60% Portfolio
25% Statement of Purpose/how well your interests line up with what they teach
10% Background including undergrad degree, GPA, resume
5% GRE

But that's just a guess, as will pretty much anyone else's who plays along with this.

Damn, knew I forgot something. Scratch that.

50% Portfolio
20% Letters of Rec
20% Statement of Purpose/how well your interests line up with what they teach
5% Background including undergrad degree, GPA, resume
5% GRE

45% portfolio
30% rec letters
20% resume and statement of purpose
5% GPA and GRE combined

I know that my recommendation letters were one of the most important factors. I might not have gotten into my first choice school without them, and I know that I would not have received the merit scholarship that I got in my first year without those letters.

50% portfolio

23% letters of rec

19% statement of purpose

7% printed logs of questions posted on archinect re: admissions criteria (this subset is up 28% from last year!)

1% GRE

Fomerlyunknown - were you entirely unknown before your recommendation letters?

Go to RISD...no GRE.

Now these letters of rec. Do some of you believe that one is enough, or 2+ is better.

I agree with everything that J says. Even though most people concur that the GRE has little importance on your overall chances of acceptance, you still need to do the best you can on it because little things like that could make or break you if it comes down to the wire. Treat it like you've treated all the other elements of your application -- with your 100% effort. We all know that the GRE is a long and boring standardized test and what a drag it could be, but everyone has to deal with it and so do you. Treat every element of your application process with equal importance. This will allow you to make your clear case that you are extremely serious about their programs. In my opinion, there is not a single thing you should overlook.

One other thing I would add is that when you write your statements, make sure you do your research on each program so that each statement specifically applies to each school. You'd be amazed at how many stories I've heard where people would turn in generic statements that were just twisted around with the name of different schools and went to the wrong school.

Good luck.

Sunset, I'm sure most schools ask for about three. And that should be enough.

The vast majority of schools require 2 or three, so 1 would obviously not be enough in those cases. Actually, of the schools that I applied to, every one of them required at least two. But I guess if a school only required one, then it should be ok.

Archmed- what I did for the statements was to have it 80-90% the same for each school, and just made sure to mention at the end of each why XXX was the school for me. I didn't want to tailor them completely to each school (aside from the varying length requirements), because at some point I decided that I had a certain message that I wanted to convey, a certain agenda, and if they didn't react well to it, then maybe that school wasn't as good a fit for me as I thought. So the tailoring of statements is something you have to strike a balance with, and make sure not to make it so much about them that it fails to convey you.

Wow, as a first time poster on archinect, I'm quite astonished. All of these responses and suggestions with such alacrity.

Thanks J and Archmed for your insight.

Rationalist, don't get me wrong. I did exactly what you did and thought exactly the same back in my time of applications. But I heard of many occasions when a applicant would screw up and send a letter that was supposed to be for say Rice University to say Syracuse.

But you're right, when you make the decision to go to architecture school it's all about what you want to do with the degree and what you plan to get from the academic experience -- which should be the same result now matter what your choices are. So generally, the statements should look similar -- but tweaked a little.

40% Portfolio
10% Letter of recommendation
10% Resume
10% GRE

and

30% the type of day your application reviewer is having. No joke, I know someone who reviewed applications for a top 5 MBA program and she realized if her and her husband were having a good day she was more lenient and if it was a bad day...NO ONE GOT IN!!!

sevensixfive: yep, I was TotallyUnknown back then.

sunsetsam: All the schools I applied to required 3 letters. I ended up with four. I certainly wouldn't send fewer than are requested. The question has come up in past years as to whether sending more than requested is ok. It worked for me, but I didn't really plan it that way and I wouldn't recommend sending more than one extra letter.

My understanding is that because of the way that some admissions committees divide up the application materials for review, the statement of purpose may not get read by more than one or two membesr of the admissions committee unless you make it to the last round of cuts, and even then it might not. So while it can be an important factor you need to make sure that the rest of your materials (portfolio especially) can stand on their own.

i know a guy that got into GSD sans GRE.
w/ an amazing folio and some killer recs.

If you ask most schols, they will say that it is an even split -- one third portfolio, one third reccomendations, and one third everything else.

I heard the same as 'formerlyunknown'

45% portfolio
30% rec letters
20% resume and statement of purpose
5% GPA and GRE combined

but a good recommendation letter can really bump you up there.

Well USC requires AT LEASE 1 letter of rec (for transfer students) - i do not know that many people/professors - only one arch professor who is going to write the letter for me. I feel kind of isolated in that aspect.

ah. That's a whole different world than grad admissions, sunset. I think they understand that- USC requires two recs for both undergrad and grad regular admissions, so I think the reduced requirement reflects their knowledge that you are removed from your high school teachers, but possibly not very established where you are at. I wouldn't worry too much about quantity for transfer admissions, as long as can get a quality one.

ugh.. rec letters... how awful to have to impose in ppl. One of my profs hand-writes each letter- thats fine if you are applying to 3 schools... what about 7!?

what's the verdict on extremely mediocre rec letters? Two I think will be very good but one of them is gonna be lame. I can't even think of who to ask. Is that going to drag me way down??

