Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
University of Southern California (USC)
Tulane University
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Temple University
University of Oregon
Cranbrook Academy of Art
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
Kansas State University
Applying to 3-year professional M.Arch Programs without background experience
I'm a U-3 standing undergrad majoring in urban planning at a four-year institution. My major doesn't focus on design aspects but rather centered around socioeconomic and environmental issues in cities. So not a big help to prepare my portfolio, because I want to study architecture in graduate school.
My question is, will it be nonsensical to have my portfolio include actual architecture projects (with floor plans and rendered images) of my work like the ones from B.Arch graduates? I have an affiliation with this institution in a different country that offers a course specifically for developing portfolios for grad schools, which I'm planning on taking.
I see that schools are not expecting students with no background experience in architecture to have their portfolios include architecture projects since they literally don't have any experience with it. I thought my portfolio would be more appealing to the admission people at grad schools to look at my work and make them go "wow, how does this guy know how to do all this?", but I'm concerned that they also might go like "this is not what I expected from someone who has zero background in Architecture... not the right fit."
I may be overthinking it. Any advice?
1 Featured Comment
As someone who reviews portfolios and applicants regularly, use whatever you think illustrates your creative intelligence, dedication to craft, and most importantly what makes you unique. The primary thing I always tell potential applicants is to think about what makes them stand out from 300 other applicants. Don't tell us or show us what you think we want to hear or see, tell us or show us who you really are and why you think that is a good fit.
All 3 Comments
it will help you if it looks good. it will not help if it looks awful. your urban planning work should be the first few things in your portfolio
Do your own thing. They're looking for someone to add a special edge to the class. A data scientist can show stunning visualizations. A sculptor can show her own work. A historian can include his sketches. An investment banker who doesn't have much of a portfolio can attend NYP or Career Discovery and include works from these camps in the application.
You will be assessed not with candidates with an architecture degree but those with non-architecture backgrounds. Bankers with hedge fund analysts, photograhers with painters, mathematicians with programmers etc.
A good sense of style, composition, 3D thinking go a long way.
As someone who reviews portfolios and applicants regularly, use whatever you think illustrates your creative intelligence, dedication to craft, and most importantly what makes you unique. The primary thing I always tell potential applicants is to think about what makes them stand out from 300 other applicants. Don't tell us or show us what you think we want to hear or see, tell us or show us who you really are and why you think that is a good fit.
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