hi Buff,
from one vet to another, id like to warn you that architecture has been completely devastated and will be for the next 5 to 10 years from what i see, but if you insist on going to arch. college, research the alumni network of each of the schools you are interested in cause in this economy its who u know that counts, good luck soldier.

Thanks creativity expert,

Yeah you are right the industry is definitely at one of its lowest points but I'm at a point in my life where I would rather take my chances. While I'm very proud of my service and would do it all over again, it wasn't for me and since separating, I've spent the last 3 years in insurance which I hate. I would rather do something I really love and have to deal with a low salary and some job insecurity than continue to do something I hate for the rest of my life for not much money. If things get too hard when I graduate, I can always go back to being a property claims adjuster making a whopping 38k a year.

OK I know everyone's going to hate me for being a hater but I'm sick of this thread every year. Just apply and you'll find out if you can get in. I know it costs money but if you care enough you'll pay. A bunch of people making you feel better on a discussion thread isn't going to help you get into school. And what's the point of worrying about something you can't change? Besides there are a lot of great school not that aren't on your list! Ok. Done with negativity.

PS this is the 38th thread that mentions this subject

My undergrad GPA was not much above 3.0 - and included very poor grades in two of my undergrad core architecture studios. I applied to four of the schools you mentioned, and was accepted to 3 of them. I attended and graduated from one of them, with the help of a merit-based scholarship.
As has been said many, many times on this forum: GPA does not tend to be a major in M.Arch admissions unless it is under 3.0 (and even then it will not automatically disqualify you from consideration at some schools.)
But, it is worth noting that while my undergrad GPA was well below 3.5, it was nonetheless one of the highest in my undergrad department - and I do think that M.Arch admissions committees have some sense of the relative grade inflation at various undergrad programs, and so may not consider the same GPA to mean the same thing about two students from two different programs (in other words, if a 3.2 puts you in the 60th percentile at your school, this isn't going to be viewed as favorably as if it puts you in the 90th). Also, my GRE scores were high, and this may have helped with any doubts about my ability to handle the academic challenges of these programs, even though test scores also aren't usually a major factor.
If you have a very strong portfolio and recommendations, your GPA will not put you out of contention for admission to most of the schools on your list.

Haters gonna hate. Of course I'm going to apply

Got into UVA with a 2.3...gave the dean oral though

Ha! Was the dean a man or woman?

I just got into UPenn with a gpa just under 3.0. GRE around 1200. No notable recommender. Undergrad at UIC with a Psychology major.

I'll list more if I hear back.

So if you have a low GPA would it be useful to wait 2-3 years after graduating,get a job get some work experience and then apply? I heard somewhere that the more time you leave between college and grad school the less they care about you GPA. I'm thinking that through consistent work experience and other achievements you could show them you have "matured".

I am in at Pratt with $ and waitlisted at Penn(AP) with a 3.34 GPA and 1180 on the GRE. Just hoping on Penn to come through now.

@Parad: I came from a non-design background, so I didn't have a "feel" of what they wanted in a portfolio yet. I had been a graphic designer as a hobby, but I may have overdesigned my portfolio the first time I applied. I actually got rejected from all 9 of my schools (including UIC and IIT). I didn't necessarily get work experience during that year, but I took time to improve my sketching and create more projects for my portfolio.

If you are like me, coming from a non-design background, a summer 5-week course like YArch (at UIC) or CareerDiscovery (Harvard) will be HUGE help.

*clarifying last post*: I got rejected from all 9 schools last year. I improved since, and now I'm getting accepted place.

- got in at michigan for 3g and waitlisted at upenn.
- gpa during ungrad was really low.
- gre 1200+
- i took extra year of courses at university level recently, took autocad courses at college level, and intro to arch at gsapp to built an alternative transcript.

I agree with ahoseeini, although I didn't do a summer program at any big school I took a two semester "Grad preparation program" at Los Angeles Institute of Architecture and Design (LAIAD) and I got a bunch of portfolio worthy projects.

I think my portfolio along with my letters of rec got me into the GSAPP M.Arch I and funding ($) with a 3.2 GPA.
My GREs were v550 q710 aw4.0.

So yeah I think its possible, a lower GPA forces you to push other components further (portfolio, statement, and letters of rec).

Have any of you been accepted to a top-ranked M.Arch II program with less than 3.5 gpa?

* 22/M/white
* 4th yr. student at well-regarded public univ. B.S. arch program
* 3.3 gpa
* GRE: 530 v, 740 q, mid-range writing score
* Refs from 2 arch. professors & a former arch. firm employer
* Professors & employer said portfolio is very good
* 1 yr. equivalent in paid internship at 3 arch. firms
* 1 paid internship at prestigious corporate firm (asked to return)
* Proficiency in Revit, several CAD programs, etc.

Accepted to a top 20 program, waitlisted to a higher-ranked program, rejected from top choice, and await more acceptance & financial/merit aid news.

Decision to 1) enroll in a M.Arch II program or 2) return to work at corporate firm after graduation & reapply to grad programs for fall '12 depends on acceptance and aid news (e.g., if wait list turns into acceptance). Program cost & financial/merit aid are critical to decision.

Any advice would be appreciated, especially from those with both a B.S. Arch and a M.Arch II degree. Have any of you placed a deposit with a program and reneged after getting off a waitlist from another program? Thanks.

can anyone comment on last year statistics?

or was everyone super fabulous and got in to these ivy with 3.5+ and 1400+ GRE?

I WILL NOT BE IGNORED!

hello friends.

I have a question, do i have to take General GRE  for US universities or some specific, math or etc.?

only during a booming economy, like now, if you're dumb like me you'll get in.