How's everyone doing? I've been calling a few schools, I feel better having spoken with people. Some of the acceptance rates are a little more relaxed than I expected (hovering around 20% for many of the top schools). But I'm thinking also that this may be a misleading figure because a large amount of the applicants are already highly qualified, unlike undergrad. school?

also, i've been going through the thought process many spoke about above, about whether or not to apply for AP credit at some of the top schools for their M.Arch.1 program. I will have a non-professional degree in architecture. I was thinking I would just apply for the normal M. Arch. 1 to avoid the super-competitive admission rate for AP and also I didn't mind the idea of getting a review of some content I had already taken (though the money aspect of more school is definetely a negative). But I was thinking in terms of the application, there may also be a flip-side to this too. If many of the applicants are coming from non-architecture programs applying to the grad. school and then I come along with a portfolio full of architecture projects, but not appllying for AP credit, maybe that will also be looked upon negatively?

any thoughts?

oh yeah, and a gre question - do you have to have all the specific codes for the schools of architecture with you when you go to take the test?

a friend helped out sort the recommendations at yale and told me this is how they do it:

best recommendations possible:

1. a professor of yours that is in the board of admissions [almost impossible]
2. a professor of yours that is known by someone in the board of admissions.
3. a professor of yours.

recommendations by employers are usually ignored as they tend to be always equally good.

worst recommendation: big name that does not know you really.

packages are sorted out into 3 groups: in, out, and maybes. admission board then discusses the maybes. they might have a good portfolio but average gre or grades. studio teachers fight for those. they might have good grades, good gre, so so portfolio. seminar teachers fight for those.

I am curious. I am sure that that big name reccommendations have to mean something especially if you have worked for them in the past.

I think aml was trying to say having a professor that knows you better over a big name professor who doesn't is better. If you have a big name professor who knows you well, more power to you.

sahar: exactly my point, thanks
pmpn: yes, i'm sure big names that you've worked for do mean a lot.

this friend's comment was that they got lots of recommendations from employers [unknown, just the boss] and really, unless the person had been out of school for a long time and work experience was relevant, they hardly ever looked at them. i'm sure they always look at big names, but it only works if they really know you academically or professionally [i.e. not your uncle]