still nothing from mit today? anyone?

gah.... cant. take it. any. more! See some of you fine folks in Austin!

gah.... cant. take it. any. more! See some of you fine folks in Austin tomorrow!

I want info from U of T!

I wonder if anyone would like to respond to a thought I have had durning this years application process. Typically, I have been told the portfolio is most important, then recommendations, then statement of purpose, then GPA, and then GRE and other factors. I had a strong portfolio, 5 years of work experience, and a poor GPA (3.0) from U of M. After reviewing other portfolios and statements of purpose, I think my GPA is the factor which has cost me dearly in some of the more competitive schools I applied to (Berkeley- rejected, U of M-waitlisted, probably Sci-arc as well).

Does anyone have any thoughts on this - perhaps it will help future applicants. I will try to get a small sample of work up as well in the next couple of days. Thank you for any replies, congrats to all admits, and good luck on the those waiting still!

pablodiablo-

i applied to grad schools this year with a dismally (almost embarrassingly) low GPA.

i went to ucla for five full years and came out with a b.a. in psychology, and a major 2.7GPA (my overall GPA was even lower, yikes).

despite my super poor undergraduate record, i have so far been accepted to every single school that i applied to (U.Oregon, UCLA, U.Michigan).

i was even offered a 10k scholarship to michigan, 2.7 GPA and all.

i believe that my low GPA motivated me to work my ass off after i graduated, and i worked on my portfolio for two full years. i knew i had a lot to make up for, so i took fine arts courses at local community colleges, attended jump start at UCLA last summer, and learned enough CAD/REVIT to get a job as a CAD monkey.


SO, from my experience,
i'd say that a low undergrad GPA certainly doesn't help during the application process, but can be overcome with hard work and a good portfolio.



plus, don't give up hope on sci-arc yet! i'm still waiting to hear back, too - and so is everyone else.

hobopajamas,

So you are a 3+ student, correct? I majored in architecture at U of M. I wonder if that had something to do with it. It seems the criteria for selection are quite different for those with and those without an undergraduate in architecture. I wonder, would you be willing to share a part of your portfolio. Obviously it must set a bar since you have had such success with your applications.

I have been admitted to Kansas and have received good feedback from architects I know on my portfolio, but it is hard to know if there was something else I missed either in material or in presentation. I am sure there are others out there that feel the same way.

Congratulations, by the way. You must have worked your but off and I am glad it paid off for you. 10k scholarship to U of M is quite impressive. Good luck in your studies!

Hello. I've been following this thread for quite a while and I decided to join in.

I'd like to believe that GPA matters most if your undergraduate degree is in architecture and least if your undergraduate degree is in something very different.

I've heard of successful applications with GPAs in the 2.x range that have unrelated undergraduate degrees while I've heard of so many applications with undergrad architecture experience in the 3.0-3.4 range get rejections.

I also have a low GPA [3.1] and have been facing nothing but rejections and waitlists despite what I believe to be at least somewhat strong recommendations, statements and portfolios.

archi 808,

where did you apply? How long have you been out of undergrad?

no MIT for me...

Just got my official MIT rejection via email

oh no mit is starting up again?....

MIT finally rejected me too

pablodiablo,

I am in the same boat. my gpa in architecture (BED degree, and the B.Arch degree) was not stellar (3.24 - just missed cum laude). I am applying to post-professional degrees (as a means of staying in the field as work is hard to come by for recent grads). We are continuously told that our portfolio is the only thing that matters in undergrad, and I think that its true.

However, I think schools who are admitting 3+ year students have some maneuverability in deciding who has "potential." Because most of these portfolios are filled with theoretical work and art work and the like, I think schools look for an applicant they can mold. For us with a B.Arch or year arch degree, our design tendencies are somewhat formulated already. Also, our portfolios (or mine, anyways) are filled with studio works that include physical/digital models and leave less room for interpretation. After a certain level of development, the portfolio is what it is. I think this makes it more competitive for us (on top of the fact that we are fighting for fewer spots).

Of course, every school has different criteria they are looking for, which makes it impossible to tell if you fit the bill for the diverse class they are looking for.

