good job Newport!!!! that's scary

Hey Newport -

Maybe I don't understand your situation fully, but you talked to the admissions director and complained about an admissions staffperson because they didn't move your file over when they said they would? This is just me, but it seems a little extreme!

I doubt that they would make an admissions decision with your application still in the general admissions office, so what does it matter to you what time it gets to the architecture department? Was it really worth talking to the admissions director for something that would've happened on it's own when the department wanted to?

"it's already march and we should make sure the process is running perfectly, operationally speaking." I don't really think it's our responsibility to ensure that an organization is operating perfectly. The department will make their decisions when they're ready, and our only responsibility is to chill out and wait patiently. I'm going as crazy as everyone else on this board, but I don't think getting an admissions staffperson in trouble with their boss is the best way to kill time!

Newport,

I agree UIC and Penn do have very different programs. I chose to apply at UIC because it is a state school with low tuition. Unfortunately, I have to be realistic in the sense that I can't just chase after top schools without thinking about how I am going to afford it. UIC is a good school, the program is solid but they aren't doing much in terms of design and technology. Penn on the otherhand is doing a lot with the digital process. I'm not a huge fan of blobitecture, but I am very interested in parametric relationship and using advanced scripting to help inform the process and reveal new insight into design. I'm looking for ways to optimize form, whether structurally, environmentally, or frabrication. Penn would offer the resources necessary for me to pursue my interests. At least, that was the feeling I got when I visited their campus during last fall.

hey cricket, maybe the way i phrased the situation sounded extreme. but no, i did not "complain" about anyone, to anyone - i wouldn't do anything stupid or rude like that.

this admissions person first overlooked my file 3 weeks ago or "misplaced" it. she had to dig up piles after piles to retrieve my file. if i had not called, my file could have been completely overlooked. even at that point, i was totally fine, stuff happens, it's retrieved, move on, great.

a week after i followed up again, she had forgotten it AGAIN and said she'll make sure it will be transferred last friday. this did not happen. this is what propelled me to not take any more risks with this person in having my file being mysteriously "misplaced" again and call the director. believe me, i've studied and worked professionally in manhattan for the past 12 yrs., i know how to talk to superiors w/out stepping on anyone's toes which i made sure i didn't w/this lady. no worries, i can be quite savvy and diplomatic when needed so your presumption of me having "complained" to the director is quite off.

also just want to reiterate that this whole "your file is somwhere up in the air" fiasco has been 3.5 weeks now. it was supposed to take 1.5 weeks on avg. to be transferred to the arch dept.

of course it's not our responsibility to make sure they're running smoothly but it is indeed our responsibility to follow up with our own stuff at all times whether it's a job application, school apps., what have you.

hey lost in stress, that's cool that you really have a grip on why penn calls your name. your focus and drive to the point where you are willing to make a personal sacrifice in jeopardizing your relationship is really commendable, no offense to your beau but you know what i mean! i know this sounds awfully cliche but really, everything will fall into place once you start making decisions for your self, your future, as they are supposed to. the hard part is MAKING the decision but really, once you do, whatever your decision will come to be, it'll all fall into place :)

Hey Newport, I'm glad to hear you were diplomatic about the whole situation! I've definitely had some trying times with admissions folks (regarding my transcripts).

I didn't mean to presume that you complained about that admissions person, it's just that you complained to us when you called them "lackadaisical" and saying they had "inexcusable incompetence." I didn't think it was a reach to assume you expressed those opinions in your conversation with the director. Sorry about that, though! Good luck with your schools!!

newport-
i dealt with the same situation - all of my materials were submitted on time, but they had not compiled them and submitted them for review. i found this out and made some phone calls to the admissions director and a few others. if i hadn't of called, my materials would have been completely overlooked this year!

sometimes, you really have to help people tighten things up. respectfully, as i'm sure you were... good job.

