very carefully. keep it focused and precise. no fluff. anything that doesn't absolutely have to be there, get rid of it.

I got an email from GSD saying that my transcript either didn't upload or was illegible so I need to re-email or fax it. I'm pretty sure it uploaded (it was in my documents on the website) so it is probably illegible.

However, my transcript *is* illegible. It's over-designed, butt ugly, and a bright nearly neon color. I can barely read the thing in real life. Ughh!

Weird... I just got the same e-mail.

as did I

for those who didn't FedEx their applications, how do you find out whether the schools have received your material?

I used regular mail with delivery confirmation, which only costs an extra like, 85 cents. It gives you a tracking number that you can follow online or by phone, but does not guarantee speedy delivery or get a signature.

rationalist - i live overseas and used international express but it has no delivery confirmation/tracking. :\

I sent mine the US Postal Service. Priority Mail with delivery confirmation. Every portfolio arrived within 2 days of sending it. Worked out perfect and cost about $4.50 for each package.

Nice gramar self

not so cheap and quick for those living overseas. i've sent mine 6 days ahead of the deadline and am terrified that they have not be received in time.

Any of the 3 main carriers (Fedex, UPS, DHL) should be able to get your apps to the schools within 2 days from anywhere on the globe. Also they are usually trackable on the internet giving you progress checks on the shipment, they just cost a lot. I spent about 40 USD on each one I sent. Ouch.

well, since you've already sent it, I'd suggest that you email the admissions department to confirm reciept. I know usually schools with postmark-by (not recieved-by) dates usually have a separate one for internationals that is one month earlier than US candidates because of the difference in delivery time. If that's the case you're working under, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I only got an email from GSD confirming that they received my portfolio. I guess the rest was perfect.

Oh yeah.

My application: smooth as a baby's butt.

Portfolio finished as of 3:38am tonight/this morning.

Heck yes.

(Though I have a review meeting with a prof tomorrow morning, where he'll probably tell me to re-do the whole thing..... ACK.)

got my second set of transcripts (continuing education) out yesterday, at least for the first two schools. It makes me nervous to think that people are going to be reviewing my applications within the next week or so....

anyone else superstitious about this whole process? i have this crazy notion that if i tell too many people where im applying to/what i want to do then it will jinx me... maybe its just the insanity starting to set in...

starting?

intensifying...(insert word here)

"My application: smooth as a baby's butt."

I dare someone to use this on the cover of their portfolio.

I wish I'd have been smart enough to do that. I bet you'd get in everywhere!

Even if they didn't like it, they'd never forget it.

Anyone else applying to Yale find there second financial aid form rather annoying?

Hello everyone!
Accidentally stumbled upon this forum while searching for "average gre scores in architecture". Wow, so lucky to have found this.

Anyways, I plan to apply for 2008 (good luck to everyone who is applying now!).

I was wondering if anyone had any good advice to give me (just in general) on the whole application process. I currently live in NYC, graduating in '08 with a BS in Finance and minor in Art. Semi-talented, but nothing special. My portfolio is ancient, from when I was in highschool and still in slides. Did some work in college, kind of baffled about how I could print my work out onto a bound portfolio, but whatever - I guess I will figure it out haha - what is the best way to create a drop dead gorgeous portfolio?
In terms of academics, not going to lie, I am a nerd minus the 4.0 (i am a peer tutor on campus, parts of dorky honor societies and committees, blah blah blah) Started studying for the GRE's in Nov. yeah, I know i'm crazy BUT GOD I NEED TO GET INTO COLUMBIA. haha. my top choices, well only choices are columbia, pratt (i will be attending the open house this sat, yay!), and parsons (took the summer intensive course when I was a junior in HS). I am so afraid that I won't get into any of these schools. I really want to and need to stay in NYC. It's close to everything, my friends my family. too convenient. don't want to try to leave, i love it too much. haha.

blah, i am talking too much.. i feel everyone's stress. i am geting stressed out just thinking about it, and i didn't even start applying yet!

hoping for some feedback/advice/complaints/whatever!

good luck to everyone again!

nnoritabonitaa - you're bound to get this response, so I may as well get in first...

Just about all of the topics you have asked about are covered elsewhere in the forum. It may take some time, but it's well worth it. I've not been here long either, and I also had a lot of questions to ask when I joined. Give the search bar at the bottom a go - you'll get your questions answered and learn a lot of other things in the process.

