Okay, so this is my situation. I left college my senior year. My gpa was a 2.4, and I was about a year behind in credits. I was suffering from a multitude of personal problems, so I decided it would be best to take a leave of absence, and try community college for a while. I've been in community college for two semesters and I've managed a 4.0 both times. I've been studying architecture, and it turns out I'm quite good at it. Would a be able to transfer into a reputable undergraduate architecture program with this history?
With a 4.0GPA? I'm sure you can transfer to an undergrad program. Lots of people in my school came from community colleges.It is a low-cost smart way to educate yourself. What did you study in college before that?
Good job on the gpa, but you have to understand that most architecture schools that are accredited will not accept your architecture classes taken at a community college. Like Paradox mentioned, I know some people that went to college to get their prerequisites out of the way and saved a lot of money but when it came to arch. classes they still had to start in the order the university has it and it took them the 4 years plus the two or whatever they already took at the community college.
You should call the schools you are intending to apply to and ask them if any of the credits/classes will transfer to that 'reputable' school.
Yup, you'll have to take your design classes over (many schools go straight through, so 8 studios in 4 years - you can't skip any of them). This kinda sucks but is understandable (I basically lost about 2 years when I transferred).
That being said, I do know of some very talented people that started in community colleges.
I guess smart people also start in community colleges.You will be taking all your architecture classes in your undergrad program but from what I heard they also teach Autocad in community colleges so even if you can't transfer that it could be beneficial for you in terms of learning the basics of drafting. I go to a mediocre college in NY and in my school you can transfer up to 60 college credits if you get at least C+ from them.I say if you can do that(I'm not sure if you can do it in reputable schools though) go for it for the pre requisits; you don't want to pay 1400$ for a history class like I did. :/
ood job on the gpa, but you have to understand that most architecture schools that are accredited will not accept your architecture classes taken at a community college.
COMPLETELY FALSE!!!
Illinois has some very good Community Colleges that have a 2+2 agreement with UIUC.
Look into it.
I know because I run one of them. Our students who work hard are very well-prepared by our program and are perhaps better prepared than the students who for the first two years at the accredited school.
usually colleges are more favorable to students with a proven track record. i know many people who were denied into a variety of colleges and prestigious programs as freshman, only to get accepted as transfers later. i was also able to do a summer studio and shave a 5 year program down to 4.
If you have taken some architecture classes at community college they should transfer just fine. I went to a community college and got a associates degree in architecture and then transfered into a four year program and was accepted with junior status.
They actually had the program set up for transfers with associates degrees so it was pretty seamless.
If you can get your associates degree I would recommend it just for the ease. I would just look at which programs you're interested in and talk to someone there to see what they have to say about it.
make,
i didn't say all of the schools, but from my experience there are many that do not have those contracts you talk about! But it sure is worth looking into it.
I've been studying architecture, and it turns out I'm quite good at it.
This sounds like something a Senior High kid would say after taking an industrial tech drafting class. No offense, but you don't know if you are "good" at Architecture until you've cut your teeth in the profession a good 10+ years post graduating University.
I'm a registered Architect with 10 years experience and still wouldn't call myself a "good" Architect. Learning, yes. Getting better, yes. Good, no.
Don't mean to discourage you, but you've got a long road ahead in this crazy profession we call Architecture.
Aguirre,
Do you know if your community college architecture department has a transfer agreement with universities in your state or area?
Many universities have specific requirements to enter their architecture program. Some require specific classes from their program.
Maybe the next step should be to try an internship through your school. You might have to do some leg work to find an office that will take you in. But if you have the backing of professors and your CC its possible. This way you might get a better idea if this is the type of career you want.
My opinion is an architecture education in school is very different then when you start working.
the statement was 'MOST architecture schools that are accredited will not accept your architecture classes taken at a community college'. UIUC is the exception, not the norm. For example, if one were to transfer to Cooper Union from Cornel one would be required to retake ALL architecture related classes, not just studio.
Aquirre,
If you want to eventually call yourself an architect from solely an undergrad degree, you need to attend an accredited program. Which means 5 years, or 10 semesters, not 4 and 8.
Also, a lot of schools offer summer design. So if you had all your prereq's out of the way, and took design every summer, you could finish in 3 years [assuming the school has two summer sessions].
aguirre
kind of like jplourde is saying.... make sure you pick a school that has the program track you want.. there are 5 year BArch programs and then there are 4 year (b.s. arch b.a. arch) that then require a 2 year master's program after.
a lot of people who get a BArch think that way's better,because it's a year shorter
but in my opinion i like that i did a general architecture studies undergrad and am now going on to spend two years on my own thesis topic and get a master's degree on top of that.
for financial reasons you should obviously check out if they are 6 year or 5 year programs as well.
Left my university for community college...now what?
Okay, so this is my situation. I left college my senior year. My gpa was a 2.4, and I was about a year behind in credits. I was suffering from a multitude of personal problems, so I decided it would be best to take a leave of absence, and try community college for a while. I've been in community college for two semesters and I've managed a 4.0 both times. I've been studying architecture, and it turns out I'm quite good at it. Would a be able to transfer into a reputable undergraduate architecture program with this history?
