Draw a bunch of spaceships but make sure they are not to scale.

@rusty

seriously .... I really want to know what I have to prepare for the portfolio

Unless you can find a formal architecture class, submit art, ie. rigorous drawings from life. I would suggest things like still lifes, sketches of buildings, figure drawing. Try a variety of different approaches, ex. both realistic rendition and loose expressive sketching. And different media like pencil, watercolor, etc. Serious, rigorous art should be enough to get you in a B.Arch program.

@snail

thanks :) now I kinda see how to prepare for the portfolio 

1. use the search function. People have posted their portfolios for critique. Use them as a guide.

2. Search on Archinect features. They have a article on academic portfolios.

3. you can also read this,

http://www.scribd.com/doc/7596126/The-Portfolio-an-Architecture-Students-Handbook

4. apply to USC anyways.

Rusty is being serious. Don't worry about your GPA. At 70% acceptance rate, you should draw some spaceships - preferably in Rhino, and send it your best basket weaving projects.

just take snail's advice and look around here and elsewhere. its not about drawing spaceships and using rhino.

thats what ignoramus above likes to say about everything that ruffles his little old lady feathers

plus he didnt get in

said the sci-arc  graduate who trolls the site to make sure all my comments are edited in favor of his space ship drafting school

I thing Kahn and Bman should have their own show on Home and Garden TV.

"Spaceship kitchen renovations". I'd watch it.

I often wonder why so many on this forum love to hate on SCI-Arc?

Its mostly b-boy. The thing is I know b-boys record, and even though he likes to think so, its not just about his feelings for sci-arc. He's anti-ghery, anti-ivy, anti-sci-arc, anti-phd, anti-theory, and in some ways anti-Architecture. He's an accumulated mass of ignorance and surface assumptions. An agent desperate to impose the conservative and narrow-minded visions of his 9-5 job.

He pick easy targets because he can't handle anything else. He should go post something that's not looking for a fight he'll never win. Its beyond trolling with this guy, its idiocy in action.

Partially true. I'm also anti-student loans, anti low arch salaries, anti- free internships, and especially anti schools which feeds spaceship drafting programs to morons who come out and become anti-architects. Morons and Sci-arc, two words that commonly go hand-in-hand on this forum. In the time I've been here, the Sci-Arc related threads that were started by others have gone something like this:

"My GPA is too low for me to get into any other school so I'm thinking of going to Sci-Arc. What should I do with my portfolio...."

"My wife was really proud of me for getting into Sci-Arc, it's the best in the world, sitting pretty with Harvard." Because a school that accepts 70% is up there with one that takes in less than 10%.

"I graduated from Sci-Arc and can't find work in LA so I'm working for lunch stipends for my professor"

"Should I go to Pratt or Sci-Arc...I think I'm going to Pratt."

Then there is Louis Khunt, fellow Sci-Arc champ who has no opinion but to follow me from one thread to the next, even dedicating a thread to me,  trolling to insert his basket-weaving love for these morons and offering to counter any criticism of Sci-Arc, its irrelevant education, or the LA Sci-artsytects that equate to an extension of Zaha's tampon's strings. Go Sci-Arc, woohoo!!!

While you are entitled to your opinions b-boy I completely disagree.  Sci-Arc is all what you make of it.  It is ran by the students and for the students.  If a student wants to design space ships as you say (which I have never seen there, btw), the student can do that.  If the student is interested in sustainability they can specialize in that.  It seems that you have never stepped foot in SCI-Arc and that you are getting your information from somewhere else, you are exaggerating to make your point, you watch too much FOX news, and/or you have a very close-minded approach to what an architect should be.  SCI-Arc is a cutting edge school that is not for everyone.  For those who chose to attend, however, they will have many opportunities in the world of architecture and design.  This is not coming from my idealism but from reality.  I know many SCI-Arc grads working in LA and NY.

I'm also very curious about where you found this 70% acceptance rate because with an entering M.Arch class of 45 I can't believe that few people apply each year.  In fact, I do not believe it.

