If I don't get anything in the mail tomorrow, I'm calling both MIT and Rice.

My phone campaign starts Monday. But I did call CCA today about financial aid, and they said they'd be happy to tell me over the phone once my file had been reviewed, but it hadn't yet, so if I still haven't gotten anything and April 15th is coming up, call back to get my award read off to me. They were suprisingly helpful. But I fear that if I were getting any merit scholarships, those would have been awarded by now. = (

Barring some miracle, I most likely wouldn't be able to attend Cornell in the fall anyway, so at this point there's not much at stake except my fragile ego. However, I understand Cornell allows people to defer admission for a year, so that would be a welcome silver lining.

Regardless of what I hear back from Cornell, though, I've pretty much decided to go ahead with my "Plan B": Move to NYC in early July, attend Columbia's summer architecture program, get a better job, improve my portfolio, and re-apply to grad schools next year. In the meantime, I'll finish my BA and prerequisites during the fall quarter, and save up more money for grad school.

Rice? Rice? anyone hear back from Rice's M.Arch. 1 program???

The only person on this forum that has been accepted to Rice that I have seen is Jason Cross

jpg du jour?

hahha. i wish that was the only kind of rice i wanted acceptance from.

baboomba, i'm calling MIT tomorrow as well.

So let's talk about dilemmas.... any hard decisions for you guys? I can't decide between Yale and Columbia, as you can see in my other (and sadly low-trafficked) thread. What about you?

I was rejected from Columbia, but I'm going there anyway!

No dillemas yet, because the stupid schools haven't responded yet! If every MICA, Pratt, or CCA give me some good funding, then I'll have a dillema. But as things stand now, it's pretty clear.

yeah, rationalist is gonna be a huskie! (my wife's alma mater)

g'luck with Cornell... im sure you will hear soon

Thanks... Save a bar stool for me at the Chapter House!

I got my official acceptance letter from CMU today. It is exactly the piece of paper that they scanned and sent to me via email on Monday. It tells me that I need to respond in writing by April 13 if I wish to reserve my place in the program and I need to include my non-refundable deposit of $500. It also tells me that orientation is mandatory and scheduled for the week of August 20.

That's it. That's all it says. No, here's some money, enjoy....no, financial aid information is forthcoming......it doesn't even tell me where to send my confirmation or money. Which is surprising!

I mean I still think it's a good school but this is a little sketchy. Someone who went there told me tonight that they know they are a good school so they don't try very hard to get you to attend. Also, they have a big Scottish heritage thing and while the idea of bagpipes in spring afternoons sounds appealing (imagery courtesy of myriam), it doesn't surprise me in the least that they aren't giving me money.....I have an ex who's Scottish and he likes to perpetuate the stereotype of the proud, tightwad Scotsman!

Well, that was a whole lot more information than I needed to share but you guys were complaining that it was quiet so I had to tell a story.

Hey Robust,

Go to Yale.

WonderK: Do you have a top choice yet? And what will Cincinnati do without its welcome wagon?

LIG, I am probably going to USC. I might have to sell my family to get there but I think it's going to happen.

Unfortunately, I don't know who will take over Welcome Wagon status when I leave. My roommate is certainly not WW material and all the other DAAPers on this thread have all had the good sense to leave already. I will have to schedule visits to coincide with my trips home for the holidays!

Is Cincinnati your actual hometown, or did go there just for UC?

Well, WonderK will have to join the LA welcome wagon, since I'll be deserting my post.

WonderK- in other scooter news, I told my bf about the idea, and now he's trying to get me to take a motercycle safety course with him. He's wanted a motercycle for a while (fed up with traffic), so he's only going to encourage me to get a bigger bike. And I admit, the Yamaha Vino 125 is rather attractive.

le sigh. I decide to think about maybe doing something, and it gets completely out of hand. Look what you started!

robust- i say columbia

I received my acceptance letter from Rice on Monday, March 26.
It was not overcooked, and I hope yours isn't either hallojii.

