Obligatory 

http://time.com/43750/walmart-acceptance-rate-lower-than-harvards/

no one cares about getting a job at walmart.

but i think you have a fair shot. your gpa and test scores are where they need to be. I would say you have a 50/50 shot at most elite schools (yale, columbia, UPenn, maybe gsd) but we would have to see your SOP and portfolio. and yes include pen drawings, paintings, photographs, even some professional work, etc... take a look at detail architectural magazine and sites like awwwards.com to get a good idea on how to layout your portfolio. IMO the layout is almost more important the the work inside the portfolio. a bad layout will force the admissions office just to skip your portfolio since they are looking at hundreds a day.

good luck!

Thanks for your reply, Diko. I understand about the layout and I have some experience with laying out lookbooks/presentations in InDesign. I'll post a draft of my portfolio when it's completed (trying to add more advanced/contemporary work because I'm taking classes currently). Thanks!

Well obviously Driko, I'm just jerking them around because there are two kinds of people that ask these questions on here all the time.

50/50? There's no point in giving a number without looking at both the portfolio and SOP.
 

For the SOP, how much should be about the University itself? They obviously know how good they are, so I don't want to waste time talking about things they already know. Columbia's word count is a mere 500 words and I want them to get both a good picture of my life and intentions, and why I want to go there. Is there a recommended percentage of the SOP to devote to why I want to go to the University? 

@natematt 

i say 50/50 because half the job is done. He hits the stats that these schools will look for. The top school have a rep of being the best and want to hold that position. I know that most if not all arch schools wont state a minimum gpa/gre score but they do have a minimum. the other half you need to hit are the portfolio and SOP which are arbitrary which i say that a portfolio layout is almost more important than the content. 

@matty_nin123

when writing your SOP take a look at the director message of each school you apply to. Try to write a custom letter for each school. The director message will give you a good idea on what they value and what type of student they look for. Although i had some friends ignore this completely and write up a manifesto and used the same SOP for each school and still be admitted to each school they applied (most of them went to UMichigan) and state the school you are applying to as such IE University of Michigan is Tuabman College. (but i think you get that point). 

the directors message will look like this and each school will have one. 

http://architecture.mit.edu/department/welcome

http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/message-from-the-dean/

here are some resources for building your portfolio 

https://visualizingarchitecture.com/

https://taubmancollege.umich.edu/architecture/publications/dimensions

scroll down to the pdfs.

@Driko 

Most of the people that apply there have good GPA/GRE. Otherwise i think your commentary is on point. 

 

OP, I am currently sitting in Gund. I went to a nowhere state school with a worse GPA, better GRE...include the pretty pen drawings if you want.  Your portfolio should demonstrate how you think.  If you think by drawing, then great, include them.  If they're just renderings, then don't bother.  

Search Issuu for GSD/SOA/GSAPP portfolios, use those for design guidelines

Thank you @driko - those help a lot! 

@raspberry_cat_ 

no problem. Be sure to have peers and professors review your portfolio and SOP and best of luck applying to schools. Im sure you will get into at least 1 school that you will be more than happy to attend.