I’m a highschool senior who has been quite interested in studying Architecture for a while now. After reading a lot of negative comments on here about the career, I felt hopeless...Is it really AS BAD as people make it out to be? I was told that if I can study Architecture, I might as well study Medicine for a more fulfilling career. Does Architecture fulfill you? I don’t know where I’m going with my life anymore because I have anxiety and tend to hyper fixate on issues a lot haha, my newest addition to the list of worries is this. Please help me out!
Echoing what Non Sequitur said, here is the response I gave in another recent thread:
"My experience is that the constant complaints about how "the pay is terrible, the hours are long, the work is stressful," etc. are a little overblown. It is certainly true that we are paid less than other professions requiring similar education and certification, and some offices do overwork their staff (some quite badly), but for the most part, most of us are reasonably comfortable.
My general advice is, if you love architecture, then you can have a good career, but if you don't love it (even if you kind of like it) then there's a very good chance you'd be happier doing something else. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to find out whether you love it is to try it, with all of the education and entry level wages that entails..."
it's reassuring to see i'm not the only one here working as a conventional architect who likes the job and feels generally satisfied in life.
if you genuinely feel a compelling interest in the subject and like the idea of the work after researching the career a bit, well then trust yourself because you're probably right.
complaining is fun and necessary. some people are stuck in bad places in life and complaining online is particularly appealing to them. don't read too much into it. or at least get some perspective by looking up forums for other professionals (above the law is a fun read). The grass really is always greenest somewhere else.
I'm a high school senior in the same EXACT position as you. Reading the conversations on this website is very disheartening and I have decided that if I truly have a passion for architecture my first semester in college then I will continue to pursue it, but I'm only giving it the first semester because $$. You have so much time to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. I've found that hyper fixating on this is only going to stress you out more especially with the state of our world right now. I'd say give it your first semester and see if it sparks something in you. Ultimately, from what I've gathered, you have to REALLY like architecture if you want to study it. Ironically, take these forums with a grain of salt though you have no idea who you're talking to and reading advice from...
Apr 26, 20 3:15 am ·
·
Non Sequitur
There is a loud portion of disgruntled students who post here to vent when they realize the glory and $$$ they expected once leaving school is just a lie. Plenty are still stuck on this idea that architects are superstars like doctors and lawyers because they salved away for many years in school... that is not how the real world works and for some, complaining is easier that understanding.
Apr 26, 20 4:07 pm ·
·
Jsomoza1
Sadly, that's what I've gathered from these forums.
Apr 26, 20 6:52 pm ·
·
Non Sequitur
Maybe, but most regulars here are a decade or more removed from school.
Apr 26, 20 7:14 pm ·
·
square.
it's a little more complicated than this. i think there is truth that the profession has issues; relative to other professions, in general, you will work more hours for less pay. i'm not just talking about doctors and lawyers; if you're a teacher or a nurse, you will most likely have a more regular schedule or at least more protection and benefits. that said, it's not as completely bleak as some make it out to be.. architecture does have a creative component that allows for thinking and making in a multi-disciplinary way, which is more unique to the profession (it's easy to do other things like art, writing, or other side projects). the best thing you can do is try school, get an internship one summer, and then decide if this is something you can envision yourself doing for a long time.
Apr 27, 20 1:37 pm ·
·
joseffischer
I just want to get paid as much as the engineers, when you step back and realize that on any given project, most of your engineering consultants were not the superstars of their major and fell into engineering for buildings as a steady, but relatively less lucrative career for them. Then, day in and out you have to pull code for them, provide solutions, explain how lavs can indeed be mounted slightly off skew if the existing conditions demand it, because a P trap can swivel... the list goes on. Then you remember that you've got more riding on them doing their job correctly than they do, and they get paid more to handle one aspect of a project... Just my opinion, but to all you structural and electrical guys out there killing it, thanks for doing a good job. It'd take some serious retooling for me to do what you do (mostly structural). Mechanical, plumbing, civil, and low/voltage... you guys are so copy/paste and I look forward to a day when your calcs are automated and Arch can just recapture those fees.
