hi everyone,

i also went to the UT open house and while i was hoping to go there to solidify my learning towards UT, i came away with mixed feelings... I went to UCLA's OH a few days later, and while I was more impressed with student's work etc, I'm not so sure if i want such a tech-heavy curriculum..

Is anyone else looking at UT, UCLA, or schools on both ends of the design/tech spectrum? Would love to hear your thoughts..!

Just committed to UT, so I'll be seeing some of you soon.

While researching the school, did anyone else completely overlook their Residency program? A couple of students I talked to listed it as one of the program's best resources. No one has mentioned it on this thread yet but it seems to me that it's another strength worth considering. As far as I've been told, UT basically does most of the footwork to place students in firms (local, national, international) of their choice to earn academic credit while working. Other similar programs that I know of seem to deal more locally. Lately the placement rate is way down for obvious economic reasons, so I guess that might negate a lot of the attraction...but who knows? Maybe we'll be able to catch it on the (hopefully not so distant) upswing. Anyway, thought it deserved mention.

Damn, I'm excited.

I basically overlooked the residency program as well until recently. It seems like an amazing opportunity. I visited and spoke with Cleary yesterday, got a tour, poked around the studios. Rick Joy was there speaking for their Latitudes symposium, which was amazing.
I can't believe how many resources the program has, and I'm really excited. It's daunting, actually, and I'm very scared. Haven't committed officially yet, but probably will on Monday.

from UT, this year:

"Altogether there were 516 (both those with and without architecture backgrounds). There were 229 applicants without backgrounds. We are looking for an entering class of about 48."

does anybody know where to find more information about their residency program? this sounds like a great opportunity!

Blake, have you looked at this? http://soa.utexas.edu/resources/prp

I swear I clicked on resources yesterday and nothing came up! that's what I get for using my parents Mac with the old OS...

But thanks!

their site is weird. sometimes you have to refresh the page to get its content to appear.

Hey folks,
Does anyone have an idea how difficult it is to establish residency in Texas? I read the official residency requirements and it requires at least half-time working for at least a year prior to census date. Is it possible to receive residency status by your second or third year of the M.Arch?

marriage and owning property seem to be big factors after the first year. sounds medieval, doesn't it.

Anybody hear any more info on that tuition waiver Blake Smith mentioned?

landshark,
you should just call the school and ask. the students said that it most likely won't be offered outright, but if you request it there is a good chance you can get it. good luck!

landshark and anyone else, if they say the waiver is possible, PLEASE let us know. i don't have the huevos to call and ask.

i was offered a tuition waiver as part of my financial aid for UT. I think the way it works is that they give you a small stipend (so small that they referred to it as "symbolizing" financial aid), and that allows them to couple that with an out-of-state tuition waiver. I don't know much detail beyond that, other than Dr. Cleary said that there are a finite number of waivers they can give out (but i have no idea how many there are). I'd suggest asking, especially considering there may be some freed up by people who were offered waivers but turn down UT to head elsewhere.

the only other thing I can contribute to all this is that people at UT were talking about buying small plots of land for cheap on ebay (maybe 1/10th of an acre or so) and then using that as your way to in-state tuition. The ebay thing seems like some sort of internet scam, as the land would end up being out in the desert in the middle of nowhere or something, but then again it might work in this case for the technicality of "owning property". I have no idea if that actually works though....

(oh, and i'll be heading to UT in the fall as well)

they gave me a tiny grant as well, but no waiver. that's frustrating.

well I e-mailed jane and this is her response:

"Starting in your 2nd semester (spring 2010) you may apply for a position as a teaching assistant. We have about 48 of these positions each semester. In addition to the approx. $4,000 salary you receive during the semester, as an out-of-state student you would be billed at the in-state rate and receive a $3200 tuition waiver."

Blake Smith - Did they say to call the School of Architecture or the University's Financial Aid Office?

thanks!

for landshark and everyone else,

I looked up the contact info for the lady the students instructed us to call regarding the tuition waiver.

Her name is Anita Stauber Ahmadi. She is the scholarship/fellowship coordinator within the SOA.

E-mail: a.stauber@austin.utexas.edu
Telephone:+1 512 471 4715

Hope this helps everyone

i received a similar response to landshark's. has anyone contacted Anita?

Hey Aaron Plewke (or anyone else who attended the open house/visited),

Do you by chance have the list of firms handed out that UT grads were hired by? If so, could you post a list or scan a .jpg of it? I can't seem to locate mine.

hi everyone,

i will attend the m.arch1 program in UT this fall. i am a chinese girl. i graduated from China Central Academy of Fine Arts last year.

i know there is only one chinese boy studying in M.arch1 program now. all others classmates are american.

i would like to gain the opportunity to exchange observations and ideas on cities and buildings with people from different cultural backgrounds.
i heartedly hail to this inter-cultural exchange.

all other classmates are american?? that's really surprising. where did you here this? no one from latin america, europe, the rest of asia???

ocotillo,
i heard this from the only chinese boy, he attend the m.arch1 program in UT in 2007.
are you intent to attend UT this fall? where are come from?
will we be classmates?

that's crazy. i'm going to dig around on the soa site and see if they have statstics, if not then call Jane and ask. that would be very disappointing.

i will be at UT for MArch I this fall, from the US.

well,

last time, i sent email to Jane, and ask her What percent of applicants were admitted in the M.ArchⅠ program this year? and How many chinese students got the M.Arch Ⅰ program admission?

she told me, they had 511 applicants to the M Arch I program. they hope to have an entering class of 48. and she do not keep admission statistics by country of origin.

so, if you get any statstics, please tell me also. thanks.

by the way, since we will be classmates in UT, i really want to be friend with you. this is my email: hying_zhang@hotmail.com

what do you guys think of the suggested reading list?

