Also, mailman came with my rejection letter to GSD today. I am just relieved to have all the waiting over:

Final tally

GSD/MIT/Yale/Princeton: out

U of Michigan: in :)

Now in a scramble to see if I can complete my required coursework two or three weeks before the end of the semester so that I don't have to defer till 2010.

Good luck to anyone out there still waiting!

Also, mailman came with my rejection letter to GSD today. I am just relieved to have all the waiting over:

Final tally

GSD/MIT/Yale/Princeton: out

U of Michigan: in :)

Now in a scramble to see if I can complete my required coursework two or three weeks before the end of the semester so that I don't have to defer till 2010.

Good luck to anyone out there still waiting!

I think these are pretty common in schools like RISD, Princeton, and Yale that have an architecture undergrad program. They usually pay around 2,200-2,500 a semester. But even in a school that doesn't have an undergrad program, there are TA positions available for the non-studio graduate level classes.

in response to the money posts because I've been thinking about this too much lately too:

Newport: let's use our superwoman capes and have part time jobs. I don't think it's impossible, it requires good time management. I had 2 part time jobs in undergrad during studio and managed to have top projects. Maybe I'm just tougher cause I'm from NJ :P I'm more scared of finding a firm to hire me for such tiny hours...

Entasis: I think it never hurts to ask! I'm thinking about doing the same thing. Once you've been accepted they are invested in listening to your needs... whether they come through or not is their issue, not yours. ask!

Sorry about the double post, didnt see it on the next page.

As for the TA's, that 2200-2500 is just towards your tuition? I was under the impression that it qualified you for a 100% tuition waiver, but that seemed to good to be true.

It's taxable money in your pocket for you to use as you wish. I know that's the case at RISD and Yale for sure. It maybe otherwise in other schools. University of Florida offers 2200/ semester + they pay for 9 credits/semester.

oh...also at UF when you teach, the remaining credit hours you have to pay (UF is not flat rate tuition) are at the in-state student rate ($300/credit instead of $1000/credit). I would imagine a lot of other state schools have something similar.

I bet U of Michigan has something along those lines if not better, you should ask them watanabe.

wow, can't believe how much this thread has grown.
congrats to those who've been accepted!

http://tinyurl.com/ctdmne

It's my understanding that if you are a grad student instructor (gsi) at umich it covers 100% of tuition + a $4000 stipend.

i should add that i don't think you're eligible until your third semester (this is at least for 3g applicants)

Thanks, that clears that up, found the section on GSI's on the program site as well.

Now, anyone had any luck negotiating on pre-reqs? Kicking myself in the teeth for going to a liberal arts program in Japan for 4 years, it's really limited my available courses in terms of these, U of M is requiring a 4 credit calculus course (only have a 2 credit one) as well as a physics course w/lab (ZERO science courses with labs here).

is there anyone who got admitted to GSD and is planning to not go..?
just trying to grasp an idea...
if I should give getting off the waitlist any hope at all...

I was at the Cornell open house last week if anyone has questions. I'm a potential M.Arch 1 student.

who is going to the sci-arc open house on the 24th? hit me up!

who is going to the sci-arc open house on the 24th? hit me up!

Any 2G's have deficiencies in their UMich acceptance? I had 2 and am wondering if a.) this is typical, b.) it is still possible to finish in 2 yrs w/o having to take 18 credits for almost all 4 semesters...

It seems typical for schools to say "you're the first" and "you're the only one" to receive such-and-such scholarship.

Are any of you accepted applicants doing anything special to get ready for next fall? Its been a couple years since i've been in a true architecture studio and because of this great economy there were no internships to be found upon graduation. Needless to say I feel like i'm out of practice. Any advice on what to do to get ready for studio next fall?

maybe try not sleeping for consecutive days

anyone go to the wash u open house?

sirgemhl, i'm strongly leaning towards gsapp over gsd. i dunno how many others feel the same way though. i may be in the minority, cause gsd put on a great open house, and columbia was comparatively meh.

hey all, this may be a bit off tangent but since we're throwing all in this thread....

my hubby and i were talking about architects' salaries...... specifically between b.arch grads and m.arch grads. are there differences in starting salaries between the 2? it seems logical to me that they'd be paid the same since both degrees qualify you in attaining licensure, etc. but my hubby thinks that the same pay scale would take away incentives for b.arch grads to continue on to m.arch 1...hm. this also got me wondering, why do b.arch grads get m.arch 1, especially if you can get your license w/a b.arch? it seems that the 2 degrees are somewhat comparable? for some reason, i feel a bit weird asking my architect friends about $. so here i am, taking the advantage of the anonymity of this format :P enlighten me~

finally received my cranbrook package... i got a few bucks and have to follow up on some other funding.... wish me luck....

