Sorry to hear things aren't working out at UCLA... I've always had a good impression of the program, but I guess things are different when you're actually in the trenches.
Three quarters of a 4-quarter program under the same instructor is absurd. I'd suggest putting your concerns in writing, and address them to the highest levels of the school's administration. It might not help your immediate situation, but maybe it will help make some future changes to the lottery system.
I'm very sorry for your troubles, tumbles. I had heard of similar problems with undergrad programs at fUCLA, but had assumed it would be different for grad school. After all, in undergrad you're one of thousands at the university, hundreds in a program... it's impersonal by definition. But in grad school part of your whole admission is 'fit' and whether you want to learn what (a sometimes very specific)they have to teach, so it only makes sense that an offer of admission is in some way an agreement to accomodate that. If they don't plan on accomodating the things you state as being important to you during the admissions process, they should just reject you.
tumbles- i heard similar issues ten years ago under the previous regime from a good friend. sorry that UCLA never changed. taking a semester/year off may be a good choice as it will give you better selection next round. it's not like you're in a race with mdler to get licensed (or are you?)
Hey guys. Just checking in. rfuller's not dead. At least not yet. I ended up taking a job working for the builder as an electrician's assistant/trim carpenter/finish out guy/the guy on the site who can speak enough spanish to tell the rock layers they put a column in the wrong place. I may take the second job at our model shop, too. We'll see how the first week or two of school goes.
You guys should all buy stock in whoever makes 5 Hour Energy. I'm gonna be using that stuff like a mad man this semester.
Hopefully I can have a little time to get caught up on reading all this stuff tomorrow after my first class of grad school. After I get out of class on Friday I've gotta head back to a jobsite 4 hours away so I can be at work on saturday morning at 7.
i guess the new semesters are starting in archi schools and us old timers must bear the questions like who did the white plasticy building? who did those apartments? who was who inside the kitchen? why i want you to remind me what to say to my mom? etc.
should there be a thread like "gather your research questions aqui" ?
@ tumbles... That completely sucks. Sorry to hear that your experience has been such a disappointment. My second degree was sort of a disappointment too, but I made the best of it. Fortunately I had one really good instructor/professor that I learned a lot through. He's the one I actually credit for most of my knowledge.
@TK - Fortunately they are not trying to go LEED. They just want to make sure it's Earth friendly. This to me is a good sign as it means the sustainability is more important than the designation. We'll see. I'm quite excited and am keeping my fingers crossed that they mean what they say. Only time will tell.
Better run before the sky opens up and the downpour begins.
tumbles, I am distraught on your behalf. If I were in your position I would seriously consider taking a quarter off and trying again next time. I know you are in debt, are you really willing to spend that much money to have the same instructor over and over again? The program is only a year....don't you want that year to be the most productive experience possible? Especially if you really want this person....who are they to tell you that "whoops, sorry because of this stupid lottery system you can't get the one professor you've been trying to work with for ages". That's bollocks. And maybe I'm too persistent but I wouldn't stand for it, and you have to show them that you're serious, and maybe it means walking away and causing a stink in the process. It's your money, and your time they are screwing over.
It's not like there aren't jobs out here. I will email you. Grrr.
Tumbles' situation and Tuna's comment has me wondering if anyone else here regrets going for a second degree, especially if they already had a first professional degree?
you dont even want to be an architect...I would take some time off and do something that you are going to enjoy. Life is too short to waste (I need to take my own advice)
i took time off in the middle of undergrad, for a few years. not for a cool reason like UCLA sucks, but just to earn enough money to stay in school (which is ironic). it was actually a great decision, cuz when i got back the program had improved, the old teachers had all retired for young intersting folks, and i could pay for everything in cash. at the time only the last point mattered to me, but now it is the others that stick in my head. sometimes a break is a good thing. it is a hard thing to do though. hope you DO look back on things fondly, if not with satisfaction, someday in the sunny future, tumbles.
Tumbles, I'm feeling some disappointment with my grad school too. I'm stuck in a studio with a prof who has a decent rep, but the class is going to mexico next week and I can't afford to join them. We'll find out how much of a problem this is going to be tomorrow afternoon.
I also couldn't get into a class that I need that's only offered in the spring, putting me off for a year possibly. Every part of me wants to just say screw it and get my money back while I still can.
