Maybe you're the only one. Like the Omega man of NJIT.

nonono, i know that there in one other i'm in touch with, which makes 2. hm, njit is the largest arch. program in the east coast so i'm still hopeful and will keep my fishing rod still. but if we somehow end up w/2 this year, at least all our classes will be more like one on one sessions, lol.

Well, its probably more likely that they're not on Archinect. I didn't find this website until I was half way through school. I'm curious, how many people are in the NJIT class to make it the largest?

hey slartibartfast, that's what i'm thinking. i got in contact w/someone who just finished up last year and she said her class size was 25 to much surprise. i thought it'd be much larger for some reason. found out that the "largest arch. program in the east coast" was talking about their b.arch program.

herroooo? anyone else out there? i'm still waiting......

while i'm waiting, i'll post my latest findings about this program. i found an alumnus and soon to graduate '09 via facebook and sent some questions. a very kind female who will be graduating in just few months replied w/her thorough insight into the program. i'm still waiting for the other's reply while i continue to search for more info - stay tuned.

a little about her background first:
-she graduated phillips exeter academy for h.s.
-did undergrad at princeton in operations research & finance engineering
-njit m.arch 1 '09 (woohoo, just around the corner!)

below were my questions and her answers - enjoy!:

1. How happy were you w/the program?
-I am very happy with the program. I have been allowed to do things here that I think I would never have had the opportunity to do at an Ivy. (I went to an Ivy for my undergrad.) I have hosted speakers and traveled to conferences, and I've made great friendships with faculty.

2. Pros and cons of going to a state university versus reach schools? Aside from the obvious $ factor!
-Having come from an Ivy and from a boarding H.S. I will say that being able to network is a big plus for me. Making the decision to go to a state school was easy because I already have the contacts. You will need to evaluate how much those things are worth to you in terms of dollars. That being said, whatever you decide to do has been done before, so you should not shy away because of any challenges ahead. Others have overcome those same challenges.

3. How diverse is the student body?
-We are in the middle of Newark, and most of the students are local with some Indians also attending. So, I would say very diverse, on that type of scale.

4. What is the class size?
-25 per year

5. How competitive were the students?
-The students are competitive because that is the nature of architecture school. However, we learn that we need to support each other to get a better result as a class. There are some here that I share all of my work with and trust completely.

6. I've heard some mix thoughts on the balance between the theoretical and the practical. Did you find the school leaning too much on the practical aspect of arch.?
-That depends on what you want to do. Arch is a WIDE field, and you can spend your whole life in the theoretical. This is one of the more practical places you will find. However, it's still a little fluffy. If you want nuts and bolts, go to civil engineering.

7. Do you find NJIT respected in the professional world? Do you find it hard/easy finding a job being a njit grad?
-NJIT is well respected in firms in the tri-state area. We are seen as technically competent and computer savvy. Outside of that world, no one knows who we are. It is a very large architecture undergraduate program, and so the majority of NJ architects graduated from NJIT. I found it very easy finding a job as an NJIT grad, but I also leveraged all of my contacts to find the best place for me. The career services department here is stellar, and one of the best I've ever seen.

EXTRA!EXTRA! from our kind alumnus:
****Our grad program director is leaving after this year to pursue other interests. Call the school to find out who the new director will be. The school is moving away from its technology base (slowly) to become more of an arts school. We were recently renamed the College of Architecture and Design (from NJ School of Architecture), and we added a few new majors including Fine Arts, and Industrial Design. The school will slowly transform while you are here.

again, i will keep posting more info as i get them. thank gosh for such nice helpful alumnus like her!!!

oops i meant soon to be alumnus and ^a few months.

omg, so sorry for a triple post but i'm trying to post this while watching amercian idol, my newest guilty pleasure. i'm a huge fan of adam lambert as any other screaming 12 yrs old girl- as corny as hell that may sound!!!!

anyway, our soon to be grad is currently employed somewhere in ny,ny don't know which firm - sorry...

she did her undergrad '04

ok, that about covers it.

hm...ok, i guess i'm the only njit '12 archinecter :(

Hi Newport, I'll see you in September! Btw, I read your other posts and I'm 37.

yay nj11! i'm not the only njit archinecter. just out of curiosity...are you a female?