When I was hired w/ a b.s.arch my boss noted that they usually pay in the mid $30's for an undergrad degree, whereas they usually start people w/ a masters at a minimum of $40k

That may be missing your point though, since my b.s.arch doesn't mean diddily poop to the AIA

jhooper, thanks for the info. it's interesting to see that there are differences between b.arch and m.arch 1 in the pay scale. they seem to be quite similar in their curriculum and the fact that b.arch also allows you to attain your license.....it's kinda weird...

WashU open house was very organized. They wined and dined the incoming students. The architecture building, Givens Hall, is nice with studios having sufficient light and decent space to work. They presented a good amount of faculty work and had small presentations on the types of classes offered. The study abroad programs looked awesome. My overall feel was that they showcased some pretty impressive work for the majority but didn't see any extremely incredible work. They tended to focus on the 2d realm with digital drawings/renderings but lacked models or 3d fabricated items. Small school feel but gorgeous campus and surrounding neighborhoods. yup.

newport2009: From talking with my 2 arch professors/recommender's(1 Australian who worked w/Koolhaus and 1 Israeli who worked with Kurokawa; both of whom have arch PhD's from Tokyo University) they say that the more prestigious(?) or perhaps theoretical/academic route is the non-undergrad arch (liberal arts/etc) degree combined with a 3.5 year m.arch.

The idea being that the non-arch undergrad people have more exposure to other fields which may be more beneficial than a 4-5 year undergrad b.s/b.arch, which tends to be sufficiently crammed into the first 1.5 years of march I.

That was just what they said, made me feel better about going back to finish my liberal arts degree after quitting my 2nd year for something more "practical."

is anyone else still waiting for financial aid packets?

I'm waiting for USC! I called the financial aid office, they said that they are not sending out graduate aid info till late April, I'm supposed to decide by April 15th :/ it seems kind of shady. I don't want to sign up for something if I don't know if I'm getting any need-based aid.

My boyfriend suggested I send in the acceptance but forget the check, to see what they offer.

This is frusterating.

cwh1

cool. i'll be there this fall. i didn't get the feeling that there was any more emphasis on the 2d/computer realm rather than physical models when i went and as far as the semesters abroad go, i'm married, so unless i have a large windfall and my wife can come i only foresee myself taking the barcelona summer program. i got decent money from them and was impressed enough when i visited, i was just curious as to what the open house was like.

newport:

for reference, I started at 34k 4 years ago and I'm making 50k (including a bonus) still with a BS from UVA. I don't expect to be making any more after my MArch, which is frustrating, but I cant really complain right now at all.

I think it's more about the work to do and your ability to lead in an office setting. People care more about your work sample and personality than your resume, and I don't think you should expect to automatically make 10k more just because you spent all of your money on that ivy...

for that reason, 200k for a program like Columbia, in my mind is completely ridiculous (obviously many peopel get help after their 1st year when they are already in debt). You'd better enjoy eating cup-o-noodles for the rest of your life, and be prepared to scrap it in a busted NYC apartment with multiple roommates for a good amount of time to recoup.

i got into University of Kentucky 2yr MArch last night!! still waiting to hear from Kent State for MArch+MBA... along with financials and assistantships at both (which will obviously determine a lot). lease is up may 30, have to notify UK by may 4... and decide how to handle this whole employment thing. this is only the beginning i know.

but time to follow thru with all the plans i've been working on for the past year and BREATHE!

