The school doesn't matter if you don't let it bother you.  I believe there are many architects who never went to school... One that jumps to my mind is Tadao Ando, the japanese architect who has won  Pritzker prize.  He is self taught.  I'm sure you can be like him too

All your life you were lead to believe you had options in life.  Chose recklessly. Diversify. Go to that school and drop out. Go to a crappier one after that.

The second Spanish civil war will demand from you to declare yourself as either fascist, communist, or anarchist, Chose wisely, and if you meet the next Hemingway, please try not to die during  delivery.

Thnx! 

@Rusty that was very poetic but honestly need some opinions that help me decide!

The school you went to matters more in the early years of your career, but only if you intend to move around geographically or pursue a highly-competitive internship right out of the gate. After the initial few years of your career, the work you've done far outweighs where you went to school or what your GPA was. It might still be relevant on occasion through alumni networking, but that's about it.

Less-prestigious schools can still be extremely strong regionally. So if there's a particular region you want to work in, going to a state school or some such in that area can work very much in your favor. You'd be surprised, for instance, to see how many Washington State University architecture alumni there are doing very well in Seattle, Washington, a city which is home to several global design firms with excellent reputations.

More important, is the school itself a place where you think you will thrive for five-plus years of high-intensity educational effort? Does their program offer you a good design and technical background in architecture? Are there faculty members there who are doing interesting research or work that you want to learn from?

@gwharton ..thanks you for your advice ..it is quite interesting i did know washington state had soo many takers is but i have already completed my fiver years of undergraduate ,i am looking at a valuable masters and the relevance of smaller european schools doing great work but not very famous..alteast not very famous yet!

I'll say it for the umpteenth time on architect, talent is what matters.  The school may raise some eyebrows but all in all, it's about what you do at a firm.

eh school matters if you're going to keep a bio on your own firm's website. because public relations matter.

school also matters if you decide to leave the field.

School doesn't matter as talent and or experience.  I don't hire anybody right out of school 'cause they don't know anything.  I am always hire based on reference, skill set and experience.

By the way i"m hiring!

@whistler: and how do you expect any new grads to get experience if everyone thinks like you? new grads bring fresh ideas and do in fact know something, perhaps things you don't because you've been out of school so long

@k2886: a degree is what you make of it, but that doesn't mean it's insignificant, especially at the graduate level, your professors do have an influence on your work, so choose a school that is moving in the direction you personally want to see yourself moving in, which may or may not be the more prestigious school, best of luck!

thank you everyone .. these were very valuable comments and @whistler...i shall knock on your door after my masters hoping for an opening :)!

IMHO it matters more of the city where you go to school than the campus or school brand itself.  I would suggest seeking out schools that are more technically strong than those focused on theory.  While in school, focus increasingly on getting work in architect's offices.  You will gain a much greater perspective on the business realities of architecture which will in turn re-focus your studies on what you know to be truly important.  Also, look to expand your entrepreneurial spirit - take accounting/finance/business law classes, start a company, etc..