Apr 27, 20 2:04 pm ·
·
square.
it's not far off.. a lot of calculations are based on 3d models
0613, do you like design? do you like construction? do you like solving problems? can you think creatively? If you've answered yes to all four, then you might have a shot. If however you're on the fence with 50% of these, perhaps reconsider or at least inform yourself. It's a long road filled with the corpses of idealist students disappointed that they are'nt asked to cure cancer with design.
Echoing what Non Sequitur said, here is the response I gave in another recent thread:
"My experience is that the constant complaints about how "the pay is terrible, the hours are long, the work is stressful," etc. are a little overblown. It is certainly true that we are paid less than other professions requiring similar education and certification, and some offices do overwork their staff (some quite badly), but for the most part, most of us are reasonably comfortable.
My general advice is, if you love architecture, then you can have a good career, but if you don't love it (even if you kind of like it) then there's a very good chance you'd be happier doing something else. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to find out whether you love it is to try it, with all of the education and entry level wages that entails..."
I was thinking about architecture when I was a senior in high school. I wasn't completely sold on it and even started in a different major. When I became unhappy during my first year, I started to think about it again and asked a friend who was in architecture. He told me "you have to REALLY want to do this to get through school" but he also told me how much fun his summer internship was and that he really enjoyed his classes and even the homework assignments. Along with sitting in a few classes, that was enough to convince me to make the switch.
I actually really love my job. I work 40 hours/week, I have time to pursue outside hobbies, I get to go out of town for work and see new places, I go on vacation twice a year, and I don't worry about having enough money to pay my bills. Additionally, I actually like working with my coworkers and doing the actual work I was hired to do. Honestly I think that's more than what most people get out of their jobs.
In addition to what others have said, you may also consider taking a career test and seeing what some of the careers it recommends for you.
Super short story: I went into my undergrad in architecture totally blind. I had not a clue about anything and didn't even research the schools. I applied to two state schools (lol!). This was 2008- right as the recession hit. Luckily I ended up loving studio culture, and then architecture culture. I worked super hard but it didn't feel that bad since all your friends are working through the same thing. You basically work on art projects with buildings as your medium. At school you have the resources (social and material) and pressure to teach yourself so many skills you'll take with you in life. After undergrad I worked for a couple years, then went to grad school. Once you're "in" the scene everything makes sense and you start to get a feeling for why and where you want to go to grad school and what you. I feel like there are so many opportunities in this profession, and if you love it you'll know how to find them.
Financially it all worked out. Getting your first job is hard but in time your knowledge, reputation, and network builds and things get easier. I'm less than a decade out of grad school and my loans are paid and I bought my own place. People will always complain about compensation, but every architect I know is living comfortably.
it's reassuring to see i'm not the only one here working as a conventional architect who likes the job and feels generally satisfied in life.
if you genuinely feel a compelling interest in the subject and like the idea of the work after researching the career a bit, well then trust yourself because you're probably right.
complaining is fun and necessary. some people are stuck in bad places in life and complaining online is particularly appealing to them. don't read too much into it. or at least get some perspective by looking up forums for other professionals (above the law is a fun read). The grass really is always greenest somewhere else.
A good designer has the ability to "look for" and "create" problems to solve before they are problems. Seeing problems others don't, creates the opportunity to present a solution. That solution as eloquent as it maybe could never be realized if people were not aware of the problem to being with. So you find designers love to point out problems second only to their love of solving problems.
Don't worry, the archinect forum is not representative of the entire architecture community. Why would people make a post about how much they actually enjoyed their job and chosen career path? It takes just one squeaky wheel to demand all the attention and complain about their lack of grease...or something. Maybe next to an archinect profile also make a LinkedIn one and follow some architects on there to read both extremes...