thanks watanabe and sturgery. things make more sense now. but it's just really perplexing.....architects' salary. i'm an interior designer, having worked at a few "top" nyc arch. firms. one of them was a very large controversial starkitect w/70% ivy grads. their bus. dept. was all recruited from harvard mba. last salary i was making last year was $90,000 w/7 yrs. of interior design experience. obviously, leaving a comfy cushion to pursue a ridiculous salary, money is not the motivating factor for me, i'm still just as excited about architecture knowing i'll be so poor, barely making the above minimum wage.

however, i just can't wrap my head around just how little arch. make. i mean really, can you guys? sure, it's all about passion, enhancing humanity through building, it's all good and true but sometimes in your life, reality will take precedence over our idealisms where they take a back seat. we are talking about our LIVES here, where you went for grad. school is a part of the big picture, not the other way around where that will define our lives for us.

and i agree w/you sturgery. no matter where you graduate from, it's all on you, your merit, ability to play politics, people skills, leading skills, etc. back to my starkitect firm, i was somehow pigeon holed into detailing, construction documents, and eventually becoming projcet architect leading projects through contract administration phase....even though i was an int. designer and had many columbia grads work under me, princeton grads alongside me, parsons grad as my superior, nyit graduate as one of the firm's principals. everyone's all over the place, and they get there because of what you can achieve. i believe that if you were meant to be a mind blowing architect, no schools will hold you back and conversely, no school ivy or not, will make you into a mind blowing architect if you were never meant to be. but having an ivy does give you an edge in that people initially have an interest in you more but comes expectations. then you' are just like everyone else, having to prove yourself.

i think where it's most important is if you are moving overseas where parents will even invest all their life savings to send kids to ivies....in a culture like that let's say, people will def. listen to you more, hang on to every little word you say just by having that degree. i believe in an instance like that, ivy degrees will help you make a bigger impact and actually give you the power to make a difference in such cultures. so there can be instances where ivies can play a huge role. but other than that, i think we should all take advantage of the fact that we live in a country where quality education is abound, where meritocracy is actually rewarded and celebrated, to go and find the best education for you and be realistic when considering $ because it IS important in the end. if you can go to an ivy w/out having to suffer for the rest of your life, perfect! that'd be the most optimal but if you can not, trust me, you will be just fine and won't mean a thing as long as you prove yourself in the real world.

omg, i don't know why the heck i wrote so much, i'm sorry!

Thanks for your insightful post, newport.
hearing about the dispersion of diplomas throughout your starchitect firm, and the rise you made through it was quite interesting.

Leads me to a question,
are there a lot of you out there trying to decide between a high dollar (not necessarily ivy) education versus a relatively inexpensive state school?

Also, anyone waiting to get off a wait-list whilst time ticks away on accepting offers from other top tier schools?

Blake,

I'm waiting on Yale for a waitlist decision, but if I'm accepted it will be between Yale, Berkeley, and UT Austin. At this point I'm not sure I would be better served going to Yale and spending a boatload of money, even though I am getting some help from my parents. Meanwhile I imagine i'll accept at Berkeley or UT. Still researching the program at Yale.

I wasn't raised with the idea that huge amounts of debt early in life are acceptable, so unless a lot of things about Yale start to really jump out at me as unmissable... which they might....

Like Newport mentioned I think design is so open source today that if you're good it will be evident quickly in whatever office environment you are put into.

Just accepted UT Austin's admit, and took myself off the Cornell waitlist. Will do the same to UW Seattle tonight.

I'm deciding between Cali state schools and UT-Austin..I've been trying to find out more about what type of jobs UT kids do after schools..some say that most stay in Austin, while others say they go to Dallas/Houston, while others say its all over the place (LA, NYC, etc). Does anyone have an insight into this question, i'd really love to know?! I'm look at two UC schools, but I really love austin as a town to be a student in. Just now sure how great I feel about living in Texas forever! Would LOVE to hear peoples opinions!

I'm considering UT, UM and SCI-Arc... and I'm a mess. But the last thing I'm concerned about is HAVING to stay in Texas... you can go wherever you want smeesu! why would you think otherwise?

I would say post-UT work is all over the place, but I'm sure a lot stay in Austin, because it's awesome. Their professional residency program (second to last semester plus that final summer) seems like perhaps the best opportunity I've seen to get a foot in the door anywhere in the world, just about.

