Is your intention to complete this program and enter an MArch program with advanced standing? 

Yes. So my portfolio isn't basically some cool instagram pics of landscapes or whatnot when applying. 

Also, I am much more interested in planning/urban design than straight architecture, so I would also apply to planning programs with a design background.

Thanks for responding LITS4FormZ

Anyone else?

No we are tired of your posts.

But the seven words you wasted could've been used to give a simple concise answer instead of a snide reply. I guess that would've required some effort though, eh?

Manover, Im familiar with the LAIAD program but not the other college one. From the course descriptions, it sounds like the LAIAD is a true architectural prep program; they teach you how to think critically, design properly and completely understand themselves as a program to push people into M.Arch degrees. The second cheaper option sounds like it is simply a technical college program, based solely to become a draftsman. I cannot comment on these two schools/programs specifically as I have no direct experience with either, but up here in the Great White North we have similar setups and the distinction is very definite; becoming an architect and becoming an architectural technologist/technician are two very different things. While many people have gone from one to the other, it is typically not the best option. You will save money in the short run, but you will spend more money in time (and probably just end up taking the LAIAD route later) in the long run with the community college technical courses. They will teach you to draft very well, but not much more.

I wouldn't do either of these.  The LAIAD one sounds better in terms of content, for exactly the same reasons as BenC mentions, but it is WAY too expensive for something that will most likely not transfer any credits for your MArch.  The community college sounds like a typical draftsman's program which will be useful in its way (I took these classes at my community college once upon a time, and I don't regret it - to this day I have excellent hand-lettering, ha) but not particularly useful for you to either learn what arch school is like or develop your portfolio / critical thinking & analysis skills.

What *I* would do is find a summer prep program and do that.  Last I checked, Harvard's program (called Career Discovery) was around $2500 (I think???) and it is EXCELLENT - very good orientation for what arch. schooling is truly like, and has really excellent professors for the money.  Of course, you'd have to find housing in Boston for the summer.  Closer to home I bet USC or one of the other excellent LA schools have some kind of similar program - a lot of arch. schools do this.  Anyone in the LA area know of such a thing?

You do not need to take a whole year's worth of classes, none of which will transfer, to a) get some meat into your portfolio & b) find out for sure if architecture is for you.  You won't be applying to schools until next Sept anyway, and you won't be able to work during your MArch.  So take this year to earn as much money as humanly possible - you'll need it, believe me, an MArch is extremely expensive given the income you will be making as an architect - and then take a summer program & apply next year.

Harvard has a program? I really have to look into that. I was under the impression LAIAD was one of a kind. 

As far as being a draftsman. Could you even work as an arch tech with just a certificate in arch tech like the one listed above or are there masters programs one has to complete first?

You guys have given me the best advice yet. I really appreciate you guys saving me 6 grand this year. 

I am already in the LAIAD program and while I like it I am trying to justify the 3k a semester. I am wondering just how my portfolio is supposed to turn out considering I was just given an assignment to construct a design with absolutely no guidance. I mean I am not looking for a hold your hand program, but no mention of how to cut the wood, or best way to start, it was just design this, now use sketchup to design it again, and now put extensions on it. I am surprised I got caught up after just missing the second day of class.

Look, if all else fails and I just do not have what it takes to design, my back up might just be an arch tech. So are these techs supposed to be like nurses to doctors? Are they looked down upon by real architects? LOL. What's their story?

In essence though, the community college track really will not help to enter an arch grad program? Arch grad programs couldn't give a rat's behind about them? 

They help indirectly by teaching you some software programs (that you'll otherwise learn later on anyways), but beyond that they probably won't help too much for M.Arch applications or when you actually get into one. They are more concerned with CD sets, detailing, etc. both in 2D and 3D. Actually, those are also very desirable traits in the job hunt, but again employers may see the Arch. Tech. background and slide (pigeon-hole) you into that kind of work, which you may not be happy about when you're about to graduate from an m.arch.

What about taking the CC courses and getting someone to help me out with the portfolio. That's basically what I'm doing at the LAIAD.

