i also read somewhere that cornell may not be accredited yet, and that is a huge issue. you may want to make sure they are going be accredited. As far as community at columbia, i visited last year and talked with some students, and it seemed very diverse, a few of the people i spoke with were older(early 30's) and came from different fields such as industrial design. the amount of studio space is a concern for me, but i am not going to make my decision based on that. i know a lot of people would rather choose a state school over 35k a year, but i am impressed with the faculty and location and connections that come with the columbia package. still waiting to see my financial aid award package so that is why i havent made my decision final yet. it seems they dont give out big scholarships either, they gave me about 1/3 of tuition and a lady i spoke with there said that was a very large amount compared to what they normally give out.
Cornell's M.Arch. program has been discussed extensively on other threads. It's nearing the end of its NAAB candidacy period, and I imagine they will be fully accredited by the fall semester. Their M.Arch. doesn't yet have the reputation that the undergrad program has, but it's still a young program and by all accounts it's off to a strong start.
mental
i'm in a similar financial situation with columbia - only given 1/4, but still after four years at the most expensive school in the country i'm leery of prolonging the strain. as livingingin wrote, cornell is nearing the end of its candidacy so we will see - i'm going to the open house on the 10th and that issue is very high priority for me. i've worked with some columbia grads and they all shared the same criticisms about the studio atmosphere - and the space for that matter. but i agree that the location/faculty are really impossible to beat.
what type of program are you coming out of?
living in gin - thanks for the info. i've been trying to find out more about this situation. are you considering cornell right now too? thanks again for directing me towards those threads.
kdollaghan: I applied to Cornell, and I'm still waiting to hear back from them. They're by far my top choice, but it's doubtful I'll be able to attend this year even if I'm admitted (mainly for financial reasons, and because I most likely won't have my calculus prerequisite done in time). I visited Cornell for a couple days back in November, and the whole vibe of the place just felt right for me. But then, it's not for everybody, and your own mileage will vary. If I don't get accepted to Cornell this year, I'll almost certainly be re-appling next year after making some improvements to my portfolio.
I also visited Columbia and applied there, but didn't get in. However, I'm 99% certain I'll be enrolling in Columbia's intro to architecture program this summer in order to beef up my portfolio and hopefully do some networking.
Back in November I posted this thread describing my trip to New York and my first impressions of both Columbia and Cornell. Check it out, but keep in mind those are my impressions only; other people have come away with different impressions of both programs.
living in gin
thank you so much. it's been incredibly confusing these last few days trying to weigh these two schools - every person i meet savagely disagrees with the next. your description of your cornell visit highlighted exactly what i'm hoping to find in a grad experience - collaborative, etc.etc. and about columbia - call me a midwesterner but after four years in NY i still get depressed at how sullen people here can be.
thanks for linking to your trip - i'm going up to cornell next week and am going to have to hit that bar with the 50 beers on tap.
re: cornell's calculus req: i emailed them a few weeks back about it, and i got a reply saying "we don't have a prereq, but most students find a refresher course in calc helps." this surprised me... i'm commenting on this because i've only take pre-calc and desperately want to avoid taking calculus this summer.
have fun at columbia this summer - i've heard it's a great intro program.
anyways thanks again,
kelsey
That's interesting to know about the calculus.... If I get admitted, that might make the difference between whether or not I'll be able to enroll in the fall.
really wish sciarc could move faster with the waitlist stuff, but accepted applicants have until the end of april to confirm if theyre going or not, meaning waitlist kids will have to wait til may or june.
thoughts on cal poly pomona? i want to go to parsons as a 2nd choice, but dont know if i'll be able to afford it.
my tally is FINALLY all in...did anyone else apply to Georgia Tech and think it's lame they sent out THIS WEEK without any financial info? They were originally High on my list, too. Anyway,
Harvard- rejected
Yale - accepted
Penn - Accepted (2 year)
MIT - accepted
IIT - accepted
UIC - accepted
Clemson- accepted
Ga Tech- accepted, but no financial stuff
The final choice is....MIT, unless by some Miracle Yale convinces me at the open house this week, which I'm already locked into. Should be interesting to see it though, and hear their sales pitch!
