You're right, none of those would be legitimate designs.

What can someone expect from you besides drawings and juvenile projects? Why didn't you apply your current studies to a self-initiated project? For someone who has thought about architecture for years, there seems to be little to no preparation for the application process.

Head straight to the architecture building and ask to speak to someone/schedule a tour.  At my state university we had student ambassadors who could provide more tailored info for your application/maybe even look at some of the stuff you want to put in your portfolio.  

1. Identify photos that show spatial and composition quality - Not the oooohhhh nice photo of the sunset on a  lake kind.  

2. Balsa wood usually creates low quality physical models - A basswood model would give me more faith in saying to include it (but I haven't seen it so I'm not fully informed).  I think that most architectural programs look more for models that show your spatial knowledge not necessarily structural.  You could create models like these from the GSAPP summer intro to arch.

3. There are probably portfolios from M.Arch3s posted on Archinect/ISSUU 

tell a story with your portfolio... make it a book - a research on something you're obsessed with.

The main thing is to emphasize why your economics background is an asset since you have an in depth skill set that most of your peers won't have. Don't go overboard with branding yourself but show that you took your education seriously and can someway inflect your architectural work with it. Try to keep things thematic so the portfolio doesn't read as "here's this, then this, and this, and this."

Instead of including the barrage of models, photos, and crafts projects write an essay and illustrate it with some graphics.

Well in response to bugsmetoo, I had bounced around between a few majors and took a while to settle into what I wanted to do. I have always been artistic and a builder, I just hadn't really done any architectural models on my own. My previous school (University of Arizona) didn't have any intro level architecture classes anyways so I didn't really have a good way to get a taste for it. I did get a taste in an intro class at ASU, but the projects we did were some group things and they weren't particularly great - at least not what I would consider portfolio quality.

SpatialSojourner - I was going to email a professor in the architecture department and see if maybe they could pass any information onto me. I actually did film photography for a long time and had a very strict teacher who would not stand for any of those cliche kinds of photographs. So I developed my style quite quickly and I believe I do have some that show spatial awareness.

As for the models, I lied, they are actually basswood. I used balsa in places that allowed for less strength to lower weight. I mean, they definitely are focused more on structural strength, but the arched ones do look quite nice I think. Obviously not as abstract and interesting as that photo you linked me.

But yeah, I was looking at some of the portfolio's posted on here and I saw some that had like, crazy weaving art that was very three dimensional and it was somewhat discouraging because I have done far more 2D art than 3D.

accesskb - I like the idea of telling a story with my portfolio. I have a book on portfolio making that suggested that. I just don't know how to go about it really. That's kind of a cop out answer I know. But like, I have a long relationship of love with planes and cars, and I have drawings from when I was as young as 8 up until even now. I have photography of cars and planes as well. I guess my real concern is I don't know how to show spacial reasoning with just 2D pieces. I guess I could make something to add to my portfolio along those lines. But what do you mean "research" anyways?

OM.. - I really like that idea, including why economics would make me stand out - but how could I illustrate that with anything other than just an essay in the portfolio? Actually, I went through a couple majors, and because of this I have classes (even upper divisions) in like, 5 different subject areas. So maybe I could tie in how my very rounded education can be beneficial.