Apr 28, 20 8:04 am ·
·
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Hi,
I’m a highschool senior who has been quite interested in studying Architecture for a while now. After reading a lot of negative comments on here about the career, I felt hopeless...Is it really AS BAD as people make it out to be? I was told that if I can study Architecture, I might as well study Medicine for a more fulfilling career. Does Architecture fulfill you? I don’t know where I’m going with my life anymore because I have anxiety and tend to hyper fixate on issues a lot haha, my newest addition to the list of worries is this. Please help me out!
2 Featured Comments
Echoing what Non Sequitur said, here is the response I gave in another recent thread:
"My experience is that the constant complaints about how "the pay is terrible, the hours are long, the work is stressful," etc. are a little overblown. It is certainly true that we are paid less than other professions requiring similar education and certification, and some offices do overwork their staff (some quite badly), but for the most part, most of us are reasonably comfortable.
My general advice is, if you love architecture, then you can have a good career, but if you don't love it (even if you kind of like it) then there's a very good chance you'd be happier doing something else. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to find out whether you love it is to try it, with all of the education and entry level wages that entails..."
it's reassuring to see i'm not the only one here working as a conventional architect who likes the job and feels generally satisfied in life.
if you genuinely feel a compelling interest in the subject and like the idea of the work after researching the career a bit, well then trust yourself because you're probably right.
complaining is fun and necessary. some people are stuck in bad places in life and complaining online is particularly appealing to them. don't read too much into it. or at least get some perspective by looking up forums for other professionals (above the law is a fun read). The grass really is always greenest somewhere else.
All 10 Comments
I'm a high school senior in the same EXACT position as you. Reading the conversations on this website is very disheartening and I have decided that if I truly have a passion for architecture my first semester in college then I will continue to pursue it, but I'm only giving it the first semester because $$. You have so much time to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. I've found that hyper fixating on this is only going to stress you out more especially with the state of our world right now. I'd say give it your first semester and see if it sparks something in you. Ultimately, from what I've gathered, you have to REALLY like architecture if you want to study it. Ironically, take these forums with a grain of salt though you have no idea who you're talking to and reading advice from...
There is a loud portion of disgruntled students who post here to vent when they realize the glory and $$$ they expected once leaving school is just a lie. Plenty are still stuck on this idea that architects are superstars like doctors and lawyers because they salved away for many years in school... that is not how the real world works and for some, complaining is easier that understanding.
Sadly, that's what I've gathered from these forums.
Maybe, but most regulars here are a decade or more removed from school.
it's a little more complicated than this. i think there is truth that the profession has issues; relative to other professions, in general, you will work more hours for less pay. i'm not just talking about doctors and lawyers; if you're a teacher or a nurse, you will most likely have a more regular schedule or at least more protection and benefits. that said, it's not as completely bleak as some make it out to be.. architecture does have a creative component that allows for thinking and making in a multi-disciplinary way, which is more unique to the profession (it's easy to do other things like art, writing, or other side projects). the best thing you can do is try school, get an internship one summer, and then decide if this is something you can envision yourself doing for a long time.
I just want to get paid as much as the engineers, when you step back and realize that on any given project, most of your engineering consultants were not the superstars of their major and fell into engineering for buildings as a steady, but relatively less lucrative career for them. Then, day in and out you have to pull code for them, provide solutions, explain how lavs can indeed be mounted slightly off skew if the existing conditions demand it, because a P trap can swivel... the list goes on. Then you remember that you've got more riding on them doing their job correctly than they do, and they get paid more to handle one aspect of a project... Just my opinion, but to all you structural and electrical guys out there killing it, thanks for doing a good job. It'd take some serious retooling for me to do what you do (mostly structural). Mechanical, plumbing, civil, and low/voltage... you guys are so copy/paste and I look forward to a day when your calcs are automated and Arch can just recapture those fees.
it's not far off.. a lot of calculations are based on 3d models
You will have to find a happy median in whatever you do.