Rationalist - My funding situation at CCA changed drastically (for the better) when I went to the open house and voiced my interest but financial problem. They were actually pretty disorganized about it and sent me two financial aid packages.

Are you coming to the open house today or Sunday?

rationalist: i have my motorcycle license and used to own a motorcycle, but had to sell it when i moved out to california : ( i'm planning on getting another one one day when i'm not so damn poor. ANYWAY, tell the bf to settle down. scooters are way better for getting around a high traffic city.....smaller, easier to maneuver, your hand and wrist won't fall off from grabbing the clutch so much (since most scooter are automatic). a motorcycle is more fun for the open road so you can ride freeeeeee!!!!!

I want to share a thought with you guys.

Soon I will have to make a decision about what to do with the rest of my life. My situation is similar to Broccolijet's. Remember, I've been working as an engineer for 15 years and make great money. I also have a number of family members counting on me.

Anyway, do you guys know the scene out of one of the Star Trek movies where the Klingons have taken control of the Enterprise and Captain Kirk decides to initiate the Enterprise's self-destruct sequence?

After initiating the sequence, he and Bones beam themselves down to the planet below. As you see the Enterprise streaming across the sky in flames, Kirk asks, "My God, Bones, what have I done?" Bones replies, "You did what you always do, Jim. You turned certain death into a fighting chance to live."

Well, the Klingons have taken control of my starship.

baboomba... maybe this quote from your application essay will answer your own question..

"Attending architecture school will require me to sell my house and quit my six-figure environmental job with Shell Oil. Some have told me this would be a mistake. I couldn’t disagree more. In my opinion, there could be no bigger mistake than to continue on without giving greatness a chance; never living up to my potential or finding out what gifts I could have given."

No, I'm not from MIT - just found it on an old thread.
Cold feet?

baboomba, I don't know anything about Star Trek and therefore you lost me in your analogy.

However, I think I know what you are getting at. I realize that you are upset that you haven't gotten into more schools of your choice. I understand that you think that your future success may be tied to where you go to school.

I would say that I think that success has nothing to do with where you go to school. I know plenty of people who didn't go to Harvard or MIT or the GSD who are successful in the field of architecture. And by that I am not referring to starchitects.....I don't even necessarily view starchitects as success in this field. I feel like getting a starchitect to design you a building is like buying a Prada bag or a Ferrari.....sure you are going to get high quality design, but it's not unexpected. Anyone with a black American Express card can get one.

You can find critical thinkers in every architecture school in this country, and they are the ones who will eventually, and hopefully, find success in this field....which, to me, means designing creative solutions to problems brought to them by real clients who have limitations.

If critical problem-solving is what you want to acheive in your future, then you will be fine no matter where you go to school.

As for the other variables, I don't think I know enough about you to make a call on that.

I agree! I think that statement from your essay says it all. You should go for it! If you don't, then you'll never know, right? Listen to your heart. What good is a six figure income if you can't enjoy what you do and find meaning in your work? Taking risks is what life is all about. Those who never risk anything usally end up with regrets, always wondering 'what if?'. This is your chance boomer! And as the great Joseph Campbell would say, you should "Follow you bliss."

They are both correct and Joseph Campbell kicks major bootay!

p.s. I've always wished I could "beam" myself somewhere.....when the heck are they going to invent that thing anyway?

I tried to quit this thread...it was nice to have a day off..Baboomba..I totally Grok you man...I am in a similar boat...I haven't got into any schools..however high I aimed..but I also havent wasted a lot of time worrying about it. I have a clearer picture than ever, now, that I have gone through this. This year will not be wasted....IDP and many Independent research projects abound ...Getting rejected gave ma a year of life in some ways...before I had all the ambition to go Big...I was a little slow on becoming an Architect. Now I seem to have momentum again.....and a year delay at school is a blessing in deisguise, ....I think.

Beam me up!

LIG... Cornell Grad program Offers alot of Financial aid from what I have heard... any response yet?

What WonderK and Kalyani said.

Keep in mind that Captain Kirk gets a brand-new, much nicer Enterprise in the next movie. Hang in there and don't let go of your dreams.

