Im just spamming up the threads today. sorry. Im SUPER bored at work.

anyway, I think you can narrow this down to two schools quite easily.

I've heard really good things about UBC. The cost is very attractive. Vancouver is expensive though. Things have a way of balancing out. 

Berkeley is great and I love their facilities. The Bay Area is a serious powerhouse these days. A design education may land you in a number of unforeseen job markets outside of architecture that still involves serious design knowledge. That is an exciting possibility/reality.

Columbia / New york is the same but more expensive. I dont know much about their facilities but i know their professors and I think heir program is structured better based off course offerings, studios and interaction with the private sector, plus the MSRED.

I was a planner in SF for three years. The CED at Berk was a breeding ground for future city employees and non profit workers. Plus if you think Berk is sleepy, its only a matter of time until SF has you feeling the same way. 

Eliminate Berkeley. Go to the financially responsible UBC or go to your dream school at columbia. It would be a blast. SF can't match either of those things.  

Berk? I sleep there - Lots of good Indian on Curry Way though - the Sag Dahl puts me to sleep.

it stings the nostrils

Spackle, appreciate the insight. Going to be checking out all the open houses, but Im feeling pretty drawn to Columbia right now.

Of course, additional advice and opinions are always welcomed.

spackle -  what can you note about the MSRED program in GSAPP?  im curious if it can help me get jobs easily back in the west coast

Hey Batman, 

This is one of the strangest, funniest, most pompous and insightful threads I've read on MSREDs. It's quite long and gets better and better as you go. I would give it a good read. It covers job placement, alumni networks, alumni experiences and more.

I'm not a graduate of the GSAPP MSRED  and by no means am I an expert of any kind on this subject but I know a few of the GSAPP graduates and have researched the program as well as others pretty thoroughly. 

Columbia alums are all over California, especially the Bay Area, which always helps the employment cause. I know two people specifically who did the MSRED and are in San Francisco working on lots of great projects locally and internationally. If you are familiar with the area then you will know of this project. http://www.dbarchitect.com/projects/slideshow/160.html#3414  

I know a GSAPP MSRED grad worked on this right out of school. Not a huge project but somewhat high profile given how many people see this everyday. He loved his experience at the school and was very happy with his job. 

If you want to stay in California, have you considered there other MSREDs? USC, Woodbury, University of San Diego or San Diego State? Regionally, they are all very strong. UC San Diego also offers a certificate program that is very good and half the cost of the MS. You could continue to work and take classes at night. Best of both worlds IMHO.

USC is for sure the strongest in the west given it's been around the longest. 

The colossal Corky MacMillin company is was founded by an SDSU alum and so they donate a lot of doe to the school and hire a lot of their students. 

Woodbury is obviously a very interesting and growing program, largely thanks to Johnathan Segal, the mega millionaire architect + developer. FYI - Harvard and Columbia both currently employee Woodbury graduates as RED professors.

Arizona State also has a MSRED and I have heard nothing but great things about it. Not only is it one of the best in the country but it's probably one of the most affordable.

Generally, my understanding is that the GSAPP MSRED program has a high employment rate. Many students take jobs internationally, the UAE is known to recruit heavily from the MSRED. I worked in Iraq for a while and got a chance to meet some smart real estate kids in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The UAE isn't New York or San Francisco but it pays well and you will learn and travel a ton. 

New York will also take in a lot of these students. The best at numbers will go into private equity stuff. Big bucks but zero actual development work.  

I work in Central and South America and there are MSREDs down here working for great companies on exciting projects as well.

I realize I didn't really answer your question but hopefully this additional information will help you understand your options and get a clearer idea of what and where an MSRED will lead you. 

Cheers

Spackle -

THANKS FOR THAT LINK AND ALL THAT INFO!

Is it possible that you and I can chat privately so I don't thread jack this?

I have more to ask!

thanks, man/girl!

Hey Rustout,

How did you find the IN[ARCH] program? I've been accepted in both IN[ARCH] and Columbia's Intro to Arch program this summer, and am trying to decide between the two.

PS. congrats on getting into those three schools!