I loved it at their open house, I'd be going if I wasn't accepted to the GSD. I will be at Yale's open house too, and only a miracle will make me go there too.
Im currently attempting to decide between CCA and RISD myself but RISD hasnt offered me any information on assitantships - did that come with your financial aid info?
And, semi-unrelatedly, does anyone have any opinions/advice as to CCA v. RISD - CCA offered me enough money to make it affordable but RISD did not...
(also hi im new, graduating with a ba in studio art in a few months)
maybe i will be re-active in 2015 version of "accepted to grad school" or "M.Arch applicants, commiserate here!" for post-professional degree (another M.Arch)
do u guys think it makes sense to apply for another m.arch of schools such as GSD/MIT/Yale/Princeton later in future?
i did some research. GSD/Princeton offers 1 to 1.5 yrs of post pro degree.
maypoleleaves.....when i got the package it didnt mention anything about the scholarship...i got calls from them telling me the award/scholarship i got....
okay thanks, ryjny27, im assuming i didnt, just curious (im just trying to get in touch with someone in the department to find out about assistantships at this point)
Nah, declining the offer from CCA. The program's just not worth the money they're asking, especially since I already had concerns about it not being 'real' enough. (disclaimer: not M.Arch, don't get all worried about the architecture program)
yeah I have those concerns as well (about the M.Arch program), but I got enough funding ($25K) to make it worth for me.
From my lurking around the forums, I think we have similar backgrounds. I intended to pursue graphic design but eventually drifted away from that into architecture... (while attending a liberal arts school, i am so mixed up).
Can I ask for your opinion/take on the school? I have reservations about the school because of the new-ness of their M.Arch program (and I can't quite seem to get a handle on their reputation in general) but I have a few more reservations about an additional $90K in loans from RISD...
I think of it as kind of the SCI-Arc of the north, except for arts. In general, they are an arts-focused school, and it definitely showed to me. Their projects seemed so theoretical that it could be a handicap (in the graphic design program, where it's common for some student projects to be for real clients). The atmosphere was fun, didn't take itself tooooo too seriously, which I liked because I feel that a lot of artists take themselves far too seriously. The buildings were gorgeous, they were just what I would want to work in- big, open, lots of light, you could just feel the space. I liked that the campus was committed to being green. The housing seemed like a problem.
In terms of faculty, they definitely have the local stars there. There's no other school right in San Fran to compete with them for faculty, and they benefit from that. San Francisco has a very unique arts community, and it's very hard to compare it to a more mainstream place like NY or LA. It's just different, which could be a lot of fun, or could leave you playing a tune that clashes when you try to move into a different market. That's the hard part of the decision, figuring out which effect it will have on you. I think it's, as a survey I filled out once said "a great place if you need to learn what they have to teach."
ah, this is great thanks a million. that is incredibly helpful. i am definitely looking for a highly theoretical education, despite the difficulties it would present after graduating. and i am in love with san francsico so perhaps remaining in that arts community excites me (despite the poverty associated with the ridiculous housing situation there).
thanks again! and good luck with your grad school stuff
... no sooner did i almost make my decision than i got an email from RISD's arch department informing me this about their funding:
I unfortunately will not be able to promise any fellowship funds, (tuition reimbursement), until we know how many of the acceptees matriculate. That will be in a couple of weeks.
"despite the poverty associated with the ridiculous housing situation there"
It's definitely an issue at CCA. The CCA owned student housing is next to the Oakland campus (design is on the SF side, fine art in Oakland), even the grad student housing. They do not allow students to park their cars at the "campus", so you absolutely must be able to walk, bike, or take public transit to and from school, which makes the housing situation even tougher. To me the best solution was the partnered housing with UCSF.
Yeah, the UCSF housing looks like it would work out alright... I love the idea of walking/biking to and from class although I am aware of the obvious problems and inconveniences with this situation esp. in an arch program.