I'm considering going to UT as well, and I'm wait-listed for the 2-year M.Arch at SCI-Arc...hoping to hear soon, fingers crossed...

I also got in to Pratt whose program I think I would very much enjoy. However, I don't think I'd be as thrilled living in New York as I would be in LA or Austin. So, for me I don't think the debt incurred alongside a Pratt education would be worth it for me in the long run.

SCI-Arc is another story though. After visiting last summer/seeing student work/multiple readings through their course catalog, I am sure it would be a good fit for me. Plus, I would enjoy the city as much as the education I'd be receiving. Assuming I get in, it will be one of the tougher decisions I've ever had to make. But I still want to be able to make it!

ah! haven't really had a presence on these archinect blogs, but now that sturgey, you've responded to me by name, i feel so indoctrinated! hahah

well i guess my only concern is that i really love austin (love to bike, love the music scene, general aura) but the program doesn't seem as 'cutting edge' as UCLA per se, and it doesn't have as much broadranging name recognition as say, Berkeley. I know the program's great, but I feel like compared to other programs, you might have to fight extra harder to get jobs compared to those who graduated from more "name brand" schools. Obviously it's what you make of the program, what you come away with, and how you've developed as a designer/theorist/architect etc, but do you know what I mean? I spoke with a few in the grad dept who said it is tougher to get jobs in firms, not because youre unqualified, but bc of the difference in prestige. Many do decide to stay in Austin because they want to, while some are forced to go to Dallas/Houston bc they can't find jobs in NYC or Austin or elsewhere. This is just what I got from talking to a few undergrads and graduates. Hopefully I just spoke to the wrong people?! My heart is with Austin but I'm a bit nervous Im getting frustrated post graduation..? what do you think?

this is kind of long, but i thought I'd share my costl breakdowns for UM , UT, and SCI-Arc...

WORST FINANCIAL SCENARIO:
*minus any scholarships, in-state rates, or work study or TA positions (which are available at each place):

SCI-Arc// semesters at 12.6k + living expenses is 9.2k per semester = (50.4k + 36.8k) 87.2k over two years.
UT Austin// semesters at 11k + 6.5k cost of living per semester = (55k + 32.5k) 87.5k over two and a half years.
Michigan// semesters at 16.5k + cost of living is 8.5k per semester = (66k + 34k- 7.5k scholarship) 87.5k over two years.

BEST FINANCIAL SCENRARIO
*including all scholarships, in-state rates, or work study or TA positions (which are available at each place):

Michigan// two awarded teaching positions covering 2nd year of school = (33k + 34k - 7.5k scholarship - 3k work study) 56.5k over two years.
SCI-Arc// 100% teaching scholarship for 2nd year + living expenses is 9.2k per semester = (25.2k + 36.8k) 62k over two years. eek it out with no car
UT Austin// full tuition first year, TA for three semesters (free), in state tuition one semester. (teaching requires an additional semester to complete credits)= (22k + 7k + 39k) = 68k over three years.

the three years at Austin actually make it less financially superior due to the fact you're not working anywhere... for that time. this wasn't obvious to me before...

thoughts?

hey sturgey, were you assuming 12-month leases when you calculated the living expenses?

Also, I'm thinking this is a "duh" question, but is there no such thing as in-state tuition at SCI-Arc bc it is not a state school?

i just got stuff from the websites in terms of cost of living...
i guess that's the next layer to consider (and I'm not sure if it's factored here)


SCI-Arc is private, and so i believe that is why.

Can I do LA without a car? at all?

also, did you calculate the 5th term (summer semester) cost on the SCI-Arc breakdown?

I've heard it's pretty difficult (almost impossible) to do LA without a car.

LA without a car, no f@#$ing way. it would be the most bizarre LA experience of anyone, ever. Even hardcore Earth First bike nuts have cars there. "LA" is such a nebulous idea that applies to so many outlying areas (that are important places), not having a car would be very strange, indeed.

sturgey,

I did SCI-Arc without a car, but it is unadvisable. But you could def. do it with a total beater, as you only really need it for grocery trips...

*inadvisable