Archinect
anchor

Being a TA as an undergrad

allumers

I was wondering if I should be a TA. I'm in my final year of undergrad (pre-professional 4 yr BS). 

I'm on the fence about being a TA because there's not many undergrads doing it and I was wondering if anyone knows how employers or grad schools view it. 

Does anyone advise to do this or advise against it? 

 

Thanks in advance 

 
Aug 21, 14 3:17 pm
Non Sequitur

I would be more worried about the state of the graduate students... either are too many TA spots that they can afford to give them to undergrads or so little talent in the grad department that they need to look at the younger years.

Unless your looking for a structures or digital media Ta-ship, I would think one would need to finish their degree first before being paid to teach others.

Aug 21, 14 3:21 pm  · 
 · 
allumers

@ Non Sequitur 

It would count as 3 credit course towards my degree. Unpaid but graded. It's for an intro 101 course focused on drawing/collaging/modeling. 

Aug 21, 14 3:39 pm  · 
 · 
Non Sequitur

Then that's a rather important thing to mention. I don't think you would get much extra attention via employers or future universities since it's for course credit, not volunteer work.

Aug 21, 14 3:43 pm  · 
 · 
apapaz
I would do it! When you apply for TA positions in grad school, if you go, you will have some experience in it. It doesn't hurt.
Aug 21, 14 4:13 pm  · 
 · 
Bench

What the fuck? Now TAships are unpaid in lieu of college credit? Fuck that! My TAship pays for my living costs. Granted there are pretty big differences in pay from the very, very few undergraduate TAships that are given out (none of which are in the architecture school, just in the general university) compared to the masters ones. I don't see how this works at all, I've literally never heard of an unpaid TA.

Aug 21, 14 8:31 pm  · 
 · 
allumers

For this course, if you take it as credit, you can lead your own discussions, grade assignments and are in charge 
if you take it as work study, you're basically printing, photocopying, photographing, and "helping" the professor 

it's a bit difficult to do work study as an undergrad here. 

Aug 21, 14 10:20 pm  · 
 · 

I had a paid TA position as well in undergrad, you should get a stipend if not a hourly rate comparable to other undergrad student workers. I was called Extra Help in my time card, but I would do it for free if you get credits, ask for the tuition fee for those credits to be waved as you should not have to pay to work for free.

My advice is to have a schedule as to how many hours you will work each week put it in writing and make sure your instructor signs off on it so you don't get slammed with grading work when major studio deadlines come due.

As for how it looks to an employer, it looks like you can handle multiple assignments and task at once, that you have mad time management skills, and you can deal with pressure and are a team player.

Go for it, but get the tuition fee waived if you can.

Over and OUT

Peter N

Aug 22, 14 11:19 am  · 
 · 

Block this user


Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

Archinect


This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

  • ×Search in: