Sad to see a few judgmental comments following my post. I do agree that blindly believing in dreams or taking on irresponsible debt will likely lead to disappointment, but that applies to everything not just architecture. I'm not a fan of those projecting their own negative experiences onto others, because every person's path and value system are different. And surely for Mr. Deiss - grades and essays and portfolio have nothing to do with admission, all that matter is race and skin color.

I think you need to do more research on what you're stepping in... remember quick sand usually just looks like sand. And by all means make sure your husband doesn't quit his day job on the prospects of you becoming a starchitect.

Find me in 10 years...

I do hope you're successful in whatever you do, but you're not successful until... well...you're successful.

I went into architecture at 17 years of age, with many, many talented ppl, more so than me. Guess where every single one of them is...nowhere. All that ego inflating and puffing of the chest in school did nothing except make the landing harder on them.

Just because you got into GSD doesn't mean squat, even though it does to you, and only you. I hope that you have rich, very rich friends, family, an uncle, someone that will extend a hand out to you and give you a chance having never built a building in your life once you graduate, if not, you go in the intern line where everyone is a number and faceless. Good luck getting outta that wirl wind if you fall there, oh god help you.

I got out architecture just in time at 30 years of age. Once you have an architecture degree, every employer outside the field looks at you like your crazy. Why did you leave architecture, I thought they made good money? What skills translate? Normal people don't get why you would leave such a lucrative field. But these normal ppl are just like you're now YLMS, naïve.

@DeTwan

Almost all of my peers from my undergraduate institution are employed (at least the ones I see often in facebook), most of them making decent money, working on decent projects. Many of them are planning on opening their own office later on, and some considering going into teaching/practicing simultaneously. Architects around me seems absolutely fine and happy with their life.

So I'm very curious, where did you go to school? Where were(?) you practicing architecture? What made you so bitter? And finally, so what do you do now?

All these negative comments about architecture saying that there's no jobs, no money, no life, etc just doesn't sound real to me as I'm experiencing total opposite. I'd like to hear more about your interesting case.

When did you graduate? I graduated in 2006. If you haven't noticed, architecture in general recycles fresh graduates. I know many ppl still in the industry that are licensed, and very sad. Very. Some have left to get MBAs, others have disappeared altogether. I really cant think of anyone that is pissing rainbows. Not that pissing rainbows is what architecture is about, but dreaming of being a starchitect is.

If you can get investors and clients to believe that you're the architect to do the job, and all you have to reference is past jobs where the liability is off your back, guess where your supposed clients are going....

I think you may need a couple years on yah too. I don't hide behind my Avatar here. I've stated many times who I am. I despise architecture for the pure fact that there is a huge misconception of what architecture is, and how the rest of the world perceives it.

Good luck to you in your endeavors sirhc, I usually don't try to be a complete ass to one person on here, unless you get super annoying like Richard, and I am just ignoring him.

If you don't like what I have to say, don't read it.

@DeTwan,

I graduated post 2008 crisis so there's a little difference I guess. You haven't answered any of my questions though. I don't know where you stated who you are. Is it in this thread somewhere? I'm not sure if you expect me to search through your 280+ posts.

I have more than couple years of experience btw. I don't see you as an ass or anything, and it's important to be open minded and pay attention to negative comments as well, at least the honest ones, and you seem pretty honest.

If you don't mind, I'd still like to ask you where you went to school, in which area you worked, and what you do now. I'm sorry if all of these were answered elsewhere before, perhaps direct me to where I can find?

Good luck to you in what you are doing as well.

Press my history button, it all there sirhc.

And I have never claimed to be something that I'm not, nothing special here.

nevermind

Sorry to original poster for side tracking.

I guess I should pipe down, the AIA could use the last remaining membership fees to hire a hit man on me.

Why shouldn't he be here? Would you rather not hear another side to excessive peachy optimism through jaded naivety? All in all, anecdotal evidence is what you make of it--some people do well, others not as well, and that's something for the next wave to decide if it's worth the risk. Best to get some opinions that contest and rebuke whatever idyllic nonsense students are fed from social scenes and brochures.

They dont realize where Im coming from, and the value I want to instill in architecture. Architecture has been hijacked... no?