Hi Newport, I am not a female...but I'm married to one.

Hi Newport! I did my B. Arch and my M. Arch (post-prof) at NJIT. The NJIT program is not as prestigious as the programs at other schools, however, the curriculum allows you the freedom to explore your own interests (i.e. sustainability, generative form, etc) and they don't try to push an agenda on you. It is also a very diverse program, so you'll meet people from all over the world. If you have any questions about the program, I'd be happy to answer them.

hey nj11, cool, see you in sept.!

thanks medusa, i'm sure i'll be emailing you some questions for sure :) wow, you must be sick of being there though, that's almost a decade in one building! may i ask you in the meantime when you graduated? are you working now if so, where? ny, nj? thanks :)

I think that most NJIT grad students come from backgrounds other than architecture so they might not be familiar with archinect.

The grad program isn't that big compared to the undergrad program (Graduating about 80-90 students a year).

hm, yeah, it seems that way or something. btw, are you talking about undergrad or grad class size? i met w/the graduate program director and according to him, our class size will be 25 which is considered bigger than usual, due to application increase this year.

Hello all!

I just got notified today from the dean of grad admissions - I have been officially accepted as the oldest (that's right, 44 makes me officially geriatric) student in the M.Arch class for 2012. =] I barely got my app. in before the deadline last friday at 4:52pm, and I called to see if they had all my stuff, like my GRE - He told me I was in and they thought my portfolio was amazing (I was kinda proud of pulling it together in less then a week.) Good thing I have a background in interior design and layout, eh? I posted in the 2010 grad discussion, but when I went to the school 6 weeks ago Mr. Little told me to apply for this year. I told him I didn't have enough time to get everything ready, he said "just do it." So I am eternally grateful he told me to get my butt in gear!

So here I go, back to school now that my kids are almost gone to college, I can go back too. I am really excited, anything you have to tell me about this experience (like the long post above from the interview with an alum) would be great.

See you all in September!!!

hey Architectwannabe would you mind maybe letting me check out your portfolio? I want to go to NJIT but I am going to be applying next year... I want to take this year try and build a good portfolio but I really dont know what is good, what is bad, what should be included, how long, ect. I would really appreciate an example of an "amazing" portfolio. HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS IN 2010

joben got me thinking...how about we all share our portfolios now that we have been admitted to the same school?

I have no problem sharing, I created my portfolio in Powerpoint (can you tell I have teenagers?) and then saved it as a PDF. In PDF form it is almost 100MG - I can't load that anywhere. I could cut it into individual sheets if you like, or, I may be able to load it to the web somehow and let you view it there. But again, each sheet is about 2MG.

I have to say, to me and this is really a personal opinion, layout and presentation make the product. You have to sell everything as a whole or people won't look at the parts. So a "style" was critical. I looked for portfolio's on the web, and even went to NJIT and saw three from recent years that they told me were from the best admitted students. Let me tell you - scary good! I would give mine a B compared to theirs. But I think you need to convey yourself and your sense of vision. I know the difference between architecture and design - I used to tell people I was a "designer", not a "decorator".

I wrote almost nothing in mine. Just an index sheet with the names of the projects and a one line description like "Estate home, Pipersville, PA - under construction". I let the images speak for themselves. I created groups of things I have, architecture, interiors, sketches, and photography. (I love to take pictures of things, and i have a great camera, so that helps.) I had 17 image sheets total with half being architectural projects over the last 6 years. I kept it simple, and the style repetitive, and I think it helps convey what I feel for architecture. But remember, I've worked in this field, more so then design, for many years with people like Michael Graves, and BBB in NYC, so I've seen what exemplary work looks like up close and personal. One architect I worked for was in AD like 10 times. I hope this program will let me spread my tiny little wings and really fly with a bigger firm so I can do commercial, etc.

