Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
University of Southern California (USC)
Tulane University
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Temple University
University of Oregon
Cranbrook Academy of Art
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
Kansas State University
Potential MArch 1 Applicant
I am considering applying to architecture graduate school after college, to the MArch 1 program. This is a very recent decision. Unfortunately, information on the net about applying to arch grad schools seems relatively scarce (when compared to info about applying to college, law, med, biz school, etc.), and I am almost finished with college, so any help would be very appreciated. I specifically have my eyes set on TOP architecture graduate schools (such as Harvard, Columbia, or MIT).
(1) What are they looking for in your portfolio? I have heard from a source that technical drawing is relatively important. Unfortunately I am relatively scarce on technical drawings at the moment (although what I have so far with it is good). I have a lot of other art - paintings, digital, videogames, music, etc. Is display of my technical proficiency in these areas sufficient or should I include more technical drawings? Also, how much art should be included? What else should be included besides art (is a personal statement necessary?) How should it be presented? How much external detail should be provided (such as medium used, intent behind the piece, etc.)?
(2) How much do your undergrad grades matter, both absolutely and when compared with other factors in the admissions process? Do they matter for some undergrad classes more than others, and is this dependent on whether it's a required class (e.g. an arch grad school says they require a certain class to be taken during undergrad in order to be admitted -- is the fact that you took the class with a passing to an above-average grade [i.e. B] sufficient, given that they care more about the fact that you have taken the class? Or are excellent grades [i.e. A] in such classes almost a necessity when applying to top arch grad schools?)? Does it hurt if you only had a half year of math or science as opposed to a full year?
(3) How much weight is the GRE, both absolutely and when compared with other factors in the admissions process? How much weight is applied to each section of the GRE? What would you say is a sufficient GRE score, on average, to be accepted to a top arch grad school?
(4) How much weight are letters of recommendation, both absolutely and when compared with other factors in the admissions process? How many should be included? Is it recommended that they be from art professors, or does it not matter?
(5) Apparently, MArch 1 doesn't require you to have any prior architectural knowledge/experience. Is this true? Will it hurt you if you don't have anything substantial with respect to this? (In any case, I will probably work on some architectural stuff prior to applying, but I was just wondering.)
(6) I heard from a source that travel experience which influenced my thoughts about architecture would be a plus. How much truth is there to this, and if so, how should it be presented (I'm guessing as part of a personal statement in the portfolio?)?
(7) What other factors do they care about in the admissions process besides (potentially) the aforementioned?
(8) Where can I find some more information regarding arch grad school admissions? It would be nice to see some actual statistics. They have a ton of statistics for admissions to law, med, biz, etc. schools. I guess the scarcity of statistics relating to admissions to arch schools is understandable since it seems much less down to just grades, etc., and relatively more focused (when compared to law, med, biz, etc. schools) to factors that require a more subjective eye (such as whether this is good art, etc.). Still, it would be nice to be out of the dark.
I will probably do more research on this in my own time but I am low on time at the moment, so thanks for any help.
read the "m.arch applicants commiserate here" threads and run a search with keywords like "portfolio," "GRE," "personal statement."
these questions have been answered many times in the past.
Frankly, Considering the "Top Schools" that you are applying to, you should know most of these answers by now.
I might be wrong, but it kind of feels like you just randomly chose some ivy league names to apply to, considering these programs have very different focuses.
My advice to you is to go to each schools' website/campus and study them hard. Study the professors, student work, school approach, etc. Once you find programs that TRUELY fit in with what you want to study, most of these questions will be answered.
I wish there was a secret formula, but it all depends on if you make a valid case for your value to these institutions.
Hope this helps and good luck!
1. You don't have to have a single technical drawing in your portfolio. As a matter of fact most schools discourage it for 3-year M.arch applicants. Your portfolio should demonostrate your creative ability.
2. As long as your grades don't suck too bad you shoiuld be fine. I've heard of people getting in grad school with 2.5 GPAs on a "provisional" basis. Other things like their GRE scores and portfolio supplemented it.
3. Just don't bomb the GREs too bad and you should be fine. Mine were definitely less-than-stellar (and that's putting it very mildly) and I was fine.
4. For the most part, it's mainly a formality for the Graduate school and not so much for the architecture school. Just make sure you have them because that could take a while to get together.
5. It's true. They accept you with the assumption that you've never even heard of the word 'architecture' let alone taken a single drafting course before.
6. It's not true. Just make sure your personal statement explains your case of what drives your interest in architecture and the built environment -- it could be anything inccluding travel.
7. Just concentrate on these and make sure your protfolio really shines. There are plenty of good examples on archinect so you should search the threads.
8. Don't be afraid to set up meetings with architects in your area to see and experience what an architect does on a daily basis. You should also schedule visits to architecture schools to experience what architecture student experience on a daily basis. Architects are more than willing to talk about themselves and their jobs so you have nothing to lose!
Good Luck on your architectural endeavour!
The above comments are very good, but it is probably too late to apply to most architecture schools. Harvard's deadline is Dec 15th, i think most schools are done by Jan 15th.
You are likly looking at applying a year from now. Don't look at this as a bad thing, you now have time to put together a kickass application.
I'd agree with Bluesman up there, you should know what you're getting into and having your eyes on the "top" schools is not necessarily in your best interests, and less so if you don't know what is done differently at these places.
There are plenty of schools beside the ones you mentioned that are at the forefront in academics wrt architecture, and the real question is what about the field interests you. This is the info you begin searching with. Then you'll find people, you'll find schools, and you'll find programs. Applying to the Ivies (and MIT) because they're the Ivies is probably not the best approach.
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