Hi all! First-time poster here! Ive looked through countless forum threads but haven't found anyone in a similar situation as me. Im planning on applying to east coast M.arch I programs next year and was wondering if a summer prep course would be worth the cost, in my situation, or if I should look into something else, like some more affordable online drawing courses?

Disclaimer: I know M.arch programs are expensive, which is why I would ofc like to save as much as possible before actually attending. 

Some background: For my undergraduate degrees, one will be in Public Policy and the other in Urban Design and Architecture Studies, which is more of a history and analysis of architecture and cities in history/modern day type of major rather than a formal architecture undergraduate degree. I took the one "drawing" course available where we had four projects that I will try to explain as simply as possible:

• Project 1: we were given a choice between 4 small household items and were tasked to measure and draw orthographic drawings of the object true to size: plan, plan cut, front and side elevations, and a section. I chose a pair of fiskars scissors.
• Project 2: we were given a choice between 4 Rietveld chairs and were tasked to create a scaled (1-1/2” = 1’-0) wooden model and orthographic drawings (the same ones mentioned above) plus one axonometric drawing (plan oblique). I chose the Steltman chair.
• Project 3: we were tasked with creating 4 diagrams and collages (mine were digital) based off of the Rietveld chair we chose for project 2, one diagram+collage for each of these concepts: structural, social-cultural, ergonomic, figure-ground.
• Project 4: It's might help to just put the project instructions verbatim:"Assemble a 3-dimensional environment within your 9 square matrix that translates the formal and spatial atmosphere represented in your collages and diagrams into an architectural language consisting of points, lines, planes and volumes." Basically, we chose a one of the concepts from project 3 and created an abstract 3-d representation of it inside the 9-square grid hollow matrix cube, then we drew orthographic drawings again.

While the course did not have us draw any actual buildings, it was supposed to teach us some of the basics of model making, the design process, and architectural drawing (their words, not mine).

My question (I feel like I know the answer but it's worth a shot asking anyways): given my current skill level (which is not much) would it be suffice for me to just create more models and drawings (of different things ofc) to fill my portfolio, along with sketches and maybe photography (iffy on this one)? Or am I screwed without a summer prep course? If so, please leave your recommendations (online programs if its outside of the tri-state area)

Additional thought: I haven't seen many portfolios on here with non digital models in them. Is there a reason for that?

Thank you!!