I'll stick it out, but I sure wish I could enjoy this as much as I enjoyed undergrad. Best of luck to you.
I just wanted to say thank you. Last year to the day, I had my siezure dislocating both my shoulders and began 4 months of recovery. During my recovery archinect became my haven, and my post count jump from the hundreds to the mid thousands almost overnight. In the process I made some fantastic friends like Wonder K, Vado Retro (10k congrats), Liberty bell, Steven Ward, Tumbles, mdler, Treekiller, rfuller, Sarah Hamilton, n__, beta v.4, Living in Gin, Rationalist, and a host of people who keep changing their names
ugggh, I have to tell two firms today that we're not going to hire them after making them jump through hoops with their proposal. this will be hard, maybe you can help: thread
n_ I was thinking of applying myself since I will actually be available around the time they need. And the thought of being in SF or even Cape Town although worldly different sounds great.
techno, welcome back homey, definitely feels good to be alive. i too after a surgery back in 05 am happy to be around, it was in doubt how much longer i could be around, but now, the world is mine.
a-techno....I'm glad you're up and running around causing trouble again. I can't imagine how scary that must have been for you, but at least you still had your typing hands during your recovery period!
I now have the Golden Girls theme song in my head...."Thank you for being a friend...." You know what I'm talking about.
a-techno, and beta, I'm glad things are going well for you two wonderful guys.
My day would be going a LOT better if it didn't involve updating an email contact list that exists both as a mashed-up Excel file and as a google email group.
Maybe a lunch break will help me attack it with gusto after. There *is* a new Savage Lovecast to listen to while I work, but I'm not sure how well sex advice will go with database management.
I worked for the golden girls production company back in 96/97, re-used much of their scenery/props and met Bea Arther thanks to working with her son who is was a fellow set designer.
I usually sing the original but I found this over at No.2 self and just had to share it with TC
THE ARCHITECT SONG
(to the tune of I Will Survive)
At first I was afraid, I was petrified
thinking I could not design what you had specified
But then I spent too many years redrawing what you just built wrong
and I grew strong
and I learned how to get along
And now you’re back
With more floor space
I just walked in to find you here
with that QS look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid plan
I should have made you pay that fee
If I had known for just one second
you’d be back to bother me
Oh go now go,
delete that door
move the wall around now
you don’t wanna pay for it anymore
Were you the one who tried to break me with your RFIs
you think I’d crumble you think I’d lay down and die?
Oh no not I
I will survive….
btw...previous I was giving props and forgot to single out Abra/Orhan...how awfully forgetful of me - my only excuse is that I did hit my head
@ Atechno - Love the lyrics. I have a feeling I'll be humming that the rest of the day, while I finish up the second round of redlines.
@ rfuller - Was the trip to Mexico apart of the general class description? I find it rather odd that the trip isn't a part of a separate session/class. Are you the only one that won't be going? WTF?
The sun is shining today which puts me in a good mood. Better hop back to work. Had to drive back home today to pick up the pair of glasses I left sitting on the nightstand. I swear if my head weren't screwed on...
More good news - my grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer in September and had surgery to remove the tumor. She had blood drawn and received word that and it appears everything is within normal range. YAY!!!!
Several studios in my undergrad had projects based on sites in other countries/states thus requiring class trips. This was an expensive surprise since several of those critics did not disclose that info in their studio descriptions.
tuna, I thought it but forgot to type it earlier: I'm glad your grandmother is doing so well.
I'm fantasizing about uprooting my family to go to Africa and work for AFH. Brian actually has a close friend in Cape Town, but I don't think I can be that far away from the rest of my family. We're also currently fantasizing about Brian working in Ediburgh (the real one) and of course Angus and I would go too. Bagpipes for everyone!
DCA, congrats!!!! And THANKS for that trip down memory lane, that little race that ACFA and I had was really funny actually. Too bad I left him in my dust about 2600 posts ago. :o/ It's ok, he's probably doing something interesting like surfing/biking/designing right now, while I'm......well, you know.
tuna! Put your fist down....You love it. ;-D
liberty bell, I definitely vote for moving to Edinburgh. You know I'll visit!
