ArchStudies - there is a lot of acrimony in the field, especially right now. i think you will be hard pressed to find more than a few architects who LOVE everything about being an architect, and will be willing to encourage you unabashedly.

that being said, the creativity, the optimism, the possibility of design, and the IDEA of architecture are all great. it is seductive. when things are going well for the economy, even 15 years ago, it was an entirely different profession and was immense fun (albeit still not lucrative and killed your family life).

but if school does not excite you, then you may be in for a sour surprise. school really is the peak of fun for most architects. the profession truly is a different world.

perhaps i am not a great person to post here because i AM leaving the field(although i am trying to be unbiased). but this is not the time to enter such a precarious field if you do not love it without reservation. if you need the encouragement now, then 5 years after your degree will be a nightmare (unless you are part of the lucky .001% that gets to continue his/her school experience at a starachitect firm because mom or dad will cover your bills for you) - especially if things continue to go as they are now for the world in general.

you hear the stories because they are, for the most part, true. in EVERY downturn you will have to worry for your well-being. i know you could say that of MOST professions, but architects have dodged ONE of the 6 downturns i have lived through. not good odds. because the architecural community is so small, BIG PAIN does not even show as a blip on the radar to the rest of the country. as a result, architects see the worst PROPORTIONAL pain of most any profession in my opinion (this is for a different discussion i suppose).

but please, do some serious soul-searching and do not let others persuade you to stick with something that can be so unrewarding and difficult if your gut tells you otherwise. (the same goes for the opposite direction, but those with SERIOUS passion stay in the field anyway - if you lack this passion, that may be because your gut is telling you something).

perhaps you should speak to some local architects in person? perhaps i am overly cynical because of how bad it is in my area (northeast) and for my peers (low to mid 30's, kids, mortgages, M.Archs, licenses).

personally, i love architecture. but i see it as a future hobby now. i need a better CAREER for my family's sake. my family has become a MUCH higher priority than architecture (which is a complete reversal from my younger days - but that tends to happen as you get older).

good luck.

archstudies everyone seems to hit that stage. i chose architecture because i enjoyed drawing, painting, and sculpture as a high school student. however i knew i couldn't make it as an artist as the more i read, art is in fact dead. architecture! of course! it was a real aha kind of moment.

while all architecture schools are different, they all train people with a similar capacity to learn, one can say "hands-on" but this is really not as true anymore. the experiences were always new, stresses, freedoms, constraints, rules, but all are actually a part of everyday life. architecture will not restrict you to one field. in fact the more you begin to stretch your interests and push them harder through rigorous methods you will find yourself rewarded.

it comes down to whether you like it or not. do you like the problem solving, the people, your mentors, etc... dont let a down-time effect what YOU want to do. YOU decide.

im sure you're going to get a bunch of sarcastic and worthless comments that are ridiculously long telling you to drop. note most all of us have been affected by this shitty situation and hold some resentment, but it shouldn't keep you from doing what you enjoy, if you enjoy it.

good luck in school. make em your bitch.

Challenging, stressful, no life, no money? Those don't really sound so terrible to me.

Challenge and stress don't need to be avoided. Your life doesn't fade away but rather finds a new center, presumably studio. Don't let money concern you until you're not making enough out of school to feed yourself.

I myself am addicted to the insomnia, the drawing, the problem solving, the responsibilities, and the wonder of what will be next.

It really is a personal decision. I entered with little expectations but with a certainty that I was meant to be an architect (I knew at an early age). I loved school, did very well and my expectations grew and grew. I realized how wonderful architecture really was.

I didn't mind the stress, the all nighters, it was all part of the thrill and excitement - perseverance pays off (or so I thought).

Architecture was entering a hay day. Gehry would build Bilbao as I entered grad school and it was clear that you could dream big, do anything, design anything and build it.


Then reality begin to settle in and I saw the internal politics (although Gehry seems to do an admirable job of skipping past the over-intellectualized bs, almost ironically). At the same time I begin to realize that what I thought was a good living was barely surviving.

Web and graphics were beginning to emerge with technology. The simple fact that you could have career that paid similarly or better with much less effort, stress, schooling and bs caught more than just my eye.

So I begin the journey down another path while still in grad school. I love, love, love architecture but I do not like the profession. So, I chose another path.


