I went straight through.

That was a very stupid thing to do... For me at least. It actually made my grad degree much much harder, I think.

graduated in 2002, and will begin in this fall (2005). In the downtime I did entered some competitions, played a lot of music, made some art, and worked at a pretty so so job. I was not wanting to do it right away . . . I needed a break. But not my brain is screaming for it!

12 years.

ok, I hear you guys. I guess I didn't think about *why* this was an issue for me until I read your responses (esp. j's). I *don't* have anywhere to go. I have no home base, so to speak. My parents moved out of the country while I was in school, and I guess I'm concerned that if I wait too long, I'll still be living like a student when I'm thirty because I'll still be in 'entry level' jobs, having just come out of school, again.

So for those of you who went back to school later on- after you were done with grad school, were you still being offered 'entry level' positions, or something better? I guess I'm kind of worried that I'd be taking a step back, career wise. Was that the case for any of you, or am I worrying over nothing?

worked as architect for 3+ years in Japan before heading back. Best choice i ever made. the experience and maturity of design made school much better as experience.

then again i had no choice but to return, as my school's professional degree is only awarded through MArch.

14 years--- I have worked since graduating in 1991 and am just now getting ready to apply.

1 year. if i had to do over, would have waited 3 or 4 years. mostly because of the maturity factors, both work and personally.

didn't wait anything. i started my masters right at the same time as my final project to get the graduation. this is 'supposed' not to be possible, but i was given that opportunity, and by the time i graduated i also got my masters. 2 in 1.

worked in one small office for 2 years in between BA Arch & MArch so I was given quite a bit of responsibility.
the advantage is that I had decent experience when graduating with a MArch so I wasn't starting at the bottom with BIG student loans...

I went straight through 3 degrees in 8 years. But: I'd had another career prior to my first degree, so I was older than my undergrad classmates in the first place and had a certain amount of experience. Then I worked in architecture firms (and a bunch of other jobs) all through college and grad school so I wasn't short on real-world experience.
I never felt that I was at a disadvantage experience-wise by taking this route, but it was one hell of a long haul and I wouldn't do it over again the same way. Though these days (8 years out of school) I'm thinking about going back to school again....

Took me a while to get into undergrad, so I went straight on to grad school right after. No regrets (besides taking so long to get my shit together and get into undergrad).

I just finished undergrad, taking a year off to work on portfolio, travel etc. undergrad was hell. HELL

Worked for four years after undergrad and applying to grad school now. The work experience has helped me immensely, I have learned a lot and I am pretty sure it will help me in my graduate studies as well.

I took two years...worked one traveled one...Get some feel of what work is like then get bored at it and start travelling you'll learn more by traveling....then go back to school it will give you a more refreshing view and you'll enjoy your grad....after that you you can hit the road in whichever city you liked the most get your license and open your own thing...whatever that might be....My personal opinion....

rationalist - not sure if you're still checking this thread since its been a year since you posted. but i was wondering whether you've decided on anything? I graduated in 2003 but thinking about applying for grad school for next year. I'll be 27 if I start then.

12 years.

took 7 years off then went back...now taking a year off during to go back to work to make some money-no problem finding jobs or getting paid...architecture doesn't pay as much as what I used to do, but they did compensate me for the experience I had-I know I made a lot more than other co-ops because of my experience.

I graduated in 2002 and have been working since then. I plan on applying this Fall to enter grad school in the Fall of '07, but to clarify, I have a BArch professional degree, so I am going back to get a post-professional degree. I'll be 28 when I enter school again. It's a different situation I think. I have started to establish myself as a project manager here and I am going back to school because I really feel like I need to learn more in order to be a bigger contributor to the profession. Plus I'd like to teach and I need a Master's degree to do so. The biggest obstacle is going to be convincing my bosses - and clients - that this is the right thing to do for me. I'm not sure that they will get that so I'm hoping I don't burn any bridges.

(3 UC student responses in a row..hrm)
Your question is going to get responses all over the place. Myself, I entered graduate school immediately after my undergrad. But why I did it isn't as important. Why you should is unique to your situation only.

A. Most people who say they will go back later, DON'T, plain and simple. It is more common now since B.Arch degrees are dissapearing and many go back for their M.Arch to get licensed. But it's still not that common. Reasons why people don't go back include issues such as losing clients, well developed job positions, and the initiative to give up an adult's life and pay. All of that isn't gauranteed when you come back to the working world.

B. Grad school can be tougher if you don't have work experience first. Then again if you go straight from undergrad, you're still in your academic mentality and the transition may not be as difficult. I got by just fine my first year in grad school. Keep in mind it's all research anyways, so if you don't know it, you research it.

C. Timing! You'll get into better schools for cheaper when the market's good (no one wants to leave the working world for school when you can make money). But it's tougher when the market's down (not making money? Go back to school...except everyone has that idea). The trick is to go back right before the market slows down...which is expected to happen soon.