DCA congratulations all this time I assumed you were making significantly more posts than that. I guess it is that you have a firm position in everyone's cybersubconscious (if there is such a thing)
this morning I'm drinking the most horrid green tea ever, the bag was so cool with round bits in it, and a bag that was more like a skin of evervessent (sp?) material. Its bad but i would feel worse throwing it out.
Liberty B, I think you should think really hard about moving to Edin.. it was new the new architectural capital of Europe a few years back because of the cool work happening there. And like dub K, I'd come visit for sure.
As long as you have internet connection, you won't be far LB, so if you really can, have the adventure! I'd love to go to another country for a while, but being 100% Texan, its hard to leave the land I love. I'd only be able to go for a year at most, and thats not worth uprooting a whole family. I'm jealous of your free-spirit.
LB, save some couch space for me.... actually I've been thinking that it would make a whole lot of sense to try and find a job in europe after graduation, try to work the exchange rate and pay those student loans back quicker. Plus an amazing experience, of course.
Thread Central
Sorry to hear things aren't working out at UCLA... I've always had a good impression of the program, but I guess things are different when you're actually in the trenches.
Three quarters of a 4-quarter program under the same instructor is absurd. I'd suggest putting your concerns in writing, and address them to the highest levels of the school's administration. It might not help your immediate situation, but maybe it will help make some future changes to the lottery system.
tweed
drop out and get a job at Trader Joes... $75k + benifits
I'm very sorry for your troubles, tumbles. I had heard of similar problems with undergrad programs at fUCLA, but had assumed it would be different for grad school. After all, in undergrad you're one of thousands at the university, hundreds in a program... it's impersonal by definition. But in grad school part of your whole admission is 'fit' and whether you want to learn what (a sometimes very specific)they have to teach, so it only makes sense that an offer of admission is in some way an agreement to accomodate that. If they don't plan on accomodating the things you state as being important to you during the admissions process, they should just reject you.
Wow.... Who is this instructor you're trying to study under, if you don't mind sharing?
If he's that good, maybe try to get a job in his firm or something like that.
tumbles- i heard similar issues ten years ago under the previous regime from a good friend. sorry that UCLA never changed. taking a semester/year off may be a good choice as it will give you better selection next round. it's not like you're in a race with mdler to get licensed (or are you?)
Hey guys. Just checking in. rfuller's not dead. At least not yet. I ended up taking a job working for the builder as an electrician's assistant/trim carpenter/finish out guy/the guy on the site who can speak enough spanish to tell the rock layers they put a column in the wrong place. I may take the second job at our model shop, too. We'll see how the first week or two of school goes.
You guys should all buy stock in whoever makes 5 Hour Energy. I'm gonna be using that stuff like a mad man this semester.
Hopefully I can have a little time to get caught up on reading all this stuff tomorrow after my first class of grad school. After I get out of class on Friday I've gotta head back to a jobsite 4 hours away so I can be at work on saturday morning at 7.
Wish me luck.
i guess the new semesters are starting in archi schools and us old timers must bear the questions like who did the white plasticy building? who did those apartments? who was who inside the kitchen? why i want you to remind me what to say to my mom? etc.
should there be a thread like "gather your research questions aqui" ?
Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
@ tumbles... That completely sucks. Sorry to hear that your experience has been such a disappointment. My second degree was sort of a disappointment too, but I made the best of it. Fortunately I had one really good instructor/professor that I learned a lot through. He's the one I actually credit for most of my knowledge.
@TK - Fortunately they are not trying to go LEED. They just want to make sure it's Earth friendly. This to me is a good sign as it means the sustainability is more important than the designation. We'll see. I'm quite excited and am keeping my fingers crossed that they mean what they say. Only time will tell.
Better run before the sky opens up and the downpour begins.
tumbles, I am distraught on your behalf. If I were in your position I would seriously consider taking a quarter off and trying again next time. I know you are in debt, are you really willing to spend that much money to have the same instructor over and over again? The program is only a year....don't you want that year to be the most productive experience possible? Especially if you really want this person....who are they to tell you that "whoops, sorry because of this stupid lottery system you can't get the one professor you've been trying to work with for ages". That's bollocks. And maybe I'm too persistent but I wouldn't stand for it, and you have to show them that you're serious, and maybe it means walking away and causing a stink in the process. It's your money, and your time they are screwing over.
It's not like there aren't jobs out here. I will email you. Grrr.