The one thing I will say though, is that all the comittees etc will work in your favour if you ever apply for scholarships. I think a lot of architecture undergrads suffer because of the fact that 99% of them just don't have time for such things. If the scholarship is general (ie anyone in any subject can apply) this is definitely something that they look for and your non-arch background may make it easier to get such funding for the MArch course.

and good luck, too!

Chch - haha thanks, yeah i realized after i posted i could have just looked through all 10 pages but at that point it was almost 1 am and i was too lazy to go back through and read everything.
thanks for your feedback!

yesterday i got a very thin envelope in the mail from one of the schools i just fedex'd my stuff to last week... my heart dropped for a minute--- they already rejected me that fast?!??? i opened the envelope- it was a note from the director of the program i applied to saying all my stuff was received and that they would be reviewing it and letting me know ASAP.

wow, thanx for making me shit a brick...

whooo, SCAD finally acknowledged reciept of my portfolio, SOP, letters of recommendation, and resume. Transcripts, for some reason, are having some issues. But I'm almost there.... and I know that whatever SCAD has recieved, CCA has recieved because they were sent at the same time.

So, I just sent a package UPS today to england, and they classed my bound portfolio and sketchbook as non-documents. What does this mean? A doubling of the cost to send, and all for the same weight. 4.50 is a great deal compared to the 80 I just spent.

ouch.

I just have to share this with you guys, because the rest of the people in my life don't understand..... I am getting SO EXCITED! I'm not even done with all my apps, but just thinking about the fact that two schools could already be reviewing my stuff, that in less than a year I could be in an entirely different place studying stuff that I love with some truly awesome people, has just kept me bouyant for the past couple of days. I can't get enough information, I've been reading everything from reviews of the schools/programs, to seeing what the weather's like over there right now! I can't wait to KNOOOOOWWWWWWWW!

i'm with you rationalist. totally excited for all the same reasons. i have know idea where i am moving but its gonna be somewhere new. doesn't seem real at all though. i guess reality will set in when i am actually accepted into a program and have a destination. its only about 6 months away and that just sounds crazy.

haha! i'm an idiot. know = no

I have all the same plus a kid coming around June 2nd to top things off...very excited and very scared.

Nope, I can't get excited. I've got full blown defensive mechanism kicking in. Until I hear I'm officially in I'm not even going to try to imagine myself at any school. I'm focusing all my enthusiasm on moving to New York in August.

it's good to have a backup plan

my backup plan is to apply at Dwell, Architectural Record, et. al. to be a graphics person (selling point: "and hey, I love architecture, too!"), move somewhere new, get some experience, have some fun. Maybe try again another year.

Just when I thought this FAFSA business might go smoothly.....

I was working on my form online the other night, chugging along, and I got tired and went to bed. Try to get back on the saved form again the next night, and I can't get on it. It tells me that I have an unsupported browser. Hmmm, I say. I'm on a new Intel-based Mac and I'm using Mozilla Firefox 2.0. According to the FAFSA site, this is the only browser that's supported on my Mac. What gives?

So I call the customer service hotline and I find out that apparently this isn't working for me because I'm actually on version 2.0.0.1, not just plain old 2.0, and there's really nothing that I can do except go to the Library and use their machines. I protested, and mentioned that this was the only version available to me at the time and what was I supposed to do? Yes, I got the Library comment again. I also find out, after calling back in disbelief (mainly because the first person I talked to was mean and unhelpful), that apparently a lot of people have been having this problem and they are hoping to get it fixed on January 28. Super. Guess I'm going to the Library.

It's just aggravating. I've been feeling very Mac-oppressed lately.

WonderK - With Firefox/Mozzilla you can download a plugin that will emulate internet explorer, netscape opera. It basically tricks the page you are looking at into thinking that that is the browser you are using. Copy and paste this link into your browser and download the add-on. I use it all the time and I used it for the FAFSA. Its brilliant.


https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/59/

WonderK - Sorry. Just checked that update at its only good for release 2.0 and older. So if you want you can download version 1.5 with this link:

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-older.html

Its the version I use and they say it will be supported until April 24, 2007.

cpnorris! Thank you so much. I appreciate that. That's why I love this place.

