Supergirl- welcome & good luck with the apps, glad to indoctrinate another potential 'scaper.

the LA programs you're applying to have as high, if not higher standards as arch folios for the same schools. Archs just have to show some creative potential to make objects ,ie buildings; 'scapers need to show an aptitude for holistic understanding of place. (some botony/horticulture doesn't hurt either).

Hope you made it to the open houses, they were the best way to sense the culture and pedagogy of each school.

hi treekiller thank you for the reply!

i am located in toronto at the moment so i wasnt able to make it down south.

i looked through the portfolios that the arch applicants uploaded: wow i must say, they most of them have really good software skills. which unfortunately, i have none. the most i can do is illustrator and photoshop.

do you think i have any chance if my portofolio is mostly composed of hand drawings, sketches, and some photographs?

Welcome supergirl!

As far as portfolio's go in my MLA program (at Cornell) I saw a wide variety of layouts in the portfolios. Some were very similar to those the arch. applicants are posting, and some were as simple as a three ring binder with pictures and drawings in sleeves. Definitely include any creative work you've got, and if you have any horticultural background try to incorporate that as well.

Best of Luck!

the computer stuff is typically all fluff, so don't compare your own work with what you've seen posted by people with lots of professional experience or undergrad studies in architecture.

It's ok to even layout your folio by hand and xerox the pictures/drawings for the applications. Just show your intelligence and passion for the larger picture.