hey cricket, yeah, i was just venting to you guys since we are all in the same waiting room, well some of us - thanks for reading! and i don't blame the general admissions staff being lackadaisical because i can't expect them to know just how catastrophic a simple mishap can be to a student although they're expected to know - irrelevant point. after all, it's their 9-5 job, some are more competent than others as in any other workplace. i just couldn't help losing it (internally) for a moment knowing she "lost" it twice!

f2, phew for you too! seriously, imagine not having been accepted let alone reviewed, if we hadn't followed up! it's just amazing that the director took 2 hours to take care of this while 3.5 WEEKS for another person, yeah it pays to be on top of your schtuff sometimes. now that my file is in the right dept., NOW i can sit back, exhale, and wait like the rest of us!

good luck to you all and congrats on all you crazy lucky well deserved accepted peeps, now please blow your lucky wind our way!

I just checked Michigan's online status and saw that i was accepted!

It may have taken a year and a half, but I finally got in somewhere, ha.

Like a lot of the recent posts, I have a longtime girlfriend that I'm dragging along. After we finished undergrad at different schools, we had to decide if I was going to stay in Chicago and work or follow an opportunity in NY. We decided that I'd sick around Chicago for a couple years then she'd move along w/ me to grad school.

congrats jhooper!

I know not to put too much stock in school rankings, but FYI Michigan is number 9.

congrats x2

jhooper, congrats!!! that is so awesome. persistence breaks down resistance :)

With this discussion of girl/boyfriends, I was wondering about us married folks (I've noticed quite a few of you mentioning spouses). There's no question of staying together, but the lifestyle change is a hard thing to ask of the other person. I've only applied out-of-state, so my whole plan hinges on my wife finding paying work as soon as we move.

But really I'm more worried about making enough time to keep the marriage healthy while in school. Anyone else fretting over that?

If your gf/bf/spouse are willing to relocate for you, you should feel really blessed. My bf and I broke up b/c we decided that was the best thing to do for both of our career. He is studying to become a diplomat and needed to return to Argentina to join the foreign office while I want to continue my education and eventually become a license architect so leaving the US isn't an option for me right now. We've tried the compromising route and it didn't work out so well. To much fighting and no one was happy.

CAD...
I am worried about that as well. My wife has been incredibly supportive of my schooling, but now that I am looking to transfer, I think she is wearing a bit thin. She has an amazing job and can not leave it. So the compromise was that I only apply to schools around where we live now.
I just hope that as time passes I will find a way to balance time with her better than I currently do.
That is great that your wife is willing to move to where ever you decide to go! Congrats.

Well, my bf and I trying to put off deciding anything until I hear back from all schools (I've already heard from UW and IIT :)) but...he's a post-doc and going into "academia", meaning he has a position at Yale for another year and then won't have much of choice where he goes after that. He's hoping I get into Yale, but I'm from the West coast and kind of miss it, and UW, Oregon and UBC are not bad schools! So I would be happy to go there except for leaving an otherwise good relationship. TOugh decisions!! Would I be crazy to turn down Yale if I got in?

Well, my bf and I trying to put off deciding anything until I hear back from all schools (I've already heard from UW and IIT :)) but...he's a post-doc and going into "academia", meaning he has a position at Yale for another year and then won't have much of choice where he goes after that. He's hoping I get into Yale, but I'm from the West coast and kind of miss it, and UW, Oregon and UBC are not bad schools! So I would be happy to go there except for leaving an otherwise good relationship. TOugh decisions!! Would I be crazy to turn down Yale if I got in?

To be a dick: it doesn't sound like your bf means much to you if getting into yale is not enough of a reason for you to go.

Monetary/exceptional funding offers from other program issues aside.

ah, yeah, when I reread what i wrote it does sound like that. No, I just think it's kind of important for both people to compromise, and he's kind of not able to move to the west coast for the next few years, so that leaves me to compromise, which is fine and hopefully i get into yale, but i'm just freaking out I guess. sorry..

Well............. I'm planning on getting married within the next year or so. Fiance is going to apply to M.arch programs near wherever I end up, for 2010. That's the current plan at least!

