I participated in both NY/Paris and the summer intro program, and both are great. I'd strongly recommend taking the summer program first to get your feet wet, and if that goes well you can easily continue into the year-long program. You'll feel more stable in the studio environment after you've completed the summer program, and you'll get a lot more out of the longer semester format. It's a fantastic program to build up material for your portfolio, and you'll have wonderful experiences in New York and, of course, in Paris. Have a great time!

Thanks Kirsten! That sounds like a good way to go. Do you think the 5 weeks in the summer program would give me enough exposure to make a decision, regardless of considering the NY/Paris program?

Doing the summer program will definitely give you a taste of the architecture studio environment, and it may be enough exposure to make a decision. The NY/Paris program could really help you finalize that decision, and is really a more in-depth and accurate experience to what architecture graduate school is like. I would really recommend mining all of the professors/critics of the summer program for information and opinions regarding schools and careers. Columbia does a good job of having practicing architects as professors, so you should use them as a resource. But yes, if you feel strongly at the end of the summer program that you want to pursue architecture, go ahead and apply to schools! NY/Paris would be a great opportunity to punch up your portfolio if you need extra material.

Agreed.... I'd concentrate on the summer program for now. It's a fairly intensive "architecture boot camp" program that is sort of like a super-condensed version of a first-semester M.Arch. I studio. It should give you a pretty good idea of whether or not you want to continue on to an M.Arch. program, and should give you plenty of portfolio material and help you make some important connections with people at GSAPP.

The NY/Paris thing sounds like a great program, but I wonder if it might be overkill if all you're looking for is some portfolio fodder and some credentials for getting into an M.Arch. program. If anything, I'd say something like NY/Paris should be taken for its own merits, and not necessarily as a stepping stone for something else.

Great point; aside from everything, NY/Paris was a great program and a really fantastic experience. The exposure to architecture, urban planning, and city history with great professors and really cool classmates is invaluable.

I took the Columbia summer program last year and loved it.

LIke you I wasn't 100% certain on whether I should go back to school for architecture, but the program helped me decide school was the right choice for me.

While it is not like a normal semester (like the NY/Paris program would be) and certainly not like practicing architecture, the studio work, discussion, activities etc. confirmed my interests.

Before I started I figured I would do the summer program then maybe also take the NY/Paris program, but after the summer I didn't need anymore help deciding.

I was at Columbia last summer as well. Whose section were you in?

LiG,

I was in Billy and Irene's section. We made the big Seagram model. You?

I was in Brad Horn's section.

I was in Brad Horn's section in 2005 and still consider him one of the best professors I've ever had.

I just completed the NY/P program and I thought it was a great experience, albeit the lack of sleep. It's intense, especially in NY, and in Paris, the intensity lessens, but they still make you work. I learned a lot and yes, it really does help you in terms of materials for grad school. Many people who had no experience completed the NY portion, applied and got in to Ivys so it says a lot. But in NY, you're working 24/7. It's not a walk in the park and be sure to put all else on hold for a couple of months while you're in studio.

@julzie49, or anyone:

did you do the studio aspects or the urban studies aspect?
also, did you do a prior degree in anything architecture related? I'm graduating with a bachelor of environmental design, and I know how to work. how does it compare?

Hey does anyone know how easy/difficult it is to get into the NY/paris program? and what is the profile of the students who study there? i am a recent graduate of bachelors of architecture. Is the program mostly for undergrad students? and is it too late to apply for fall 2010 ?

Hey does anyone know how easy/difficult it is to get into the NY/paris program? and what is the profile of the students who study there? i am a recent graduate of bachelors of architecture. Is the program mostly for undergrad students? and is it too late to apply for fall 2010 ?