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Grad School portfolio for an Undergrad in another major?
Hey there Archinecters,
I need some help from anyone with experience in creating their protfolio who did not have a B.Arch for grad school. A little about me:
I have been working at a custom woodshop for the last 2 years. I graduated in 2006 with a B.A. in Historic Preservation & Community Planning from the College of Charleston in SC. While I did major in this, I do not consider myself a preservationist, just a student at the time with a deep interest in architecture, and it was the best major for my undergrad study. I took design studio courses and drawing courses as well as Arch history to help prep me for grad school. I could probably receive advanced standing at some schools because of this. (hopefully). I did internships at firms and learned AutoCad. My last 2 years I have designed and built many projects ranging from furniture to construction projects to fine woodworking.
My question is, what should I include in my portfolio since I do not have the extensive CADwork like most of the students' portfolios I have seen on here? While they look awesome, I don't have those types of design work. I am greatly interested in all of the built environment, so that is why I am going for the M.Arch, and I would like my options in the design field to be opened later in life. I know the layout and format of the ACTUAL portfolio is important, so how should I incorporate my drawings and furniture into it? I have lots of design work to choose from. Are we talking just pics and descriptions? How many? Do I include a resume?
I do not plan on applying to any big name schools, Ivy league, etc. My choices are University of Maryland, SCAD, Clemson, Catholic U., Boston Architectural College, and maybe Florida.
Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated and welcomed. BTW, I love this website, you guys are awesome.
ssjoebear,
here's my opinion: show everything that benefits you. show the process and the finished products of your design work. show your work from your design studio courses and drawing courses, show anything from your internships that look good, and show furniture/construction/woodworking projects. if there's something you want to include that's either incomplete or unattractive, complete it or clean it up.
make your portfolio well organized: look at design magazines and books to get ideas for layouts. see how pictures + text align. you want your portfolio to read like a pretty, picture-filled book with brief descriptions. include as much as you can. the diversity of your work can benefit you.
including the resume in the portfolio is up to you. you'll need to submit the resume with the graduate applications regardless.
also, i don't want to discourage you, but advanced standing is probably not as likely as you think. (in the past 9 years, i have obtained a degree and experience that has proven insufficient for advanced standing). definitely ask + try though. + good luck.
dont count on advanced standing, its never a guarantee
make sure you can do everything you want without it, so you dont get stuck if you dont recieve it
it sounds like you are in good shape, and have a great shot at advanced standing, but its never a guarantee
good luck!
Maybe I was inaccurate with my advanced standing statement. I guess what I was hoping was that I would not necessarily have to take some of the more basic classes that most schools put in their curricula because I already took them? You are saying that there is no guarantee in that?
Thanks so much for your replies, I will definitely use this advice.
chances are you wont have to retake them
it differs school to school, and especially if you dont have an undergrad degree in architecture, its not a sure thing you will be able to skip everything
they should be able to tell you right away though
call someone at each school and tell them exactly what you took and what you are hoping to be exempt from
since it will be almost 3 years ago, you never know what they will accept
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