Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
University of Southern California (USC)
Tulane University
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Temple University
University of Oregon
Cranbrook Academy of Art
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
Kansas State University
Help with College choices - BArch, BS, MArch
My daughter has been accepted to the following programs and we're trying to weigh the options. Any experience or opinions would be helpful.
1. Tulane - MArch (5 yrs.) - good merit $
2. Northeastern - 4+1 (would be 6 yrs with co-op) - good merit $
3. Univ of Miami - BArch -excellent merit $ (but she doesn't think she wants to be in FL)
4. Univ of Maryland - 4+2 - good merit $
5. Wash U in St. Louis - 4+2 - likely no $.
We live in Boston area and she thinks she would want to come back here after school. Probably wants to go away but will going to Northeastern give her more connections and opportunities for internships/jobs?
Still waiting to hear from Cornell and Univ Mich.
Thanks in advance!
If you get UMich, go UMich.
Forget the privates, unless you have no choice. When did Northeastern start their program?
Of the others, go U Maryland.
From either Mich. or Maryland, she could go +2 somewhere else, even better. A lot of kids also leave architecture after a 4 year. 4+2 makes more sense in that it's more flexible all the way around.
I graduated from UMD in 2010, and I would definitely recommend the program, especially as an undergrad. From a practical standpoint, the studios surround a common space, which lends itself to a great collaborative atmosphere. Grads and undergrads take classes together, which also has some nice advantages. I also preferred the emphasis on hand drawing early in the studio sequence; it seems many programs have neglected this. Being close to DC is also great if your daughter wants to experience a new city.
The 4+2 was a perfect fit for me. Saying that, it's not for everyone, but I can at least explain why I enjoyed it. Your first 2 years are spent as a typical college student, taking a couple of basic ARCH classes each semester. This allowed me to have a little bit more of a relaxed schedule, go to UMD games, etc. After applying and entering the studio sequence (fairly easy if you earn decent grades in your ARCH classes), the schedule load increases significantly as would be expected.
I could go into more detail about the courses, etc., but the best part about the 4+2 is it allows for some time between undergrad and grad school. I decided to take advantage of the break and serve as an Americorps member rebuilding homes. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything; I gained so many valuable skills in construction, management, and teaching, and am now heading into grad school with invaluable experience to augment my education.
If your daughter wants the fast track to a career in architecture, then Tulane or Miami are the way to go (I actually live in New Orleans now.. Tulane's program is great from what I can tell, and the location is pretty awesome!). But if she thinks she might want to have a bit of an adventure and do something a little different after school before she goes for her Master's, then UMD is a great choice. It's a bit longer of a process, but completely worth it in my experience.
Sorry for the long response, hope that's helpful!
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