Hey guys, I’m graduating from Arizona State in May with a BSD in Architecture. Well I decided to take a year off before my graduate studies. I know I was on here stating I was going to go straight through but I think it’s the best thing for me to get some “real world” experience like others have stated. Now I live in Arizona and I don’t know what I want to do. I have the option to move back to New York which is something that’s be on the top of my head as of lately. I was born and raised in Queens and I still have most of my family there and would love to move back for my own personal/cultural reasons. I only have 1 year of internship under my belt and I know that isn’t going to go far especially in the city. Even though I have the option to live with family for free, Id like to have a place on my own. Looking at this in the lens of reality… its looking glimpse as of lately.
So now I think Im narrowing it down to practicing in Arizona for a year, graduate in 2 years, have 3 years of internship under my belt and then head to New York with some experience. Now I don’t know where I want to work. There are a lot of great companies here, mostly large corporate companies that I would like to work for… but I fear that I would be some ignored employee doing models all day long in a corner where they check up once or twice a day. I had an internship experience in a small firm in Glendale, AZ and I was very happy with how much I learned. Although they were creating CMU boxes I felt that I learned a lot about the processes of being an architect and how a firm operates. However I feel that if I work in that atmosphere long enough I will be creating CMU boxes as well cause thats all that I will know lol. Another option: I was offered a great job in North Scottsdale. They do custom homes, I know you guys hate the word custom, but they really do explore different and unique spaces, and are at least innovative in “southwestern” design. So really I don’t know what is best for me. Of course I will be practicing architecture, I just don’t know which direction I want to go. Is it New York? Is it CMU boxes? Or is it Custom Homes? I know either choice is a learning experience, I just feel that if I pick one over the other that I would be doing something wrong. Also with the IDP thing, I think I might be better off doing it in Arizona since I’m already a resident here. So anyone in similar shoes? I know a lot of yous took a year off between graduate school, would love to hear what I should do and your own personal experiences. Thank you so much! B
I would say at the very least take a year off of school. You will learn so much about architecture and about what you like about architecture in that transition period between under grad and grad school. Coming out of undergrad you really don't know anything and there is so much to learn while working at a firm. I graduated in May 2004 and I am applying for grad school for fall 2007. I have been working at the same firm for almost 3 years and it has been the best decision i ever made. If I would of gone to grad school any earlier I think it would have been a huge missed opportunity. But as tinydancer said, only you can make the decision.
Feb 4, 07 1:58 pm ·
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A Year Before Graduate School
Hey guys, I’m graduating from Arizona State in May with a BSD in Architecture. Well I decided to take a year off before my graduate studies. I know I was on here stating I was going to go straight through but I think it’s the best thing for me to get some “real world” experience like others have stated. Now I live in Arizona and I don’t know what I want to do. I have the option to move back to New York which is something that’s be on the top of my head as of lately. I was born and raised in Queens and I still have most of my family there and would love to move back for my own personal/cultural reasons. I only have 1 year of internship under my belt and I know that isn’t going to go far especially in the city. Even though I have the option to live with family for free, Id like to have a place on my own. Looking at this in the lens of reality… its looking glimpse as of lately.
So now I think Im narrowing it down to practicing in Arizona for a year, graduate in 2 years, have 3 years of internship under my belt and then head to New York with some experience. Now I don’t know where I want to work. There are a lot of great companies here, mostly large corporate companies that I would like to work for… but I fear that I would be some ignored employee doing models all day long in a corner where they check up once or twice a day. I had an internship experience in a small firm in Glendale, AZ and I was very happy with how much I learned. Although they were creating CMU boxes I felt that I learned a lot about the processes of being an architect and how a firm operates. However I feel that if I work in that atmosphere long enough I will be creating CMU boxes as well cause thats all that I will know lol. Another option: I was offered a great job in North Scottsdale. They do custom homes, I know you guys hate the word custom, but they really do explore different and unique spaces, and are at least innovative in “southwestern” design. So really I don’t know what is best for me. Of course I will be practicing architecture, I just don’t know which direction I want to go. Is it New York? Is it CMU boxes? Or is it Custom Homes? I know either choice is a learning experience, I just feel that if I pick one over the other that I would be doing something wrong. Also with the IDP thing, I think I might be better off doing it in Arizona since I’m already a resident here. So anyone in similar shoes? I know a lot of yous took a year off between graduate school, would love to hear what I should do and your own personal experiences. Thank you so much! B
THAKE IT EASY MY FRIEND.........
too much text = no read
the beauty of being an adult-only you can make the decision...
I would say at the very least take a year off of school. You will learn so much about architecture and about what you like about architecture in that transition period between under grad and grad school. Coming out of undergrad you really don't know anything and there is so much to learn while working at a firm. I graduated in May 2004 and I am applying for grad school for fall 2007. I have been working at the same firm for almost 3 years and it has been the best decision i ever made. If I would of gone to grad school any earlier I think it would have been a huge missed opportunity. But as tinydancer said, only you can make the decision.
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