The bright side is, if all else fails, is that you can take comfort in knowing that actual architects (read: your future employers) see promise in your portfolio and in you as an employee.

pablodiablo,

It's only been 1 year since undergrad at Georgia Tech for me. So far I've been rejected from MIT and UCLA. No response yet from Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech but I can't imagine that their decisions would be any different.

This is my second stab at trying to get into a grad program but if it doesn't work out this go 'round then next time I'll apply to 3 or 4 safety schools (if such a thing exists) and hope for the best. Besides, my desire to become an architect is greater than my desire to study at my dream schools.

pablo and archi, you bring up a good pt. - the importance of GPA, GRE, recs, statements, and portfolios must vary based on background and previous degree.

pablo...
KU is a great program! i visited lawrence, the KU arch dept, and greensburg in december. loved the idea of studio 804, but not the 9-degree weather. have you ever been to KU? i have pics i can link you to if you'd like.

maybe i'll post my portfolio...
someday...

MIT rejection in... :(

mine too...rats!

archi808...I went to ga tech too! I'm beginning to think that these schools don't realize how hard tech is! a 3.1 at tech is really good! I have a 3.5 and am still having a hard time getting into the schools I want to go to.

I'm hoping va tech will let us know sometime this week!

following kungapa's lead, here's mine.

http://www.filesavr.com/portfolio2009short_1

my stats:
gpa 3.2 Colgate University
GRE: 520 V 720 Q 4 W

UCLA - in (3 years)
UC Berkeley - in (2 years with $$)
UPenn - in (3 years with negligible aid)
GSAPP - rejected
YALE - rejected
GSD - waiting for rejection
Sci - Arc - still waiting, but i will probably choose between UCLA and Berkeley unless sci arc offers lots of money / credit.

some feedback on the portfolio would be appreciated. In hindsight, i think I focused too much on presentation, not enough on content. I should have given more attention to process diagrams and really try to communicate how I'm thinking through each decision.

I also should have included some of my hand sketches and art projects. i actually took them out, because i thought the portfolio was getting too long. Really, that should have been my last concern. I don't think the reviewers are going to be so thoughtless as to say, "oh i really like the work, but the portfolio was too long - DENIED!"

so, are we assuming that GSD is done with M.Arch II (post professional) acceptances?

and is anyone else still waiting on UW (Seattle)?

I'm waiting on UW Seattle as well. Supposedly we will all know by April 15th. What I can't figure out is why I've heard of people getting acceptances/rejections/wait listed over a week ago. Come on UW how about tightening up that notification process. I don't care how. Hell, just have a guy drive by my house yelling "No F@$!ing Way" out the window of the car. Anything, please.

ha. Some of my schools want my response by april 15th. Honestly, shouldn't a school want to stay ahead (or at least on schedule) with its competition so as to ensure their applicant pool goes there? If all of their students go somewhere else because they got tired of waiting, wouldn't the school lose money by having a less than full class? That just seems disorganized to me.

In light of the MIT rejection, I'm basically just waiting for my GSD rejection. I didn't get any acceptances this year but got waitlisted at Penn. I'm not sure what my chances are of getting in. Any waitlist stories? Or should I just start job hunting like crazy now? (I'm about to graduate in May)

kungapa and tmskim

Thanx for sharing your folios. Nice ones!

so finally tally:
mit: out
gsapp: in
penn: in with $$$

don't quite know which program to go to. it feels nice to conclusively know that i'm not into mit. even though it was by far my first choice, the ambiguity was irritating.

oooo kungapa and tmskin very nice!

MIT REJECTED!!!!!!

Oh well. I see I am in good company though.


RPI: IN
RISD: IN with $
MIT: OUT
GSD: Probably OUT



Ah yes. How wonderful.

pre-decision

3.2 Cornell University

740 V 740 Q 5.0W

Yale - In with $$$$!!!, leaving it hard not to choose
GSAPP - In
GSD - waiting for rejection
UPENN - waitlisted - ?
UT Austin - In with $?
Rice - In with $$$
UIC - In with $

oh March 1 ^

Fraggle - congratulations!

When is the open house for toronto?

juan moment- Thanks! I was beginning to worry since I got rejected from gsapp, wash u and upenn!

