there are contradictions there,  paradoxes if one is kind...anyway

"•I don't see myself designing buildings all my life... I do want to do management/marketing related jobs."

enough said

run forest run!!  If you already have doubts that you might hate it, you'll likely hate it and kick yourself even more for getting into it.  All that you've pointed out is the reality that many only find out when they're far into their studies.

-  "architecture as a JOB = no sleep "  architecture, school or job = no sleep xD

- "not truly permitted to be creative" - imagine working on a project for 5 or 6 years with the same team consisting of 6 or 7 members who you'd want to strangle at some point doing boring tasks like schedules, adjusting washroom tile layout, ceiling fixture layout and the list goes on.

- undergrads from other profession like computer engineering start earning $70K on their first job out of uni..  You'd be lucky finding a job which pays you $50K even with a graduate degree :) 

- "high risk of unemployment + not paid enough for all the hard work" - Consider yourself lucky if you're employed :) 
    My (asian) parents telling me how being an accountant will lead to job security and good money, thus I could practice my love for art/designs as a hobby while not stressing about unemployment and all
  - " I personally, am not a patient person. I like to see results fast. If there's one aspect I don't like about art, it is that it TAKES SO MUCH TIME."  - If you thought making art and creative work takes so much time, imagine working on an architecture project for 5+ years.

   " I don't see myself designing buildings all my life... I do want to do management/marketing related jobs."   - Don't waste time.. Go major in something else and take up architecture/art as a hobby doing it when, where, how you feel like :) 

You should enter into a field with full heart without having any doubts in your mind, then only you can turn out successful and be happy in your life. So, I would say it's better for you to obtain masters degree in accounts, a field which is known for offering job security and good pay but with lots of stress at work during financial year ends. 

If you want to be a good architecture, then you should love the subject from your heart or else it won't fetch neither money nor job satisfaction for you.

In one firm where I worked the on-staff accountant/financial manager was very creative and enjoyed being around all the work, plus he got to sit in sometimes on discussions about the projects, so he was related to the architecture world but doing financial work.  better salary, shorter hours than any of the architecture staff.  AND he spent his weekends working on small projects renovating and improving his own house.

Thank you so much everyone! You're right that having so much doubts is bad indicator. It's just that I feel that Architecture is the only art-related career that is respectable enough to do...compared to Accounting, which has no creativity at all in the job and worse, is reputed to be so damn boring (and I am a very creative person)...

Donna Suk, your comment does really encourage me to think that balance is possible. Thank you!

Suzy: have you considered taking a degree in Architecture (either a non-professional or a professional degree) and then taking a graduate degree in business (i.e. an MBA) ?

This would give you much broader career opportunities than either architecture or accounting alone and, if you play your cards right, would allow you to remain associated with design (say, for example, by working as a development manager at a real estate development firm) without necessarily subjecting yourself to the lack of job security and poor economics associated with the profession.

This combination of degrees also would make it easier for you to move into a practice management position within a design firm if that is something you would want to do.

That's a very good point! Yeah, I could do a bachelor in architecture, and do a CPA afterwards. I'll give some thought of it, thank you quizzical :)

you can always take business courses in undergrad (especially ones that count toward CPA) - I know at least two people from my undergrad program who doubled in arch and business. extra work, but doable.

Suzy - IMO, an MBA is WAY more flexible than a degree in accounting. It will open more doors in more industries and give you more options as to the type of jobs you can pursue.

A degree in accounting will, for the most part, limit you to tax and accounting jobs, which - as you've already stated - tend to be very boring to 'creative' types. 

Hi Suzy:

First, you appear to live in Quebec.  At a high school or a CEGEP?  Don't schools give you a career aptitude test when you are a teenager?  They gave me one when I was 14 in the U.S., as in "Boys and girls, put your books away, and ... "  What were the results of such a test?  If you haven't taken one, you probably should.  Actually, take two of them.  There are those that look for "personality fit" and those that look for skills you like to use.

Your dichotomy is actually common.  Those looking into architecture seem to weigh architecture versus engineering (typically civil) and then business (either marketing, because it's creative, or accounting, because it's structured).  In rarer cases, the weigh architecture against other fields of study.

You might not enjoy either.  You stated that you are impatient, and architecture requires a lot of patience.  You might get through the program, without a level of commitment that others have, and then you may not do it forever.  You worry about accounting not being interesting and it may not be.  You sound like you might be interested in marketing but, especially with just an undergraduate, you will get a glorified sales job.  The plum jobs in marketing are for those with MBAs, and from the best schools.  Also, they are not always as creative and glamorous as you think.  They are more apt to be strategic management jobs.  Going the financial route, such as accounting or finance, the industry makes all the difference in the world.  However, wanting to do accounting for a creative venture (architecture, advertising, fashion) is not always guaranteed.  How do I know?  I worked in a very staid industry when I did spreadsheets for a few years and I couldn't stand it, and I had interviewed in other industries and didn't get offers. An architecture firm or ad agency might either like having a frustrated architect on their finance staff, or they may not. As an aside, I've heard this from a few people - if you are pursuing veterinary medicine, and as a 22 or 23 year old, you tell them in the interview or in the essay that it's because you like animals, it goes downhill from there. Back to accounting, I have friends who work as bean counters in aerospace/defense, and it sounds worse than watching paint dry.  Also, if you do architecture followed by the MBA, you will work in some other aspect of business, such as development, feasibility, and project management ... unless the MBA is in accounting, which is atypical and often considered narrow. 

