zundfolge:

Dear Applicant,

Your application to our department is complete. Letters regarding
decisions are usually sent out sometime in March or early April. Thank
you for your interest in our program.

Admissions Office
Department of Architecture and Urban Design
UCLA

Is anybody applying to UNC Chapel Hill? Oops.

sounds like someone in the admissions office is about to get canned...

and dammson, this thread has been my refuge when I'm stressed about this stuff. Thanks to all of you for putting up with my crap!

I have yet to get any sort of email from UCLA...better get it soon.

Also is anyone filling out the Columbia Scholarship Application? I think its crazy that they expect my parents to provide all their info and submitt a copy of their taxes, which by the way wont be done by feb 15th, since I am 25, have my own job, and am totally cut off from them.

I agree, although I can see the rationale behind it. They want to make sure their scholarship money isn't going to somebody who wouldn't otherwise need it (i.e., if mommy and daddy have a big fat trust fund that wouldn't normally get reported on the standard FAFSA form).

yeah, it is definitely annoying but i wouldn't say its crazy by any means. they ask every possible question to ensure that you aren't hiding something. i know my parents are as poor as me and they aren't giving me any money, but these schools don't know that. its actually a bit comforting to know that they require so much info from everyone, especially when a lot of this money is need based.

Oh and all these supplemental forms that I have seen say that estimates are fine. They don't expect exact figures because they understand that you are most likely not going to have your taxes done by their deadline. Even the FAFSA allows you to have estimates.

Got an e-mail from UVa that they received my application. Also have an appointment tomorrow at UT (my alma mater) to discuss their M.Arch. program and submit my application in person. Looking forward to it.

I have a new topic. Does anyone know when schools sent out decision letters last year? Most say end the notify in March. I'm just curious if anyone knows specific dates.

each seems to have different ones. One specifically said that their decisions would be out by March 9th, another that they have rolling admissions that take 4-6 weeks, another "after March 1", and a couple more "by April 1"... it's unfortunate that there doesn't seem to be any uniform policy, because I could be forced to either accept or decline a couple of schools (god willing) before I even know whether I'm accepted to the rest.

I think they all say you have to let them know by April 15th, so hopefully you'll have them all before you have to decide.

nope, one of mine wants to know within 2 weeks of when they inform me.

Which one is that? Hopefully not any to which I'm applying.

It's a shame that all of the schools don't send an email notification when your application is in. Looking back, I found UT Austin's application to be somewhat cumbersome but they are the only ones that have sent updates on my application and today, finally, notified me that it was complete. I got a clumsy email from another school, a verbal OK from another and squat from the last two. I even emailed the Bartlett and no one got back to me, which is a little disconcerting considering how far that application traveled.

And now the waiting begins. As if I am not already under enough stress at work, and now I have to deal with this torture. I almost let the cat out of the bag today at lunch - I stopped myself short of telling my friends how someone I know is going to take my room in my apartment "when I leave". Remind me to eat by myself for the next 6 months or so, I am a lousy liar.

Is it appropriate to send out an explanatory letter with financial aid applications?
Will schools take unusual circumstances into consideration when giving out aid?

probably not, boomba. It's MICA, same ones I'm interviewing with in ONE WEEK. From what I've heard, 'fit' occupies a good bit of their selection process, so I guess they just expect you to know whether you're going or not pretty quick.

WonderK- I already spilled to two friends at work. But I've got stuff on both of them already, so I'm pretty safe.

I've told EVERYONE I work with so they don't book me too far in advance :) "I can definitely be here up through June but don't count on me from July on." FINGERS CROSSED!

The folks at my night job are all excited for me but they're always supportive of people who move on to different careers (my coworkers had a tv show bought by comedycentral and they've already shot a full season of their show... I only hope I can do so well!)

All of my bosses and co-workers know I'm applying to grad schools... There's no way in hell I'd be able to keep a secret like that for the next six months.

oh, as soon as I get an acceptance with workable financial aid, I'm telling everyone, but I just can't bring myself to tell them if there's a chance it may not work out.

And now for Act 2 of my application saga.

I just got an email from the Bartlett saying basically, "Oh we got your application, thanks..... by the way, so we can get to know you a little better, can you write a 2000 word essay on one of these topics in the next month, use references, may we suggest one of these books...."

Holy christ! I haven't even been accepted yet and they already have me doing homework!

