1. I have no idea how hard it is to get in, but if you don't try you won't know, right? So just give it your best if it's really the place you want to be.

2. You can work, but it's not easy and will take away from your overall experience. If you get roommates rent could be around $500 sometimes more, sometimes less. You're never home anyway so I wouldn't get all picky about your privacy.

3. You can live without a car, but then you probably can't have a job. You can find a place to live close to sciarc and walk to school. Motorcycle's are cool too, but you could even manage with a just a bicycle, some people do. Not having a car will save you a bunch, gas, insurance, parking, parking tickets, etc If you don't have a car, you will be happy if you have a roommate who does, then when they go to the grocery store you can ride along.

1. A former teacher (both my former teacher, and formerly a teacher at SCIArc) said it was really easy to get in to the undergrad program. Try it and find out.

2. If you feel the need to live in a $900 apartment, you're too fussy for SCIArc. Get a roomate or five.

3. Hopefully your newly roomate-filled situation allows you to keep your car.

everyone who applied (we were transfer students) from my old school got in to the undergraduate program. They are not picky at all but for transfer students the difficulty is in which studio you are placed into.

WHY is everyone so caught up on sci-arc?

Not to worry... not everyone is.

Thank you very much for all the replies. Rationalist et al- I am not at all against getting a roomate or several, in fact I would rather. $900/month was just looking at craisgslist.com etc, so I still have alot to find out.

Zeth- I am not caught up on SCI ARC. It just happens to be the first school I am realy into after researching all sorts of school around me (Ohio) and far away.

Thanks again everyone for all the replies, this is so helpful.

i was just curious since alot of people talk about sci-arc on archinect. what schools did you look at around you?

I dont know if you will know these but:
Columbus College of Art and Design
Kent State University
Ohio University
Ohio State University
Pittsburgh Art Institute (No Architecture, realy did NOT like)

I liked KSU and OSU but I dont want to go to a "traditional" college. I know it will be what I make of it but I am worried that it will too similar to the BS of high school.

I am looking at others to research as we speak.

try looking at IIT in Chicago or smaller art schools. New school of art and design. california college of the arts university minneapolis or maybe its minnesota. I also like rhode island institute of design and parsons.

Thank you very much. I am loving parsons and have been for a while, but it is $27k year, and housing and living expenses would, unfortunately, make pretty much and place in NYC unbearable.

get financial aid i think im at around 40,000 a year with housing so if you have financial aid cover housing its not that bad you caould find a studio in new york for around 625 or live with other people. the company that owns parsons also owns rhode island and California college of the arts

1. I don't know about undergrad, but if its like the grad program then its somewhat selective. About 25-30% of applicants get admitted and about 30% of those accept. Without knowing what classes you have taken it's hard to know your chances. For schools like SCIarc and Parsons, I would emphsize your creative talents. Avoid anything from drafting or CADD classes. That is not architecture. Instead, show things from art classes: drawing, sculpture, photography...etc. Essentially, you want to showcase your potential for critical thought. This includes making the actual portfolio a design piece.

2. I also think working while in studio is very difficult. Architecture is a very demanding discipline. The work load is much higher than your average major. I would suggest that you plan your finances around not having to work.

3. I'm going to LA for grad school this fall and won't be taking my car. I will be living with 3 other people though and very close to campus so I'll be able to manage.

It's a tough call. What are your top priorites? If your worried about cost, then LA and NY might be out of the picture. Staying in-state would dramatically reduce your debt for undergrad.

I went to OSU for my undergrad and it didn't hurt my options for grad school at all. You can e-mail me if you have any questions about their program.

Not sure what the current requirements for non-arch related classes at sci-arc are, but keep in mind that it's a specialized school - NOT strong at all in liberal arts, science, history, etc. You will most likely have to take classes at other schools to fulfill all the requirements. Most of the people I know who went to sci-arc undergrad transferred after 2 years of taking core classes at another school, such as a traditional university or art school. I did an undergrad and grad degree in something else before doing a masters in architecture, so I don't know what it's like to go straight into architecture school, but for me it was very valuable to have taken a wide variety of classes (film, history, physics, foreign language) before deciding what to do with my skills and desires. There is also much to be said for access to a proper campus, with good libraries, a gym, health clinic, etc. Before you decide I would look into possibly attending a state school for 2 years (which will also save you some $$) and then transferring...

zeth01 -

The company that owns Parsons also RISD and CCA??? What company is this? Best I can tell, they're all separate educational institutions. . .

