hey im also a rising senior who will be majoring in architecture.

currently i am attending the 6 week summer architecture program at Cornell. the program is amazing and confirms my desire to major in architecture. the program is very abstract...i believe cornell is more theory and conceptual based. like any other ivy, cornell is expensive. they have a low acceptance rate but the amount of students they accept is higher than a lot of the arch schools i know. test grades are important, but the portfolio is the deciding factor.

architecture students don't really have social lives. at this moment, i spend most of my time in studio. my friends complain how little time i get spending time with them. nevertheless, living in the studio is an unique and awesome experience.

i don't think skill is a vital factor in what colleges look for in your portfolio. however, you should prove that you have sketching and creative talent. i've talked to some of my arch friends who have looked at the portfolios for cornell undergrad admission . they say the portfolios are incredbile and look very professional.

good luck!

there are some very good schools that don't even require a portfolio...uva and wash u for example...but they are 4 + 2

I am also in the same grade and looking at schools. I was looking at more "art" centered schools, but the ones you have named (from what ive read here) for the most part at least, are well regarded. You are clearly a solid student, as that is a good SAT Score.

Regarding social life. It probably will depend on what scene your into. Personally, I would rather see a shitty band than go to a frat party. I think it depends on where you go and who you meet/ hang out with too. Most of the schools that are in big scities are going to have more to do, but alot of events probably wont be associated with your school or attended soley by fellow clasemates. In contrast, the more "traditional" schools with well defined campuses etc are going to be alot more insulating.

Especially if you are already in NYC ( I wish I was!), look at Parsons + Pratt. Both are awesome schools, but are pretty expensive.

The best IMO place to find info about cost+ admissions is collegeboard.com. The other info like social life and a schools arch. program are easiy answered here. Ive been searching here for awhile and have found so much info.

I wouldn't worry about your portfolio yet. Make a list of your top few schools and see if they even require one for admissions. If they do, just follow the requirements. All the projects that they expect to see (still life drawing, scale drawing etc) are realy easy to do at home. I think that they would be excited to see any arch. work for undergrad admissions- especially if you document your design process from sketch to rendering or model.

I know I wrote a shitload, I hope it is helpful in some way.

well, Cornell, RISD, and Cooper Union from your original list are clearly the schools to shoot for, and there is a significant gap in reputation between these and the rest of the schools on your list. Keep in mind also that some BArch programs (such as Drexel's) are a 4+2 rather than a 5-year --- so it may be worth (re)considering how much of an advantage that is over a BA/MArch 4+2 (or even 4+3) track.

I'd narrow it to the 3 I mentioned plus maybe Buffalo and Syracuse as fall backs.

my point of view....risd and cooper tend to really focus on the artistic nature of design. so if your into art more than architecture i would go there. all schools will look for general creativity in your portfolio, they want to teach you architecture so they wont care if you have "architectural" projects in your portfolio. but youll need a damn good portfolio of artwork to get into cooper or risd, but not as high of grades. i wouldnt rule out pratt or parsons. from my experience there are two ways into cornell. 1. have an amazing portfolio with great work. or 2. have really good grades/SAT scores, excel at some sport/activity, and write engaging essays. its a great school but the architecture administration/professors are not united and things are a bit chaotic there right now. when i was lookin i was told there would be a new studio building and i graduated without even seeing a set of construction documents let alone any construction, dont believe the hype. its a great school and i am glad i went there but difficult to get in b/c you compete with kids from all over the world. if you want to go there you need to have a passion for architecture not just want to be an architect. that holds true for most places. as for social scenes its true that in general architects dont have social lives, but your life is what you make it and you can get what you want out of any school. if youre from nyc then buffalo, ithaca, syracuse, and even rpi are far from cities so itll be a shock not to mention the bitter cold and brutal snow. Unless you like the outdoors i would say stay in the city. also, keep in mind that if you go to school in nyc then getting a job/internship in nyc will likely be easier. this is a big thing not to be taken lightly. professors in nyc schools usually have firms in new york or know people who do and this network of connections is key to getting a job. so unless youre looking for a change of pace/scenery go to school in nyc. if by social you mean beer pong, football/basketball games, and average kids from the suburbs then go to syracuse or penn st. those two schools are the only places to get that type of environment. as for rpi, troy is a dump and albany is not a city, so unless you really like computers or they give you a lot of money i wouldnt suggest it, and i am from albany. go visit all of them ask questions, talk to kids in the studios, and ask professors about what is being taught and how its being taught. i would really try to make the choice until you know where you get in.

