Hi All

I have a dilemma regarding my choice of school for MArch Architecture.

Quick background:

I graduated from De Montfort University with first class honours and the highest overall marks in the year in summer 2014. I have been working at a large well known practice in London since September.

The choices:

I have offers from The Bartlett (UCL), Newcastle, Manchester, Oxford Brookes and Westminster. I’ve also applied to Sheffield but not heard back from them yet. Having gone to an ex-poly (although I really enjoyed it and it served me well) I’m keen to go to a “real” university for my Part II for a variety of reasons. So effectively my choices are The Bartlett, Newcastle, Manchester and Sheffield.

Thoughts:

Essentially I am torn primarily between Sheffield and UCL (seemingly the two most reputable). I feel like UCL would look great on the CV and in some ways would be an exciting place to be, but I’m scared by horror stories such as this: http://archinect.com/forum/thread/94420/disillusioned-bartlett-student-needs-advise-on-other-schools- I’m concerned about the following and would appreciate responses to any of the below:-

• The very artistic approach to the course will be hard for me, as although I am very creative and theoretical I am not especially brilliant at drawing, Photoshop and the like (by what I perceive to be the Bartlett’s standards at least). Even if I will learn or pick up these skills sufficiently, it is not something I am terribly interested in learning, as it is never really going to be used in practice and will be forgotten soon after graduating.
• The course will be too dogmatic and my creativity and personal theories will be hampered by overly prescriptive units and egotistical tutors.
• Ultimately the course seems to be very intensive, something obviously valued by employers, however (perhaps naively optimistically) I plan on being in a position to work for myself ASAP, so would it really be worth having no life outside architecture for two years and spending all that money to be a student in London.
• Sheffield would appear to offer a more realistic course, which might interest me more due to being less farfetched, but I’m worried also that it’s overly realistic and rational approach might limit my creativity and thus become boring.
• It also, on the face of it seems mad to reject UCL with its grand reputation, for Sheffield, let alone any of the others. However, I have had conflicting advice with regards to this from people at work, tutors and friends. Some say it doesn’t matter where you go it’s what you make of it etc. and it’s more important to be happy and have time to do things away from architecture for two years, whereas some say I would be mad not to go to UCL. Sheffield isn’t really that far behind UCL, and I feel I might be happier there, with more free time to pursue other interests of mine such as politics. Indeed I feel like I would struggle to stand out (or indeed pass) at the Bartlett; whereas I feel I could realistically aim to be one of the best in the year at most other schools.

Thanks for any help you can give me!