I was already planning on reading cradle to cradle (mcdonough) and the frampton, but do not know much of the rest. Have looked at a lot of them on Amazon.

Does anyone have recommendations from the list?

Anyone planning on reading a few of these before classes start? Which ones seem to interest you the most?

hannah629, looking forward to meeting you and everyone else soon.
btsmith, i'm also planning to read Cradle to Cradle. I just saw McDonough speak recently, and a lot of what he presented summarizes pretty much the fundamental reason why i want to study architectural design. I queued up a another title from the list at the library, I don't have the list in front of me, so I can't remember which. My plan is to cherry pick some titles that don't read so much like critical theory, because i expect we'll get our fill of that quickly, and it'll be summer for godsake. reading a Jencks book on Le Corbusier right now. other than that, I'm cramming as much fiction into my list until reality forces it out in August.

Hello UT Austin group,

Just want to say hi. I'll also be joining the MArch1 program in the fall, with an emphasis in Historical Preservation.

Regarding the reading list, I have gone through a couple of the books for my classes at UC Berkeley before... (Cradle to cradle, How Buildings Learn, Ching's, and Salvadori Mario's) Cradle to cradle is pretty good beach reading material. I think i might pick up the Eyes of the Skin..

To Hannah629,
btw, I'm a chinese american from chicago/hong kong, so you won't be the only asian in the program. =)

~Vincie

Vincie, I am so happy to here that.
I also looking forward to meeting you and everyone else soon.

My US visa interview appointment is on 16th June. so a little nervers...

By the way, I think reading portfolio is the direct way to know each other. So, I also expect to see everyone's portfolio. Or we could interchange it by email. ^_^

Oh yeah, and I asked about the tuition waiver... it's a no-go, especially after already accepting the offer of admission. Oh well...

hey all, btsmith here with a new (and mighty clever i must add) username...

Just wanted to give my 2 cents on the housing situation:

I went apartment shopping for a 1 bedroom last week. There is quite a large price drop from 1 bedroom to 2 bedroom, and it seems that a lot of brand new apartment complexes are offering great deals on 2 br due to the economy/housing market.

West campus I believe is the ideal spot for us Archies. Goldsmith Hall is within walking distance from most spots. Also, my experience with West Campus is that it would be the best place to live for someone with no car. There are tons of places to eat (and several bars) within walking distance. Also, there is the E-bus that will take you downtown to 6th st for free and runs until 2:30AM after bars close for those few and far between nights out on the town.

Yes, I have heard areas of west campus to be quite noisy due the sorority and fraternity houses interspersed throughout, and prices are a little steeper due to prime location. However, I believe the pedestrian friendly layout, as well as close proximity to the architecture school outweighs the bad.

I also checked out some places in Hyde Park and North Campus which are more densely filled with housing than west campus, though not as pedestrian friendly (they are still nice areas and close to campus).

Barton Hills, lovely two bedroom two bath duplex for 1200. Not close, but I wasn't at all interested in being really close anyway. Wanted to be south of the river.

Looking forward to meeting you all. If I could just pass this goddamned calculus course. Ugh.

Austin has excellent public transportation, so although close to school is best especially for those late nights, there are other options as well. I lived in west campus b/c it was close but it WAS very loud and annoying at times...would have rather been in hyde park or north campus area.

Have any of you seen this? http://www.hulu.com/watch/23337/design-e2-green-for-all

Really encouraging, although Sergio is gone. But all indications, including the BaSIC site, lead me to believe that UT is still involved.

Will anyone else here be taking calc first semester?

Thanks for the post, I hadn't seen that. The BaSiC and Alley Flat initiatives look like a great opportunity for us and everyone who is affected by it's projects.

Oh, and the SoA recently posted projects from the new Issue online, check it out.

And I just put a deposit down on my apartment. Yeaaaaaa, Austin here I come!

"Austin has excellent public transportation"

Uhm, Austin has lots to offer but the public transportation is not one of them...unless by public you mean your bike.

Has anyone received any info about, well, anything at UTSOA lately? I'm a bit anxious, probably irrationally, about the lack of communication coming from the school. Any news?

Anyone in town yet? Been here a few days and really loving every bit of it. Yes, even the heat.

I haven't heard much of anything from them lately. I may send an e-mail to Jane sometime this week to see what's up, but I'm not too worried yet.

I move-in August 1st and cannot wait, even if Austin is just a stone's throw away for me. I'll take Austin's dry heat over the awful humidity of Houston any day.

Houston is like Phoenix, but in a swamp. I don't blame you for fleeing your town.

Austin is great. Barton Springs is paradise.

Roarkschach, did you send that e-mail to Jane? Any news on what's going on?

Also, I'm still looking for a place to live, so if any of you still need a roommate, let me know :)

Hey landshark,

I didn't e-mail Jane yet. However, a buddy of mine who is also about to start M. Arch with us was looking through old e-mails from the school and found that we register on the 20th (August) for classes which start on the 25th. I don't know the procedure of registering (it may consist of a meeting with Rosemin Gopaul), but that bit of knowledge was enough to postpone my e-mail to Jane.

thanks for the info :)

Here's to a non-frivolous necroing of this thread...

Of those of you who posted in this thread early last year, how many of you chose to attend UT for your M.Arch, and how do you feel about that decision? I am particularly interested in those of you who had the aforementioned reservations after attending the open house. How is the program going and what advice would you have for someone who has UTSOA as an option for graduate school starting in 2010?

Any insight that you guys can provide would be awesome, thanks!