If you want to live somewhere else than the northeast then Rice is an excellent choice as well. They are very supportive of students and helping them pay for college. Other good schools closer to the northeast are Ohio St. and U of Cincinatti.
Regardless of any university you go to, it will be very tough, but it will be easy to tell early on whether it is something you want to continue on with.

bump

i am currently a fifth year b.arch at syracuse. the school is currently going through a transition with a new dean (mark robbins is very highly regarded among architecture circles) and a renovation to the school. with the new dean, came a lot of young and talented faculty which complements well to the existing and more traditional professors that have been at the school for 10-20 years. the school's emphasis borders between concept and buildability: you can come up with a brilliant and hyper theoretical structure but you still have to be able to make it work. the school also emphasizes the importance of history and precedent, which i appreciate very much. you will get to know corb and mies very very very well. syracuse also has a great study abroad program in florence, italy. i just came back after two semesters there. it's a great program. we had students from UVA, Tulane, and Parsons in our studios. anyway...let me know if you have any questions

good luck on your search.

No one has mentioned it, but Syracuse University has a great architecture program, ranked third in the nation last year. I am going into my thesis year and have been nothing but happy with my choice. The professors are all very well versed and we just recently got a new dean who is doing some great things for the future. The only problem I see with the school is the weather, although I hardly see outside what with all the time I spend in the studio. I wouldnt worry so much about that though as the people at syracuse in general are a good group, I have enjoyed it immensely along the way. In regards to admissions, I personally got into the school itself first, spent a year as an undecided liberal arts major, got a lot of outside electives taken care of then transfered into the school of architecture. Hope this helps you, let me know if you have any questions.

One other thing I forgot to mention, about the portfolio...they arent really interested in architectural work (thats what you are there for) they mainly just want to see your artistic (representational) talent, and that you are actually interested. I wouldnt fret too much over the portfolio, just make sure to make a good impression in the interview.

you won't be making a bad choice if you attend many of the schools mentioned about: cornell, syracuse, cooper, risd, rice... and, with the exception of cooper, i would suggest that the differences are really nuanced. at a place like cornell or rice, your architectural training would be in the context of an incredible university. syracuse...there are three or four really great schools within the university.
i graduated from syracuse five years ago, and it has served me well. i've never been unemployed, and i was accepted into literally every ivy league graduate program (except cornell which i did not apply to). my class had very few average suburbanites (as was implied above). but, cornellians are typically slanderous of syracuse.
but, on the whole, i would seriously consider not attending a professional undergraduate architecture program. what's the rush? study something related at a good university- it will make you a better architect in the long run.
oh, and if you do go to a 5-year, ignore those crazy rankings. they're just weird.

I must agree with the comment about rankings, I just thought I would throw it in to give some cred to what I was saying (although they really do make no sense at all).

ice9 did u graduated from 'cuse in year 2000, if so.. we are from the same class.. : )

I got my Barch from Cornell - had an amazing time. loved it. I highly recommend it if you get a chance. Otherwise, your list is pretty solid. Syracuse is like Cornell Jr (ha - take that!). RISD and Cooper are both unique and special learning environments. I'd go visit the schools and see if you can get a feel for them. They all have different vibes. Cornell's more ivy, while RISD's more artsy ... etc.

If finance is a issue take a serious look at SUNY Buffalo. The program is run by Kent Kleinmann and Mehrdad Hadighi - both of whom are phenomenal teachers. They have some very talented and committed younger faculty there as well.

The 5 year Barch is a dying institution, but if you are committed to being an architect at your age, then I would definitely recommend it. It's the best way to learn architecture.

Also - remember - 5yrs in upstate NY is a long long time. Make sure any upstate school you go to has some travelling studios or a Rome program. You're going to want a break at from the long, grey winters at some point!

Syracuse, Cornell Jr. Bullshit...I was down there last semester for their final reviews and could not believe the absolute drivel they were spitting out. Ohh and by the way, the 'cuse's florence program is amazing, just finished it up and absolutely loved it.

i'm currently attending the architecture summer program at cornell and i absolutely love everything in it.

A note about Drexel: It's a B.Arch. program, not a 4+2 as mentioned earlier. However...

It's set up so that students work full-time during the day and take their classes in the evenings, which has its pros and cons.

Pros: You're working full-time and Drexel's tuition is surprisingly affordable for evening students, so you'll be able to actually pay your bills while in school and not have a mountain of debt upon graduation. As such, the program tends to attract older, non-traditional students who (IMO) bring a lot of knowledge to the program. Professors also tend to be practicing architects, so you can be confident that your education is solidly grounded in reality. Philadelphia is also a very cool city despite its reputation, and UPenn is nearby.

Cons: Working full-time and going to school in the evenings can suck the life force right out of you, and will lead to a fast burn-out if you're not careful. It's a very intense, fast-paced program, especially given that Drexel operates on a quarter system; miss one studio and you'll be lost the rest of the quarter. Drexel is also more technical-oriented, so if you're looking for artsy theoretical stuff, you're better off elsewhere. Also, there is no dedicated studio space for the evening program, so there's no "studio culture" like you'll find in a more traditional school. Finally, because it's a part-time program, what is normally a 5-year B.Arch. program at most schools is stretched out to seven years. (The upside is that most students can fulfill IDP requirements while they're in school and take the ARE right after graduation, so I guess it's a wash.)

Hope this helps...