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Architect's career - Actual difficulty of becoming / being an architect

M HM Hellooo

Hello people,

I'm currently applying to colleges with an interest in becoming an architect but am kind of discouraged by some of the threads I've seen here. So, I'm hoping to know

>how hard it is to get a solid architect position (financial, etc.)

>whether getting a bachelors or masters degree is best 

>if its a better idea to get a different degree and then sort of transfer into an architect career (if so, what degree?)

>what scholarships there might be (I am very not thrilled by student debt)

Thank you all for candor. Please don't hold back because I'm a young 'un. Any additional information that might be useful would be appreciated too.

 
Oct 20, 18 11:43 pm

1 Featured Comment

All 13 Comments

donutsfordough

If you're so easily discouraged by bad news then don't bother. Otherwise take the gamble and don't come back here in ten years looking for validation on whether to switch into architecture. Same response now, same then.

What is it with young people today looking for the most assured way to easy success? Architecture is not that. There's no formula you can just apply to your life and make it work. A bit of luck and some financial backing helps but people who want it make it work.

Oct 21, 18 1:05 am  · 
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curtkram

the economy is booming at the moment, so its not hard for people starting out to find a good position.  the profession is cyclical with the economy; i would not recommend graduating during a recession. 

get a degree that can get you a license.  if you do bachelor's, verify it's the B.Arch that can get you a license. 

i would think it would be a little easier to start with architecture if that's what you're going in to.  switching will add at least a year. 

fill out your fafsa for financial aid.  

Oct 21, 18 10:29 am  · 
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M HM Hellooo

I am also curious about what sort of work environment architects tend to have. Are clients more often commercial or private? How companionable are your coworkers? Is there much sexism?  Do you usually have plenty of time to sleep, exercise, etc.? Do you have days off? Thank you for your comments.

Oct 21, 18 5:18 pm  · 
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geezertect

The work environment for most is about the same as for any typical white collar office job. Most firms are not starchitect hot houses. Biggest difference is the disconnect between what you expect architecture to be and what it is in the real world. The schools do a very poor job of preparing students for the real world of practice. Maybe they are too afraid of scaring off the next generation of sacrificial lambs.

Oct 21, 18 9:31 pm  · 
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placebeyondthesplines_

for any newcomers to archinect, do not take seriously anything RickB-Astoria has to say. he is not an architect, and has absolutely no relevant professional or academic credentials. despite having been banned several times in the past for his conduct on this forum, he continues to regularly post long-winded faux-knowledgeable ramblings on a variety of topics, mostly centered on the professional practice of architecture — about which he knows absolutely nothing). 


for more examples, search the forum “Balkins”  and you’ll quickly see what I mean. 

Oct 21, 18 7:13 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

^responds with a thousands words. Classic Balkins

Oct 21, 18 11:01 pm  · 
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placebeyondthesplines_

never change, Balkins. this place wouldn’t be the same without your tedious and uninformed spewings. I predict you’ll post another bunch of your bullshit here shortly.

Oct 22, 18 12:13 am  · 
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M HM Hellooo

Thank you all very much. I wonder if this thread can work as a somewhat representation of what sorts of personalities I might encounter professionally?

Oct 21, 18 10:17 pm  · 
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b3tadine[sutures]

no.

Oct 21, 18 11:27 pm  · 
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mightyaa

no... someone like Rick won't be in a architecture firm since he lacks the credentials, education, and background. Those in the firm will have had similar experiences as yourself, therefore a lot more in common.

Oct 22, 18 10:53 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

but you are not any of those Ricky. That's Mighty's point.

Oct 22, 18 4:42 pm  · 
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null pointer

I wouldn't hire you as my coffee bitch, balkins. I feel like you'd try to lecture me on mild, medium and dark roast every time I told you to get me a fucking cup, all while insisting you don't drink coffee unless it comes from ghana and it's certified fair trade.

Oct 22, 18 5:11 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

And then he’d comtinue on a coffee growers forum explaining to the Ghana fair trade growers how he’d grow better coffee in Oregon. Ricky > FLW apparently.

Oct 22, 18 5:23 pm  · 
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null pointer

But he's never grown coffee in Oregon (or had coffee in the past 10 years because.. you know... Ghana fair trade only), so he's basing his lectures on some obscure government handbook from 1793.

Oct 22, 18 5:30 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

Null, I just burst out on that one. Screw those other folks on the bus, they don’t know the comedic gold they are missing out on.

Oct 22, 18 5:36 pm  · 
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just getting warmed up here...


Oct 22, 18 5:50 pm  · 
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mightyaa

Rick, you are digging in.. He asked if he'd run across these types of personalities working professionally; YOU WOULDN'T BE SOMEONE HE'D EVER RUN ACROSS PROFESSIONALLY BECAUSE YOU LACK THE QUALIFICATIONS TO BE HIRED BY THE MAJORITY OF ARCHITECTURE FIRMS. There would be exceptions like owner's reps I've met who "wanted to be an architect" before they start telling me, someone who is a practicing architect, what architects do and why....

Oct 22, 18 6:32 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

Eccentric is not the right word.

Oct 22, 18 7:12 pm  · 
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mightyaa

"It isn't the education or any of that shit."; Yes, it is. You do not hold an accredited degree, have not completed the internship, and flat out are not eligible to take the architectural exam. There are even ways to take some State exams without the accredited degree, but you haven't worked under a licensed architect for the required period of time to accumulate the required minimum hours... So yes, you are years and years away from ever being a licensed architect and should stop giving advice to those who are or are seeking advice from those of us who did what it took to become licensed.