I appreciate the perspective of working professionals in the field. A creative education is vastly different than a creative career and students are in for a real shock. Times are/were tough and careers were destroyed in the process. If cycles continue, we're due for another recession really soon, running the risk of graduating into another downturn.

I applied to schools and I asked myself how much debt could I bear and whether some schools were worth going into more debt over.

Case in point: I got into two schools. One is a top 10 school that has offered a half-tuition scholarship, but would still cost 120K+ for the program.

The other is a lower ranked state school that has offered a TAship, stipend, in-state tuition, plus a scholarship. If I play my cards right, it would cost 40K for the entire program.

It's foolish to attend the top 10 school, right? Can I squeeze a few more dollars out of them? Perhaps, but they won't come close to the state school price. Is the education taught there three times better than the state school? It might give me a better chance at working at SANAA for free...

You get more exposure for sure due to the acclaim and prestige of a top school that draws the best but the actual education received at the end is up to each individual. Personally, I feel the proactive roles one can take in a less notable environment instead of trying to be some parasitic idea leech would go a much longer way into their future outlook.

Architecture feels like the new studio art major. Or maybe it's an extension of that as the bubble artsy kids try to escape from one jobless market into another constrained industry. Not to dissuade those from entering the field because there are ways that are affordable and practical but to jump right in with $100,000+ out of school is a total crap shoot. Ignore that trite family argument and think about one's own financial future and what that money (and collected interest) can be worth later.

And now Im gonna disagree with you vert, Art is in no way glamorized in American like architecture. Architecture in American is very glamorized. So to compare architecture as the new art studio is totally off. No hipster wants to be called a pot head or anything like that. All in all, America and the rest of the world have their head way up their ass. A lot of people are gonna feel the consequences.

You might've misunderstood what I was saying. Ignoring what the actual perception is, the major (just academia and thus all these annual questions) seems like a crutch for those who wanted to be artists but need another path to actually make a living. Not all are like this but the price of admission for grad degrees is exorbitant and just reminds me of art schools that sell based on lifestyle and ideals of a creative person.

I mean, really, it makes little sense if one is an artist and then switching to buildings and mostly rationale instead of abstract or expressive decisions. Which is where your point comes in about the glam and glitz. Maybe the delusion is thinking anyone will be the next Gehry or Hadid but totally undiscovered and just need expensive prodding to unleash it.

I don't think we're in disagreement but simply brushing on the same point through different foci.

 No I get where you're coming from, That is where I was in my life when I got into architecture, I loved the structure, but also the non conformity of life and architecture. In the end I wanted to be free and expressive. As a person you have to also be aware of reality. Know that  laws of nature trump no one, and everyone

.

I think ppl that really love architecture know what's up!

I think it's time to take this post back to it's initial purpose, next year's applicants will appreciate it

Age: 25 | Sex: Female | Citizenship: British

Undergraduate degree: BA (HONS) Architecture

                                        MA in Architectural Visualisation

Also, worked every summer in an Architecture firm during A Levels and University. 1 Year work experience in an Architecture firm and 1 year in an Advertising agency.

GPA: 3.1/4.00 (Not sure if i calculated this right, I got a high UK 2:2)

GRE scores (V/Q/W): 157 / 157 / 4.5

PORTFOLIO: Included 3 projects from uni and 2 from professional work. For some of the schools I included my Architectural Visualisation work as well.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d6i8kbw44gnhs3l/AABpDQNQIcVXQFX4p28OTfjua?dl=0

Letters of Recommendation: 5 from different people so I didn't overwhelm the same people. 2 from my undergraduate tutors, 1 from my graduate tutor, 2 from employers

SCHOOLS (Applied + Results + Funds awarded):

IN:

RISD+ $

Parsons + $

OUT:

GSD

Columbia

(Both where a long shot and I applied for both with Advanced Standing but was worth a go)

WAIT LISTED:

Cornell

NO RESPONSE:

Michigan

(Got an email saying I'd hear back on the 6th and still nothing. One of my LOR's was late I think that's why my decision is late)

Preferences: At the moment i haven't got a clue, doing mad research on RISD and Parsons, if anyone has any opinions that will be great as I can't go to any of the open days. But if I get of the Cornell waitlist they will be a huge contender

Application Tips: Because I am international and don't have any experience with American standardised test I was freaking out over the GRE's. In hindsight spent to much time on them. Should have spent more time on my portfolio and essay. If I could go back I would have tailored my essay to each application and been more selective with my portfolio projects

Age: 25 | Sex: Male | Citizenship: U.S.