Since I'm in a two person office and my boss wrote one of my LOR's so he know's I'm quiting. Although I think he thinks I'm staying till July. NO WAY! As soon as I'm done with my classes (prereq: Calculus and physics)In May I'm quiting and traveling. I've got friends all over the world and I plan on getting to know their couch's and extra bedrooms very well.

wonderk - maybe that's a good sign that they liked your app? or do they ask this of everyone?

robust84> I have no idea. I hope it's a good sign. I actually met with the director of the program last fall so I tried to create a good impression right off the bat.

Here's the kicker: I'm annoyed about it, but for a completely different and totally geeky reason. Because, of the 4 topics on sustainability they gave me, I don't think I'm going to be able to use the book that I'm reading right now in essays on any of them. Off to new books I guess.


In reference to my above post about letting the cat out of the bag, I am really struggling here with when to let work people know. I'm postponing it until it is absolutely necessary to tell them. I guess I'm just in a position where I've taken on a lot of responsibility and have strong relationships with my clients, so I know it's going to be a bit of a shock to people when I say, "it's been fun, kids, but I'm completely uprooting my comfy lifestyle and moving away to go to grad school". My bosses are just flat-out not going to get it. Although they think I am strange to begin with so maybe they get me more than I think....

but being in a position of responsibility creates even MORE of a reason to tell them early. Not before-you're-accepted early, but certainly as soon as you know for sure where you're going and that you're going and that you can afford it type early.

If I get a good financial aid package anywhere, it's going to be really hard to to come skipping into the office the next day going, "I get to qui-it, I get to qui-it!"

that should be "it's going to be really hard not to"

ARGGGH.

I went to my local community college to register for my calc/physics prerequisites. Today was the day - the first, and only day - for non-degree students to register for classes.

And ALL the calc/physics classes are full. It's been this way for three semesters running and I am just never going to be able to take my prereqs at the cheap, local CC.

So, can anyone recommend a relatively inexpensive (as in cheaper than Harvard Continuing Ed/Stanford online courses), non-degree online college?

I would be able to enroll at NYU/Columbia/Newschool, but at approximately $7,000 per semester for two classes - no way. The CUNY system is a no-go. The SUNY online course system is unnavigable, though I may just have to navigate it. The University of Phoenix makes you give them your phone number and they call you and I don't wanna.... is there anything a bit more painless out there?

ARRGHHHH!!!

try other community colleges in your state, try SCAD, if those don't work, try Devry or ITT Tech?

I looked at Devry and ITT, but it seems that
--You need to enroll for a degree
--You will get creepy phone calls
--They are techincal colleges and don't offer calc/physics in the first place and it's not like they do you the courtesy of making a course catalog available or anything...

I've looked into other CC's in my state, as well as the SUNY distance learning/online courses. The problems with that are as follows:

--even with online courses, for many classes you still have to take tests in person (generally 4 per term).
--Finding the titles and descriptions of courses is easy, but actually navigating the registration is impossible. It's just horrifically unintuitive navigation design.
--Most of the classes started this week or last. I found one calculus class that starts Feb. 12, but even though it's online it has 4 mandatory in-person exams, and is about 6 hours from where I live. Thanks, BMCC, for not letting me register until most of SUNY and CUNY have already commenced coursework, thus not allowing me to learn that I am closed out of my necessary courses until AFTER the deadline to register to take them elsewhere.

I'm in a similar boat... I've heard good things about the distance learning programs at UT Austin and Texas Tech.

Does anyone have a good online place where you can take an architectural history class? I cant find one anywhere. I live in DC, and have had no luck here either. do you really need the history pre req for schools like columbia or UCLA?

Thanks

that's why everyone should take calculus and physics in college, even if you're planning on becoming a poet. things change. and it's good life skills. good knowledge even if you never think you'll use it. think of it as brain calisthenics.

bleh. UW's application is arithmatical torture. They want all kinds of GPAs my school doesn't compute for you, so I'm sitting here adding up my GPA for the last two years, my major GPA, my GPA for classes given only on Mondays.... ok that last one's fake, but it feels like a lot!

Then they make you print out a copy of your application for proofing, but it's all in code. For instance, my major is '00-2-4' and my 'goal' (whatever that is!) is '2'. Now that means jack squat to me, so how am I supposed to proof it?

oh, and after I submitted the application, a page popped up telling me where to send everything else- with different addresses than are listed everywhere else on their website! Why do I feel like this one's a lost cause?

just to complete my complete post-whoring for today, I'll advise namby and/or mctwist to look at Rochester Institute of Technology for their online studies.

robust84 - yeah, agreed.

I couldn't take them while I was in college, because the college I attended & the entire university of which it is a part does not offer calculus or physics. I took the one precalculus course that was offered. Mmmm, art school.

I took AP calc/physics in high school but although my scores were fine, AP credit is not acceptable for several of the programs to which I'm applying.