0613, do you like design? do you like construction? do you like solving problems? can you think creatively? If you've answered yes to all four, then you might have a shot. If however you're on the fence with 50% of these, perhaps reconsider or at least inform yourself. It's a long road filled with the corpses of idealist students disappointed that they are'nt asked to cure cancer with design.
^this; should be the featured comment
thanks, sometimes I make an effort.
^this; i second it.
Echoing what Non Sequitur said, here is the response I gave in another recent thread:
"My experience is that the constant complaints about how "the pay is terrible, the hours are long, the work is stressful," etc. are a little overblown. It is certainly true that we are paid less than other professions requiring similar education and certification, and some offices do overwork their staff (some quite badly), but for the most part, most of us are reasonably comfortable.
My general advice is, if you love architecture, then you can have a good career, but if you don't love it (even if you kind of like it) then there's a very good chance you'd be happier doing something else. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to find out whether you love it is to try it, with all of the education and entry level wages that entails..."
Agreed!
I was thinking about architecture when I was a senior in high school. I wasn't completely sold on it and even started in a different major. When I became unhappy during my first year, I started to think about it again and asked a friend who was in architecture. He told me "you have to REALLY want to do this to get through school" but he also told me how much fun his summer internship was and that he really enjoyed his classes and even the homework assignments. Along with sitting in a few classes, that was enough to convince me to make the switch.
I actually really love my job. I work 40 hours/week, I have time to pursue outside hobbies, I get to go out of town for work and see new places, I go on vacation twice a year, and I don't worry about having enough money to pay my bills. Additionally, I actually like working with my coworkers and doing the actual work I was hired to do. Honestly I think that's more than what most people get out of their jobs.
In addition to what others have said, you may also consider taking a career test and seeing what some of the careers it recommends for you.
Super short story: I went into my undergrad in architecture totally blind. I had not a clue about anything and didn't even research the schools. I applied to two state schools (lol!). This was 2008- right as the recession hit. Luckily I ended up loving studio culture, and then architecture culture. I worked super hard but it didn't feel that bad since all your friends are working through the same thing. You basically work on art projects with buildings as your medium. At school you have the resources (social and material) and pressure to teach yourself so many skills you'll take with you in life. After undergrad I worked for a couple years, then went to grad school. Once you're "in" the scene everything makes sense and you start to get a feeling for why and where you want to go to grad school and what you. I feel like there are so many opportunities in this profession, and if you love it you'll know how to find them.
Financially it all worked out. Getting your first job is hard but in time your knowledge, reputation, and network builds and things get easier. I'm less than a decade out of grad school and my loans are paid and I bought my own place. People will always complain about compensation, but every architect I know is living comfortably.
And remember:
“It is the key to modern life. If you are immune to boredom, there is literally nothing you cannot accomplish.” - David Foster Wallace
it's reassuring to see i'm not the only one here working as a conventional architect who likes the job and feels generally satisfied in life.
if you genuinely feel a compelling interest in the subject and like the idea of the work after researching the career a bit, well then trust yourself because you're probably right.
complaining is fun and necessary. some people are stuck in bad places in life and complaining online is particularly appealing to them. don't read too much into it. or at least get some perspective by looking up forums for other professionals (above the law is a fun read). The grass really is always greenest somewhere else.
A good designer has the ability to "look for" and "create" problems to solve before they are problems. Seeing problems others don't, creates the opportunity to present a solution. That solution as eloquent as it maybe could never be realized if people were not aware of the problem to being with. So you find designers love to point out problems second only to their love of solving problems.
Don't worry, the archinect forum is not representative of the entire architecture community. Why would people make a post about how much they actually enjoyed their job and chosen career path? It takes just one squeaky wheel to demand all the attention and complain about their lack of grease...or something. Maybe next to an archinect profile also make a LinkedIn one and follow some architects on there to read both extremes...
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