lesov, what school was that?

My application status:

UMICH - recieved and confirmed

IIT - recieved and confirmed

RISD - recieved and confirmed

SAIC - awaiting confirmation...

MIT - awaiting confirmation...

missmeer - yes sketchup is on my list... I've started to learn it, but unless you go through a full project I find it doesn't stick, ya know?

jaymo - ubc (in canada)

lesov, yes, i agree. i was hoping to have a little sketchup project with a friend who wants a model of his home, but i think it's gotten pushed to both of our back burners. my parents ultimately want to remodel the apartment i am living in currently, so maybe i'll play around with that idea...

Yeah Sketchup never stuck for me til i had a project here at the office that I had to start and manage for a number of months in Sketchup... and as a result I started using it for my portfolio. Its a fun little program, but its got a learning curve.

I think I may want to try a competition again this spring, maybe just to keep my mind working and to continue to improve my skills. But I remember a lot of people on last year's thread saying to do any and all non-architecture related things that you love to do now, cause once we're in school is all architecture all the time. I think I'll be passing a lot of time reading fiction novels, playing video games, and cooking.

So, I never really learned AutoCAD, maybe that should be my priority, what do you all think? We use Vectorworks and sketchup at my office and I'm pretty good w/ both, and I know the Adobe Suite pretty well, and for the most part I taught myself these programs. Is AutoCAD easy to teach yourself, or should I take a class? Or should I be more concerned w/ learning Rhino or Maya? Any thoughts?

Yay! Glad to see some activity here again!

since the topic has now moved on to Things-to-do-post-application: is anyone investing any time looking into which computer to purchase for school? I guess my basic question is, Mac or PC?

My current laptop is a Dell from five years ago and I'm pretty sure this clunker is not going to hold up for much longer (nor do I really want it to? :P). Anyway, my little sister just got a Mac Book and I have to admit the design is so seductive and the interface really smart. But besides the fact that they are more pricey than PC's, I just spoke with a student at the GSD who said Macs are a pain, despite him and most of his classmates owning one. I guess it's not great for architecture because Maya, AutoCAD, Rhino, and other programs are not available for Leopard.

Really?? I thought Macs were the choice pick for designers? Anyone have any insight to persuade me either way? I admit I'm not very computer-tech savvy...

just my opinion: if you're buying specifically for school, buy whatever the school uses.... you will make your life so much easier if you can use the same software at studio and at home, transferring files is easier, etc, etc.
I bought my first mac because the arch school I went to required it (a $4000 requirement at the time, madness!) and I've been using them ever since. I have also been lucky to work at firms that use Macs and vectorworks and have never had to go back to pc. thanks goodness.
The software is an issue, absolutely. There is not a lot of free mac programs out there.
I would take my mac over a pc anytime... i have also converted my hubby who is a non designer... he hated it at first, but now wouldn't buy a pc ever again.
Good luck in your decision. if you decide to switch to mac, give yourself a few weeks to get used to it and learn it's capabilities so you'll have an easier time once you're at school.

a-ha...good advice lesov, thank you. I guess it would be a good idea to hold my purchase until I hear back from schools. I just hope ol'Dell-a keeps up with me til then.

so which school required the Mac purchase, may I ask? Wow 4k...eeek!!

oh, haha, it was Dalhousie and it was back in 2000, when Macs were (even more) outrageously expensive.... and it didn't even come with a CD burner. But that's because I bought a laptop... silly girl. That black powerbook lasted me until 2005 though!

i've got a powerbook from 2004 that's chugging along but has taken a bit of beating and now i'm starting to get crap from people!
i'm definitely holding out on a new one until (presumably) acceptance to schools -- and then we'll see.