So as I said, I will try to see if I can upload my portfolio in some way, and I'll let you know when It's viewable.... Any suggestions? =]

thatd be great if you wouldnt mind... I am trying to get a grasp for what exactly someone with no prior architecture/design background should really be expected to include in a portfolio... I know I can write an essay, I know my letters of recommendation are going to be fine, I know my GPA and transcripts will be acceptable, and I am sure my GRE will be sufficient enough, its just this portfolio thing has me really buggin out... Also does anyone know if NJIT offers like scholarships/assisstanships/fellowships or anything like that? I would be coming from NY so it will be a bit more expensive for me than others in-state... Also is anyone doing NJIT's joint degree program with the Masters of Infrastructure Planning or the Masters of Science in Management?

Hey guys, I just re-read my 'crack of dawn posting' and I sound like an arrogant idiot! Sorry... can I blame my head cold??? =]

I felt just like you - scared to do this thing because I have nothing to include that I felt looked like other portfolio's I'd seen. I don't use 3D CAD or have lots of perspective drawings. I haven't been in school making projects for over a decade. As an interior designer I have only done parts and pieces of projects, and I didn't keep copies of CD's, etc. I was lucky a friend who worked with me at my last firm was one of the architects and retained his own work (which I did work on) and gave me some copies. I had to scrounge through boxes of materials I kept for sentimental value from my design school days and things I felt had no application to architecture, such as photography.

I actually think the journal I helped publish (very small time) and the photography were the best part of the portfolio - way better then the autoCAD drawings.

I held no hope of being accepted, I cried when he told me I got in - I was that relived, and shocked. I have to say, the 2010 support group on here had some great comments, and there is one post from someone who reviews portfolios that gave strong suggestions and was invaluable. I think honestly the thing that helped me most was creating a format for each page that cleaned it up. I really am happy to share it, but it looks like me, and it might not work for you. But again, I am happy (and humbled) to share what I made with anyone who wants to see it.

BTW, NJIT has a whole page of scholarships for various areas, including architecture. It's online at:
http://www.njit.edu/graduatestudies/finaid.php
They have fellowships and awards and also assistantships for work. Good luck!

hi architectwanna-NO MORE u should rename yourself ;)?
you can actually decrease your pdf size in photoshop and some of pdf programs if that doesn't work for you, you can resave them as jpegs in photoshop as well.

I may just re-name myself... but don't know to what? Suggestions???


Are jpegs loadable on here? Or do I just e-mail them to you guys... I haven't used photoshop since the 1990's when I did some layout for a print company. I have the program on my mac though, I'll see what I can do.

how abut architectgonnabe? btw, thanks for the schedule. there's still a scheduling conflict between 2 classes which mr. little said will be fixed.

there are a few sites where you can upload for free such as:
www.mediafire.com
www.filefactory.com
www.filedropper.com

when we're all ready to share, let'd name a date and upload the same day, it'll be fun :)

btw, joben, would you mind me asking you if there is a particular reason behind your interest in njit over let's say city college school of architecture since you are living ny? also, assuming that maybe cost is a factor for you......i'm just curious since you are willing to pay extra cost to attend where city college would be so much cheaper for you. i'm still trying to learn as much as possible about njit.....thanks!

Thanks for the schedule info - gotta stay on top of this! =]

I think the filefactory looks good - do you prefer one over the others? we have "dropbox" here, but I don't know how to let people gain access. I like the idea of uploading at the same time - cool!

hm...not sure, i've only used mediafire.com but can't see how one would be so far superior than another? i'm sure you'll be fine with any :)

do you guys use facebook? thinking of creating class 2012' njit march group! will keep you posted!

I think I am the only person I know who does not use facebook. It just seems like something for my kids...plus people would be ticked at how little I would be online.