Ultimately, I found a compromise that allows me to design but gave much greater opportunities. I'll alwas cherish my arch education (although I did not need a grad degree on top of a bachelor, that was just 'practice') and dont' regret any of it.

But I did love it. School was the 'fun' part. First year was stressful, though. I 'sucked' my first year, it wasn't until the end of the second that I 'got it'.


So what to do? No one can tell you. You should try a simple list of pros/cons. Evaluate your passion for design and architecture, your expectations professional/financially (if you want nice things, then I'd look elsewhere already, which, in all honesty, is one of the reasons I looked elsewhere - money isn't everything, but it is something and part of life, like it or not).


Now, with this economy I can't saw what I'd have done in your shoes. I was in school when the world was unlimited, the sky was the limit, crazy design was getting publicity and starting to be built. Everything was great. With this economy and the state of the world, I would have seriously needed to evaluate things under different criteria.



Read through the posts, there are billions similar to this with examples from both sides.


Good luck. Your future is in your hands.

No field of endeavor should strive to convince people to stay when those people don't want to be in that field. Similarly, individual professionals should not commit blindly to a profession without a clear and very objective understanding of the true economic and professional prospects available to the typical participant.

Having said that, I am prepared to say that I've had quite a rewarding and satisfying career, in all the traditional meanings of the words 'rewarding' and 'satisfying'. And, to be clear, I'm not a trust fund baby - far from it - what I have accomplished I've achieved on my own.

But, perhaps most importantly, I'm hardly atypical within the profession - although perhaps somewhat atypical among the denizens of archinect. There is a decidedly cynical and negative tone that permeats this forum.

This is a very tough profession, with periodic ups-and-downs that are unlikely to go away. But it's not an impossible profession. To those who love architecture and work hard and willingly apply their creativity to the broadest range of problem solving situations, I say you have a good chance of success.

But, you have to prepare yourself for that success ... and that preparation includes a very disciplined approach to savings so the inevitable hard times don't wipe you out or severely impede your long term plans.

Once again, CMNDCTRL, said pretty much what I would have said, albeit in a much more concise, clear fashion most likely. I am in early 30's with an MArch and professional arch license, now in Med School. What a difficult yet rewarding decision.

To reiterate and stress some particular points CMNDCTRL made in his earlier post:

"...the creativity, the optimism, the possibility of design, and the IDEA of architecture are all great. it is seductive. when things are going well for the economy, even 15 years ago, it was an entirely different profession and was immense fun (albeit still not lucrative and killed your family life).

...if you need the encouragement now, then 5 years after your degree will be a nightmare (unless you are part of the lucky .001% that gets to continue his/her school experience at a starachitect firm because mom or dad will cover your bills for you) - especially if things continue to go as they are now for the world in general.

...architects see the worst PROPORTIONAL pain of most any profession in my opinion (this is for a different discussion i suppose).

...i am overly cynical because of how bad it is in my area (northeast) and for my peers (low to mid 30's, kids, mortgages, M.Archs, licenses).

...i see it [architecture] as a future hobby now. i need a better CAREER for my family's sake. my family has become a MUCH higher priority than architecture (which is a complete reversal from my younger days - but that tends to happen as you get older).

good luck."

I think I will continue with the degree...

but I will branch off into other areas, to give me more options.


Does anyone know the full list of careers you can branch off from Architecture?

And yeah I wasn't ecstatic while studying, I did respect the design process and the methodology and opportunities that goes into design and I understand that Architecture is such a rich profession and there is so much to learn and appreciate.

However, while studying i saw it more as a chore rather than a rewarding experience.

My main concerns with leaving architecture is that even though I probably didn't enjoy my first year as much as I should have, I can't help but feel that if I leave I might regret it for whatever reason. i.e. I might feel differently or more passionately about Architecture in the future. The second reason why I don't want to leave architecture, is that I can't think of other professions that I could engage in religiously.

that is why for quite some time i have been leaning towards the eat my cake and have it approach.

i.e.....continue the degree...but branch off into other areas as well. Such as Management/Urban Design/Planning etc

I would leave it.

If you have so many doubts after just 1 year of study, it will probably not improve later.