Unfortunately I downloaded 1.5, and it's the same problem.....only version 1.5 is supported on the Fed website and the only downloads that are available are actually version 1.5.0.9.

So, back to Plan B, The Library. Fortunately I am drinking a Bay Breeze right now so I don't care anymore.....

well you could download 1.5.0.9 and then download that plug-in in the first post and it should work fine.

Hmmmm. OK, I'll try it. Really this is all just an exercise to see if I can finish my FAFSA in my pajamas or do I have to put clothes on, lol.

haha! I'm sure you'll get a better financial offer if you just stay in your pajamas.

cpnorris. You are officially my favorite person today. That worked! How fantastic. Pajamas it is! Mwahahahaha.....

In honor of you, cpnorris, and in gratitude for your help, I present you with this full page of awesome:

Chuck Norris facts


Woo hoo! I'm going to go roundhouse kick this form in the face now.....

haha, nice! thanks. glad to help.

Chuck Norris is the definition of awesome. He may have even invented that word. I wonder if I'm related. Probably should of put that in SOP. I'd be a shoe in.

So silly pumpkins... the die is cast.

When you are around $100,000 dollars in debt and only making $50,000 a year, if you're lucky, and after 15 years of hard labour only $80,000 a year how will you feel?

Is it really worth sacrificing your life, your wealth, and potentially your health to a profession that demands so much and yet returns so little? Do you really love architecture -that- much?

When librarians make more on average and you could likely rise through the ranks faster and make more as a peanut salesman if you put in the same amount of hours, how does putting 100-150k investment down make sense? Doormen and manual laborers make more and don't need a masters degree.

And please, if you say "money doesn't matter" you are living on a cloud and you are having a pretty dream that will gradually become a nasty reality - in today's America money is everything, if you say it doesn't matter, then you become a small minority that nobody cares about, i.e. an 'artistic outcast'. You will be respected as an architect up until the point they find out how poor you are.

What's your feeling of trying to enter architecture, the world's most pathetic profession?

im gonna change it to a high earning profession. there's gotta be a way.

i wish i were independently wealthy...

Gee, we've never heard this one before.

Last Friday my boss ( a big 'ol attorney) told me that I had to join him for lunch with another woo woo attorney because they might end up talking "attorney stuff" that I was working on. I would rather get a root canal then sit thru these types of lunch mtgs....

Somehow, at the very beginning of the mtg, my boss mentioned that the firm might loose me to grad school in architecture shortly if I get accepted anywhere.

The woo woo attorney immediately confessed that his father was a very prominent architect and he always wistfully looked back on if he should have done architecture instead. He has loads of money, he is redesigning a new home and getting to do the "brad pitt" thing with other architects, he surrounds himself with architecture friends, and secretly he hopes one of his kids might go into design as opposed to a professional field like he did because ultimately he feels he didn't pursue his true dreams and has compensated by trying to get close to it through his "designer friends".

We spoke the entire lunch about our love of architecture, my boss got very grumpy that I bogarted the meeting, but it was so apparent that this guy had all the money in world, he tried to satisfy his design desires by his own personal projects, and still he felt wistfully inside as though he never fully engaged in what made his heart beat fast...

So for all those naysayers out there, lets step forward in pursuing what makes our hearts beat fast and trust that we can apply the intelligence and fortitude to create lives that allows us to pursue creativity, collaboration, and service while maturely addressing very real financial and career growth issues that are intrinsic to the architecture profession.

i.e. Firetruck, don't you have something better to do like put out a fire or rescue a cat somewhere....

Investing $100,000 in grad school for a low-paying profession may indeed be pathetic, but not nearly as pathetic as trolling on internet message boards just to piss in other peoples' cornflakes.

Firetruck strikes me as the type who probably earned his Associates in Drafting degree from Gravel Pit County Technical College in 1967, somehow got grandfathered in and took the exam, and who has subsequently spent the past 40 years of his life getting paid a pittance to write spec books for some third-rate firm.

He keeps trying to convince himself that his career has been a sucess despite his lack of an advanced degree, but he must act out his internal self-loathing by pissing on people who show the slightest promise of doing more with their talent than he ever will.

I've worked with a few such types at various firms, and they have been by far my biggest motivation to earn my M.Arch. at a good program.