I actually got a call from Lisa Findley yesterday, the director of the graduate program at CCA, and she was quite helpful in answering some lingering questions I have about the school. It sounds like, at the very least, they want me to come to their program.
I just wish RISD could tell me "No, you are not getting funded by our program, duh" so I could enroll at CCA with a clear conscience. The prof I spoke with at RISD mentioned that they do award fellowships with tuition reimbursement though so I think I'm going to have to see if my decision to enroll can be pushed back.
Is it common for programs to decide on funding after everyone is enrolled? That seems so foreign/silly to me...
It's common for programs to offer a select group funding at the outset, and then if any of those people don't enroll, they offer that funding to other people, and so on... but yeah, not making ANY funding decisions until people are enrolled does seem wierd.
accepted to grad schools yet? (fall 2007)
i also read somewhere that cornell may not be accredited yet, and that is a huge issue. you may want to make sure they are going be accredited. As far as community at columbia, i visited last year and talked with some students, and it seemed very diverse, a few of the people i spoke with were older(early 30's) and came from different fields such as industrial design. the amount of studio space is a concern for me, but i am not going to make my decision based on that. i know a lot of people would rather choose a state school over 35k a year, but i am impressed with the faculty and location and connections that come with the columbia package. still waiting to see my financial aid award package so that is why i havent made my decision final yet. it seems they dont give out big scholarships either, they gave me about 1/3 of tuition and a lady i spoke with there said that was a very large amount compared to what they normally give out.
jbond I'll be there!
Cornell's M.Arch. program has been discussed extensively on other threads. It's nearing the end of its NAAB candidacy period, and I imagine they will be fully accredited by the fall semester. Their M.Arch. doesn't yet have the reputation that the undergrad program has, but it's still a young program and by all accounts it's off to a strong start.
Living in Gin:
where are you going to school next year? home school?
designbydesign,
it would be much appreciated if you treated your fellow forum mates with respect.
sincerely,
natalie
mental
i'm in a similar financial situation with columbia - only given 1/4, but still after four years at the most expensive school in the country i'm leery of prolonging the strain. as livingingin wrote, cornell is nearing the end of its candidacy so we will see - i'm going to the open house on the 10th and that issue is very high priority for me. i've worked with some columbia grads and they all shared the same criticisms about the studio atmosphere - and the space for that matter. but i agree that the location/faculty are really impossible to beat.
what type of program are you coming out of?
living in gin - thanks for the info. i've been trying to find out more about this situation. are you considering cornell right now too? thanks again for directing me towards those threads.
Are you talking about Living in Gin? respect that person? I'm going to the gym now. late.
late
kdollaghan: I applied to Cornell, and I'm still waiting to hear back from them. They're by far my top choice, but it's doubtful I'll be able to attend this year even if I'm admitted (mainly for financial reasons, and because I most likely won't have my calculus prerequisite done in time). I visited Cornell for a couple days back in November, and the whole vibe of the place just felt right for me. But then, it's not for everybody, and your own mileage will vary. If I don't get accepted to Cornell this year, I'll almost certainly be re-appling next year after making some improvements to my portfolio.
I also visited Columbia and applied there, but didn't get in. However, I'm 99% certain I'll be enrolling in Columbia's intro to architecture program this summer in order to beef up my portfolio and hopefully do some networking.
Back in November I posted this thread describing my trip to New York and my first impressions of both Columbia and Cornell. Check it out, but keep in mind those are my impressions only; other people have come away with different impressions of both programs.
living in gin
thank you so much. it's been incredibly confusing these last few days trying to weigh these two schools - every person i meet savagely disagrees with the next. your description of your cornell visit highlighted exactly what i'm hoping to find in a grad experience - collaborative, etc.etc. and about columbia - call me a midwesterner but after four years in NY i still get depressed at how sullen people here can be.
thanks for linking to your trip - i'm going up to cornell next week and am going to have to hit that bar with the 50 beers on tap.
