Construction and Construction Science, respectively, within their schools of architecture and design.  These may flavor the program. Of those 2 programs, UF has the stronger program.  It was the first in the nation to start the School of Building Construction.  Check to see if you can take some grad electives over there.  TAMU has that name because it was meant to handle vocational majors, including agricultural majors, while UT-Austin was meant to handle more academic pursuits.

Also, forget that lady on the YouTube, even though it is very funny.  She graduated in 1971, per wikipedia.  The requirements were very different then.  I don't think she could get into UF today.  At least, I hope not.  Also, there will be people at TAMU who speak "Texan."

Good luck, whichever way you decide.

May 28, 13 11:03 am  · 
 · 
qltim2013

thanks!  

May 28, 13 11:20 am  · 
 · 
qltim2013

@Flagobservant:hi, thank you again. it's very help of the information you provided.

I've check all the links(except for the YOUTUBE,haha~youknow , in china some links cannot be open,now even Google ). Maybe UF is better in design,aesthetically speaking. 

By the way, with the UF's admission, they also give my acdemic advicer, Nancy Clark 

http://soa.dcp.ufl.edu/people/faculty/nancy-clark/

 I want to ask, have you heard of this professor, how is her?   

May 28, 13 9:54 pm  · 
 · 
observant

I didn't go to UF.  I was accepted. 

It has been a while since I was in grad school.  The faculty has changed.  I don't know her.

May 28, 13 10:54 pm  · 
 · 
qltim2013

@observant:  That's ok, Thank you.

May 28, 13 11:05 pm  · 
 · 

Block this user


Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

Archinect


This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

  • ×Search in: