It most likely depends on the policies of whatever school you're transferring into.

Besides that, UT-Austin is nothing to sneeze at. Hopefully you'll enjoy it there, and by all accounts it seems like a well-regarded program.

I agree with LIG about UT Austin. Why do you not want to go there?

Yeah, UT is bad ass. I just watched the design e2 series and the whole episode with Palleroni and the UT grad students doing design build in Mexico.

http://www.design-e2.com/

They are definitely doing very good work at UT.

Don't get me wrong. I'm excited about UT and it might end up being the best place for me anyway. In addition to just wanting to study architecture, there are some very specific things I want to learn/research and my impression is that MIT is very strong in those areas. Areas of computational analysis, building technology, and construction methods.

I think you will find that UT has a lot of that as well. They may not be at the forefront like MIT seems to be, but the opportunities to explore all of those things are available at UT in some way or another. They have a lot going on at UT, so much that it would be impossible to be involved in everything they offer. You just have to get involved in whatever you are most interested in. Good luck Baboomba, we are all rooting for you.

On a side note, I just found out that I have been waitlisted at Rice.

Thanks cp. How did you find out you were waitlisted at Rice? I still haven't heard from them.

I just called and asked the lady. She told me I was waitlisted and that a letter was sent out 2 days ago, so I should get it today I guess.

So I am offically waitlisted in Texas. Sounds like that could be a country song.

O.k. Thanks. I'm also going to call. Rice and MIT both.

Are you going to go to the Open House cp? or is 100% Syracuse?

Denied at Rice. Left a message at MIT.

So far, then:

Harvard: Denied
MIT: Unknown
Rice: Denied
UT: Admitted
Virginia: Denied
Yale: Denied

oh, and walnut- no, I cannot make the CCA open house. I traveled the last two weekends in a row, and just couldn't do it a third. Plus I got sick this week, which to me has only confirmed that I made the right decision. If I were to call CCA to express a similar situation, would my department chair be the person to talk to? I got an email from a professor there that encouraged me to ask him questions, but I don't necessarily feel like he'd be able to help with that sort of situation.

When is the open house at Rice?

Syracuse and Rice seem to have very similar programs. I am about 99% set on Syracuse. The only thing that could possibly make me reconsider at all is if Rice offered me a scholarship. Although I would have to actually be admitted first for that to happen. I really think I would be happier in Syracuse. Everything about it feels right.

Rice Open House is April 9-10.

Can't go wrong with your gut...or the money.

Damn, man. Has anytone gotten an MIT rejection yet? Maybe they're trying to decide between waitlist and reject. Otherwise, what would be taking so long?

I expect a postal mail rejection today or tomorrow...either way I don't care...they should just email rejections along with acceptances.

I really don't like the waitlist thing. All this time waiting for a decision and they say "maybe".

i agree.

rick joy is awesome

Has anyone been rejected from MIT yet? I can't wait to get my rejection letter although it will suck so bad. It's Friday afternoon what's taken them so long? maybe the rejection letters are sent later than the acceptance. Who know? anyone is calling MIT? it will be good to share what they are lying this time.

i got accepted into RISD today; if anyone is still waiting to here from them.

congrats b.d.f.! nice to see that acceptances are still happening :-)

Rationalist - I would probably talk to the dept. chair (MFA Design right?) - but it's a pretty casual place and if this professor is going to champion you, that might be good too.

Congrats, b.d.f.!

thanks all and good luck to all hearing from these final schools (Cornell and MIT)

Rationalist -

On the subject of scooters, I defenitely recommend going 125. 50s are just too light, and unstable when you hit a pothole. I've experienced being blown off course by wind while riding a 50. 125s are a nice balance, they are usually much better constructed, and much more stable at high speeds and going over uneven surfaces. Add to that the fact 50s are usually 2-stroke engines while 125s and 150s are 4-stroke, much more environmental. Only drawback I can think of is your being a girl, you may not have the strength to lift one if somehow its been pushed over on its side. I should know about scooters, I live in Taiwan, the country of a zillion scooters. =)

i never realized there were so mnay scooter options!

me neither but I love that we have access to so many scooter experts! :o)

i now know exactly who to contact if i am ever in the market for a scooter!

I would love to have a scooter, but I am gonna be headed to Syracuse so maybe a snowmobile is more realistic.

Want to buy my 4X4 Jeep?

haha no thanks LIG. I am from Alaska so snow isn't a big deal for me.

haha, yeah, I should consider branching into scooter consulting. =P

BTW, Rationalist, I forget to mention we also have 90s over here. They're a nice middle ground for girls. Dunno if you can get one over there though. Or look for the new compact 125s targeted for girls, they're nice too. Easy to lift and park and all that.

The new "Buddy 125" (built by teh same people who did Stellas)...goes 75 mph..and looks as small as a 50 ..you can peel off the sticker ...so you can get away with no license...and park it anywhere...