re: cornell's calculus req: i emailed them a few weeks back about it, and i got a reply saying "we don't have a prereq, but most students find a refresher course in calc helps." this surprised me... i'm commenting on this because i've only take pre-calc and desperately want to avoid taking calculus this summer.
have fun at columbia this summer - i've heard it's a great intro program.
anyways thanks again,
kelsey
That's interesting to know about the calculus.... If I get admitted, that might make the difference between whether or not I'll be able to enroll in the fall.
final score:
VT- PhD Enviro Design - Accepted
UVA - M.Arch post-pro- Accepted
Carnegie Mellon- PhD BPD- Accepted
3 for 3!!! (after last year's 0 for 4)
what a difference a year makes!
now i just have to find money to go to CMU...
is designbydesign like ding or what
huh? like ding. what do you mean?
Heard back from UW finally, For March III, 520 applied, 25 accepted, and no love for me, which means UO, which I'm very happy with.
so my final decision is RISD!!!! and i got the Presidential scholar award!!!!!!!
very happy!!!!!
congrats ryjny27 on the RISD choice-
i got in also but with no schoolarship so i don't think i'll be able to make it
My final score is 5/6: Accepted to UW, CCA, Pratt, SCAD, and RIT. Waitlisted at MICA.
Will anybody else here be heading to Seattle in the fall?
my final scoreboard:
sciarc - waitlist
parsons - accepted
unlv - accepted
cal poly pomona - accepted
yale - rejected
rice - rejected
really wish sciarc could move faster with the waitlist stuff, but accepted applicants have until the end of april to confirm if theyre going or not, meaning waitlist kids will have to wait til may or june.
thoughts on cal poly pomona? i want to go to parsons as a 2nd choice, but dont know if i'll be able to afford it.
my tally is FINALLY all in...did anyone else apply to Georgia Tech and think it's lame they sent out THIS WEEK without any financial info? They were originally High on my list, too. Anyway,
Harvard- rejected
Yale - accepted
Penn - Accepted (2 year)
MIT - accepted
IIT - accepted
UIC - accepted
Clemson- accepted
Ga Tech- accepted, but no financial stuff
The final choice is....MIT, unless by some Miracle Yale convinces me at the open house this week, which I'm already locked into. Should be interesting to see it though, and hear their sales pitch!
Any other thoughts on Ga Tech?
congratulations rush!
You can't really go wrong with those choices, whatever you decide.
I assume you got one of the half-tuition assistantships at MIT? If you don't mind me asking what have the other schools offered?
Rush, I say go MIT.
I loved it at their open house, I'd be going if I wasn't accepted to the GSD. I will be at Yale's open house too, and only a miracle will make me go there too.
oooh congratulations ryjny27!!
Im currently attempting to decide between CCA and RISD myself but RISD hasnt offered me any information on assitantships - did that come with your financial aid info?
And, semi-unrelatedly, does anyone have any opinions/advice as to CCA v. RISD - CCA offered me enough money to make it affordable but RISD did not...
(also hi im new, graduating with a ba in studio art in a few months)
b.d.f. , thank you...and congrats in RISD as well......where r u going ?
Balagan, have you already decided?
What fin aid packages did you get from the GSD and Yale?
my final score.
M.Arch 2 yrs program
UWM - accepted (last week of feb)
UIC - accepted (mar 21)
UIUC - accepted (apr 9)
i am going to UIUC for its in state tuition.
maybe i will be re-active in 2015 version of "accepted to grad school" or "M.Arch applicants, commiserate here!" for post-professional degree (another M.Arch)
do u guys think it makes sense to apply for another m.arch of schools such as GSD/MIT/Yale/Princeton later in future?
i did some research. GSD/Princeton offers 1 to 1.5 yrs of post pro degree.
Two M.Arch's would look a little underwhelming on your resume, that's why they invented the SMArchSS, MSAAD, MDes, etc.