Tumbles' situation and Tuna's comment has me wondering if anyone else here regrets going for a second degree, especially if they already had a first professional degree?
tumbles
you dont even want to be an architect...I would take some time off and do something that you are going to enjoy. Life is too short to waste (I need to take my own advice)
Hell, I have plenty of regrets about my first degree! But then, my situation is unique.
My loose guess is Denari. But I've been wrong before.
i took time off in the middle of undergrad, for a few years. not for a cool reason like UCLA sucks, but just to earn enough money to stay in school (which is ironic). it was actually a great decision, cuz when i got back the program had improved, the old teachers had all retired for young intersting folks, and i could pay for everything in cash. at the time only the last point mattered to me, but now it is the others that stick in my head. sometimes a break is a good thing. it is a hard thing to do though. hope you DO look back on things fondly, if not with satisfaction, someday in the sunny future, tumbles.
dear TC regulars,
I'm hiring 5 positions at the moment... you know that phrase - don't give up you day job... well do.
If you like Cape Town or San Fran - email me your resume.
Cheers
Cameron..
v10k has arrived!!!!!!
c- that is too cool, but I like my current job for the moment.
Tumbles, I'm feeling some disappointment with my grad school too. I'm stuck in a studio with a prof who has a decent rep, but the class is going to mexico next week and I can't afford to join them. We'll find out how much of a problem this is going to be tomorrow afternoon.
I also couldn't get into a class that I need that's only offered in the spring, putting me off for a year possibly. Every part of me wants to just say screw it and get my money back while I still can.
I'll stick it out, but I sure wish I could enjoy this as much as I enjoyed undergrad. Best of luck to you.
Sorry to hear that some people are having a bad time with their second degree.
Regarding UCLA, i haven't thought of applying there, but it seemed a good graduate school. Good to know.
As someone pointed out i am trying to keep in mind the whole idea of graduate school is "fit".
I feel like that is what i missed out on the first time around for my M.A.
I too think the "green approach" without going LEED is almost more exciting. Does this mean they care more about the idea than the label?
hello all.
I just wanted to say thank you. Last year to the day, I had my siezure dislocating both my shoulders and began 4 months of recovery. During my recovery archinect became my haven, and my post count jump from the hundreds to the mid thousands almost overnight. In the process I made some fantastic friends like Wonder K, Vado Retro (10k congrats), Liberty bell, Steven Ward, Tumbles, mdler, Treekiller, rfuller, Sarah Hamilton, n__, beta v.4, Living in Gin, Rationalist, and a host of people who keep changing their names
again...thanks
its a great day to be alive
a-philia, glad your back in the game.
ugggh, I have to tell two firms today that we're not going to hire them after making them jump through hoops with their proposal. this will be hard, maybe you can help: thread
Dear Architecture for Humanity,
Please have a job available around October 2008. I can give you one year of my life.
Sincerely,
n_
n_ I was thinking of applying myself since I will actually be available around the time they need. And the thought of being in SF or even Cape Town although worldly different sounds great.
Atechno, now you've got that song stuck in my head...
"Its a great daaaayyy to be alive, I know the suns still shinin' when I close my eyes..."
techno, welcome back homey, definitely feels good to be alive. i too after a surgery back in 05 am happy to be around, it was in doubt how much longer i could be around, but now, the world is mine.
thanks.
a-techno....I'm glad you're up and running around causing trouble again. I can't imagine how scary that must have been for you, but at least you still had your typing hands during your recovery period!
I now have the Golden Girls theme song in my head...."Thank you for being a friend...." You know what I'm talking about.
It IS a good day to be alive, isn't it?
a-techno, and beta, I'm glad things are going well for you two wonderful guys.
My day would be going a LOT better if it didn't involve updating an email contact list that exists both as a mashed-up Excel file and as a google email group.
Maybe a lunch break will help me attack it with gusto after. There *is* a new Savage Lovecast to listen to while I work, but I'm not sure how well sex advice will go with database management.
I worked for the golden girls production company back in 96/97, re-used much of their scenery/props and met Bea Arther thanks to working with her son who is was a fellow set designer.
