Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
University of Southern California (USC)
Tulane University
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Temple University
University of Oregon
Cranbrook Academy of Art
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
Kansas State University
Transfer to Yale?
(Before I begin- I've already searched the archives but would like more specific input if anyone has any comments on the topic.)
Is there anyone out there in archinect who is (or who knows of) a student who's transferred into Yale's 3 year M.Arch program? I'm strongly considering applying to transfer from my program (a 3 year M.Arch at a state university). The obvious, technical questions about transfer of credits, advanced placement, etc, I figure I can handle through discussions with the Admin staff. I'm more curious to hear how students have fared in the past after joining up with a group that's been together for a year, gone through the building project, etc? Do the transfer students repeat the first year, or have they joined the students in their 2nd year? If so, can anyone speak to how they fared? (e.g. were they behind/on par with their capabilities in class, out of class, did they feel a bit isolated/behind for having missed that first year? did they get the jokes?).
I'll be up front- I applied to Yale (and Princeton) on my first go around, and was dinged and the feedback indicated that my portfolio was the weak link. I've got a masters degree in urban planning and an undergrad degree in philosophy, politics and economics - and both my undergrad and grad experiences were in intense, energetic, highly-charged academic environments.
I enjoy the faculty at my current program, but the classroom atmosphere is a bit tepid, and at best one could say that the other students dont share the same passion for architecture as I do (or think I do?). I squirm as I type that- because it recalls to mind this:
http://www.despair.com/pretension.html (which certainly isnt the case).
Anyways- as a consequence, depsite having plenty of work to do (volume-wise) I dont feel as if it is an environment where I am challenged (depth-wise in thought).
To be sure, I know that graduate school is entirely what you make of it and that its up to me to use my time & access to resources as a student, to carve out as educational an experience as I can. However, I feel like that value of my 30,000k tuition (out of state) isnt providing the value of what is perceived to be a more stimulating environment at Yale.
(Oh and to anticipate the question as to why I'm only considering Yale for my transfer: I am particularly attracted to the diversity of perspectives represented in the Yale faculty...That, and, I'm been reading a lot of Scully lately).
I appreciate any feedback or general advice anyone has to offer. If there are any specific students who have transferred, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
There was a student who tried to transfer in to the 2nd year program this year, he even showed up on the first day of classes and signed up for the studio lottery....I don't know what the details are but he isn't here now, I would throughly check with the YSOA Administration and find out 1. if it is even possible, and 2. if it is, what are the steps, are you competing with every other applicant to the school that year or is it something different? I do know that this years first year class is 59 students which is quite large. I'm not sure if they will want to make it any larger next year....sorry if my imput seems negative...
Tagalong-
No worries. That's exactly the info I'm looking for (that is, any info on whether its possible, issues with this year's class size, etc). It very well may not be possible - but i'd like to get as much info about the situation before letting go of the possibility.
Thanks for your input.
are students who successfulyl transfer. I have known at least three to four people to do so. email marylin weiss at the admissions office
In most years there are no transfers. They take them only when the 2nd year class is especially small - because of people dropping out, leaves of absence, or smaller than normal acceptance of admissions offers in the previous year. In the alumni letters that come out once or twice a year they usually list the numbers of applicants for each program and how many were accepted. The few times they've taken any transfers in recent years the letter has usually said something like "2 transfers were admitted from 112 applications". The only transfers I recall when I was there (of which there were only 2 over the course of 3 years) were from other Ivies. .
i know there is a guy in first year right now who went to sci-arc for a year and didn't get any advanced placement...and sci-arc isn't exactly a light-weight.
There were no transfers at all in the three years I was there, but reportedly there were a few a couple years later because there were some spaces open due to an unusually low enrollment in one particular year.
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