I'm totally speculating on the actual costs, but since I'm Canadian and had to decide on the same issues...

...In this business, it's unlikely that you'll get paid significantly more or less based on the school you attended. Having said that, you will make different contacts at different schools.

You've probably been to school already, so you know that you only get out of your education what you put into it. Don't assume that just because one university costs 15x another, that you'll get a better education there.

The decision for me was simple: $5000/year versus $35,000/year or more. I have no desire to accrue $70,000 debt or more, and so I'm staying in Canada. I highly doubt I'll ever search for work in the US, and besides, most states and provinces offer reciprocity, from what I understand.

Thanks for that advice. This is no knock against U of T, but I'm a born Torontonian and would like to get out and see the world. What about those ultra-fancy institutions that supposedly offer lots of aid to anyone and everyone (like Princeton, MIT). Did you apply to those places and then decide against it?

Never mind that "see the world" thing. There's always Club Med. First question stands though: Is there ANYWAY to finance a US arch. education?

If you want to stay in the country, but get out of T.O., then check out one of the M.Arch programs in another part of the country (there are other cities...beyond Toronto).
Manitoba, for example.
And Halifax. I highly recommend Halifax.

Yes, there are 10 accredited schools in Canada... Let's see if I can remember them and their locations:

U of T
U of Manitoba
U of Waterloo
Carleton (Ottawa)
Dalhousie (Halifax)
U of Calgary
U of BC (Burnaby, I believe?)
McGill (Montreal)

Universite de Montreal (french)
Universite de Laval (also french)

Okay, so I had to look up the last two.

From what I understand, you'll be paying through the nose at an American school, unless you can convince them to give you a free ride. I had some non-arch student friends get full athletic scholarships to schools in the US, but nobody I know got academic scholarships.

a note to slantsix....As an employer I have never based my choice of what to pay somebody by what school they went to. If someone 's skills and experience are good then they will get paid accordinly. The notion that the school make's the Architect, is not the case in my opinion.

I would also note the debt is dumb thread for you to look at.

ummm.... I think that's what I was saying: don't expect to be paid more just because you went to a certain school.
Quoted from my first post: "...In this business, it's unlikely that you'll get paid significantly more or less based on the school you attended."

I've also looked at that other thread, and again, maybe I just wasn't clear about my position, but I opted for a Canadian school. One of the benefits is that any loans I take will be minor (about $5000/year) and I'll graduate with a lot less debt than most American students.