Oct 22, 18 7:13 pm  · 
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mightyaa

Yes.. the title "architect's career actual difficult of becoming being an architect" is flat out something you aren't able to answer based on your own experiences, so you should not have responded to or given advice about. If they asked "how tough is it to find work without a architectural license designing buildings and certifications that might be useful", by all means... but that wasn't the topic and you pulled crap out of your ass based on your own warped ideas of what it might be like rather than any sort of extensive experience or expertise on the subject matter. It severely derails ANY cohesive discussions when you do this Rick..

Oct 22, 18 8:06 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

Ricky, believing you actually have a career remotely resembling that of an architect is not the same as actually having one.

Oct 22, 18 8:17 pm  · 
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Featured Comment
JBeaumont

You don't have any skills because you don't have any projects. You go round and round and round on this, but the fact is that you documented for financial aid and loan repayment purposes that you had virtually no income throughout most of that decade - so either you have real projects and clients and therefore committed multiple federal crimes by lying on financial aid and tax documents, or you had virtually no income and therefore have virtually no experience.

Oct 22, 18 8:56 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

^more excuses. You're not convincing anyone

Oct 22, 18 9:14 pm  · 
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I thought the featured comments were supposed to be an attempt to keep people focused on the original post ... not saying the comment featured for this thread isn't a good comment, but to feature it seems like the moderators are just looking for a dumpster fire rather than trying to keep people focused on the topic at hand.

Oct 23, 18 12:29 am  · 
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shellarchitect

I love that Ricky assumes the average architect's work day is similar to a design studio and that the design of houses is similar to the design of anything else an architect might work on! I assume that a vast majority of architects have never done a single family residence.

Oct 23, 18 2:20 pm  · 
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thisisnotmyname

Make every effort you can to spend some time in two or more working architect's offices and observe what they do all day.

For education, the quickest and least expensive route in the USA would be a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture program.  A public college in your home state will probably have the lowest tuition, but there are many variables that can potentially put a private or out-of-state program within your reach.

Architecture jobs are quite plentiful at the moment.  Doing as many internships and summer positions in architect's offices while you are still in school will greatly improve your ability to get a good job upon graduation.

Oct 22, 18 2:46 pm  · 
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randomised

Don't be discouraged from what you read here, this place is no fair representation of the architecture field, this is just the internet.

Oct 22, 18 3:50 pm  · 
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bowling_ball

Exactly.

Oct 23, 18 12:13 am  · 
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M HM Hellooo

Awesome, thank you. Those last bits were most informative. I appreciate the straight forwardness. 

Oct 22, 18 6:34 pm  · 
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archi_dude

I wanted to chime in because what stands out in your post is the financial based questions. The student loan and pay prospect question make it seem as though you will not be getting much boost from your parents or much financial help. Architecture pays relatively well (about the same as teachers and government workers) and there are plenty of firms where you can work 40-45 hrs a week for that relatively good salary, however keep in mind the more realistic hours and better pay the more boring the work. So here’s the scenario, you work WAY more in college than most other majors (keyword “more” not harder because there is definitely merit to what Rick said above about architecture students reworking ideas again and again for no reason for art sake) yet when you graduate you make about as much as Frat guys who spent their entire college days day drinking and earning a Poli-sci or communications degree. You can make a decent salary but you’ll be living really frugally and working on pretty boring work with minimal vacation, benefits and ownership of your tasks (7 years in and a license and I still wasn’t allowed to decide where to lay out control joints in sidewalk or the design is taken care of in the marketing department of the client’s business and you regurgitate it into construction documents). The reality is that the services clients want us for isn’t “Architecture!” It’s drafting plans to get permits. It’s a very frugal choice with pretty bland and limited career options. 


It can be a really cool hobby, but don’t expect to get much out of it as a career.

Oct 23, 18 11:19 am  · 
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whistler

I had one of the most satisfying experiences of my career at a recent building opening  ( First nations learning centre  / school ) where a bunch of students / elders  / councillors who got up and discussed what the school meant to them personally and to their community and were breaking down in tears describing the significance to them.

The group then introduced me personally and others who were part of the team who contributed to the project, then what wasn't expected was the several hundred people applaud us for our efforts .....that was f___ing cool and pretty overwhelming for me too. 

So yeah, the profession is hard, takes a lot of perseverance, integrity and stubbornness but when you do a decent job and are rewarded with that level of appreciation it's all good!


Oct 23, 18 2:08 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

Nice story. Makes for great reading on my 4th uber ride of the day.

Oct 23, 18 2:58 pm  · 
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M HM Hellooo

Then, just for consideration, what careers would you recommend as an alternative to being an architect that fits with the same interests (living/working spaces, design, etc.)? 

Oct 23, 18 6:30 pm  · 
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mightyaa

A alternate would be to get in on the developer side.  Basically, a site acquisition and development manager.  They are the guys and gals who set the design tone, the parameters, the goals, and hire the design team and make lots of spreadsheets.  Then they get to critique the design, pick materials, etc.  Essentially all the fun stuff... but they have masters too who expect the project they are managing to have good returns, high lease rates, etc.  I've also noticed a lack in 'grey hair' folks, so I'm guessing it is a pretty harsh employee attrition rate.

Guessing the degree would be commercial real estate with a minor in project management.

Oct 23, 18 7:35 pm  · 
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M HM Hellooo

Thank you! That sounds pretty neat. I'll definitely look into the position.  

Oct 24, 18 10:45 pm  · 
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