Hi, any feelings about the programs at umass and cal poly pomona? I already put a deposit in at the gsd but i'm wondering if i should consider these programs for their relative cheapness.

8michael - I received my undergrad from Cal Poly Pomona, and have friends who received their MLA from there.

For being a university in the "Cal State" system, it's a really good school. It has very highly regarded programs in Engineering, Restaurant Management, Architecture, and in most aspects Landscape Architecture. While it'll never be confused with GSD, Penn, UVa, etc...it has a very solid landscape program. The elder statesmen of the faculty have a ton of experience, knowledge and are for the most part great professors. It seems like they've provided a real solid foundation and are now mostly on their way out, and the new faculty is stepping in and re-energizing the whole department with new experiences that they bring with them from grad. schools they've gone to.

They focus a lot on sustainability and regional matters, i.e. watersheds, community development, and other "big picture" design issues. The faculty stresses case study interaction and students make several trips outside of the studio to places like San Diego, San Francisco, Arizona, the Valley of Fire, and if you can afford to go, Italy for a semester.

The facts show that it's a good school, and a great bargain (if you compare what you get for what it costs) but I'm not 100% yet of the "marketability" of a degree outside of Southern California. I know in the area, it makes it easy to find work (when the economy's good) but outside, i'm not sure.

But, if you want my honest opinion, the experience gained at GSD will out weigh the cost difference between the two.

the grape vine has cal poly on the decent, while umass is on the ascent. both heavy on the ecology.

Don't know who the grapevine consists of, but it seems wrong about CPP. If anything, it's getting better after what may have been a mild dip.

Can't tell you about UMass though, I'm sure it's a great program.

hmm, my info about cpp might be stale and from the bottom of the dip, so my appology for old info...

re: cpp. joan woodward is gone and that is a big loss.

danielmiller-
Thank you for the kind words as well and yes, UW's Jeff Hou is pretty damn great. He's been very responsive and seems to go out of his way to help students. I'm also excited to learn from some insanely intelligent female LArch and Arch professors. UW seemed rare, at least among the schools I researched, in that it has a very balanced male-female faculty ratio in the College of Built Environment. Thaisa Way actually recently published "Unbounded Practices: Women, Landscape Architecture, and Early Twentieth Century Design" (2009, UVa Press).

For anyone interested in this area, this is an older article from 2007 about Harvard Adjunt LArch Professor (Martha Scwartz), threatening to resign on account of Harvard's hiring practices:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/01/18/harvard

danielmiller-Please do email me your blog url. I'm in the the very beginning stages of building my own as well. I dig your x/365 idea. Feels less daunting, both as poster and reader. I will certainly forward on mine. I currently have a blog set up on blogspot, but it needs some serious retooling. Feels like I just need to scrap it and start fresh.

glasgow - i found out about the martha schwartz incident recently, but even before that i have to say that the number of female faculty at uva was definitely a factor (amongst millions) for me deciding against harvard

fleuron - I have to say it was an important factor for me, among others. I'll have to check out the faculty listings for uva.

For anyone interested, looks like the gsd has gone to the waitlist rather quickly. I got a call with an offer today. Nice to feel wanted. Financial aid packets go out next week for accepted waitlisters...

I was wondering if anyone could give me insight into the ESF program vs UMass. Both have historically great programs but I'm curious how each program is perceived upon graduation. Both are small tight-knit programs and I like that ESF is well integrated into the SU community.

I was wondering if anyone could give me insight into the ESF program vs UMass. Both have historically great programs but I'm curious how each program is perceived upon graduation. Both are small tight-knit programs and I like that ESF is well integrated into the SU community.

I can only comment on ESF and am not familiar with Umass. I have visited the ESF program-has a definite personal feel there. Emanuel Carter, took a lot of time answering questions, showing me around. I also wondered how the school "name" was received in la community. ESF appears to have much better funding now and as projected in near future. If you are interested in the ecology/biosci/hort aspects of la, ESF seems like a great choice. Besides the ESF's own enviro sci/forestry programs, there are resources of/potential collaboration with, Cornell an hour away- world learder in agri-hort research (and great la program). Also, the Arch programs at Syrcause are really strong if you want a well rounded approach. Umass is arguably in proximity of great alternate resources / opportunties too. ESF suny has more grads going into public service, community work versus private, I was told.
So you know, I am just starting la education and have ZERO Professional Experience, so please consider my view very limited; also I am obviously over obsessed with collaboration between departments and programs.
Are you a NY resident, undergrad or grad?

Greenbound:
also ESF LanArch faculty have received numerous teaching excellence awards

I'm looking for a grad program and neither is ridiculously expensive. I had wonderful warm fuzzy feelings after visiting ESF and it is my primary choice... Umass was a surprise so I am mainly seeking extra input to reinforce my decision.

Out of curiousity, where you are going and what is your concentration?

Greenbound:
chose Harvard (with funding). ESF, was one considered too and generous. It also had to do with timing. I greatly respect and have most interest in ecology-hort-agri research applications to la; but realistically my skills lie in design which is Harvards forte among other things. (not to downplay good biosci aspects/resources of their great program)

Thanks double0707!

Your insight has been really helpful. I hear a lot about the Ivy programs on this website so it is nice to get feedback on some of the other options. Historically my strengths have been in art so I think ESF will be a good direction for me to gain more knowledge on the Ecological side of design.

Congrats on Harvard! It is a pretty spectacular studio space that you have over at the GSD.

is anyone still on here years later? 

I’d love to hear about how your decision influenced your career?

I’m deciding between cal poly (affordable and in my home town/ I want to work in LA) 

Or UW. I love their focus on design as activism and social justice. 

Uw would be double the cost of cal poly. Is a research institution worth double the price of a quality state school in the area I want to end up? 

Not sure how to quantify things to make the right choice.