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Undergraduate Summer Opportunities Question
Hey Archinect,
I'm a junior in a 4-year liberal arts program in architecture. I'm hoping to apply to grad school in the fall, and I'm looking to get a double master's in architecture and urban planning.
I'm lucky enough to have a few opportunities for this upcoming summer, but I'm conflicted as to which one to go with. One option I have is to do a traditional internship with a firm in a nearby city. The other option I have is to conduct funded research on Latin-American urbanism, something that I've studied this past semester as well.
The internship will give me much-needed professional experience (and, you know, money) as well as good design practice. The research would segue into my senior thesis, so it would be a great opportunity to get started with that, and it would be working closely with a professor who's very well-known and helpful.
Which would look more valuable to a graduate school professional program - more real-world design experience, or significant research?
Thanks,
ajacques
Oh gosh, I couldn't imagine committing yourself to a master's program straight out of undergrad without some amount of work experience. I can't comment on what would look better to an adcom, but for the sake of your own life experience, take the job!! You will learn so much more about yourself and what you are looking for from a grad program or a career than doing research that sounds like more of the same of what you've been doing.
If you really think it'd be a shame to lose the grant and that it's a once in a lifetime opportunity (potentially valid), then take it, but take a year off between applying to schools and use that time to work for a firm.
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