My name is Sean, from Dublin, Ireland. I am going to studying in America next year on a sports scholarship, however my grades are not good enough to get accepted to an architecture college or university.
As I still want to pursue a career in architecture , I was wondering would anybody have any advice on what I could possible do, maybe in my second year.
As I don't fully know the American college system, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Just make sure that the school you are going to has a decent architecture program. Once you get there check out the architecture program's curriculum and take as many required classes as you can. Re-apply to the architecture program the next year.
I would say that being a student athlete and in an architecture program is no easy task. There was only one guy in my class that even attempted it, and he struggled quite a bit. Time management will be key, and even than I think it can be quite difficult. Good Luck.
It can be done... sports and architecture... just depends on the school i suppose. There were several kids who did it in my class, including myself (briefly...)
As for the grades, getting into architecture school, i think phld21 has it right.
Once you get to school you'll have a lot of freedom to take classes of your choosing... So make sure you include a couple of the typical 1st year Architecture classes in your schedule. Go to the lectures, go to the open houses, check out some critques, see if the program is right for you. If you put in that kind of effort and do well in your 1st year, i would imagine you could get yourself into the program in your 2nd year. Most programs i know of organize their architecture studios by years though, with 1st semester and 2nd semester directly related. So at best, you'll likely have to add an entire year to your college career. Something to consider given the cost of american universities...
You could also consider putting together an "architectural studies" curriculum -- a smattering of history and theory courses, some lighter math and engineering, other studio arts, and working with the architecture program to take a couple of studios in your red-shirt year. That would let you know if you really want to work in the field, prepare you to pursue a graduate degree after you finish, or use the access that sports gives you to an alumni network in a way which would be valuable to any firm. But to be realistic, the kind of effort I've seen athletes put into their studies wouldn't fly for a minute in any design curriculum.
Check with your school, though, as the schools I went to did not allow people outside of architecture to take classes (with the exception of some generic classes, but certainly no studios).
I'd suggest calling and talking with advisers, get a good feel for what it'll take. It'd suck going for a year somewhere just to be turned down again. But, I suppose you'd at least be getting your gpa up (presumably).
My advice, sometimes schools will let you transfer into the architecture program if your college grades your first year are good enough, but you'd have to ask whatever school(s) you're looking at. If the university you've decided on has it's own architecture department, just call and ask them if they allow transfers, and what it would take. Or, if the school you picked doesn't have an arch program, call up some nearby schools you might be interested and ask them.
The university I transferred to wouldn't let me in their arch program (grades), but they let anyone take freshman level arch classes, and I could take gen eds. After a year of getting good grades, the let me into the sophomore studios.
Congrats on the scholarship. I'm assuming the school you're attending has an architecture program, right? As mentioned above, you'll need to take as many architecture electives as you can, which your academic advisor at said school should be able to determine with you. Also as mentioned, you'll need to do well in those classes as well as the non-arch classes.
What about your summer? I doubt that you'll be able to find work at an archtectural office here, regardless of where you live or the location of your school. Quite a few unis here have summer programs for students such as yourself who are interested in transferring into the architecture program from another department. Again, your academic advisor can help you determine that.
If that is not an option, you should increase your drawing profiency, both by hand and computer, and your uni might have summer classes, say, in an art program that you could take.
Find out who your academic advisor is, and get that relationship started right away.
Best of luck.
Jun 18, 11 10:48 am ·
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College for Architecture
Hi everyone,
My name is Sean, from Dublin, Ireland. I am going to studying in America next year on a sports scholarship, however my grades are not good enough to get accepted to an architecture college or university.
As I still want to pursue a career in architecture , I was wondering would anybody have any advice on what I could possible do, maybe in my second year.
As I don't fully know the American college system, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Get better grades? I know of one person that tried to do sports and architecture (basketball, UF) and didn't make it. Just not enough time.
Just make sure that the school you are going to has a decent architecture program. Once you get there check out the architecture program's curriculum and take as many required classes as you can. Re-apply to the architecture program the next year.
I would say that being a student athlete and in an architecture program is no easy task. There was only one guy in my class that even attempted it, and he struggled quite a bit. Time management will be key, and even than I think it can be quite difficult. Good Luck.
sorry for the double post.
It can be done... sports and architecture... just depends on the school i suppose. There were several kids who did it in my class, including myself (briefly...)
As for the grades, getting into architecture school, i think phld21 has it right.
Once you get to school you'll have a lot of freedom to take classes of your choosing... So make sure you include a couple of the typical 1st year Architecture classes in your schedule. Go to the lectures, go to the open houses, check out some critques, see if the program is right for you. If you put in that kind of effort and do well in your 1st year, i would imagine you could get yourself into the program in your 2nd year. Most programs i know of organize their architecture studios by years though, with 1st semester and 2nd semester directly related. So at best, you'll likely have to add an entire year to your college career. Something to consider given the cost of american universities...
good luck!
You could also consider putting together an "architectural studies" curriculum -- a smattering of history and theory courses, some lighter math and engineering, other studio arts, and working with the architecture program to take a couple of studios in your red-shirt year. That would let you know if you really want to work in the field, prepare you to pursue a graduate degree after you finish, or use the access that sports gives you to an alumni network in a way which would be valuable to any firm. But to be realistic, the kind of effort I've seen athletes put into their studies wouldn't fly for a minute in any design curriculum.
Check with your school, though, as the schools I went to did not allow people outside of architecture to take classes (with the exception of some generic classes, but certainly no studios).
I'd suggest calling and talking with advisers, get a good feel for what it'll take. It'd suck going for a year somewhere just to be turned down again. But, I suppose you'd at least be getting your gpa up (presumably).
My advice, sometimes schools will let you transfer into the architecture program if your college grades your first year are good enough, but you'd have to ask whatever school(s) you're looking at. If the university you've decided on has it's own architecture department, just call and ask them if they allow transfers, and what it would take. Or, if the school you picked doesn't have an arch program, call up some nearby schools you might be interested and ask them.
The university I transferred to wouldn't let me in their arch program (grades), but they let anyone take freshman level arch classes, and I could take gen eds. After a year of getting good grades, the let me into the sophomore studios.
Sean,
Congrats on the scholarship. I'm assuming the school you're attending has an architecture program, right? As mentioned above, you'll need to take as many architecture electives as you can, which your academic advisor at said school should be able to determine with you. Also as mentioned, you'll need to do well in those classes as well as the non-arch classes.
What about your summer? I doubt that you'll be able to find work at an archtectural office here, regardless of where you live or the location of your school. Quite a few unis here have summer programs for students such as yourself who are interested in transferring into the architecture program from another department. Again, your academic advisor can help you determine that.
If that is not an option, you should increase your drawing profiency, both by hand and computer, and your uni might have summer classes, say, in an art program that you could take.
Find out who your academic advisor is, and get that relationship started right away.
Best of luck.
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