If you already use mediafire, I'm game. =] I'll check it out, and keep you posted.

-newport2009

I am still kind of trying to figure out which program is the best for me... To be honest with you, when I apply to an architecture program I want it to be able to offer me the most options, such as dual degrees, certificate options in sustainable development, urban design, urban planning, etc... I have indeed considered City college of new york, because like you said it is dirt cheap... It also offers a 1 year masters of urban design after the MArch program which I really liked... I have also just previously found out that it shares some of its faculty with other NYC programs which is definitely a plus and I will have to look into this further... The only thing about CCNY that I am a bit hesitant about is that it is a new program, which might not be bad, but it is hard to hear reviews, ratings, etc about this program when it is so new... The reason I have been considering NJIT is because even though I am out of state I live in NY so its not that crazy of a treck and it offers multiple dual degree options (dual MArch/Masters of Infrastructure plannig, and a MArch/Masters of science in management). Both of these dual degrees I am trying to find more about and am trying to find out if this will inevitably open more doors for me job wise, and salary wise. The way the economy is I feel us "wannabe" architects cant simply just graduate with an architect degree now and just do what we have always dreamed of doing... dual degrees in urban planning, urban design, management, MBA (this is ideal and I wish there was somthing affordable and realistic like this around here), etc. will only make you that much more knowledgable and competitive. With all that being said I absolutely have considered CCNY, I am just trying to explore other options in order to not "put all of my eggs in one basket" i guess.


Once you guys have your portfolios up pleasssseeee let me know I want to get started on mine asap, I have been reading non stop since the summer began and want to just make sure I am directing all of my efforts in the right direction in order to prepare my application. Thanks.

Hi Joben, I think it's really smart that you're really thinking about how you want to set up your path through post school :) I too was thinking about dual M.I.P. however, still on the fence about it....I don't have much time left, I'll be 33 this year and want kids at the tail end of my education and the dual program will tack on another semester, etc. And push my 2nd masters way down the line, after my kids have grown up, etc.

But you're right, NJIT def. offers a very impressive set of dual programs and heard they're flexible if there is anything else you want to combine your studies....etc. also, I learned at my meeting with them that you can def. get a certificate in sustainibility design with them.

it's also smart that you're starting way early.

I mean is one more semester to get that extra masters going to really conflict with your plans? I understand where your coming from though and I am sure you will make i work because you have other experience being 33 and all... the only reason I want to do extra stuff like a dual degree and this and that is because I am still kind of young and dont have that real world experience that so many older people have under there belts... I just dont want to come into the job market so much further behind than everyone else, I want to jump right in when I get out... but thats something I still need to figure out... I have been reading alot and people like frank lloyd wright, Le Corbosier and Ebenezer Howard, even though these are extreme cases, have really been inspirational to want to dabble in a bit of everything, such as urban planning, urban design, as well as architecture... I want to keep pushing myself and I always have been like that, but that has been with work unlike architecture... I feel like when I start an architecture program that desire to want to keep pushing myself will only be greater because this is something I have always wanted to do. But thanks for the info and I am sure youll figure out whats best for you

Hi Joben, no, one semester wouldn't kill me at all but I have many plans ahead of me. I may have to retire back in Korea and would want to be able to teach there. This would propel me into getting another master's at an Ivy (I have a university in mind where I would want to teach and for that type of position, you do need an ivy degree) and explore more theoretical dimensions of arch. that will equip me to be a full on professor later in life and just for myself as I know njit's not known for exploring in the theoretical realm. But I'm going this route so that I can be licensed first, that's my priority, etc. before my next step. This will free me to be in a company or have my own practice. So that's my main first focus.

