@ e.m.g.

I'd honestly say pick the cheaper one. While Columbia GSAPP is a great name with Ivy League status, renowned professors, great classes, network etc. I simply cannot advocate taking on significant debt (>50k or so) to go to any school. The amount of older people I've talked to that seem extremely worried about their financial loans post-M.Arch is high, and too many people become bitter because of student loans in their 30s. Living as an Architect in NYC or wherever is doable but not with significant debt.

Berkeley has its faults, but also a lot of opportunities and seemed to have a solid class/peer dynamic. No matter where you go it's up to you to excel, network, make friends, to work hard, and produce innovative projects both inside and outside of school. The student matters more than the school in my opinion. Competition is very high at these places. Just my thoughts. 

Who's going to the WUSTL open house next week? I can't wait!

And who is attending GSD open house next Friday? Please list your degree program. Would be nice to have someone to meet there, and discuss housing, programs, options, etc...

I am attending open house. I am MDesS History and Design Philosophy.

Also, my email is matt.teismann@gmail.com Feel free to email me if you are going.

@lauralich

I just gave up my spot at UW....good luck, hope you make it off the waitlist.

I've applied to 8 schools and here are the results so far:

In: Pratt , Politecnico di Milano

Out: GSAPP, AA, Glasgow school of Art, Royal Danish school of art

Waiting: Bartlett, Univ. of Sydney

As of now, I would like to go to Pratt but what's setting me back is the cost. Which I will be loaning. Is it worth it? If ever I get accepted at the Bartlett, is it a better school? 

@SuperTenacious and @Cizz, snail mail did it's thing. Hit me up on email and we can talk more.

@ e.m.g.

Yes, I will be attending the open house at Berkeley. Most likely to the event on Sunday too. Will you be going?

@kelena

I'm going to the open house for WUSTL next week!

@Tanuja

Pratt does have a parametric-ism, but it depends where you want to go after school. I'm pretty set on Pratt or WUSTL, I know students from both schools, so the open house will allow me to decide, however, I am way more inclined to Pratt due to the networking to be made in NYC, where ideally I want to be after school. Yeah, a lot of money, but it's what you make of your life and I see it as an investment rather than spending money.

I honestly, love Pratt, look at BIG, OMA, Morphosis... Also inside scoop from Pratt, Gensler loves Pratt students, out of 300 employees in NYC, 95 are Pratt graduates.... so there's that. Good luck on your decision making!

Email me for questions!

e_arx@hotmail.com

@gg_r

I want to work in NYC and the east coast for a little while just for the experience, but definitely settle in Cali after school. I'll be visiting Pratt next weekend, just to see the campus since I'll be in the area. I def see it as an investment as well. Good luck with Pratt, sounds like the ideal choice for you =]

@nycdesigns

I also got my acceptance letter from UO in the mail.  Anyone going to the UO open house?

Anybody,

How is University of Calgary ? U of C remains a mystery. As an international students I am  relying completely on the internet(which might actually be bogus). More than the city- Interested in knowing about the M.Arch program there. If anybody could help it would be greatly appreciated.

Didn't get accepted to Rice but Parsons M.Arch 1. Anyone going to the grad day in April?

has anyone received anything in the mail from berkeley yet?  Im still waiting for financial info and specific enrollment process.

Got accepted to University of Toronto on Friday via email! Was wondering if anyone else who it accepted was notified in the email about funding. It didn't say anything really just that I would get info in the mail soon. Maybe I just didn't get any, can anyone let me know if thei letters mentioned scholarships?

Thanks!

@jacobcohen

They included the scholarship information in the letter.

@ FLA1988

I am also waiting. Did you manage to find more information about the open house next week? It seems like a mystery, can't find anything about it.

Ok, late to the game but here it is:

- graduating w/ B Arch from Cooper Union in May; mediocre GPA + GRE scores (was worried about this); good rec's

- into GSD for the MDesS in History + Philosophy of Design and GSAAP for the MCCCCCCP (can't remember the number of C's); am set on Hahvahd

- portfolio: http://issuu.com/your_mother_00/docs/ayub_portfolio_2013

@ uhhhhh:

Congrats well done! That is funny because for me it came down to an MArch II at Cooper or the MDesS in History + Philosophy of Design. I too chose Harvard. Looks like you and I are 2 of the 5-6 that got in!! Are you going to open house on Friday?

@mtt9999 @uhhhhh:

i'll see you guys at the GSD this Friday for some Beer and Dogs! flying in all the way from Hawaii... got in the MDesS program too (Urbanism, Landscape and Ecology), officially chose Hahvahd as well.. scared and intimidated, but excited!

Leif:

what is your email address?

leif.estrada@gmail.com

Can't make it on Friday, unfort. Still have classes, finals and projects but will most likely be at the NY reception.

May I ask mtt9999 why you are choosing GSD over Cooper?

Normally I would give a long winded response (the decision took many days / weeks), but perhaps short is sweet. I own a small architecture firm, and have no desire to work for an architect any more. I am going to pursue a PhD and teaching, while slowly continuing to build my practice. It seems that my immediate and long-term goals will be more easily accomplished with a research-based degree from GSD than a studio-based degree from Cooper. Cooper offered my more money, but on a cost-per-semester basis it will only be an additional $6,00 per semester at Harvard, I will get 4 semesters at Harvard (for the price of 3 with the split option), which will allow me more time to develop my thesis (2 calender years as opposed to 1 calendar). I also believe that a research-based degree from GSD will offer more opportunities for a PhD after graduation, as well as grants, fellowships, or travel scholarships for the development of my practice.

That being said, I love what Cooper Union does, what they are all about, and how they operate their school. It was a very tough decision after a 40 min. phone conversation with Elizabeth O'Donnell.

It goes back to the whole 'what you want to do with your life' question.

