How important is it? As long as its accredited is it okay? Do they place a bigger emphasis on experience? Any bad experiences with your school and getting a job?
This will turn into a pissing match about schools unless you give some more specific things you are interested in knowing about your education and how it effects your professional career.
I think you'll find a lot of resistance as people are tired of talking about it on this thread. But I think strawbeary hit on a good point, in the sense that there are different strokes for different folks. you need to find a school that fits what you want to do. what are your priorities, interests.
heck, judging by the question, you may not even know your interests, or how this whole system works. i don't think anyone really does.
i made my choice without really knowing anything about architecture, (though I thought I knew what I was getting into, (buildings right?), i actually was way off) I though I knew what I was interested in, I was way off. however, i did find a school that i really liked and provided me with plenty of opportunity out of school.
however, you do see more interesting architects able to start a practise utilizing GSD education connections. But really, I don't think that should be entirely important. Also, if you're looking to be a professor, the top tier school names seem to help a lot. It's fairly common to see GSD, MIT, Columbia grads as professors.
but back to your questions:
Yes, it probably should be accredited.
The further away from graduation, the more your portfolio comes into play. (Actually fairly quickly, though you can probably carry around a diploma from an ivy for the rest of your life) It also depends on the type of job you're looking for. Boutique Design firms get to pick and choose based on portfolios. Corporate firms look more for experience in particular areas.
Thanks for your answer. It was really helpful. I'm not asking whether I should go to Harvard or Sci-Arc. I'm wondering, as long as the school I graduate from is accredited, how hard will it be for me to get a job in a....80 person sized firm? a huge corporate firm? SOM? a small boutique? just different scenarios.
how much importance is placed on what school someone graduates from?
oooh, i'm waiting for the y____ blows bomb to be dropped...
i've met some oregon, kansas and michigan kids that could dance circles around the people i know that went to yale and columbia.
but then again, i know some swiss and german kids that honestly make me want to quit architecture on a daily basis.
short answer is, it depends on what you want to do.
getting a job? doesn't matter.
landing a sweet internship w/ FOA - it might matter, but you better have some coinage as you won't be getting paid at all.
owning a firm? doesn't matter.
retaining high profile clients? it might matter.
right now, it's not that difficult to get a job anywhere, unless you're aiming for a small boutique. at a boutique your portfolio will be needed to help you stand out.
with the market the way it is, there's a lot of work out there for firms. many are swamped. (maybe residential is cooling down)
but who knows in a couple years, in any event it all adds up. the name of the school is a small component, but still a component (alumns have been huge for me). but so is character, looks, what you wear on interview day, what's in your portfolio, etc.
i recommend trying to find the best education for YOU. whether it's technical or theoretical, big school or small school, ivy or unaccredited...
only until you get educated will you know where you want to go, what you want to do, and how best to prepare yourself for that job, that interview, etc.
How Important Is The School You Graduate From?
How important is it? As long as its accredited is it okay? Do they place a bigger emphasis on experience? Any bad experiences with your school and getting a job?
it would help if you could answer: what is your ultimate goal? what is your vision for yourself in the profession?
see here
Now I know what building I'd like to bulldoze.
I've already search and found nothing. Maybe I'm not typing in the right words. Can you be more helpful?
dont ask questions about schools
This will turn into a pissing match about schools unless you give some more specific things you are interested in knowing about your education and how it effects your professional career.
R0CA,
I think you'll find a lot of resistance as people are tired of talking about it on this thread. But I think strawbeary hit on a good point, in the sense that there are different strokes for different folks. you need to find a school that fits what you want to do. what are your priorities, interests.
heck, judging by the question, you may not even know your interests, or how this whole system works. i don't think anyone really does.
i made my choice without really knowing anything about architecture, (though I thought I knew what I was getting into, (buildings right?), i actually was way off) I though I knew what I was interested in, I was way off. however, i did find a school that i really liked and provided me with plenty of opportunity out of school.
however, you do see more interesting architects able to start a practise utilizing GSD education connections. But really, I don't think that should be entirely important. Also, if you're looking to be a professor, the top tier school names seem to help a lot. It's fairly common to see GSD, MIT, Columbia grads as professors.
but back to your questions:
Yes, it probably should be accredited.
The further away from graduation, the more your portfolio comes into play. (Actually fairly quickly, though you can probably carry around a diploma from an ivy for the rest of your life) It also depends on the type of job you're looking for. Boutique Design firms get to pick and choose based on portfolios. Corporate firms look more for experience in particular areas.
no bad experiences for me.
2 cents
harvard VS. SCAD
ding ding
Postal,
Thanks for your answer. It was really helpful. I'm not asking whether I should go to Harvard or Sci-Arc. I'm wondering, as long as the school I graduate from is accredited, how hard will it be for me to get a job in a....80 person sized firm? a huge corporate firm? SOM? a small boutique? just different scenarios.
how much importance is placed on what school someone graduates from?
truth is, it's all about who you know and your networking. of course getting a job in the town where you graduated from is a bit easier...
oooh, i'm waiting for the y____ blows bomb to be dropped...
i've met some oregon, kansas and michigan kids that could dance circles around the people i know that went to yale and columbia.
but then again, i know some swiss and german kids that honestly make me want to quit architecture on a daily basis.
short answer is, it depends on what you want to do.
getting a job? doesn't matter.
landing a sweet internship w/ FOA - it might matter, but you better have some coinage as you won't be getting paid at all.
owning a firm? doesn't matter.
retaining high profile clients? it might matter.
right now, it's not that difficult to get a job anywhere, unless you're aiming for a small boutique. at a boutique your portfolio will be needed to help you stand out.
with the market the way it is, there's a lot of work out there for firms. many are swamped. (maybe residential is cooling down)
but who knows in a couple years, in any event it all adds up. the name of the school is a small component, but still a component (alumns have been huge for me). but so is character, looks, what you wear on interview day, what's in your portfolio, etc.
i recommend trying to find the best education for YOU. whether it's technical or theoretical, big school or small school, ivy or unaccredited...
only until you get educated will you know where you want to go, what you want to do, and how best to prepare yourself for that job, that interview, etc.
perhaps you're looking too far ahead... maybe you need to think more about now now. then wait for then to be now. which will be soon.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.