*Anyone else married to a person in the same program?*

My two worries:
1) will he be accepted near me?
2) will stress of school neg. affect our marriage?

Eeek! I'll be new to BOTH architecture and being a wife. Have no idea what's to come...

One thing's for sure: everyone's postings have certainly let me know, in terms of relationships and school - no one has it easy!

I suppose I'm lucky in that I'm married and have a baby: fighting about this stuff is just not an option.

I applied to Harvard/Yale/Princeton/MIT/UofM. My wife wants to study art curation or something along those lines. I am hoping to get in somewhere in the Boston/Cambridge area as that would give her many options with where to apply, isn't that why Boston was created? my general thinking is that since m.arch's are a 3.5 year program, we will move, get setup/established. After that she has 1.5 years to apply to my school/nearby schools in order to start/finish a 2 year masters.

I/we am looking forward to being giganormously in debt.

Oh yeah. I forgot to itemize worry #3: how the hell are we going to pay for both of our degrees?....one that is apparently not worth very much in today's economy.


oops, sorry for sounding like a sour puss

Yay architecture!!

yay!!!!
we're architects!

di-c - my bf's in architecture too, its a blessing and a curse

yay architecture !

I started worrying about having enormous loan payments last night as well. That and my gf's jaw dropped when she saw how much some of the schools I applied to cost. Yay.

Right now I just want to focus on maybe getting accepted (far more exciting)

any single ladies out there? hell-oooooooo

di-c - My manfriend is and archie as well.

previous post - and = an

just got a call from my mom... got my michigan acceptance in the mail today... they sent a t-shirt again this year apparently. they offered a decent scholarship, but i don't know if it will be enough, that school is really expensive...
they will pay our way to the open house though, anyone thinking of going?

So i am part of the married camp, and am incredibly lucky to have him as my husband. He is super supportive, accepting of the monetary sacrifices, willing to move-sometimes going as far as looking forward to it, and excited for me. I am feeling guilty about 'making' him move, about 'forcing' him to take out loans w/ me when he isn't directly benefitting from this, I feel bad that he'll have to job hunt in a city where he may have no connections and that he's potentially leaving a city where he's put a lot of time into developing relationships. He never letsme dwell on this, telling me he thinks I am making a good decision, that's it's the right time and if I get in, that I've earned it and deserve it.

Of course we visited some schools before i applied and I chose schools in cities where we think he can be happy and productive, since he will probably have to do more on his own, ie I won't be going out every weekend but he should have some fun! Yes, I also feel badly about the fact that I will have way less time to be a good wife to him, but hope I can find more balance this time around than I did (or rather didn't) in undergrad. And since I'm unemployed now, I'm spoiling him in case he doesn't get much home made dinners and such when I'm in school.

Through all this, I feel very lucky to have such a willing and loving partner who never guilt trips or fights with me about grad school, and is instead very enthusiastic.

kaysc!!! sweet!! omg i hope i get mine too. i'm so anxious about money.

pray tell, when is the open house?
i think i'll definitely be attending --- gets in a visit with the bf - and if the weekend of march 27, i may go to law school prom with him. hahahah, such dweebs.

yay for supportive husbands and manfriends!! and a shout out to the single guys!

the open house is march 20th & 21st... lets hope you have a good offer waiting in the mailbox so you can actually go! anyone have any idea of the residency issue at michigan? is it possible to get in state for the second year of school?

i don't think so kaysc (i think california is maybe one of the few "nice" states like that)--- but if someone would like to inform me otherwise -- go to it!

Congrats kaysc and all others who've received good news recently!

kaysc

i went there for undergrad (out of state) ...you can not get residency your second year, cali schools are sweet like that but residency is a big deal to Michigan :(

heard from a reputable source that Cornell should send out info (not sure by what medium) tomorrow. we'll see.

