People who apply to SCI Arc are pretty top notch from different angles though. Even the life stylers do their part well. SCi Arc's acceptance rates only means to SCI Arc. Historically they have their own and sometimes unorthodox  acceptance "kinks" and that's not a bad thing. It still sounds 89% is a heresy though..

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/collegeprofiles/p/southern-california-institute-of-architecture.htm
If you look at the numbers they are not particularly impressive.

But isn't it more about what they make of you than what you are before you get there?
And it's not for everyone. A lot of people just wouldn't apply there because it doesn't suit them.

There are far more important things than acceptance rates.
 

Do the SCI-ARC has a place for the international student to enroll? Is the percentage for international admission student higher?

The tuition and cost of living and materials there is out of the roof. I have many friends that were accepted to Sci-ARC but didn't go simply because they could not afford it. Previous professors of mine studied their masters there and told me that they were over 100k in debt afterwards to pay for tuition as well as the demand to spend (3D printed models, extravagant presentation formats etc. And like stated above, since Sci-ARC has this somewhat avant garde feel of radical design and ideologies, you do not see that many conservative students applying there in the first place. If you have ever been there though, it is an awesome place. A factory of unrestrained creation and innovative thinking with the most advanced resources around.

I have been there and loved the atmosphere even though I tend to gravitate toward traditional arch. 

but don't they offer scholarships and loans? Wouldn't that help with the high tuition? 

They are a private school with no endowment, so they don't have the financial ability to offer a lot of scholarships. They told me very few students receive a scholarship from them, and that financing the education is up to you. They didn't say it in some mean way or anything--just explaining how it is. It's a huge bummer for me because I'm super interested in the school, and their approach. The students I talked to all spoke very highly of the school and it seems very collaborative rather than competitive. Definitely feels like an architecture research lab.

Deciding whether to apply--I really got a great vibe from the place, but I'm also very price-sensitive.

SCIARC is giving out more and more scholarships, there are many students on Full Scholarship and many receiving substantial assistance. When you judge the size of the program, perhaps it is a smaller percentage, and for the most part the school is made up of students from very well off families, but this is what the institution does to maintain its financial backing.

In short, if you are interested, you should apply and then see what is offered to you.

Thank god they offer scholarships. I wouldn't mind getting a little into debt maybe 50-60k but that's it. The prep program I'm in has sent students over there and they tend to begin second year of either b.arch or m.arch. So that would at least save on a years worth I think. 

How much is their m.arch program? Also would Woodbury offer more aid? 

I got accepted to Sci-arch last year, but they did not offer me any scholarships. In July if this year, I went there and visit. It was cool, the atmosphere is awesome, really unconventional which I love. If money isn't a concern, I would definitely go there.  Let me know if you will get in and offered scholarship. Good luck

When I visited they told me not to expect much financial assistance from them, but I think I'm going to apply anyway and see where the chips fall.

But by that do they mean scholarships? I don't mind going into debt and taking out federal loans. But do they at least offer that? 

^I am sure they mean "free" money: grants, scholarships, etc. I would be willing to bet money that they offer federal loans as aid, otherwise they wouldn't be able to make much money because most people cant afford a school like them without loans, especially if there are so few scholarships.
 

They do offer federal loans

Then how much is they're m.arch program? I would need to pay for tuition plus living expenses. Can that even be done? 

perhaps... with that high an acceptance rate, you probably suck and should quit architecture if you don't get in. xD

perhaps the question by murken townsend will be enlightening.

Huh? 

my point is can you afford the tuition and using the test of loan aid to live off of considering arch is full time 

their fees and other scholarship/ loan details are specified on their website. 

Well has anyone done it in here?

Hi! I was just wondering if getting a scholarship in sci arc is difficult. I applied for the undergrad program and got a scholarship but didn't know if a lot of people were getting the  same as I am, or how much they were getting in comparison to mine