Anyone know the likelyhood of getting of Cornell's waitlist?

@mcau

I called them a couple days ago and they said they're still getting the letters together.  I got a schedule for the Open house in an email maybe 2 weeks ago.  I still don't know what is planned for the evening before the open house though.

Random rant-

It's bullshit that some of these schools haven't send out their financial aid packages yet but expect us to make a decision by mid-April.

Oh yea, confirmation/registration fees are bullshit too lol

@Laura Ralich, just talked to UO dept today. It's a toss up between grad day in Portland vs Grad day in Eugene. My initial leaning was towards Portland, that may change.

@Noypi... i paid $700 to accept my offer :-/

Anyone going to Cornell's open house tomorrow?

Has anyone heard anything regarding financial aid from UO? 

@SuperTenacious, nothing heard yet. I don't know when to hear anything back from them. Have you tried to call the Financial Aid office yet? That might not help either but it might sooth the nerves a little.

Georgia Tech's app deadline, Dec 15.

April 4 and no decision has been made. Gotta love it.

Got Cal Poly Pomona !!!

@nisha123

WOW Congrats!!! Time to celebrate I guess.

@ Philip Panzarella

Yeah, I had to call and email them for a schedule for the 8th. The event on Sunday night is a welcome reception from 5 - 6:30pm. I guess it's more of a get to know the faculty/peers kind of thing before Monday, not sure if I will attend, but will be there on Monday!

Guys, 

I'm in a big fix..I have been admitted to M.Arch I program at the PARSONS- New School of Design, NYC and also at Syracuse School of Architecture.Both seem to be too good for me, and its hard to make an ultimate decision of which one to let go off..Please advise.

@ashleymathews2003

Do exactly as I say!!! Really not joking!

Take a coin and name each side a university. For example, Heads Parsons, Tales Syracuse. Flip the coin. For the next 1-2 seconds you are going to hear a voice in your head telling you "Let it be heads" or "Let it be tails". Then you know which university you really want to attend. Do this for every decision you have to make in your life and be sure that, at least, you will always choose what you truly want.

Syracuse > Parsons.

Got waitlisted at UW Seattle. 

My fam (one teaches at USC) couldn't believe that there was no funding info with my acceptance at UO, that it seemed very strange. So, I'm eager to hear if anyone got $$ info too!  They said we should just directly talk to them about it at the open house, bc the profs/ppl are there to convince you.

25K a year is a lot of money for me... 

Would love some advice to help me make my decision:

-Male - 25

-BA in Philosophy and Religion - University of Wisconsin-Madison

-3.4 GPA

-GRE: 164 verbal / 153 math / 4.0 writing

M.Arch I

IN:

SCI-Arc

Pratt + 20k per year

U Miami + 18k per semester + grad assistantship stipend

Waitlisted:

UT Austin, Cornell, UPenn

OUT:

GSD, GSAPP, UVA, MIT, Berkeley

Decision:

I'm having a really hard time deciding between SCI-Arc and Pratt. Miami was more of a safety and their program doesn't interest me as much as the other two so I'm not really considering it.

I'm leaning more toward Pratt because of the $$, the fact that I'm from the East Coast so I'm more comfortable in NYC, it doesn't require prereqs whereas SCI Arc is making me do physics, calc, and the summer program, and this forum seems to give SCI-Arc a pretty bad rep especially in terms of employability afterwards.

On the other hand, SCI-Arc has really high rankings and the challenge to leave my safety zone completely is tempting. Am I a fool to not immediately choose SCI-Arc? I don't want to feel that I "settled" and I don't want to regret my decision.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

@arik

I got into Pratt and Sci Arc too along with some other schools, hmm I got into pratt 2 times, the first time I deferred it. To be honest pratt is pretty much like sci arc or vice versa . The first year you are really bombarded with a lot of programs (maya, pepakura, grasshopper etc. ) Both of them have very strong architecture program. They both are very parametric  and they both have huge incoming class (50 - 60 ) I believe.

Regarding money I am confused about pratt since I know they give money the first year but I don't know if they keep giving the same amount the next year. 

In the end its a matter of east coast vs west coast, I am from east coast and I am jumping towards west coast simply because sci arc has more flexibility when it comes to fabrication facilities other than that , its almost the same stuff . Some of my good friends go to pratt and they love it so its boils down to what you are most comfortable with. 

@arik_harbi + tomahawks619

I also got into Pratt, but haven't heard anything about funding (haven't received a letter yet). When/how did you two find out? I'm eagerly waiting for some information so I can make a decision between RISD and Pratt.

@zags

The only information I have is from my acceptance letter:

"The Admissions Committee would like to award you a scholarship in the amount of $20000.00 for the 2013-14 academic year. This scholarship award will be renewable for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years on the condition that you remain in good academic standing."

@architintin

I got accepted at U of C as well for the MArch progr.  Still a bit in the dark on the program but it seems to be a good be a good program.Am also an international student. have you received your hard copy admission letter??

@ogunedo

Congrats....Great to know that! I didn't get the hard copy letter yet. The program is highly praised by everyone I asked an opinion for . I will also be joining the 2yr Program. Which country are you from? I am from India. I will most certainly be joining the UofC.

All the best with Mcgill and Ryerson

I am from Nigeria. I have accepted U of C as well.......lol i just cant keep waiting for Mcgill and Ryerson forever. Visa application is notoriously long and tedious in my country. I cant keep waiting on the others.

How do you rate School of design, University of Minnesota? I am looking to get into its M.Arch II program. What is the probability of getting in there or any other college for an International student with 4 years of work experience?

Any suggestions?

Thank you

Still no news from Mcgill for M.Arch or from University of Toronto. Is anyone else still waiting to hear from McGill?

TU Delft only responds in late June...