No response yet from Cornell. When I hear something, the people on this thread will be the first to know.

When I met with the director of the grad program at Cornell last fall, she made a point to mention that Cornell gives out more money per student than any other Ivy League school except Princeton. She also mentioned that the average award is roughly equivalent to one-third tuition. Take that for what it's worth.

baboomba, i love tng!!

i agree with wonder k. it not the school you attend, but your drive and ambition (or lack of) that will ultimately determine your success or demise. tom kundig and rick joy are amazing architects and i believe they went to univ. of washington and univ. or new mexico, respectively.

To me that says that the other ivies don't give out jack squat!

ok, in order: Kaylani, he's not encouraging me to get a motercycle, just a bigger scooter (125 or 150cc) that can hit speeds to match cars on major surface streets, because with a 50cc you're pretty much stuck is residential zones. Anyway, I've got several months to think about it.

Baboomba- I understand your worry. I'd encourage yourself to engage in some introspection regarding which you would regret more: staying with the six-figure sould-sucking job because it's safe? or going for something crazy that you think you'll love but there is a chance of failure, as well as a chance that the dream won't live up to the expectation? I'm purposely not trying to make one sound better than the other here, because neither is perfect. At least, you won't know if either path is right until you've travelled down it, and to do both isn't possible.

Froccli- Rick Joy went to the University of Arizona.

and sorry, u of w and u of nm are all really strong programs! what i meant that was they are not part of the coveted "ivy" network, and yet, that didn't get in the way of their success, making it all the more clear that what school you go to does not determine your success as an architect.

and LIG is right, kirk gets a shinier, more pimped out uss enterprise.

sorry, rationalist. you're totally right! i get my southwest mixed up all the time. haha.

Baboomba,

I don't know your situation, but is it not possible to go for a sememster and see if its for you? I did this about eleven years ago, for a BArch, and I am returning to school this year for my MArch.

Antoine Predock went to UNM though, not too shabby of a career. You can make it anywhere...just do what makes you happy.

LiG - i really hope you get into Cornell -you deserve it - it is really terrible they are playing these little mind games with you - you dont think they read the 'nect do you?

well if they are they should look at all your post and just consider it one big extended candidate statement.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I can't believe karchitect remembered my personal statement. I'm truly flattered.

You are correct, though. I did say that.

I'm not going to tell you that I've made a decision until I actually make it, but you will know when I do.

Something else that hit me along these lines is this:

I recently took a trip to New York and actually did the touristy thing of going to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. What struck me at Ellis Island was the display with a life-size photograph on the wall of people coming off the boat after traveling all the way across the Atlantic with nothing but a bag in their hand.

I thought about what courage this must have taken to leave everything behind for nothing but a chance. They trashed it all. Some even died on the way.

We don't hear much about those who stayed behind, but those who came are heroes.

Baboomba: Have you considered attending one of the summer programs that various architecture schools offer? That would give you a taste of studio life, add some cool projects to your portfolio, and be good for networking purposes if you re-apply next year. I'm most likely doing Columbia's program this summer, and I know several other schools offer similar programs. It might be something worth considering.

Plus, you guys are right. He does get a nice, new Enterprise.

It's not really a question about whether I want to go to school or be an architect, it's a question of whether I can afford it.

If I decide to go to school rather than waiting a year, I'll attend UT and see how I like it. I could transfer after a year of A's some good projects for an improved portfolio.

I think the reason I didn't get accepted by more schools is my extremely low undergraduate GPA. I graduated with a 2.04. Harvard, Yale, etc. are never going to accept someone with grades that low. I think the only reason UT admitted me is because I am an alumnus.

I did get a 1540/1600 on the V+Q sections of the GRE, so I think I have a chance if I can improve my portfolio and show that I am really an "A" student who just partied too much.

What do you guys think about transferring from one grad program to another, if a person decided that's what they wanted to do?

I have a friend that transfered from UNM, after her first year of grad school (MArch I), to UCLA. It was a good move for her.

I don't think it's out of the question. You might end up making up some ground at the new school but I think it's definitely possible.