I usually sing the original but I found this over at No.2 self and just had to share it with TC
THE ARCHITECT SONG
(to the tune of I Will Survive)
At first I was afraid, I was petrified
thinking I could not design what you had specified
But then I spent too many years redrawing what you just built wrong
and I grew strong
and I learned how to get along
And now you’re back
With more floor space
I just walked in to find you here
with that QS look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid plan
I should have made you pay that fee
If I had known for just one second
you’d be back to bother me
Oh go now go,
delete that door
move the wall around now
you don’t wanna pay for it anymore
Were you the one who tried to break me with your RFIs
you think I’d crumble you think I’d lay down and die?
Oh no not I
I will survive….
btw...previous I was giving props and forgot to single out Abra/Orhan...how awfully forgetful of me - my only excuse is that I did hit my head
@ Atechno - Love the lyrics. I have a feeling I'll be humming that the rest of the day, while I finish up the second round of redlines.
@ rfuller - Was the trip to Mexico apart of the general class description? I find it rather odd that the trip isn't a part of a separate session/class. Are you the only one that won't be going? WTF?
The sun is shining today which puts me in a good mood. Better hop back to work. Had to drive back home today to pick up the pair of glasses I left sitting on the nightstand. I swear if my head weren't screwed on...
More good news - my grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer in September and had surgery to remove the tumor. She had blood drawn and received word that and it appears everything is within normal range. YAY!!!!
not that it really matters, but I hated grad school as well.
Several studios in my undergrad had projects based on sites in other countries/states thus requiring class trips. This was an expensive surprise since several of those critics did not disclose that info in their studio descriptions.
I loved grad school. all trips were disclosed prior to the lottery. only the miami trip sucked.
mdler
A Center for Ants?
WonderK
DCA
Congrats, DCA!!!! But I still think you need to spend more time here and get up to two, even three thousand!
DCA congrats on making 1000K posts. I can only aspire to get there one day.
@LB - I'm currently watching last night's Daily Show. Thinking of you and all the other Daily Show fans.
thanks lb and tunamelt. tuna: at your pace, you'll be there before you know it. I've been posting 1-2 times a day for the past two years.
I guess you've notice... I've got a slight archinect addiction.
*Shakes fist angrily into the air* DAMN YOU DUBK!!!! ;o)
tuna, I thought it but forgot to type it earlier: I'm glad your grandmother is doing so well.
I'm fantasizing about uprooting my family to go to Africa and work for AFH. Brian actually has a close friend in Cape Town, but I don't think I can be that far away from the rest of my family. We're also currently fantasizing about Brian working in Ediburgh (the real one) and of course Angus and I would go too. Bagpipes for everyone!
lb...suwheat, do it, it'll be fun for the whole fam!
DCA, congrats!!!! And THANKS for that trip down memory lane, that little race that ACFA and I had was really funny actually. Too bad I left him in my dust about 2600 posts ago. :o/ It's ok, he's probably doing something interesting like surfing/biking/designing right now, while I'm......well, you know.
tuna! Put your fist down....You love it. ;-D
liberty bell, I definitely vote for moving to Edinburgh. You know I'll visit!
i gave to my first prez campaign today! easier and less painful than giving blood, and it'll prob help more people too!
DCA congratulations all this time I assumed you were making significantly more posts than that. I guess it is that you have a firm position in everyone's cybersubconscious (if there is such a thing)
this morning I'm drinking the most horrid green tea ever, the bag was so cool with round bits in it, and a bag that was more like a skin of evervessent (sp?) material. Its bad but i would feel worse throwing it out.
Liberty B, I think you should think really hard about moving to Edin.. it was new the new architectural capital of Europe a few years back because of the cool work happening there. And like dub K, I'd come visit for sure.
As long as you have internet connection, you won't be far LB, so if you really can, have the adventure! I'd love to go to another country for a while, but being 100% Texan, its hard to leave the land I love. I'd only be able to go for a year at most, and thats not worth uprooting a whole family. I'm jealous of your free-spirit.
I always thought you could take the girl out of Texas but never Texas out of the girl...'ukumhorns!
But yes we do love LB's free spirit
holy crap. i just looked at the rfp-holders list for a project we're pursuing and we're up against people like field operations. hoo boy.
lb: don't forget bobby burns day is 25 jan!
LB, save some couch space for me.... actually I've been thinking that it would make a whole lot of sense to try and find a job in europe after graduation, try to work the exchange rate and pay those student loans back quicker. Plus an amazing experience, of course.
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