Yeah I am a Mac user and would dread being back on the PC, but some of the schools I applied to have (sometimes very) specific computer requirements. I'd wait til you know where you are going, for sure.

hmm.. some might totally disagree, but i've seen lot of folks just buy a desktop, for their cheaper price and more fire power. When you juggle between renderings, photoshop, and autocad, you do need some fire power. when i was in undergrad, i started out with a laptop but i soon realized that i could not multi-task with it. Well, laptop got lot better now, so things might be different.

just advice, invest most of your budget on CPU, the single most important thing. Buy the best and the latest one. you can always buy additional rams and hard drives.

Also check w/ your schools before you go and run and buy something. Some schools supply desktops in studio.

I know Yale provides desktop computers for each student in studio, I heard you get one desk for computing and one for drafting. Pratt has a super specific Dell laptop requirement. So you really dont know what you need til you know where you're going! Also, you may be able to purchase a computer w/ your financial aid if you wait (assuming you get aid).

MIT is driving me crazy. You call them and they will give you no information. They just keep saying, "soon it will be posted on the internet".

This worries me that soooooo many people are applying that they can't even sort through it all.

I agree regarding the MIT status. It's been almost 6 weeks since the deadline...im guessing the number of applicants is really large this year. We'll just have to wait it out.

My status check:

GSAPP - complete!
Pratt - still waiting for confirmation...

Pratt sent an email thanking people for applying, and they said they would start sending notifications by feb 27 if the application materials are complete or if there's something missing. I think it's kinda late to send though if you do lack something.

Question: Does it look bad to apply to both the landscape architecture AND the architecture program within the same school? Would that look indecisive? I mean I am indecisive but I don't really want them to know that. They're probably reviewed seperately right? by different sets of people. Would the admission committee ever intermingle into the other dept.?

Ideally I'd like to do a double masters but I don't think we have that in Canada. And I like the price range for education up here better than in the lower 48. Unless of course I win the lottery.

Regarding my last comment, the black Itoya portfolio gives a substantial, striking frame. My portfolio is mostly drawings, so I feel that the images' details are hidden in the Itoya's plastic leaves. If my portfolio were mostly software-generated, I would probably take advantage of the traditional presentation-style Itoya portfolio as a pleasant frame.

pinkbug- that is a good question. i'm curious to see an answer.

Does anyone know much about UIC (U of Illinois - Chicago)'s M.Arch program? I applied there because I am from Chicago, but don't know much about the program's quality/orientation. How do firms/professionals/academics perceive the program?
Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

On the upswing would be my assessment of the UIC Grad program (coming from a current 4th year undergrad). Director Bob Somol is driving things in a new and exciting direction (don't agree with everything but it is exciting nonetheless).

I don't have any specific answers for you but if you want to be part of a changing university and SoA then it would be a right fit. For the record I have enjoyed my 4 years at this school and all the physical changes it is undertaking.

Has anyone started their FAFSA yet? I saw where GSD has a deadline of Feb. 6th, but all other schools I have talked to say it is too early to submit FAFSA for their institutions.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Hmm, I think most of my schools req. the FAFSA between Feb 2 and Feb 15. I cant imagine why a school would say its too early. I've started mine and know that you can save your progress and edit it later. Maybe, since its online and free, you could submit to Harvard now/soon, and go back and edit and add more school codes later.

Still, that's weird.

BTW-Bluseman, may I ask which school(s) say its too early to submit the FAFSA?

Clam,

MIT mainly, but Ga Tech also thought it was a little early.

thx.

I submitted my FAFSA last night. As long as you have all your forms [W2, 1099, etc.] and have figured out your taxes, you should be good to go.

In other news, the Feds have an unrealistic expectation for how much I can afford, all based on an income that I will be giving up to go back to school. I guess this is not surprising though.

^ No kidding. I was shocked at my EFC number.

I will be interested what my numbers are going to be, since I will no longer be eligible as a dependent next year.

UCLA update!

I just got an email letting me know my application was complete, and that admissions notifications would go out 'sometime in March or early April'.

They said they were missing one letter of rec from me, so I overnighted it. This was on Tuesday, so I hope they have it!

GSD Complete
SciArc Complete
AA Complete

Columbia...already failed as got 420q in GRE..damm you!!

