i use trig functions on a (fairly) regular basis. calculus, not so much. you'll get all you really *need* in the statics/structures courses in school, but it's HUGELY helpful to already have a facility with the basic concepts. 

You will need math through college algebra + trigonometry  and at least one semester in physics for architecture taking calculus would not hurt but you will only use a really small part of it in structures mostly just trig. at least do math through trig and a college physics is my advise 

i assume that trig and algebra are easier at the cc level, if you have to take it anyway than take it there.

trig is useful in structures, no reason for calculus in my experience

trig is also good when building physical models...

Thanks all.

So in other words, it'd be a bad move getting my AAS at a college that doesn't require trig or even college algebra...?

OR

Get the less complex AAS then take MAT151 & Trig and transfer to a B.Arch program?

Really appreciate all your input.

The ins and out of calculus aren't really that important- strangely in engineering as well.

You may need to know how to use a handful of equations, but what is important in calculus is learning how to visualize change. If given a handful of objects that are all moderately interrelated and i tweak the first one, conceptually understanding how the fourth and fifth ones will change as a result is a good thing to keep in your back pocket.

For example, if i change a facade from a curtain wall to brick assembly, it will also change: transparency, lightness, expression of an idea, thermal properties, internal lighting requirements... the list goes on. The core concept behind the two is the same, and that is what you should be getting out of those courses.

my student's are using trig this week to survey our site.

Trig and Analytic Geom. comes in handy for writing parametric expressions for families in Revit and other parametric programs - I really think that architecture students need to have a thorough working knowledge of geometry and trig is part of that. Calculus is great for spline based surfaces for calculation of continuity between two adjoining curved surfaces that must be continuous - otherwise, there will be a noticeable Boundary/Mach band where the two surfaces adjoin - but are not continuous. Trig is good for doing calculations involved with solar angular incident aspects of a design -from computing daylight, thermal gain and or loss and photovoltaic capacities.

And  it is necessary for Physics and Structures.

Math is good for your soul :)

Trig and calculus are used to size beams, columns, floor slabs, etc. in architecture, i.e., the "structures" classes Stephen Ward referred to above.  At the M. Arch. program that I attended, we used nothing more than basic algebra to do all that. 

So, I would contact the structures professors at the B. Arch programs you intend to apply to, and see what kind of classes would be beneficial for the way they teach structures there.

trig - v important.

calculus - not so much.

Trig and calculus are used to size beams, columns, floor slabs, etc. in architecture, i.e., the "structures" classes Stephen Ward referred to above.  At the M. Arch. program that I attended, we used nothing more than basic algebra to do all that.

When I have my engineer hat on, we don't typically use calculus to do any of those calculations- except in the most extreme of cases. 95% of it is algebra and trigonometry.

 I use calculus concepts far more when I am in architect mode- surface normal vectors, cross products, complex surface alignment. All of the intermediate to advanced 3D functions in grasshopper? Vector calculus and trigonometry based. Whether or not you realize it or not, all of the high-end 3d modeling is calculus based. And not the easy stuff, either.

They are very different, not sure why you are lumping them together.  Also, at least when I was in school, there was precalc too (between both), which was a full semester.

Take them at the easiest level you can, confirm credits will transfer.  Calculus is not needed.  

Token AE

I took a 3D graphics course  for Industrial designers course once - we wrote C# code with calculus equations to create Bezier Surfaces for car design - This knowledge is very useful when performing advanced conceptual design where you need to develop procedural algos to generate useful surfaces.

Agreed.

If you reference my above post, it looks like I may have benefitted from a few more English classes instead!

Token AE -

If you reference my above post, it looks like I may have benefitted from a few more English classes instead!

corrected to: (you instead of I, and  corrected a misspelled benefitted to benefited) and may have benefited to would have benefited.

corrected sentence:

if you reference my above post, it looks like you would have benefited from a few more English classes instead!

I am sure I am biased because I started off in engineering, but calculus is important if you want more than a surface level knowledge of structural calculations.  Most of the math you use is just algebra and trig, but much of it has been derived from calculus.  And just to reinforce what others are saying, if you are interested in scripting, the more math you know, the better.  At its core, scripting is pure math.  You can get by without much calculus knowledge, but it is just a class, why limit yourself?

Not one mention of statistics course? For real?

For instance: There are 32,542.5 unemployed architects applying for 5 positions listed on Archinect. How many ways are you fucked from Sunday?

a) Potato,

b) I'm moving to China!,

c) #occupyparkbench.