Plus, it's nice you have all the time now to dabble, it's a luxury I don't have However, the flip side to being older and having almost a decade of experience as an interior designer, project architect is that I know exactly what I want, what I need to do to achieve what I want, and I know how to strategize so I can most efficiently get what I want. So for me to take on MIP is looking very pointless and may take away from my M.arch hours, especially when I'm more interested in urban planning, not infrastructure planning, some focus differ between the 2 you see, and I don't just do things like take on another degree "just to challenge myself". Plus, I heard through many arch friends that often times dual degrees are not really here or there, especially when you're dealing with something so intense as architecture.

So since it sounds like you have a lot of time, I think you are approaching this well by starting your research early. You should def. research every little detail about every program and talk with all the students.

"I know exactly what I want, what I need to do to achieve what I want, and I know how to strategize so I can most efficiently get what I want"

dude I wish I could say the same... I just graduated from Binghamton with my bachelors in environmental planning and unable to really see what I could do with that degree I immediately jumped into law... after a while I realized I really didnt see myself doing that... I decided to apply to urban planning also kind of not knowing what I was getting myself into... While I want to learn more and pursue more of this I want to follow my dream of becoming an architect... I have been reading alot about both fields and they both seem to mesh very well together... My plan is to definitely get my MArch because that, right now, seems like the one thing I am absolutely sure is what I want to do... I had read in another of your posts that a buddy of yours got his B.Arch and an MRP/MBA which sounds exactly wat I want to do but the amount of time I would need to do that would just be rediculous seeing how I dont have that B.Arch... since Penn States MBA is ranked like 5th in the nation I really dont know if I would get a high enough score on the GMAT to get in (just trying to be realistic for myself)... with that being said I have a plan to maybe apply to the Masters of Regional Planning at Hunter University for the Spring semester this year... If I can manage to get into it (It has become really competitve) I have talked to the admissions people there and they said they would allow me to combine credits from city college of new yorks MArch program to fullfill some credits for the MRP at Hunter so it would kind of be a customized dual degree... right now thats my #1 choice, even though an MArch/MBA sounds alot more promising but unfortunately unrealistic for me... I am still looking around and trying to figure out exactly what will work, thats why I originally checked out NJIT like many other programs... besides that I am going to start studying for the GREs, and try and make a portfolio (I just have no idea how to start one)

hey joben, i'm not sure if that's such a good thing, you know the fact that i don't have time to dabble into things! i wish i had, i would do so many things i never got to do such as minor in east history, etc. that i simply don't have the time anymore, at least for a long time, after i get my stuff done out of the way.

anyway, may i ask you how old you are? it sounds like you may have A LOT of time, years....if that's the case and if you can't hit the gmat score needed to get into wharton, you really don't have to do a dual degree no? it takes 4 yrs.-4.5? to do the dual program. m.arch is like 3.5 (well at gsd it's 4). so maybe if you can't get into one of the best dual programs, just doing the m.arch with a certificate let's say in sustainability (from what i hear, that's like equivalent to doing a full master in sustainability design) in 3.5 + 2 at a place like wharton or equivalent = 5.5 which will be like 1-1.5 yrs. more than a dual joint. and from what it sounds like, you have an extra year or a year and a half to spare? if you really want to broaden your horizon. maybe later on you would be more interested in the finance side of architecture, working for an investment firm hired to finance global projects where you get to work alongside architects and have the power to give them commissions, instead of being THE architect on the job? maybe you would want to be the architect? my point is if you do ever consider going to the banking side where you can fulfill your architect's dream by being able to finance global real estate market, etc. you would need an ivy mba at that level. i know this for a fact. mba and law are 2 very distinct fields where you where you went to school REALLY matters.

just a thought. also, what did your environmental planning entail? forgive my ignorance on this field but i'm not sure if i have heard of this......is it closely related to environmental science? do you have studio/creative work to show?

again, i think it's awesome that you're starting your research early but do take full advantage of your young age and really explore all options and not solely focused on dual programs....there may be better options. i think a so-so dual program where it's neither here or there, lacking that perfect balance is worse than doing a full on m.arch and a full on mba or whatever you want to study.....