Congratulations on your acceptance to Illinois.
maypoleleaves.....when i got the package it didnt mention anything about the scholarship...i got calls from them telling me the award/scholarship i got....
okay thanks, ryjny27, im assuming i didnt, just curious (im just trying to get in touch with someone in the department to find out about assistantships at this point)
you could contact the department of graduate studies....or the architecture dept.... they were the ones giving one of the scholarships....
yep i've been trying - my emails and phone calls are going unanswered
thanks for your help!
I'm curious...has anyone that was accepted to RISD decided NOT to go?
well, it looks like i can't afford it so I'm not...
also, is anyone else planning on CCA in the fall??
Nah, declining the offer from CCA. The program's just not worth the money they're asking, especially since I already had concerns about it not being 'real' enough. (disclaimer: not M.Arch, don't get all worried about the architecture program)
yeah I have those concerns as well (about the M.Arch program), but I got enough funding ($25K) to make it worth for me.
From my lurking around the forums, I think we have similar backgrounds. I intended to pursue graphic design but eventually drifted away from that into architecture... (while attending a liberal arts school, i am so mixed up).
Can I ask for your opinion/take on the school? I have reservations about the school because of the new-ness of their M.Arch program (and I can't quite seem to get a handle on their reputation in general) but I have a few more reservations about an additional $90K in loans from RISD...
I think of it as kind of the SCI-Arc of the north, except for arts. In general, they are an arts-focused school, and it definitely showed to me. Their projects seemed so theoretical that it could be a handicap (in the graphic design program, where it's common for some student projects to be for real clients). The atmosphere was fun, didn't take itself tooooo too seriously, which I liked because I feel that a lot of artists take themselves far too seriously. The buildings were gorgeous, they were just what I would want to work in- big, open, lots of light, you could just feel the space. I liked that the campus was committed to being green. The housing seemed like a problem.
In terms of faculty, they definitely have the local stars there. There's no other school right in San Fran to compete with them for faculty, and they benefit from that. San Francisco has a very unique arts community, and it's very hard to compare it to a more mainstream place like NY or LA. It's just different, which could be a lot of fun, or could leave you playing a tune that clashes when you try to move into a different market. That's the hard part of the decision, figuring out which effect it will have on you. I think it's, as a survey I filled out once said "a great place if you need to learn what they have to teach."
ah, this is great thanks a million. that is incredibly helpful. i am definitely looking for a highly theoretical education, despite the difficulties it would present after graduating. and i am in love with san francsico so perhaps remaining in that arts community excites me (despite the poverty associated with the ridiculous housing situation there).
thanks again! and good luck with your grad school stuff
... no sooner did i almost make my decision than i got an email from RISD's arch department informing me this about their funding:
I unfortunately will not be able to promise any fellowship funds, (tuition reimbursement), until we know how many of the acceptees matriculate. That will be in a couple of weeks.
arrrghhh
and so it continues...
It's definitely an issue at CCA. The CCA owned student housing is next to the Oakland campus (design is on the SF side, fine art in Oakland), even the grad student housing. They do not allow students to park their cars at the "campus", so you absolutely must be able to walk, bike, or take public transit to and from school, which makes the housing situation even tougher. To me the best solution was the partnered housing with UCSF.
Yeah, the UCSF housing looks like it would work out alright... I love the idea of walking/biking to and from class although I am aware of the obvious problems and inconveniences with this situation esp. in an arch program.
I actually got a call from Lisa Findley yesterday, the director of the graduate program at CCA, and she was quite helpful in answering some lingering questions I have about the school. It sounds like, at the very least, they want me to come to their program.
I just wish RISD could tell me "No, you are not getting funded by our program, duh" so I could enroll at CCA with a clear conscience. The prof I spoke with at RISD mentioned that they do award fellowships with tuition reimbursement though so I think I'm going to have to see if my decision to enroll can be pushed back.
Is it common for programs to decide on funding after everyone is enrolled? That seems so foreign/silly to me...
It's common for programs to offer a select group funding at the outset, and then if any of those people don't enroll, they offer that funding to other people, and so on... but yeah, not making ANY funding decisions until people are enrolled does seem wierd.
ah that would make sense
thanks for all your input/help!
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