I was just given an assignment to construct a design with absolutely no guidance.

This is precisely what architecture school is like (and frankly, what being an architect is like).  Ultimately it is up to you to create the building from your own ideas and explorations; in other, balder words, you must imagine the building yourself.  The professor should guide you through the process of what it's like to do this, but otherwise the only way you'll learn is by trying to do it yourself.  Architecture education is highly "sink or swim".  If you are not enjoying that I would quite honestly reconsider your idea to go into the profession.

Re: your question about prep programs... there are loads of them, geared towards different students.  Harvard's is one of the better known, and one of the few that accepts non-high school students, but it's not the only, by far.  A simple google search turns up numerous options.  Cornell and Columbia accept non-high-school students, as does UIC's YArch program in Chicago (which I have some personal experience with and can tell you it's great)... let's see... aha, in LA I have turned up UCLA's Jump Start program which sounds like it would fit your needs.

Here's a pdf list of programs I found by simply googling.  See, there's tons.

Re: Community college.  I think the classes are definitely useful to your life - and of course, everything in your background goes toward grad school admissions - but I don't think they are going to guarantee you admission to grad school or anything.  Generally speaking, most design-oriented grad programs are looking to see if you can think critically, analytically, and creatively - regardless of your medium.  It's important to show why you're interested in architecture (which incidentally is not a question you've spoken about in your posts yet), who you are, how you think, and how and what you create. 

Community colleges tend to focus more on the craft side of architecture - as in, the production of drawings, the technical specifications of how to build a building, etcetera.  That is certainly very useful for an architect's life.  It's impossible to say whether it would or wouldn't be helpful to you in terms of grad school admission; schools vary widely, we have no idea what the rest of your application will look like, and we have no idea what you're capable of producing, creatively.  Generally speaking, however, the focus of a community college program tends to differ from that of an MArch program, so the ideas and teachings don't generally dovetail perfectly.  That's not to say it isn't useful, though.  It's really impossible to any one of us to tell you - you would have to intensively research the programs yourself, look within yourself and see what you're truly interested in, evaluate your own goals and talents and go from there.

A draftsman can be a draftsman with no degree at all.  There's really no requirement for it, because there aren't a lot of jobs in it quite frankly.  Draftsman need to know a) how to build (!) and b) how to represent the construction of a building in accurate, clear, and economical drawings.  I have known quite a few in my years of experience and while all were valuable employees (frankly often more valuable than trained architects for the specific function they fufill), they are generally (unfortunately) a dying breed.  Draftsmen are on the "production line" of a set of construction drawings, which means they are usually only found at larger firms which have large enough projects to require a team of individuals to complete.  Nowadays, architecture graduates are plentiful and willing to work on the production line for cheap so the old model of having one architect head up a team of draftsman working on a project is disappearing.  Also frankly being a draftsman doesn't pay very well.  The pay scale in architecture is pretty low to begin with, and folks with degrees will displace folks without, so...

Best info yet thanks guys so much! http://catalog.lacitycollege.edu/pages/architecture.htm Found another CC program with more design classes. Any thoughts on this?

getting someone to help me out with the portfolio.

What do you mean by this?  How do you propose to do this?

I'm concerned - in all of your posts I am beginning to notice a theme: do you see the "portfolio" as simply some requirement to create and fulfill to check a box to get into grad school?

The portfolio is a visual presentation of yourself.  It is a window through which to demonstrate to others who you are, via your creative efforts.  It is not something you simply create at the drop of a hat to check off a box. 

If you are truly at a loss for what to put in your portfolio, then I am concerned that you may be looking into the wrong career field.  Architecture is a fine art.  It is a field in which you literally create something from nothing.

I have nothing to add. But I'm sure some of you are familiar with my skills (or lack thereof) and work.

And I was rejected from every single school I applied too.

Mantaray, what I meant by that is that the CC courses are supposed to be very craft or technically oriented so I would have to work on my portfoilio else where. I meant get help with putting it together. Basically take a course in putting together a portfolio. I mean that's basically what I would be doing at LAIAD.

