You should apply to Career Disco. The acceptance rate is nowhere near that of the GSD; there were surely some whack jobs there in the summer of 09. Particularly if you don't have a background in architecture, the summer program is helpful in building around those weaknesses and networking with folks who could provide strong recommendations.

I do know of a few kids that were rejected, but I can't imagine this is an alarming rate. It's also a good taste and feel of Gund. I knew folks who went to Career Disco then chose not to apply for the MArch I.

Thanks! I'll definitely apply. I'll try other summer programs as well, but Career Discovery is my top choice since it sounds like such a great opportunity.

look into gsapp's intro to architecture..

everyone i know from the program and applied this year.. got into grad school...

5 ppl from my studio group applied to grad school.. 2 got into gsd...

Career Discovery is an amazing loophole in the system. If you're trying to game Harvard, 100% go for it.

I've never met anyone to apply for Career Discovery and not get in.

I've never met anyone to apply to the GSD having done Career Discovery and not get in.

I've known plenty of people who got rejected from the GSD not having done Career Discovery, obviously.

I agree that basically everyone that applies to Career Disco gets in, but I think that archplanner is making it sound like doing Career Disco somehow gives you a guarantee that you'll get into the GSD, which is not true. I did Career Disco, had an enthusiastic recommendation from my studio instructor in my application, and was still rejected.

It's still a great opportunity though, and one I'd definitely go for if you're interested in applying to architecture school, and particularly if you want to get a feel for the GSD.

archplanner's logic is flawed, but there's no question that attending the summer program increases your appeal to the admissions committee. I saw a statistic from one year that a few less than 20 of the incoming MArch I class of 60 had attended career discovery (not necessarily the summer before applications were due). Working in the GSD environment for six weeks will help influence your application, but don't bank on an acceptance. I know plenty of folks who completed the summer program and were rejected from the MArch I program, but they're happy at RISD, Michigan, Texas, Cornell, and so on.

anyone have any strong opinions about gsapp? I'm wondering if it's more tech-oriented than gsd (cad, rhino experience) and how people have fared applying to gsapp after attending the summer session.

I thought I was exaggerating a bit, but did you say 20 or close to 20 people actually attended Career Discovery?

About half the incoming M.Arch I class has an architecture background, and thus would have no need to attend Career Discovery. So of the remaining 30 spaces, 2/3 of them go to people who attended CD? That's a pretty amazing stat, that, if true, indicates if you are considering it at all, it's a good idea that you should do it.

the caveat there is plenty of students attend career discovery that have backgrounds in architecture. About half of the kids in my studio were working toward or had a ba/bs in architecture.

Thanks for the comments, everyone. They've been very helpful.

Now, does anyone know if the Career Discovery prefers students who have architecture experience, or those who don't?

I majored in urban affairs as an undergrad, but took two semesters of an architecture studio, as well as some architecture history courses. So I could spin my application either way, to seem like someone with a background in architecture or someone without it.