I would not submit a mediocre letter. All of your letters should be very positive. It's ok (good in fact) if the writer discusses weaknesses that you've improved on, or troubles that you've triumphed over. But if they aren't going to give you a strong endorsement, or if they don't know you well enough to write much, then you should pick someone else.

Potential writers can be current or former employers, professors, school administrators who know you well, other professionals, and people who may know you from other settings (your community activities, your hobbies, etc.)

well it would be positive, just mediocre because the person really doesn't know me very well. I've been working for such a short time and not in a very challenging position, either, only vaguely architectural, so that I'd have the time & energy to put a portfolio together, a very singular activity... oh well. I'll find something.

Thanks for the advice!

honestly, I submitted one GREAT letter of recommendation, one that was probably quite good, and one that I took a chance on, from someone who didn't know me so well but helped me demonstrate experience in and commitment to my area of study. And it turned out OK- I applied to 6 places, was accepted at 5 and waitlisted at 1. So if the worst part of your application is that you have one mediocre LOR, I wouldn't worry too much. It's just when it starts being that you have one mediocre letter of recommendation, could have done better on the GRE, and did poorly in some of your studio courses, that things really break down.

Yes, I believe GSD bases its selection process primarily on portfolio strength, all other components of the application are basically considered as blanket requirements for everybody.

Having a wicked good portfolio can definitely tip things in your favor if you have any weaknesses in other portions, while probably not vice versa. If your portfolio is so good that more than 5 profs say "Okay, let's admit him/her", that'll probably offset any GRE/GPA deficencies. Of course, having a balanced application is always safer; just make sure your portfolio stands out.

Alacrity? Wow...GRE word? :P. I know its quite banal, but everytime i get worked up over something --such as taking the GRE on the 24th-- i come on archinect and my fears r assuaged after reading the cogent comments left by u aaboootyful peeps. ;)

Conormac makes a great point, what happens if ur applying to 5 or more schools? I could'nt imagine asking someone to write me FIVE letters of rec. And of course, great letters should always be tailored to the specific school that ur applying to, if not the entire letter, at least some parts no? How does one go about asking a certain person he/she knows to write five or more tailor made letters?



superfluous.perfunctory.opprobrium.prevaricate.castigate.dilatory--ACK!!

lol ya someone's pulled their nose out of the KAPLAN book to comment on archinect ;)

it's not so simple. your percentage systems are flawed as you leave out your "intangibles" as well as "clutch percentages", etc. etc.. do you pull through in the clutch or do you crumble? those kinds of factors are secondary coefficients that can change your percentage ratings.

for example, if your previous semester grade is say a 2.7 avg and your following avg rises to 3.8, that's a 40.7% clutch increase which if my calculations are correct, translates to a 10& increase in swing points. these "swing points" can then be reallocated from one category to another. so if GREs were rated at 20% and your percentage subcategory point subtotal amounts to the lowest of all categories, the 10% swing can be used to decrease your GRE weighting and increasing weighting in your better categories. i know that many top schools across the country are doing this to combat simplistic point systems that may miss potential "diamonds in the rough". studies have shown that there have been significant overall changes due to this in the actual pool when compared to older, unbiased weighting systems.

Post the links to your studies ACFA.

they're all at:

stopworryingnoneofthisshouldchangeyourapp.com
justdoyourbestoneverything.org
useyour.com/monsense

im applying for '08 as well and all i want are some numbers. if someone could just give me a rough estimate as to what the mean gre and gpa scores for each school are, i'd be happy. haha :)

i've been over analyzing this whole situation for way way too long. kind of nervous since i'm a finance major with a minor in art - my portfolio is pretty much all over the place. i have a pretty sweet resume if your looking at my work experience - but thats only if im plan on going into the financial industry - which im not. so i guess it sucks? lol BLAH am i the only one who is coming a totally random major here?

noritabonita:

No you are not the only one here with a totally random major. I just started my M Arch 1 this year and we have everything from math, psychology, and yes a finance major in the program.
Dont worry too much about the Gre's or really even the GPA. Some of the better TA's I had in undergrad were accepted with gpas well below the desired 3.0 and 3 of the 5 schools i applied to didnt even ask for the Gre scores.

If you are still worried and want more info The university of Cincinnati DAAP website lists what they consider acceptable gre and gpa scores. And as you may or may not know they are an extremely reputable school. heres the site
http://daap.uc.edu/said/march_admissions


Ps. Its all about PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO......

Thanks so much Jamchar!