Undergraduate degree: B.A. in Philosophy / Minor in Architecture (University of Southern California)

GPA: 3.39

GRE scores (V/Q/W): 162/162/5.5

PORTFOLIO:

http://issuu.com/dylanslee/docs/m.arch

Letters of Recommendation:

2 architecture studio instructors (co-founders and principals of LAIAD)

1 philosophy professor

1 writing professor

+ 1 drawing instructor at LAIAD (for schools that allow 5 recommendations)

SCHOOLS (Applied + Results + Funds awarded):

Harvard

Yale

Princeton

UCLA

Berkeley

MIT

Columbia

Cornell

UPenn

RISD

IN:

Cornell (13.5k)

UPenn (25k)

UCLA (Full funding for one year)

RISD (15k)

Yale (30k)

Berkeley (Full funding for one semester)

OUT:

Columbia

Princeton

Harvard

WAIT LISTED:

MIT

Preferences: Yale, Yale, Yale.

Tips: Be true to yourself, especially in how you present yourself, and don’t try to tailor your application to fit into a school. After reading through past admission threads, I thought I wouldn't get into schools like Yale and Berkeley because they respectively have an image of being conservative and sustainability focused while my essay was about interdisciplinary collaboration in the convergence of architecture and art. Lo and behold, I got into both schools while getting rejected by Columbia which I thought I would get into.

If you happen to have no background in architecture and want to get into an M.Arch I program, I highly recommend you attend a year of Graduate Preparation Program at Los Angeles Institute of Architecture and Design, even if it means you need to move to LA for a while if you live out of state. I was a B.Arch dropout with a rather bad portfolio because I slacked in my undergrad architecture education, but LAIAD really helped me to redeem myself and put together a presentable and packaged portfolio. It still feels like a dream that I am accepted into my dream school Yale, all thanks to the folks at LAIAD (and of course my own effort as well).

Good luck to all future applicants!

@mononoaware

Did you decline your spot on MIT's waitlist? It's still my dream school! :)

@monoaware

When did you receive the info for the Berkeley funding?

@video_killed

No I didn't because I was offered to be on the wait list before receiving my acceptance to Yale, so naturally I signed up to be on the wait list. I should notify them though..

@bmedi

I received funding information through email along with the dean's letter on the 20th.

@mononoaware

you were admitted to Yale from the wait list and offered 30k funding? Will you explain what type of funding as I have a confusion that if admitted from waiting list the funding chance get lower, i am not sure if it is true.

@mononoaware

Please do! :)

@bmedi

I received notice of Berkeley's funding via letters attached by email on March 20th, as a reply to my initial admission notification, if that helps. 

@LA05

mononoaware was waitlisted from MIT, before being accepted by Yale (regular, not from the waitlist), so this doesn't apply. But I have also heard that students accepted off the waitlist get less funding. 

@mononoaware

how the frick did you get so much funding haha. I'm trying to get more funding from Berkeley. Did you get into 3year or 2 year?

@jfmdvm I believe most of the funding from GSD, Yale, etc. is need-based financial aid. I received the same as @mononoaware and all is need-based grants.

@archhopeful

yeah, I got good funding from CCA and Pratt, but Berk is rough. It is much needed... haha

Has anyone had success in negotiating with schools to get additional funding? Penn gave me a tiny scholarship and there's no way I can afford it without additional aid. 

@mononoaware

Hey congrats on all that funding, you should let UCLA know so that money can trickle down to us hopefully. lol

@LA05

No, I was wait listed by MIT, not Yale. I got an early acceptance to Yale.

@jfmdvm

For Yale or Berkeley? As archhopeful said, it's a need-based scholarship for Yale but funding for Berkeley just came with the dean's letter, so I don't know how I got it other than the assumption that my application looked good to them (I hope you're not being sarcastic about me deserving any scholarship haha). It's full funding for only one semester, so it's not really that much considering that I got into the 3 year program and I'm a California resident.