With a 4.0GPA? I'm sure you can transfer to an undergrad program. Lots of people in my school came from community colleges.It is a low-cost smart way to educate yourself. What did you study in college before that?
I was a philosophy major.
Good job on the gpa, but you have to understand that most architecture schools that are accredited will not accept your architecture classes taken at a community college. Like Paradox mentioned, I know some people that went to college to get their prerequisites out of the way and saved a lot of money but when it came to arch. classes they still had to start in the order the university has it and it took them the 4 years plus the two or whatever they already took at the community college.
You should call the schools you are intending to apply to and ask them if any of the credits/classes will transfer to that 'reputable' school.
find out if you can cut short your studio.
i had 2 years of college when i started, and had to go 5 full years of undergrad. it was a long freakin haul...
Yup, you'll have to take your design classes over (many schools go straight through, so 8 studios in 4 years - you can't skip any of them). This kinda sucks but is understandable (I basically lost about 2 years when I transferred).
That being said, I do know of some very talented people that started in community colleges.
I guess smart people also start in community colleges.You will be taking all your architecture classes in your undergrad program but from what I heard they also teach Autocad in community colleges so even if you can't transfer that it could be beneficial for you in terms of learning the basics of drafting. I go to a mediocre college in NY and in my school you can transfer up to 60 college credits if you get at least C+ from them.I say if you can do that(I'm not sure if you can do it in reputable schools though) go for it for the pre requisits; you don't want to pay 1400$ for a history class like I did. :/
COMPLETELY FALSE!!!
Illinois has some very good Community Colleges that have a 2+2 agreement with UIUC.
Look into it.
I know because I run one of them. Our students who work hard are very well-prepared by our program and are perhaps better prepared than the students who for the first two years at the accredited school.
usually colleges are more favorable to students with a proven track record. i know many people who were denied into a variety of colleges and prestigious programs as freshman, only to get accepted as transfers later. i was also able to do a summer studio and shave a 5 year program down to 4.
If you have taken some architecture classes at community college they should transfer just fine. I went to a community college and got a associates degree in architecture and then transfered into a four year program and was accepted with junior status.
They actually had the program set up for transfers with associates degrees so it was pretty seamless.
If you can get your associates degree I would recommend it just for the ease. I would just look at which programs you're interested in and talk to someone there to see what they have to say about it.
good luck
Some community colleges have legal contracts with 4 or 5 year schools.
make,
i didn't say all of the schools, but from my experience there are many that do not have those contracts you talk about! But it sure is worth looking into it.
Yes, that is true some CC have arrangements with Universities (UF had this, but it was only a few students a year).
All about talking to as many people that really know (as with most things college related, can't ever rely on one adviser's advice).
This sounds like something a Senior High kid would say after taking an industrial tech drafting class. No offense, but you don't know if you are "good" at Architecture until you've cut your teeth in the profession a good 10+ years post graduating University.
I'm a registered Architect with 10 years experience and still wouldn't call myself a "good" Architect. Learning, yes. Getting better, yes. Good, no.
Don't mean to discourage you, but you've got a long road ahead in this crazy profession we call Architecture.
Aquapura, you're right. I didn't mean to come off that way. My professors just tell me that they like my work. That's what I meant.
Aguirre,
Do you know if your community college architecture department has a transfer agreement with universities in your state or area?
Many universities have specific requirements to enter their architecture program. Some require specific classes from their program.
Maybe the next step should be to try an internship through your school. You might have to do some leg work to find an office that will take you in. But if you have the backing of professors and your CC its possible. This way you might get a better idea if this is the type of career you want.
My opinion is an architecture education in school is very different then when you start working.
good luck!
Make,
That's not 'completely false.'
the statement was 'MOST architecture schools that are accredited will not accept your architecture classes taken at a community college'. UIUC is the exception, not the norm. For example, if one were to transfer to Cooper Union from Cornel one would be required to retake ALL architecture related classes, not just studio.
Aquirre,
If you want to eventually call yourself an architect from solely an undergrad degree, you need to attend an accredited program. Which means 5 years, or 10 semesters, not 4 and 8.
Also, a lot of schools offer summer design. So if you had all your prereq's out of the way, and took design every summer, you could finish in 3 years [assuming the school has two summer sessions].
aguirre
kind of like jplourde is saying.... make sure you pick a school that has the program track you want.. there are 5 year BArch programs and then there are 4 year (b.s. arch b.a. arch) that then require a 2 year master's program after.
a lot of people who get a BArch think that way's better,because it's a year shorter
but in my opinion i like that i did a general architecture studies undergrad and am now going on to spend two years on my own thesis topic and get a master's degree on top of that.
for financial reasons you should obviously check out if they are 6 year or 5 year programs as well.
Archinect should have a link on the first page describing how someone can llegally call themselves an "architect".
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