You need to take some assessment tests and talk to your school's career counselors.  I don't want to add clutter, but it's sort of still in the architecture versus business realm.  How about construction management?  Or, how about, hotel and hospitality management, which gives you a bottom line orientation, the architectural ambiance, and a marketing driven environment?  Construction management makes for decent money and from the very beginning but, it too is detail oriented.  Hotel management is not as lucrative, at least initially, and is seemingly not as respected, but a few very good universities in the U.S. offer it.

Again, you need to have your aptitudes better evaluated.

getting an accounting degree is like getting a tech degree... you know how to do one thing really well and nothing much else.  general business degrees are glorified high school diplomas.  if you can afford it, get your creative degree and then get an mba.  mba's are so versatile that you can switch to completely different industries without totally starting your career over if you end up not liking what you're doing.

on creative things taking so long:  that's because the attention span of the current high school generation is literally nothing.  when you have to fill a 40 hour work week would you rather be answering phones and  sticking numbers into excel or drawing with markers?

Suzy..  If you could, I'd recommend doing an undergrad in architecture and then an MBA or some business program.  As much as I hate the job prospects in architecture, I must say choosing architecture for my undergrad was one of the best decisions i've made in my life.  It really opened my mind, one which no other art degree would've given me.  A lot of big firms have business educated people with economics, accounting, finance, MBA backgrounds working as principals and having directorial positions in the firm.  :)  You'd be in a better position to make it big if you can combine architecture with your business experience.

CM programs don't tend to have many women enrolled, though that is changing and more women are seeing the opportunities.  I know some women in architecture who are almost too nuts and bolts, and should be working for construction companies!  Access's advice makes sense.  However, that works at a large firm in an urban center.  It would be intimidating to even a medium sized suburban firm that does churches and senior housing, for example.  I, too, agree that I wouldn't have wanted to go without being educated in being able to identify different historical themes and elements of buildings, or lack thereof, know how loads are transferred through a building frame, calculate envelope thermal values, and make design decisions - in essence, x-raying a building.  She may not like CM.  For me, the best combo is a CM undergrad with a business minor (easy because it already has required business courses) and all electives in art/design ... followed by a M.Arch. 1.  You're then credible in any aspect of design and construction, and even real estate and development.  Using a business degree to be in an industry that is of no interest to someone borders on being depressing.

Suzy,

I hate to be the troll here, but before you do anything, I think you need to figure out what educational path will make you a moral, interesting adult.  I don't know you, obviously, but a couple of your comments -" I personally, am not a patient person. I like to see results fast. If there's one aspect I don't like about art, it is that it TAKES SO MUCH TIME." and "Architecture is the only art-related career that is respectable enough to do" make you sound really shallow.  You probably aren't a bad person, but you should be really careful about the next couple of years. 

If you want to do business, get a degree in engineering first, so that you actually know how to do something useful.

And please, think about college as an educational experience- a chance for self-improvement, rather than as vocational education.

Sorry if I sound like a jerk.

^

You make good points.  I think she needs to better evaluate what she really likes and what her temperament are suited for.

I've had the vocational/broadminded thinker debate about education with people.  I think that if a vocational education is combined with a good general education core, and a person shines in that too, then the vocational approach is not such a bad thing.

First, I`m not sure about the MBA after Bachelor of architecture... Usually one can only be eligible of a MBA if this person has completed at least 2 years of full time work (which I am concerned, about the time that it will take me to actually get 2 full years of architecture employment).

and YES, I am from Quebec! I don`t know whether it`s a plus. Perhaps that the Canadian economy is not as badly hit by the recession than the US...

Also, when I said that "Architecture is the only art-related career that is respectable enough to do", let me explain myself: 

Coming my family and environment background, it is believed that any art related jobs such as graphic design and fashion design (which I was once very passionate about but gave it up due to the job prospects), are `not marketable` and is referred to the idea of the `starving artist`.I don`t want to self-pity or anything, but looking at most of my peers and entourage majoring in Pharmacy, Med, Computer engineering, actuarial math, Finance, Accounting, etc., I am afraid that an art-related career will not provide me with the same level of lifestyle as these people. And I feel like Architecture, at least, to society`s view, is a career, though art-related, still has this technical side which adds to its reputation.

 I did do personality tests before... but I don`t really believe in them. In sum it says that I am artistic, that I am extroverted but would work more productively alone or by teams of 2, that I am a realistic type, that I am intuitive and that I am fairly ambitious.

That test (if called Strong Inventory), in addition to artistic/realistic/etc., also has the specific occupations you score high on.  It lists specific careers.  That would be good for you to look at.