@Kell

Thank you. Will do.

..I believe Harvard and Yale are the only two schools that exclusively gives out need-based scholarship. I received funding for all the other schools without having to apply for financial aid or going through FAFSA. I didn't even bother applying for financial aid until a month after Yale's financial aid deadline when I realized the only funding I'd be receiving from that school is through FAFSA.

...that exclusively give* out..

@David Deiss Good choice with UMICH Go Blue!

Just got into Michigan! Finally, took them forever to get back. The offer was for 2.5 years not entirely sure what that means as they only offer 2 and 3 year programs. Anyone else in the same position?

Age: 24 | Sex: M | Citizenship: Romania

Undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Architecture, 6 years, Technical University of Iasi, Romania

GPA: 6.90 / 10.00

GRE scores (V/Q/W):  148 / 150 /3.0

PORTFOLIO: http://issuu.com/bidascadanut/docs/portfolio_danut_bidasca

Letters of Recommendation: 

1 from  architecture studio and graduation thesis instructor

1 from design and visual arts studio instructor 

1 from professional practice supervisor and architect 

SCHOOLS (Applied + Results + Funds awarded): Yale SOA M.Arch II,  Columbia GSAPP  M.Arch,  USC SOA M.Arch I with Advanced Standing,  SCI-Arch M.Arch II, Parsons M.Arch

IN: University of Southern California MArch with AS

       SCI-Arch MArch II

OUT: Yale, Columbia, Parsons

WAIT LISTED: None

NO RESPONSE: None

Preferences:  I am thinking USC because it's a great university and they offer a lot in terms of college life and connections after graduation. Since I am an international student and I don't know the area, I would prefer that because I would like to live on campus and be close to everything. If I were to go to SCI-Arch, it would be a lot more difficult and expensive in terms of housing, board, transportation and so on. I feel it would be a lot easier if I just go to USC. However, from what I've read, most people say SCI-Arch is a better school and it would also fit my needs better since I already have a BArch and they offered me admission to MArch II. This is going to be a tough decission to make. Please let me know what you think guys. Thanks!

Hi, 

I have a B.Arch Degree from a foreign institute and I am a permanent resident of the United States. 

My husband (who's an architect too) and I were accepted to Pratt's M.S. Architecture Program. He received a 15k merit scholarship whereas, I did not get any.

We also got our acceptance letters from Rennselaer's M.Arch ll Program. I received a scholarship covering half my tuition whereas, he didn't get any scholarship from Rpi.

We're in a dilemma because both of us are more interested in Pratt (because of its faculty, reputation, prospect of job opportunities and of course the location).

However, Pratt will cost around a total of 75-80k for me (including living expenses, fees, food, commute, etc.) and it will cost my husband around 60-65k. We are splitting our accommodation costs.

Whereas, Rpi will cost me around 45k (living expenses, etc. included) and it will cost him around 60k or less.

At this moment, we are still leaning towards Pratt although logic says that we should probably go for Rpi. I just wanted to hear your opinions regarding the matter (please include future job prospects of both the institutions if possible).

Thanks!

Age: 28 | Sex: F | Citizenship: US

Undergraduate degree: BFA concentration in Analog Photography and Printmaking

GPA: 2.7 Undergrad, 3.5 Current

GRE scores (V/Q/W): I honestly don't even remember.

PORTFOLIO: The first half of my portfolio is from my undergrad work (Photos, prints, drawing), the second half consisted of my work since I've been in M.Arch1 (1.5 semesters) - 2 bigger projects and a few smaller studies. 

Letters of Recommendation: Previous Employer, Undergraduate Coordinator, Graduate Coordinator

SCHOOLS (Applied + Results + Funds awarded):

IN:

Penn + $$$

Temple

LSU (currently enrolled) + $$$$

OUT:

Princeton

WAIT LISTED: None

NO RESPONSE: None

Preferences: I'm kind of in a different situation than most of you. I'm currently in my first year of M.Arch at LSU but last fall my husband was approached with an opportunity (completely optional) to further his career in Philadelphia. So, just for kicks/as a fall back, I applied to Temple, Penn, and Princeton. Penn is my dream school but moving and starting over is kind of a hard pill to swallow. I have a lot to think about. 