I was just looking at the buddy 125s! Also the Schwinn Graduate 150's, and the TANK classic 150's. The cream colored Buddy is terribly cute though. For the 50ccs, the Honda Metropolitan or one of the TANKs would probably be the way I'd go.

How much of a pain is the motercycle license, insuring a bigger bike, etc. though? That stuff would really be the reason I'd think of sticking with a 50cc, is to avoid any extra regulatory hassle.

There's the Honda Elite 80 over here, but I hate the way it looks. And besides, I'm not a little girl, I'm a big beefy sort of girl, so I'm not the least bit worried about my ability to lift the bike.

WonderK- there's plenty more! Have you been googling this stuff like I have? There are so many no-name cheapo scooter manufacturers out there trying to convince you that there's no difference between their scooter and a Honda or a Yamaha, it's ricockulous!

what, your crazy..Honda's metros are for slow midgets!...My apologies to any short people on the list.

I rock an older Aprilla 50 cc. A little gratuitous with its curves, but it handles well, for big guys like me....okay time to go check on my last rejection letter ( MIT )..

the bad thing about a 50cc bike is that they are a 2-stroke engine which polute pretty badly since they burn a combination of gas and oil. A 125cc bike is a 4-stroke engine which burns just gas so it much less of a polluter.

But all that aside you will get a lot more power, speed and stability with the bigger engine. A little extra power and handling certainly helps on the bigger roads where cars are moving 50+ mph and it would also be helpful if you need to make a quick reaction to avoid an accident.

anyone still waiting on Columbia?

Can you recommend something that's not 'for slow midgets', but is a few notches down on the pricepoint?

cp- there are actually quite a few 4-stroke 50cc scooters being made now. I agree, 2-stroke is not the way to go.

You guys are geniuses. Can somebody post me a link to this Buddy 125 thing everyone is so excited about?

rationalist, sorry....I am actually quite busy these days, so not much time to Google randomly. I mean, I can't let it cut into my posting time anyway.

I am going to start a club. It will be called the Archinect Scooter Brigade. Stay Tuned.

Those buddy 125cc scooters seem pretty reasonably priced

Anyone know of comparable models? I thought the Yamaha Vino 125 looked pretty good, but then have read reviews saying that the Buddy is a much nicer ride.

You don;t need to buy a new Buddy ...craigslist is usually loaded with discards from wannabe Ex-Scooterist with no balls.

Yeah, 2 stroke is definitely more environmental...there is a new Aprilia that they claim basically burns record breaking, minute fractions of oil with the same HP as 2 strokes pound for pound. I don't know, I ride 2 stroke because mine is old and fast, yet I still rock a vastly superior ecological footprint than the Navigator-driving fat asses on the road.

If they only made diesel scooters? ...I am waiting for the Biodeisel hybrid scooter lifetstyle....complete with solar panels of course...

...and laser turrets to shoot out the tires of fat ass Navigator drivers....

obviously I am trying to distract myself from this horrid week of rejections...by visualising laser studded scooters, and drinking bourbon.

Still waiting here...

UT-Austin: accepted
RISD: wait listed
SCI-Arc: wait-listed
UCLA: rejected
UC-Berkeley: rejected
Columbia: rejected
Parsons: ?
Pratt: ?
CU-Denver: ?

p.s. motorcycles are way cooler.

I had a little scooter before, but felt like it was way more dangerous b/c nobody ever saw or heard me coming, and it wasn't quick enough to get out of the way if need be. I've got a 250cc Honda Rebel motorcycle now that is fantastic...though a little slow on uphill climbs if I'm doing 50+mph. My scooter would only make it up the hills if it were being towed!

baboomba -- i've been hesitant to respond to your conundrum because i was concerned that my being on the other end of your decision might color my advice.

nonetheless, understand that if it's positive reinforcement to take the plunge you're looking for, this thread is the right place...but if you're looking for objectivity among people trying to work up the same courage as you, well...you get the picture.

BUT...as common as our circumstances are, a key discriminator between us is that you seem positive that architecture is the right direction for you. i cannot say that with 100% certainty. if i could say that, you can bet your ass i'd be calling a quarter-mile rail depot 'home' this fall. i'd find a way to make it work economically.

if you can honestly say that there's nothing else out there that will give you the vocational satisfaction that architecture will give you, go for it!! just be sure you're not glorifying architecture or viewing the profession through 'rose-colored glasses' in your desperation to leave your current career.

O.k. So it's official. I've been denied by everyone but UT, so that's where I'm going if I go.

Baboombas Final Score:

Harvard - Denied
MIT - Denied
Rice - Denied
UT - Accepted
UVa - Denied
Yale - Denied

I also got some information today from one school that indicates the reason I was rejected is because of my boss' recommendation. I pretty much know now that he tried to f*ck me.

Hey, Jasoncross, congrats again on the Rice acceptance. My rejection letter says only 12 people were accepted to the MArch I program. Unbelievable.

Oh and if I buy a scooter, I'm buying a f*cking Vespa. F*ck that cheap chinese shit.

Or maybe one of these:

env