I am a 22 year old recent college graduate who holds a B.A in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. Although I am grateful for the process and progress that I have made, I still find myself searching for the career that really suits me. After doing a bunch of soul searching (read:I know we all believe that we are destined for greatness and who's to say that we're not) I realized that my main interest has always been in architecture and design. As a young girl I would redecorate my room, help pick out furniture and I even found myself trying create things from scratch. In high school, I took up an interior design course and was actually in a vocational program for Drafting/CAD. At the time I considered these talents a hobby because I received the freedom to express myself through structure. I am now seeking advice and insight about this field and what steps I should take in order to transition.
*Can someone please tell me the pros and cons of this industry? Is this career transition a good decision?
*Should I consider an Associates, Bachelors or go for a Masters?
All in all, I know that the schooling will put a hole in my pocket because I went to a private institution for undergrad. Also, I have taken steps to find a program that will except a college graduate with minor experience in the field.
"Can someone please tell me the pros and cons of this industry? Is this career transition a good decision?"
Simple answer: not really. Your current degree is much more elastic at this time. Of course, its always a battle of money/time vs passion. If you really do see yourself as an architect, go for it, but be ready to suffer through it.
"Should I consider an Associates, Bachelors or go for a Masters?"
Masters. The vast majority of architecture grad schools in the US accept non-architects into their M.Arch I program. They take people of all backgrounds, but you will have to prove to them that you have a passion for design by presenting a good portfolio. This way, you'll also find yourself eligible for a license straight away (after your hours, tests, etc.)
Do you have any program suggestions?
Waaay broad. There are a total of 95 schools in the US that offer a Master's of Architecture. Choosing one will depend on several factors, including but not limited to: money situation, location preference, program preference (practical vs abstract), and most importantly, the strength of your application (portfolio, essay, letters of reference, gpa, gre) and whether you think you'll be able to land admission into this or that school. Every school that offers an M.Arch to a non-architecture background student is going to get you caught up on basics usually within your first year, so there is no right or wrong answer here.
I wouldn't jump into architecture if your not entirely sure that this is what you want to do. My advice would be to take a career discovery course on architecture; this will give you a little insight on what you'll go through in school, and beef up your portfolio if you want to eventually apply, thus upping your chances of getting accepted to a school or your choice.
Oct 20, 13 11:24 pm ·
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Need advice. Please help!
Hello All,
I am a 22 year old recent college graduate who holds a B.A in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. Although I am grateful for the process and progress that I have made, I still find myself searching for the career that really suits me. After doing a bunch of soul searching (read:I know we all believe that we are destined for greatness and who's to say that we're not) I realized that my main interest has always been in architecture and design. As a young girl I would redecorate my room, help pick out furniture and I even found myself trying create things from scratch. In high school, I took up an interior design course and was actually in a vocational program for Drafting/CAD. At the time I considered these talents a hobby because I received the freedom to express myself through structure. I am now seeking advice and insight about this field and what steps I should take in order to transition.
*Can someone please tell me the pros and cons of this industry? Is this career transition a good decision?
*Should I consider an Associates, Bachelors or go for a Masters?
All in all, I know that the schooling will put a hole in my pocket because I went to a private institution for undergrad. Also, I have taken steps to find a program that will except a college graduate with minor experience in the field.
*Do you have any program suggestions?
Thank you for taking the time to read this :)
lol... oh my oh my. i'll let someone else enlighten.
"Can someone please tell me the pros and cons of this industry? Is this career transition a good decision?"
Simple answer: not really. Your current degree is much more elastic at this time. Of course, its always a battle of money/time vs passion. If you really do see yourself as an architect, go for it, but be ready to suffer through it.
"Should I consider an Associates, Bachelors or go for a Masters?"
Masters. The vast majority of architecture grad schools in the US accept non-architects into their M.Arch I program. They take people of all backgrounds, but you will have to prove to them that you have a passion for design by presenting a good portfolio. This way, you'll also find yourself eligible for a license straight away (after your hours, tests, etc.)
Do you have any program suggestions?
Waaay broad. There are a total of 95 schools in the US that offer a Master's of Architecture. Choosing one will depend on several factors, including but not limited to: money situation, location preference, program preference (practical vs abstract), and most importantly, the strength of your application (portfolio, essay, letters of reference, gpa, gre) and whether you think you'll be able to land admission into this or that school. Every school that offers an M.Arch to a non-architecture background student is going to get you caught up on basics usually within your first year, so there is no right or wrong answer here.
I wouldn't jump into architecture if your not entirely sure that this is what you want to do. My advice would be to take a career discovery course on architecture; this will give you a little insight on what you'll go through in school, and beef up your portfolio if you want to eventually apply, thus upping your chances of getting accepted to a school or your choice.
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