Honestly, my interests are squarely in planning, urban design and some landscape. I really want to do a dual MUP/MLA or MUP/M.Arch.

I was wondering if having the tech background (AA in Arch from CC), a design course to create a portfolio would be good to also apply to a planning or urban design program? 

To be honest I am more of an urban planning/design buff. I am nuts for the stuff. Love it.

For instance, my dream school is Spitzer CCNY. I would love to study an MUD under Michael Sorkin or an MLA.

Basically take a course in putting together a portfolio. I mean that's basically what I would be doing at LAIAD.

Hmm.  I think you may be fundamentally misconceiving both what a portfolio and what a studio design course is.

If you are crazy about Urban Design, just go into Urban Design.  Why spend 3 years learning how to design buildings - at very high cost, with (unless you are wealthy) loads of student load debt, if that's not what you want to do?  If you take an expensive arch degree and then become a planner, your salary is not going to cover the loans for the degree you aren't even using.  Why not just study Urban Design?  It's a shorter program anyway.

So far you haven't evinced any interest in creating buildings.  From the comments you've made so far in fact it sounds like you might detest the study of architecture.  There is no "design course to create a portfolio" (excepting, of course, graphic design to teach you how to attractively and clearly communicate the content you've already created).  You portfolio content comes from you.  It is a reflection of you, as I explained above.  It might have creative writing in it.  It might have photography in it.  It might have construction or furniture design or fashion design or drawings or paintings or music composed or a representation of fractals that you created out of differently colored strings woven through the spaces of your apartment.  Who knows?  It represents YOU and what you create and how you see the world and where you are coming from. 

Take the courses you're interested in.  Learn about urban design, if that's what you love.  There are mapping classes and urban theory classes and architectural history classes and sociology and anthropology and history and GIS and all kinds of things to study if you love urban design.

i'm confused, do you have an undergrad degree already and would now looking for a grad program?

This has been the most eye opening thread ever. I  really appreciate the time and money you guys are saving me.

I admit that the buidling design is not one of my fav topics and I am lagging a bit in my class so far, but I was under the impression that in order to get into a Masters in Urban Design program, you have to have some design work under your belt?

Do you not need to have a design background to get into a graduate urban design program? Or is it a diffrent type of design? Would the CC courses, AA in Arch help at all?

At LAIAD there is a graphic designer employed specifically to help you create an amazing portfolio of one's work. What I meant was if I could pay a person like that or take a graphic design course to help construct a portfolio of my work. I was basically asking if I am already paying 3k for that at LAIAD, then why not pay for the one one consultation or take a graphic design course?

Shuellmi, yes, I have a BA already.

if you already have a ba, whatever the subject, you should have an artistic interest of some sort which you can put in a portfolio.  If you need help perhaps you can find samples of other portfolios online.  after all few people enter MUD programs with an architecture background.

I think an assoc. degree would be a waste of time.  the laiad program sounds interesting, but it sounds like you are only in it to have a portfolio for a different field.  not says that you won't learn a lot in it.  perhaps it is useful if your BA isn't applicable to MUD

You need to reach out to the Urban Design programs you are interested in and find out from them what they are looking for in an applicant. 

Anecdotally, the two planners I know (miniscule sample!) have no background in architecture.  One did a history undergrad, one a sociology & urban anthropology.  There are combined MArch/MUD programs for people interested in both.  You do not sound interested in both.  I suspect you just need to speak to someone in Urban Design & go from there.

UCLA's department offers both separate and combined degree programs, I believe.  Why don't you go talk to them?  You'll get more info from the horse's mouth.

Thanks, after careful consideration I am fully switching to solely Urban Planning and Design. 

Are there any urban designers in here? I will follow your advice mantaray and talk to the Planning departments at UCLA and USC. Does it matter that they're housed in the planning school?

Glad we could help!  Good luck!

FYI most MUD programs require a previous or concurrent professional degree (B.Arch, M.Arch or MUP).