D. Do you need to go back? Do you want to teach? Do you need the degree to get licensed? Do you really need to get licensed? Will you make more money/better opportunities with the degree? Do you just need and desire more schooling?

Besides the money/licensing issue with me (I want to be licensed before the age of 30) I love school and academia. It's a much more pleasant experience than the workplace. And until I find out where I will spend my working days in a way that makes me happy and fulfills my life, I'll keep on expanding my knowledge through school (I'm not ok with putting in 10 years as a CAD monkey, hating my job).

For those that waited 7+ years, did you find it alienating to be years older than most of your peers, and almost the same age as some of your professors? Or is the academic environment not so discriminating towards age and maturity? I imagine it would create a healthy environment, to have students of varying degrees of maturity. I myself am applying this fall, having waited only 2+ years after B.Arch '04.

I have a B.Arch degree, worked for 2 years, then went back to school.

Like someone above said, everyone's situation is different though. I thought that I hated my job, but really, I just hated working. All day everyday, same monotonous AutoCAD draftsperson stuff right when you get out of school was just mind-numbing for me. So I started bartending 1 night a week, then 2 nights a week, then 3 nights a week.... quickly I was making just as much bartending 3 nights a week as I was working full time 40+ hours without the benefits of hot women and alcohol.

So evenutally I became somewhat of an alcoholic, getting pretty lit 5-6 days a week, coming into work late and knew I had to change my situation, so I applied to a couple of grad schools on a whim and forgot about it...

Months later, I had the WORST day of work, it was a Friday.... I went out and got drunk, came home and received an acceptance letter to grad school and a Visa gold card. I put in my two weeks notice on Monday, and three weeks later my stuff was in storage and I was on a plane to europe. I travelled all of Europe until the Gold Card stopped working then started grad school in the fall, more focused than ever.

So i say all that to say, the 2 years has a lot less to do with some magical time period of experience gained after undergrad, as much as I badly needed a change of scenery for my own mental / emotional / physical / spiritual health. Grad school was the convenient option for me... Plus when i started working again i was making $10,000 more than I was before the M.arch.

bartending eh....that's an idea.

If you get in the right spot, its ridiculous. I worked with guys who bartended all summer, then spent their winters bartending in the Carribbean islands, Mexico, Abu Dabi (sp?), somewhere warm / exotic with women. I really hit a crossroads when i was asked to manage a bar in the Grand Caymans to help him get it off the ground and running.

for some reason, I opted for late night model building and frustrating computer crashes while learning the latest obsolete 3D modeling program...

rationalist, I hope you're taking note...bartending = good, architecture = bad...

yeah...my favorite local bartender makes more than twice as much money as i do and i'm expected to tip him...fuck

nah, actually he's a cool guy & has hooked me up with many free drinks...but still...makes you wonder sometimes

man... it's been so long, I forgot that it was me who started this thread!!! Plans have changed a lot in the past year.... I have decided to apply to grad school for Fall 2007 entry, for an MFA Graphic Design. I've definitely learned the architecture=bad part of that lesson, SBD. If I get a good deal financially, I'll travel for the month prior to starting.

rationalist... i will note, as a licensed architect, it was a long haul, but I love every minute of it and in the long run feel like a year of grad school to benefit my future was more valuable than a year of promiscuous alcoholism and sex with ..... oh nevermind... I can't even say it..

That's the problem... I'm not loving it. I need a change.

kasa-no problem-my class was a good mix of all ages

superbeatle- do I know you?

I think we've been opposite terms since Winter Quarter. Are you back this Fall? I do know Tim.

have I met you before? Anyway-no I am not back_I am actually transferring schools-to UT Austin. no offense to UC but my husband is in TX and couldn't move to Cincy. I finished at UC in the spring quarter.

I'm actually planning on doing precisely the same thing as WonderK for precisely the same reasons. There are only two things I am concerned about: I do want to have kids at some point post Masters' and unfortunately as a woman have to think about how to plan that biologically, and secondly, I'm not relishing the thought of living dead broke for another long period of time (I'm still in that "period" now and have been three years out of college.)

As for age of my peers in school, I honestly couldn't care less. I love mingling with randomly aged persons. Witness archinect. And as for reasons why, well, I still have stuff I want to learn about design, and i want to teach eventually. It will be post-prof for me as well. I do enjoy the working world, however, and love my job. I think it will very positively impact a further design education for me to have had this working experience first.

i like being a "randomly aged person".

i graduated from undergrad on saturday and started grad school on monday. no kidding. in another state and everything. im glad i did it that way though.

id say get it over with. i feel like i got lucky to get done before i had to worry about being a broke student too much...or at least i was already used to it and i didnt have husband / kids to worry about

but i was the youngest in my class. lots of people a few years out of school...

Since I waited 6+ years post undergrad to do the grad school thang- some thoughts:

You get to feel younger then you are when you hang out with 20somethings- ahhh the smell of youth!

paying off the massive debt is easier when your earn $$$ from experience and not the crap they pay when you have no experience- the debt is the same either way.

heres to being a randomly aged person!