@mononoaware  

yeah, for Berkeley. Full for one semester is still good, wasn't being sarcastic haha. Hopefully my nudge will help get some funding. Got into the 3 year as well but it's still pricey.

One of the tough things about grad school payment is that a lot of them only offer for a semester or a year, and then it's back to having no idea how much school will cost you. It seems like most people get a lot more at the start too, because that's how they get you in the door haha.

@gradarch  

I'm an undergrad student at RPI and love it. I don't know how much people know about RPI because it is in the middle of no where but most of our faculty came from NYC and we do get some beneficial connections. And the faculty at RPI are young and talented. But I do have to say for march program is a different story, you go to grad school to get more connections and being in the city would be the best choice...

Thanks @L_N_ for the feedback. Yes, both the schools are good for architecture but it's true that Pratt's location (and networking) wins over Rpi every time. Rennselaer's scholarship offer is making it tough for me to choose Pratt. I wish Pratt offered me some sort of aid. Does anyone know if Pratt gives out any need-based scholarships to their graduate students? 

As an update to my former post, I heard back from Michigan, in with no funding. Also got off the Cornell waitlist, in with $. So will prob be Cornell for me!
 

Age:25 | Sex:M | Citizenship:US

Undergraduate degree: BA Architecture with Honors, 3 years working experience abroad

GPA: 3.1

GRE scores (V/Q/W): 159/155/3.5

PORTFOLIO: Available upon request. 

In hindsight, I am not in love with the final product. I needed to rework my original undergraduate layouts to meet Berkeley's requirements.  I also decided it was time to update it to make it seem less like a student's portfolio.  (Getting rid of deja vu sans, regularizing the grid to be tighter, etc).  In the end, it's missing that intuitive flow.  So, I will be setting some time aside to look at it again.

Letters of Recommendation: 3 (1 Professor, 2 Employers)

SCHOOLS (Applied + Results + Funds awarded): All MArch

IN:

UC Berkeley

Cincinatti  ($)

NO RESPONSE:

Michigan

Preferences:

Michigan would be ideal.  I am impressed with the student work, and feel it is reflective of the curriculum and overall environment there.  I applied to Berkeley because it seems to have a similar profile, though less cutting edge. 

Cincinatti, in all honesty, was an option because of the stupid DI list, and I was looking at public schools. I was hoping that I would discover what makes that program great but the only thing that people focus on is coop.  After 3 years of work experience already, I am not interested in working during school.  Also, what is up with their admissions process?  Am I the only one who found it really odd?

Berkeley it is, and I just try to side step getting whacked by the sustainability stick?

@archhopeful: wow that is really impressive!!! I have a question for you, it's not really related to this thread since it's about grad school acceptance but I'm thinking about going back to grad school for architecture, and I was advised to do some summer discovery program so that I can figure out if architecture is right for me, so I just wanna ask which summer program did you attend? i was looking at Harvard, SCI-Arc, UCLA and Columbia summer program.

@klausious Thank you! I attended GSD's Career Disco program. I think it was a great way to spend six weeks - I ended up using two of the three projects as well as several other design representation drawings in my portfolio.

Age: 25 | Sex: Female | Citizenship: Iran

Undergraduate degree: B.A. architecture with honors (University of Tehran)

 M.Arch Architectural Technology (University of Tehran)

GPA: 3.82

GRE scores (V/Q/W): 152/164/3

PORTFOLIO: Haven't uploaded yet !!

Letters of Recommendation: 2 architecture studio instructors, 1 thesis adviser.

SCHOOLS (Applied + Results + Funds awarded):

IN:

MIT + $$ (SMArchs Computation)

Harvard GSD + $ (MDes Technology)

Columbia (MSAAD)

Michigan + $$$ (MS Material System)

UC Berkeley (Sudio One)

UCLA (SupraStudio)

OUT: NONE

Wait listed: MIT (Got accepted later!!)

Preferences: Hardest decision between GSD and MIT, I'm going with MIT SMArchS !!

Soooo,

where did everyone decide to go to??  

Yale!