I wish I was 18/19 again and would study something completely different.

sadly, there are not many things you can do with a a professional architecture degree besides architecture.

you can become a project/construction manager, which can be more lucrative. but it is in more or less the same position as architecture at all times. they don't need architects to design buildings right now, so they don't need construction managers/contractors to BUILD them either. the same can be said for interior design, urban planning, or any other field related to construction or design (which are the only things you will really be qualified for).

you can't minor in law or medicine. you COULD take b school classes (which is apparently the best bet you can make), but no consulting firm, P/E firm, I-Banking firm, etc., would ever hire you with an arch. degree. they want more training than that, too.

engineering might be a possibility? but again, you'd need a lot of classes. hopefully some would overlap, but you'd almost certainly need to add more time to your academic plan.

it is the age of needing to diversify. that much is certain. but make sure it is not simply lip-service. if you "diversify" with other construction/design related skills, you will have the same fate as that of an architect (perhaps with slightly more or less money/stress depending on the exact thing you choose).

good luck.

: given that you've in the very early stages of your studies, I would recommend that you start immediately to explore ways to obtain both a degree in architecture and a degree in either business or real estate. This can be a powerful combination of degrees.

Both degrees (MBA or MRE) will give you a lot of career flexibility over time -- every major corporation and government agency controls a significant amount of real estate and they need qualified people to work in that aspect of their organization. Licensed architects who can speak the language of business and think in a businesslike manner are extraordinarily well qualified to build careers in that part of the corporate world. The pay's not bad either.

Plus, the MBA could provide you the credentials to leave the building industry altogether ... several of my classmates in MBA school who arrived there with B. Arch degrees left the building industry almost immediately after graduation and never saw the need to return.

Good luck.

dumb, dumb, dumb. archstudies, just stop listening to this guy.

Email me and I'll give you the straight and narrow.

no, you will just become that guy who walks up to every architect he meets and says, "i always wanted to be an architect," and then, merrily go back to whatever you do not being an architect. it doesn't seem to be that big a deal.

You can do tons of things with a professional architecture degree. If you like history you can become an architectural historian. If you like theater you can do set design (tons of architects doing that now anyway), You can teach, You can be an owners rep. Tons of options. Find that niche that really interests you and keeps you in.

Now if you do find that your heart just isn't in it and the questions continue, you should switch.

Lots of threads like this on here lately...

I didnt quit the profession completely but moved more into environmental design and consulting with my arch degree.

I did this mainly because I realized that being very young in the profession my value to a firm was pretty much entirely about my ability to "manipulate" various complex software programs. Whether I could design, or even think, were beside the point.

For me, I know that software just doesn't come to me terribly easily or quickly, and that since my value for the next 10-15 years would have been intrinsically linked to that, I decided to focus my career on what I was better at.

Think about what you like about it, and what you dont like. If you like large amounts of time working in cad, revit, sketchup, creative suite, without a ton of human interaction, then I would stay put. If what you like is hot gluing cardboard and you dont really like the "production" side of what you are doing in school, I would bail.

Well I just spent a day at an Arch office today for the first time...and it was quite good actually......but I must say the detail in architecture is daunting. I have no problems with 3D software...it is actually the model making I hate.

I really appreciate all the advice...and I think going from the advice given, I am just going to explore all my options..and perhaps look at the areas in the built environment that I could specialize in

I just don't want to end up one of those people that felt they wasted their time....money and effort...studying something that they didn't really want.

I'm leaning towards a Urban Planning/Architecture Combo or a Residential Architecture/Real Estate combo.


Once again thanks for all the answers.

jk3hl and joshuamings: your suggestions are to go into things that are VERY SIMILAR to architecture and will lead to similar fates. your "historan" suggestions needs the modifier "architecture" in front of it because with an architecture degree, you can't waltz in and teach american history. and how many set designers do we need now? there are majors FOR that and most states (which fund the arts in general), are broke - so theaters aren't exactly expanding either. the teaching suggestion is especially misleading. if we all had our way it seems we'd all be getting paid to sit around teaching each other! teaching is hard to earn a living with. PLUS expect to need a TOP TIER degree to get those positions (in general - of course there are exceptions to everything. but i think the point of these threads is to offer good advice. good advice is not based on exceptions.)