Oops. . . Insert an "owns" between "also" and "RISD".

Hi Danny,
I'd recommend attending their pre-college program this summer...I'm not sure if it is too late to attend. Most arch schools have it but since you are particularly interested in SCI-ARC, attend theirs.
From when I first looked at the school(6yrs.ago), you had to take all core classes at a community college or university, including physics and calculus.
I think some kids take classes at a jc concurrently, but that sounds extra difficult and time consuming. So, I believe most transfer in.

These are some schools I was really interested in at the time:
Cooper Union, Cal Poly SLO, Architectural Association, Auburn University, University of Virginia

Lastly, ITS CALIFORNIA, you NEED a CAR! Public transportation is horrible and sometimes you just need to get someplace in a hurry. Anyone who posts otherwise has to be from out of state.

JdesP: I live in california, you don't NEED a car, but it does make your life a hell of a lot easier. I know a lot of people here at sci-arc that exist perfectly fine without and car and some of them prefer it.

You can take your ge classes over the summers and sci-arc does offer some every now and then...

you should factor in the fact that sciarc might not have a building soon.

im not sure who owns it exactly. im sure that its like alot of private schools... they were at one time owned individually but then as time went on got bought out by some corporation or something... i dont know much i have only heard bits and pieces of who the actual owners are... i tried looking it up but came up with nothing but the school i went to in chicago was the same way and if i search for the owners of that school i come up with nothing too. so who knows

sciarc has a building, and will have one for the immediate future.

Go to SCI_Arc. Better Faculty, Better Facilites(CNC, Lasser cutting, 3D printing..ect) and Technology to "play with". You will have a better sex life at other schools though.

i miss my sex life, damn sci arc...

Hey thanks for the replies... I have alot to think about. I am realy happy I found this forum because there is no other place I could get information about my future sex life at any given college- something that is important to factor in.

If you arew concerned with getting into sci-arc you should consider taking some design courses at Pasadena city college they have a great articulation agreement and everyone who finishes their 2 year program is almost gaurranteed 3rd year placement at sciarc

Didnt SCIARC just lose almost half of its faculty to UCLA and USC and ART CENTER? I think i was told most of the better faculty left recently and theyve just starting taking in bodies off the street to fill teachier spots right now.. maybe you should be applying to teach there instead of going to school there.

SCI_Arc has not lost half it's faculty. Don't believe the hype.

I will admit there are a few leaving but you don't need to exaggerate.

Isn't anyone concerned about the SCI-arc situation?
Will they even have a campus for Danny when he's a senior?

Something I might think about considering when applying there. I just know that most schools won't be losing their lease on their building anytime soon.

SCI_Arc has a nineteen year lease on the property as of three of four years ago, so Danny is assured a place in the freight depot for his five years.

did you look at the University of Cincinnati???

LA is a hellhole. that is all i have to say about that part of the world.

what an enlightened and open minded generalization

my thoughts exactly.

So many LA & Sci Arc haters. I thought we were trying to do away with ignorance and profiling.

Danny,
2) work/study grants about $3000 per semester. i think that works out best for a lot of people

3) if you have to get supplies, not having a car will be tough. but i know of a few people who got motorcycles.

*rent: a few people manage to get rent down to ~500/mo by sharing loft spaces.
*the school does not have some amenities like health insurance, which you have to find on your own - - $50 (emergency and accident) to $350/month

good luck.

Danny,

Go to SCI-Arc. If you hate it you can transfer to UCLA or USC or CALPOLY. As for the LA H8ers- You have to live here for at least five years to say you hate it. LA is the most misunderstood city in the world. Right now it is experiencing a building boom that is due to re-shape things on both an architectural and urban planning scale. You could be part of it.

Pomo- I don't think UCLA has an undergrad program in the first place, it is very difficult to transfer into USC's Arch program, and Calpoly takes LA out of the equation entirely!

If you want to go somewhere, go there. Don't go there already thinking about transferring.

Danny, what costs are you hoping to avert by ditching your car? Insuring an 18 year old on a motorcycle is going to cost an arm and a leg. Sure the gas mileage and parking situations might be better, but there are benefits to a car, too (conditioned space, storage, ability to carry materials, ability to carry more than 1 guest at a time). I'd rethink that one.