For the MBA, the experience you talk about (2+/- years) doesn't have to be architecture.  It can be anything of some substance.

Suzy:  I did an MBA, and I didn't have to wait two years.  My intention is to do architecture/development, but we'll see where it leads me.  One reason I'm happy I went through with it (though I did not anticipate this reason), is that its made me glad I didn't get an undergrad business degree.  Makes me feel really good about going into architecture, since (like anyone in any profession) I've periodically wondered if I made the right decision.  I can see it complimenting architecture (it already is for me, in a limited but noticeable way) but on its own its kind of like... substance-less.

Also, if you're basing what you're going to do the rest of your life off of what society thinks of you, and not what you think of you, you're not going to be satisfied in the long run.  Because at some point in your life you're not going to give a fuck what others think, and then it'll just be you and your financial calculator.  Credits and debits.  LIFO and FIFO.  NPV and IRR.  Tax season after tax season.  The only asset you'll be depreciating is you self respect (hahaha!  business joke!)

Thanks a lot Observant and backbay :)

But Backbay: isn't accounting the degree that could open up one to any types of business roles? since it is 'the language of business'. And I heard that accountants can climb the ladder quickly and once done they don't do any accounting related work? :O

I've also heard that a MBA is not as marketable as it used to be, except if it came from the Iveys? :(

MBAs are a dime a dozen today...especially with no experience.

My girlfiend (Chinese, pressured into accounting by her family) hates her job but she's damn good at it and will never have a problem finding a job if she sticks with it. She certainly struggles with whether or not to remain in the profession because she makes good money and doesn't even have to put in a full 40 hour week. I expect her to eventually open her own business (for fun) and work part-time. A luxury us architects will never have.

I work part time. Generally between 0 and 90 hours per week.

Suzy,

Go for the business degree! With no doubt!

You can choose majoring into several fields such as finances, accounting, marketing, etc. once you are there! You will certainly have more options and have a broader spectrum of career possibilities once you are studying! And you will have a better educational experience.

Then, if you really decide that you want to do architecture, you can get a professional degree (masters of architecture) with a bachelors in business, (or engineering, or arts, or anything).

An undergrad bachelors of architecture these days means nothing! When there is such a high unemployment rate amongst the people that already have a masters.
One of my friends graduated from business school, then did a 3 year masters in architecture, which btw allows you to get a license (while the four year undergrad does not)!!! And now he is working for a big office, the kind that many people don't get in. And I can bet is his people's skills that got him the job for the most part.

So do a bachelors in business, and if in 4 years you are still interested in arch, do the Masters of Arch.

marketing people that i've encountered typically come from some kind of p.r. background. if you are an accountant and work for an architecture firm you will do accounting down in the basement. you will typically be seen in the lunch room and to be liked you will bring in baked goods.

One of my friends graduated from business school, then did a 3 year masters in architecture, which btw allows you to get a license (while the four year undergrad does not)!!! And now he is working for a big office, the kind that many people don't get in. And I can bet is his people's skills that got him the job for the most part. 

I wish I could say this is ubiquitous.  BTDT.  It would require a couple of ingredients:  a large firm that values it, a graduate degree from a known and liked school, and a large urban center that is not pea-brained.  If you take out some of those variables, a previous undergraduate degree in business might meet with indifference, though it is a good combination, as you say.

I know this is really late feedback, but Suzy I saw this post had to respond to it. Take it from someone who actually chose Architecture over Accounting, if I could rewind I would get my degree in Accounting. Architecture is a great and creative field but for me it didnt secure me the income that I thought and I regret that. And it is true, you simply don't get compensated for all the hard work you do in Arch. I was laid off from my job about 10 yrs ago when the recession hit. (this seems to happen in cycles Ive heard. There seems to be a feast or famine in the building industry). Long story short, at a point when I bought a new car and started to house hunt, I got let go from my job. No one was hiring for arch jobs, I began collecting unemployment and I started working in a series of clerical jobs to make ends meet. I was about 38 at the time and i didn't want to have to go back to school. I currently work in a mid-level accounting job which is slow in bringing promotions because I don't have the all essential degree. If I could go back I would've gotten the Accounting degree. Think of it this way, accounting is like the medical field or computing...Every person gets sick and every business needs computing and accounting so you'll always be in demand. Not everyone needs a building project...and when they do the project ends at some point. So take it from someone who's lived to regret this choice. CHOOSE ACCOUNTING!!!

So many people in here are advocating choosing your job over how much money you make or how stable the job is. Just choose what you want to learn and what you want to do based off what makes you the happiest/most fulfilled. Money will come and go, stability will come and go. If it’s what you’re going to do for the rest of your life then just do what you want your life to be and don’t worry about the money. 

Me personally, accounting sounds boring as hell. I like making stuff. I couldn’t imagine sitting down and saying “Sure I’ll do accounting for the next 30 years of my life, sounds good.” No offense to any accountants, it’s just not the path I could walk.

This appears to be an issue worldwide. Are there no solutions to the challenges faced by architects

There has to be a way of easing  the work and making the inflow of money consistent for architects