jk3hl correct me if i am wrong, but you have little experience, right? an undergrad major? no license? hanging out in The City with no bills, real responsibility, etc? it might be dangerous to encourage others when you are in a similar position. isn't that called the blind leading the blind? so take it easy on the ad hominems. i never insulted YOU. it may seem like something you don't want to hear, but i am trying to give Arch Studies REALISTIC advice. there are plenty of posts blowing sunshine up his/her backside, so there has to be something to balance that out? i am trying to be constructive, not mean. i think you are confusing me with IHATEMARXISTS (no insult meant marxists - i am trying to be light-hearted with all of this, and i don't think that is coming acoss!)

as for the MBA suggestion, that might be more harm than good. the rule is go tier 1 (and really top 7) or don't waste the ENORMOUS amount of money an MBA can cost. the same goes for law degrees according to the MASSIVE amount of recent grads now in "shit/toilet law." an MBA from pheonix university or even most state schools will not do anything more for you with HR on your resume.

personally, i might suggest becoming an electrician! a plumber! something that requires skill, that is in demand even when we are not building (repair/upkeep), does NOT require a degree, and pays well. if it is more the art and NOT the construction you prefer, how about web design? video game design, etc...none of these requires that expensive degree either. just a good book and tons of hours on a computer (which you'd need to do anyway as an architect, so it is not that big of a jump).

ArchStudies- you say you have interest in planning/residential arch/real estate. these are all tied to architecture or are within it. if you don't love it, these paths will not lead you to something else. do that soul-searching. you will not find the answer on a web page.

good luck.

I don't know why so many people are resentful towards the decision they made to enter this profession. I can't be more happier that I was lead into this field. School is definitely a fun time (and should not be torturous) but it is not the most fun an architect will have. I have worked for the past three years at a really great office and have woken up in the mornings excited to go to work. I also make good money and have observed that most senior architects who are decently talented and intelligent also have pretty comfortable lifestyles. It seems to me that a profession and all the monetary benefits of a career are determined by the independent and creative effort put forth by any individual.

great post wrought. if you have some luck, and come out during the good times, and work hard, this might be your ONLY experience. some of us have lived through worse times, and for me it just added up. it's all timing. good luck to you.

if i had my time again i would study law, earn a shed load of money and employ an young cool architect to design my apartment.

CMNDCTRL, you said:

"IHATEMARXISTS (no insult meant marxists - i am trying to be light-hearted with all of this, and i don't think that is coming acoss!)"

No worries. Your comments are well-received by myself.

It is my informed opinion that the majority of those who regularly contribute to this forum are in what is apparently jk3hl's socioeconomic position. Yet, they masquerade as something they are not...wise...and spread disinformation or in some cases outright lies. (I guess thay are just following in the (goose)steps of their AIA overlords, i.e. posing as a financially savvy profession).

Show me the money! or at least some credentials, or at least a brief summary of your purported life's experience. Talk is dirt cheap on the internet. But its just a micromilliter above worthless if you can demonstrate you actually know what you are talking about.

Most on the forum and in the profession are Big Hat No Cattle types.

"I don't know why so many people are resentful towards the decision they made to enter this profession. I can't be more happier that I was lead into this field. School is definitely a fun time (and should not be torturous) but it is not the most fun an architect will have. I have worked for the past three years at a really great office and have woken up in the mornings excited to go to work. I also make good money and have observed that most senior architects who are decently talented and intelligent also have pretty comfortable lifestyles. It seems to me that a profession and all the monetary benefits of a career are determined by the independent and creative effort put forth by any individual."

Honestly, I am jealous.

And seriously, good for you. Seriously.

Unfortunately, in my experience of 12 years, for the majority of us who would like to be where you've been and are apparently going, you've beaten the odds bigtime.

That is great though. To be the exception and be in the position you are apparently in within the profession is surely especially gratifying.

We know only a single science, the science of history. One can look at history from two sides and divide it into the history of nature and the history of men. The two sides are, however, inseparable; the history of nature and the history of men are dependent on each other so long as men exist. The history of nature, called natural science, does not concern us here; but we will have to examine the history of men, since almost the whole ideology amounts either to a distorted conception of this history or to a complete abstraction from it. Ideology is itself only one of the aspects of this history.

Marx, German Ideology

"I also make good money and have observed that most senior architects who are decently talented and intelligent also have pretty comfortable lifestyles. It seems to me that a profession and all the monetary benefits of a career are determined by the independent and creative effort put forth by any individual. "


Yes, good for you. Keep in mind that it is all relative, too. I once thought 40k/year was a good living. Now my idea has changed quite a bit.