.mm

r.a. rudolph is totally correct - i went to sci-arc undergrad and, like she suggested, transferred there after doing two years of core "general education" at a state school. i got about half my tuition covered with scholarships and grants, then borrowed the remainder.

you can definitely find an apartment that is cheaper than $900. you might not like the neighborhood, but if cost is an issue then you suck it up. i lived in a $500 per month apartment in culver city for a while befor efinding something better in venice for about $800. granted, that was the mid 1990's...

you definitely need a car. public transportation in la sucks. it will take you hours to get anywhere via bus. motorcycle and bicycle transportation in la is a bit dicey as well due to the crazy / shitty drivers out there (i was one of those shitty drivers that never saw motorcyclists till the last second).

it is selective, but admissions has an interview component as well, so sometimes an undercooked portfolio is trumped by a good attitude, a desire to learn, and ability to contribute to the community.

it is a great school despite the worries, but not for everyone. it is best to visit and see for yourself.

Ive actually been told from a few faculty from SCIARC that their admissions isnt very strict at all and they tend to let in around 60-70% in part because they have no endowment and need to meet a certain $$$ amount in tuition to pay bills and payroll.

A general question about LA...

How the hell can I get a social security number and a damn liscence in California if i'm an international student?

Previously, I went to the fuking social security office twice and expected a SSN back within a months time, both times. NADA. Basically, the adminstration people told me to fuk off and go bother the elusive "sacremento" office.

Is there some easy way to get a liscence in LA so that I can buy a damn car? (without having to apply for a job).

THX!

Hotsies: Are you referring to the undergrad or grad program?

quit being a h8er hotsies!

nappy:-

By california law, as a non citizen you are only entitled to a social security number if you are working and earning money. What you need to do is go to the social security office and ask them for a letter that states that they will not give you a number and that you do not need one for a driver's license, you then take the letter back to the dmv and hopefully you get someone with a brain. This law was enacted only a couple of years ago and not all dmv offices/ss offices are up to speed with it.

I ran into this problem myself, I only got it worked out when I called the DMV headoffice in Sacramento and got to speak to someone with more than two braincells. I swear the whole thing nearly drove me nuts, especially after the silly person at ss looked at the wrong visa in my passport, and then threw it back at me accusing me of being in the country ilegally.

Unless they've changed the laws again you are up for a bit of a hassle, well you're probably up for a hassle whatever you do. Both the dmv and social security are a nightmare.

Oh, and what you might want to do is get some sort of work study job at sciarc, because then you are required to get a ss number and the ss office has to give you one.

sorry to intervene you guys, but i was not able to find a thread that answered all my questions about sci-arc.

i`m planning to apply to sci arc for fall 2006. i intend to do m-arch2.
i `ll be glad if any of you ex grad/ grad cud help me out with the few questions i have about the school in general.

my questions are more geared towards the academics and other issues concerning LA and expenses w.r.t living, food, commutation, etc etc and ofcourse the oppurtunities in LA for an international student.

i already got my admit at another state school to attend for this fall. but, i have deferred my admit to the spring 2005 due to circumstances.
is it possible to apply to sci arc as a graduate transfer student? i wud have done my first sem at the state school (spring) if i were to apply. coming from india, my case is such and my knowledge about private architecture schools in america was limited when i applied.
i`ve completed my b-arch (5years).

but its to make myself feel confident about applying to the right program (i know academically its awesome, but at the same time i need to make sure i would be able to afford it). i need to know a little about the oppurtunities for non americans after graduation. i don`t know how different LA is as far as licensing, jobs and inetrnships and other issues are concerned for international students.

as you see my questions are not orderly i would like you to reply in the same fashion, tell me anything that comes to your mind.

any m-arch 2 international students out there?

Nappy. Im not sure. I didnt ask which program, I would presume undergraduate studies? However, I dont know.

hotsies- I've heard the same about undergrad admission, from former professors there. They said they'd take almost anyone, but didn't teach to the lowest common denominator, so you either sink or you swim with it.

I ve seen some of the undergrad work, and thought it was pretty good, so you are most likely correct.

can anyone recomend the best undergrad proff. to take at sciarc for the 2A undergrad course? im starting in september and want to get the most out of the experience

you don't get to choose your professor for 2A...