I'm super anxious to go home and check my mail box for the Michigan letter. Damn my 9-4 studio class!

kaysc -- did you apply to MArch 2G or 3G? Also, are you in Michigan or out of state... just wondering how long the snail make should take... thanks!

hey lb, i applied 2G and am way out of state in florida..

to those who have to make compromises to stay together w/your beau....i'm married too and my hubby is in med school. during his 1.5 yrs., i had to work and support him, that was my compromise. i didn't want to burden ourselves w/more debt as you all know how ridiculous med schools cost so i applied to my state school only, believing that grad school is what you make of it, as long as they give you a solid platform. however, i wish to go back to my home country when we're like 50 yrs. old and practice there which is in east asia. i would need an ivy degree to get me to the point where i would want to be in that country. to make this happen, he will make his compromise to support me when i get my ms degree at an ivy degree in a more specialized study.

so compromise has been our middle names in the past few years but it's for our own future. i think as long as you know you want to stay w/your other half, making such compromises for your future together, for the "greater" good shouldn't even feel like compromises, they're more like a given. i think as long as you both keep your eyes wide open and see the big picture that we're all going to live until 80ish on avg. so thinking in a long term vision, 3.5 yrs. will be a blink of an eye and that's def. worth sacrificing :)

watanabe, that's really of your wife. i love what she wants to do. i'm sure you guys know far more programs for art curating but if i may give my 2 cents, my friend got his ma from christie's education and loved every second of it. so if you guys ever want to expand your search, check out christie's in nyc, as i'm sure you guys know of this program already - just in case: http://www.christieseducation.com/ny_mastersprogs.html

My fiance and I both applied to the same architecture schools! We are getting married right before we go back to school. We haven't heard back from any schools yet - we are getting very anxious!

yikes!

all of a sudden I'm just so glad that I'm not in any serious relationship right now ... wow ... that's a lot to take.


is this just me or this week seems to go by VERY slow and quiet? arghhhhh

Definitely seems like a slow week, probably won't be as quiet next week.

The calm before the storm...

Did everyone apply last year? It seems like last years thread moved a mile per minute and by this date had 30 pages. It feels like there's 10 of us this time around. Regardless, the next 2 weeks should be quite the ride.

considering the ridiculous amount of applicants this year coupled with the low level of acceptances i can imagine most people are VERY shy about posting here and are phantom reading this post....


it will pick up next week (when all the iveys last year accepted)

resplendent may have a good point. come out phantoms!

for those interested, i may finally get around to posting some photos of my portfolio this weekend. i had hoped to do this weeks ago but have been getting routinely slammed at work and by the time i get home i'm just pooped.

i'm excited to see after all acceptances where people end up going --- and then perhaps meeting any of you with which i ultimately attend school with :)

I don't know what to do with my cat. We've been together since August, and I'm not sure I'll be a good pet owner while I'm in school.

We sort of just stumbled into each other one night, in a deli. She was wearing a calico/ginger fur coat-- cat fur I think-- and she arched her back at the sight of me. She walked over and rubbed her back against my leg.

Normally I don't hang with cats that young but she was almost an adult, she had this glint of sexual promise-- maturity some would say-- that sent a shiver down my spine.

So we've been together a while, she's been real supportive through the whole application process... helping me relax after cranking on my portfolio for hours. Sometimes she would subtly critique my work by ripping a drawing into a hundred tiny balls.

I guess it depends on where I get in. She's never been outside Brooklyn so whatever we do is going to be a major transition for her. But I can't bring her to studio, and will I be at home enough to feed her and change her box?

Its been so wonderful to read how everyone is going through a similar quandary.

Hi All - Long time follower, first time poster. I thought it might be "tactful" to post before all the schools report next week, so as not to seem disingenuous. I've applied to the usual suspects - H, Y, MIT, P; no back-ups - yikes!

I'm based in the NY area (work in Manhattan, live in Bklyn), and was hoping that any fellow archinecters in the area might be able to get together as the schools begin to let everybody know. I'm anxious to turn the anonymity of these message boards into face-to-face contacts of future colleagues.

Everybody hold their breath!