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Undergraduate Study: Carleton U. Or RISD?

mwang1

Got admitted by both Carleton University B. Arch Study (Design) and RISD BArch. 

It became a difficult choice. The cost for Carleton is quite manageable. However, RISD costs much more, and the personal debt at the end of 5 year's study is estimated to be $175K, which will be very challenging. 

I know RISD is 5 year NAAB accredited program, while the graduates from Carleton (4 years) will need another 2 years of M.Arch. 

My questions is: Is RISD worth the expense?

Thank you in advance for your insights!

 
Apr 5, 20 11:12 am
Non Sequitur

175k? Are you fucking crazy?  No arch degree is worth that... not even 1/5th of that.  Take Carleton's 4y undergrad degree and then apply to a better M.Arch school if you can score a good scholarship.  

I

Apr 5, 20 1:26 pm  · 
 ·  1
mwang1

Thank you for the advice!

Apr 5, 20 9:41 pm  · 
 · 
square.

very strongly second non sequitur's take. DO NOT go anywhere close to 100k in debt, especially for undergrad. no school is worth that cost. you will regret it for decades.

Apr 6, 20 9:16 am  · 
 · 
Dangermouse

no program is worth 175k.  

go to the less expensive school, crush it, get a full ride for your m.arch at taubman or uva or take some debt for gsd/yale, and exit with a better arch. degree and less debt than risd. 

Apr 6, 20 9:20 am  · 
 · 
mwang1

Thank you all so much for helping me solve the dilemma!  

Apr 6, 20 10:32 am  · 
 · 
square.

mwang1, your choice to not capitulate to these absurd price tags will help schools reckon with reality on what they are charging for an arch degree.

Apr 6, 20 11:44 am  · 
 · 
Non Sequitur

let's not forget that if the OP is canadian and paying canadian tuition... then even at full price, a semester is only about 5KUSD... Very easy to afford that working part-time during undergrad.

Apr 6, 20 11:57 am  · 
 · 
square.

is your country accepting applications? i'm over this one.

Apr 6, 20 12:50 pm  · 
 · 
Non Sequitur

Join the club. I hear it's a large one

Apr 6, 20 1:06 pm  · 
 · 

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