Did you already get a rejection letter? or are you assuming that you're going to get a rejection letter because of the 420q?

420q? Didn't you study?

they have a minimum requirement of 450 and they are strict on it..so assuming..

and i did study, a little...there was just too many words to learn off and its just f**kin useless crap!! guess i'm just a retard!!! got 700 math and didn't really study for that either... and 700 is actually a pretty pathetic score for my math skills given my past...

oh well! there's always harvard....lol..

well you seem like an honorable individual worthy of acceptance into those schools. goodluck.

ahh... math=q (for quantitative) so you got 700q and 420v. that makes more sense.

ha, sorry, guess got mixed up!! indeed the way you said it n400.

cwh1, just wondering where u make your assumption from? " seem like an honorable individual worthy of acceptance"

Not sure if anyone feels the same but after reading several threads on previous applicants, I am beginning to feel less than stellar. (Or maybe there are too many boastful overachiever posting and not enough fair to good applicants posting?)
On another note: I was told recently that the number of applicants this year is up all over the board? Can anyone verify this? I am trying not to add anymore stress to an already stressful process.....

numbers are up if you read previous posts....

I was joking above btw... there's a small chance of me getting in to any of these schools if any...! but i thought if you don't apply, you can't get in ............so hear goes....(i would love to get in tho!!)

when i took the gre, i agreed to the service that lets schools contact you about their programs. pratt is the only e-mail i've gotten. it was basically an advertisement for their interior design program, with a note that they continue accepting applications past the deadline.

i sent my app in last week.... hopefully i can get some fin.aid to help me out.but who knows. i applied to cranbrook 3d design program

Just read some of the previous posts...smoked 3 cigs and contemplating doing some yoga (going shopping instead in a sec)...but then I realize that the schools numbers are up for the obvious schools.. I mean who doesn't want to go to Yale, Columbia, or Berkeley....I even applied to one Ivy myself UPenn..but thats because I felt I can relate to their mission statement...I'm more curious if the numbers are up for all MArch programs in general? And if so, will this be an indication that next year pools of applicant will have it worse??
Another question for everyone out there...
Is it strange to have a relatively good GRE Q+V score but really shameful Writing???
1300 combine Q+V
2.5 on Writing ...
I've always made an A in my composition/English courses, plus had one of my article published in a local design zine... I thought I would do better..
Also on the FAFSA? Is it normal to have a 20K expected family contribution? My family doesn't pay for any of my bills and I will have to quit all my jobs (internship, side contract work, and part-time work) to move to the east coast where its has a much higher cost of living + I have absolutely no contact for side jobs...how much does one make selling their blood at those blood bank? Too bad I can't be surrogate mother, if I had that capability I would prolly do so...

ZeroPulse - Are you still listed as a dependent on your parents taxes? If your family doesn't pay for anything of yours anymore and there's no financial benefit for your parents you should really be filing taxes as an independent which will change your fafsa dramatically.

Everyone else - Am I correct on this?

I filled out my fafsa this year as an independent after four years of filling it out as a dependent as an undergrad. Therefore I had to list all that income from my parents that never came to me, but was still necessary to list on the forms. As soon as I filled it out as an independent this year the EFC dropped A LOT
P.S.
You can always do a FAFSA Correction after you file your taxes too

I can only wish that was the case for me. I've been filing independent for over 3 years now. I think its because my combine incomes was too substantial.

Is anyone applying to RPI??
In Troy, NY, that is......

ZeroPulse - Which of your schools require the writing section of the GRE? I thought most places didn't count it. I skipped that section.

n400: I didn't realize you can skip a section .. So you didn't get a score for your GRE writing?.. hrmm food for thought .. I don't think the writing section is really considered by any architecture grad school .. it was just really bothering me that I scored so low on the writing section so I threw it out there to see if anyone else had a similar experience .. I know its been less then a month since I've submitted all my application and I thought I would be alot more patient but man .. is this waiting suck.. I keep fluctuating between self doubt and high anxiety