You can be less curious about the 70% with a quick google search. This is not coming from my idealism but from reality. The first page of results brings up 3 numbers. 61%, 70%, and the only one that attaches the total number of applicants is 82% (of 73 applicants). If you don't believe those numbers, you can refer back to OP who uses Sci-Arc as a safety school for USC.

btw, I vote democrat. But Sci-Arc logic tells you I watch fox news.

SCI-Arc has several people employed full time to keep the school marketable and in the media. Being in Los Angeles, they really believe even bad press is good press. 

applet, that's a very interesting theory. I have no strong opinion about Sci-Arc either way but for such a tiny school they get disproportionate amount of coverage. At least on here.

Was this thread started by 'fake' student? It really seems likely. The question makes no sense if you read it carefully. 

Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with SCI-Arc.  tbone is right on target, the school really is about "what  you make of it."  There are plenty of new students who come in thinking that they will be "taught" a methodology of working, but really, it's putting your effort in creating an education for yourself.  It's about balancing the needs of your instructor and your personal endeavors (student/instructor, architect/client).

However, the fault that I have with SCI-Arc is the lack of resources for the money that you are paying.  When I graduated, there was only two laser cutters (one of which was a g-code based industrial laser cutter and the other a X-660 Universal), and no career counselor/networking opportunities aside from a "career fair" and connections with instructors.  That said, one quickly realizes that there is a strong bias towards favoritism, style, and less on efforts of merit, which by the way, is SCI-Arc's biggest weakness.

rusty! Seems to be the case. As soon as the token advice was given, OP is replaced by the usual for and against posters. Always the same jingle. The unqualified and misunderstood 'avant garde', free thinking, cutting edge, blah blah. Very tiring and boring. At this point of fierce competition for new students, all the schools out there lowered their standards of acceptance. That is a fact. Not many people can afford 15-20 thousand for a semester. At that price, the school should never be "what you make out of it!"

If you read the OP carefully, it is basically giving an explicit message, that, it is allright to apply to SCI-Arc even with a low GPA. Now that is one smart social media ad, encouraging sub standard students to apply.  

I also know a former SCI-Arc student who finished with undergraduate honors (cum laude) couple years ago still looking for an architecture job. But that might has to do with the sad state of architecture business in So. Cal. 

I teach at a well ranked state university with $5500 a year tuition, after recent hikes! I was told by the chair of the dept. there were 2700 applications for 75 spots this year. This is how it is in the trenches of the economic downturn as it relates to architecture education. The students know it is not worth owing $150 thousand for a degree in architecture and there is no guarantee they will be able to work in the industry. Private schools with ever increasing operating costs are in a huge rush to fill those desks.

With that, I must admit that SCI-Arc is still one of the better schools if you can afford it.

^Ah, someone who's able to put it in perspective. :)

I have searched quite a bit and cannot find the acceptance rate for the M.Arch 1 program at SCI-Arc.  B-boy is right that the B.Arch acceptance rate is rather high, but let's take another look at it, shall we?  

SCI-Arc is a school offering only architecture.  How many 18 years olds do you know who 100% know they want to study architecture?  Of those, how many do you know who's parents will bank $30k a year for 5 years on their fickle child sticking with architecture?  Not too many.  Of the B.Arch students at SCI-Arc that I have met so far, most are older and just don't have a B.S. yet, which is why they are in the B.Arch vs. the M.Arch.  It's generally not a good idea to go to such a specialized school offering only one thing when you are straight out of high school and probably don't know what the heck you want to do with your life.  Thus the reason for only about 75 students applying to the B.Arch  program each year and a 70-80% acceptance rate FOR THE B.ARCH PROGRAM ONLY.

Find me the stats for the M.Arch program and then we can talk.  Because I guarantee more than 75 people from around the world are applying each year.

b-boy, my main purpose here is to expose you for the stiffo you are, and to drag you down with me. It has nothing to do with sci-arc, even though your opinions of it are misinformed, and stem from a lack of intelligence, curiosity, and a large stick up your butt. I agree with some of your items, but i think you pick the wrong fights. We can talk about it when you take me out on that date you promised.

SCI-Arc is also ranked #2 in the categories of design and computer applications for 2011 by Architectural Record.  http://archrecord.construction.com/features/Americas_Best_Architecture_Schools/2011/schools-2.asp