lol newport you just confused the shit out of me man... first off im 22 just graduated from Binghamton... environmental planning wasnt really studio/creative type stuff, thats also a big dilemma for me because I am trying to read and teach myself all this stuff about drawing/art/design/digital design/architecture crash courses/etc that I am geting a bit overwhelmed... I just want to make sure I can make a good portfolio... that i guess is my #1 priority right now... environmental planning dealt with things like environmental policy analysis/environmental law/GIS/some urban planning (which is where I originally got the idea for a dual urban planning degree)/etc... I mean do I really have all that much time though given my situation? lets say I enroll to a joint program for a masters of urban planning/MArch which would probably take like 4 1/2 years... than dont I need to do 3 years of architecture interning before I can really get into the big bucks? so thats a total of 7 1/2 years... I mean would it be totally out of control to get a seperate MBA later down the line than? I just dont know... and thats the most frustrating and I guess scary part about this... I kind of want to do so much, I just dont know which options are realistic and which are just dillusional... Its just tough also because I really dont have that much of an art background because I never thought I could become an architect I guess by the way I was brought up and the way people would always tell me "buisness buisness buisness"... ppl still tell me that but I want to design and create sustainable buildings... I look at architecture thats modern and sustainable and I am blown away... something just tells me that THAT is what I want to do... I want to be the one who designs those systems... I want to be the one who creates the houses that can run on no energy... I want to be the one who creates those amazing pieces of art... I just want to make sure that I have a backup plan and that my dream wont kick me in the butt, just in case, so I can give my kids (when I get some) the things they want, and so I can provide for my family... I want to love what I do when I am older, and I know it wont be easy getting there, I am willing to put in the time and the effort, Im just not sure exactly how I should direct my path

hi joben, sorry, i'm obviously fast forwarding waaay too much here and sounded like you were really set on doing a dual, just couldn't pin point which joint degree in addition to m.arch. had no idea you were 22 and btw, i'm not a man, i'm a woman, though you weren't being literal :)

thanks for the clarification about environment planning, i was not familiar with that major.

ok then, first thing's first. i know from a non-creative art background, making a portfolio can seem very daunting so i think to build up your portfolio in a more focused manner which is an excellent way for people to do this/have done this w/out a creative background has been through a summer program that is geared for students like you who are interested in learning more about arch. and all your other questions in one environment. i know columbia has an amazing program, i think it's called a summer discovery program or am i thinking of another school? anyway, my friend did that and was very impressed. however, he ended up doing his mba at ut austin. anyway, such programs will help your acceptance chance if you decide to apply to the school you take that particular type of summer program. plus, columbia has solid dual programs also. whether or not at columbia, it will help you tremendously and help you organize your process a lot better and it'll be less daunting for you. plus, you'll get all your questions answered in the process :)

good luck!

I actually was looking into those summer programs but I think its too late for me... I mean right now I am taking a digital art/design class where we are learning adobe photoshop, illustrator, and indesign... I am also reading a bunch of drawing books/architecture crash course books/opening creativeness books and junk like that... I was thinking this first semester of the fall I would try and take like a sculpture course and maybe some other kind of art... any suggestions would be money... I do appreciate the suggestion of the summer course, and if I didnt have to work and had a little more time to figure all of this out I definitely would have done it... regardless I am a big reader so I am trying to read all I can without a summer thing like this... Just wondering how did you get that job in interior design? Did you say you had a design background? I want to try and get some experience in arch/design/ect. but I feel my efforts would be better put somewhere else because no one seems like they would want to train or bother if I didnt already have this design knowledge... regardless thanks for the suggestions

Do you know if NJIT's summer program is good? I actually just saw that they have like a 2-3 day thing... I might be able to take off of work for that... I need to call to see if I can still get in because I think the deadline has passed but I am going to call them as soon as I can to find out... does anyone know if its good though?

So newport and architecturewannabe, I'm curious............How is this semester so far? I am going to be attending the grad open house next week at NJIT. Can you tell me how you like the program so far? Thanks!