I work with a girl who went to RIT in Interior Design. She's smart as a whip. And she's like a machine. She's like that guy in the commercial that finds the two impossible items to find before the one guy even leaves to go to lunch.

Sorry, random tangent. Carry on.

Just discovered this thread today. Cool.

Is anyone here applying to GSD post-professional programmes ie MAUD and MdesS? Have you received any email notification on your submission yet?

As far as I can see, RIT doesn't have online calculus/physics. :( But, for that other person, they might have architectural history? I didn't look. For that kind of thing I'd take a look at the stanford & harvard distance learning, but who knows.

OOh, someone has generously pointed me to
http://www.athabascau.ca

Athabasca - it is a Canadian online university.

They have Calculus and Physics, in addition to two semesters of Art History (not specifically architectural history, though).

I'm going to call them when they open on Monday. If anyone else is interested I'll post info about what they say about nondegree, American distance learners :)

So I went to UT yesterday to submit my application and talk with the director of graduate studies. Nice guy. He looked at my portfolio and his response was, "I think we have a winner". He then said he wasn't just saying that and had my portfolio sucked, he would have suggested applying to fall-back schools, etc. He then took me down to meet some of the current students. He said there were no guarantees, but that I had an excellent chance. He also said that he wasn't the guy who'd be making the decisions, but then I saw some personal statements on his desk.

Who knows?

Anyway, while I was there I turned my application in to the admissions coordinator. I was sitting about a foot from all the applications. I imagined that some of your applications were right there in front of me. Sort of wierd.

what the hell...
i received a confirmation email from Virginia Tech 3 weeks ago telling me my application was complete and ALL materials have been received. Then i received a letter telling me the exact same thing and adding that my application would be reviewed in the next few weeks. then LAST night i received another email telling me that one of my recommenders had JUST posted a recommendation online. why the hell would it be posted online when all three of my recommenders MAILED their recommendations back in DECEMBER??! and this particular recommender fedex'd hers (i gave them a phony deadline so they would speed up their recommendations so i wasnt stuck with a bunch of late recommendations).
so now i am left to wonder what the situation is... exactly what i was trying to avoid to begin with

Now, this would suck:
http://www.dailypress.com/sns-ap-admissions-mistake,0,6457106.story?track=mostemailedlink

Thanks for the summary on aif stuff. here's a few questions:

GSD: What's this they're saying about wanting a copy of our federal tax returns and W2s?

Princeton: Well, I'm sending them a fafsa and I filled out that part on the online application about my finances. is that it? i couldn't find any legit instructions. on the general PU grad school web page there's a bunch of forms but those look more like they're for people who have already been accepted.

UCLA, Berkeley: No idea what to do. The stuff on their web pages also look more like they're for accepted students.

So I can't find any info on what prospective students need to do for UCLA, Berkeley, and Princeton. Can anyone advise?

Thanks!

-R

I just did the FAFSA and added all of the schools I applied to as recipients of the info.

Hmmm, I'm cutting things very close on my University of Washington application..... somehow I'd gotten it into my head that both schools that wanted slides had Feb 15th deadlines, but theirs is Feb 1. So I just ordered my slides, they'll ship tomorrow, be at my office by Tuesday, when I run to the post office to get them overnighted to Washington, leaving a day of cushion for the thursday deadline in case something goes wrong. All my other applications are getting at least a week of cushion, this is the only one I've had to overnight, so it makes me nervous.

I think I'll start on the FAFSA tonight so that my early-deadline schools get it in time to make me a good offer (fingers crossed).

hooray! The wise proctors of the FAFSA have declared me to be an independent student! I was afraid they wouldn't, since I'm exactly 23.

I just began filling out the supplemental online financial aid application for Yale... How the fuck am I supposed to remember what I had for breakfast every day for the past 10 years?

hahaha, that's how I felt about all those different GPA caluculations for Washington.

FAFSA Q: will they give me more money if I say I'm going to live on campus or off campus? The reality of it depends on the school, i.e. housing is much more readily available at UW or SCAD than at Pratt or MICA. But I was wondering if answering it all one way or the other might help me out a bit....?

off campus

That supplemental Yale app is torture. Definitely the most thorough application I have ever filled out for anything. If by some miracle I do get accepted I'll have the pleasure of filling it out once a year.

thanks jasoncross. I remember when I was in undergrad they used to tell you that they wouldn't fund off-campus living.... until campus became too crowded, at which point they relaxed that policy.

I just discovered yet ANOTHER form I need to fill out for UW. They've got an extra fellowship application that none of my other schools seem to have.