I don't think Toronto is having an open house. They didn't give me any information about an open house at least.

my stats:

B.Arch. RISD
GPA 3.2
GRE V:620 Q:800 W:5

about a year of experience.
lots of internships.

Yale - in with $
GSD (MAUD) - in with $
Princeton - out

had nightmare exp. with recommendations.
but i guess it turned out alright.

I would be interested in hearing the backstory on your nightmare experience ;-)

Anyone else on here debating going to the Princeton open house? The date is super inconvenient for me - are open houses worth stretching for?

Thank you all who have posted portfolios. Interesting work, and well rendered. tmskin - I agree with your evaluation. More sketches would have been nice especially since you seem to have some skill in sketching.

I have posted my portfolio. Some stats:

3.0 U of M

5 years of professional experience in both NY and Phoenix

I think I got like 1300 combined on my GRE with a 5.0 on the writing portion


So far:

U of M: waitlisted

U of Kansas: IN

Berkeley: Out

Sci-Arc: ???? what's up with these people (they've had these things since mid-January)

Note the portfolio was for Berkeley which had a requirement of being no more then 12 pages. For U of M, Sci-arc, and U of Kansas my portfolio was an 8"x10" book, 56 pages, which I personally bound.

http://www.filesavr.com/portfoliopablodiablo

Nice work on the portfolios everyone.
My stats:
BA in Undergrad(architecture) from UIC
GPA:3.47
560v 680q 4.0
terrible at writing so i felt pretty uneasy about my personal statements

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=6984c8077dbf5def7f7ec40ada4772a6e04e75f6e8ebb871

any comments/advice on the portfolio would be much appreciated. A little late to change things but always good to hear some thoughts. Thinking back i would have changed quite a few things...

In:
UCLA-no word on $ yet
Syracuse-$
Ohio State-$$$

Out:
Yale
GSAPP
GSD(still waiting but im assuming)
Penn
Cornell

lets try that again

http://www.mediafire.com/?mejl1fzhinu

Who's going to Cornell M.Arch II? Anyone?

hey the glow, ur link doesn't work...it redirects to www.link.com haha

are you going to the syracuse open house? do u know how many ppl got accepted into the program?

haha ya-for some reason it works if you copy and paste the url

im going to try and make it to the open house, im trying to make it work with the ohio state one which is the next day. you going? looks like from this site that about 30 people get accepted.

http://www.acsa-arch.org/guide_search/home.aspx

theglow,

I liked the vertical pilsen and the bloomingdale projects. I thought the stair/plaza in the bloomingdale project was especially compelling and well rendered - good work.

The studio work from Denari's studio was pretty far out there - Jayne Mansfield's head as the organizing geometry of the suburbs - trippy! Compelling images, though.

Congrats on getting into 3 schools. Kind of all over the map - any idea of where you are going to go?

thanks for sharing

yup im going for sure. thanks for the site!

sorry for the triple post
http://www.mediafire.com/?mejl1fzhinu

somebody just got a rejection from UBC.
I am starting to get very worried now. -_-

theglow,
I'm wondering how you heard about your funding and the open house at OSU. I found my acceptance on their website and then got a generic letter from the grad admissions office, but haven't actually gotten info from the architecture department. Did you get a packet in the mail?

And when is the OSU open house?


Sorry I haven't introduced myself earlier. I just found this discussion board recently.

Stats:
gpa 3.6
610v, 690q, 4.0
BA in Arts &Aethetics, currently taking 2nd year design courses in BA in Arch program

In:
OSU
UMass

is anyone considering UC or UIC?

I would love to consider UIC but I haven't heard from them either way!

Has anyone got a rejection from them yet?

i received two different letters from osu. One from the graduate office and one from the knowlton school. The knowlton letter had the money information.

oh ya. the open house for OSU is april tenth from 12:30 to 4:30. They also invite us to take part in a criticism conference(not sure what this is) which is the next day from 10-5.

pablodiablo-thanks for the feedback. im really at a loss right now as to choosing. very different programs/places/financial situations. If anyone has any opinions as to UCLA v Syracuse v OSU im all ears. Im hoping the open houses in the couple weeks will clear things up. See everyone whose going to the UCLA thing in a few days. I'm pretty excited for it. Looks like a lot of cool things on the itinerary plus never been to LA.