Does Pomona have a stronger undergrad program? Really? I have never heard that from anyone in LA ever. What I have heard is Cal Poly Pomona has no studio culture. You go home and do your work and bring it in. They have some good young teachers but they really do not attract the same type of student that goes to SCIArc. This is not a issue of who has better students (who does better after school) but SCIArc is more intellectually diverse. And please don't call Cal Poly Pomona just Pomona because it's insulting. I think you should go to SCIArc for the students alone.

"Cal Poly Pomona" = CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, Pomona California

-20,000 students approximately
-public
-grad & undergrad programs in architecture and other fields
-undergrad acceptance rate = 50% approximately


"Pomona" = POMONA COLLEGE, Claremont CA

-appx 2,000 students
-private
-undergrad only, no architecture program
- undergrad acceptance rate = 16.3%


TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
but everyone always assumes that Pomona means cal poly, because no one has ever heard of Pomona College, which is unfortunate.

in 6 weeks time, i make enough money as an intern to pay for a year of cal poly's tuition. it's also pretty easy to also get a full-ride there as an in-state resident...just get good grades and apply for scholarships and financial aid...cal poly's worth every penny...plus spare change.

Dont' listen to Architectonicita. What's insulting is that people like him can talk without knowing the facts. I realize you're going for a grad program, but the undergrad program at Pomona, CAL POLY POMONA that is, is in high demand and is attracting very talented students. I hear this year they only accepted 5.8 percent of the more than 2,500 culturally and economically diverse applicants. The program is very studio intensive with studio every single quarter and culminating with a year long thesis project. The reason the program is in such high demand is that it's the only public and professional degree in Southern California which has a population than most of the states in the country. Sure you have the choice of USC, but it would take you years or decades to pay off the loans. As far as SciArc, I would not go there for undergrad, as one would be totally missing out in the college experience. They make their students take their GE's at the local community college. I don't really call that intellectually DIVERSE!

Yes, I graduated from Pomona 12 years ago, and have been working since. I've worked in everything from design firms to large corporate offices along with graduates from almost every school around the country. The reality is that most architects end up where they are regardless of what school the went to. Sure, school steers you in a certain direction, but ultimately it is up to the individual to make something of the architectural career.

As far as your question "is it worth it (SciArc)?" Sure it could be worth it. They've got some of the most talented design architects teaching there. Will you get a good education at Pomona? Kip Dixon, who is running the graduate program is an enthuthiastic and talented designer. Studios are about 12 students and are for 9 hours per week, guaranteeing plenty of one on one interaction with the instructors. SciArc will be worth the money as much as Cal Poly Pomona will be worth the education.

The choice is up to you, but all I can tell you is that I am sure glad that I was able to pay off my loans within a year, while my coworkers are still paying off their fancy private education. In times like these, I am really appreciating that fact while also affording to broaden my experiences traveling the world with the extra cash..Hope this helps.

how about UCLA? seems like you get all the positives of SCI Arc along with the cheap cost of cal poly pomona...

Oh by the way,

Pomona COLLEGE = Pomona COLLEGE, which is actually located in Claremont.

Pomona = Goddess of Fruit = City of Pomona

Just to be clear...I don't think either school has explicit rights to the the name Pomona by itself...

I agree with SEAPRT. If SciArc is making their students take their GE's at the local community college, I wouldn' consider that "intellectually diverse" as ARCHITECTONICITA claims. As far as SciArc attracting better students, I'll let the facts speak for themselves"

Cal Poly Pomona B.arch:

Acceptance rate: 225 out of 2,551 (8.8 percent)

http://www.petersons.com/collegeprofiles/Profile.aspx?inunid=5510&sponsor=1&tabid=10011

5th most selective B.arch program in the country according to Architectural Record.

http://archrecord.construction.com/features/EducationChart/EducationChart_AL.asp#c

SciArc B.arch:

Acceptance rate: 42 out of 72 (58 percent)

nth most selective B.arch program in the country...


Need I say more???

sorry, I forgot this link.

http://www.petersons.com/collegeprofiles/Profile.aspx?inunid=8705&sponsor=1&tabid=10002

to extend homer's facts to the m.arch 1 programs which you were asking about...here are this year's numbers...

cal poly pomona 150-ish applicants for 18 seats = 12%

sci-arc 254 applicants for 45 seats = 18%


also to be noted. admissions at cal poly is heavily about GPA and GRE first and portfolio second. on the other hand, sci-arc is heavily influenced by portfolio.

i think pomona is a great place to go to school, especially for the money.

however, there is a reason that people talk about sci-arc constantly on these blogs. it's innovativeness, culture, faculty, students, network and environment are a unique and superlative educational package.

i'm starting at sci-arc m.arch 1 in fall and i'm happy to spend every penny necessary to get the most i can get out of it.

go to both of these schools and see for yourself. there is a clear difference between the two. good luck

actually, to correct something i said...i'm not sure that GRE is a big factor at Cal Poly, But i do know that if you don't have a 3.5 and higher GPA, it's pretty much not happening. they told me that many of the accepted applicants had 3.7 plus GPAs

lessermatters,

did you go to the SCI-Arc open house this weekend?

If so, wanna give an account of what happened?

Thanks!

^ I will second that comment.

Heres the scoop...cal poly, go for cal poly SLO, we're high ranked and very consistently. For sci arc there is good and there is bad. I want to go to grad school there really bad actually. Ive read that sci arc people are in demand...if they have a practical background but just out of school a lot of employers think their heads are "in the clouds" and there is no practical back up so basically, you can think of an awesome building but you have absolutely zero clue how you're going to build that thing. So for sci arc, probably plan on a practical grad school.

^^^ack for some reason I thought this was for undergrad hahahaha, i should have read the title and maybe take a nap before class

I am an MArch student @ Cal poly pomona and to clear a few things up: Architectonica is an idiot, everything he stated should be ignored.
GRE is not a big factor as it is not even required, and you do not need a 3.5 or higher to get in to the MArch program.

We are usually described as a more practical and grounded school compared to SCI Arc. there is truth to it. Our practical courses are quite extensive. essentially those classes are laid out like this.

YEAR 1
environmentals contols-1 (thermal controls, sunlight, sustainability)
environmentals controls-2(Lighting design, acoustics)
Building Construction 1 ( material properties, construction methods)

YEAR 2
building construction 2 (construction documents and drawings)
Structures 1, 2, and 3 (class will run your life, professor is intense)
Building codes (a bit boring)

YEAR 3
Seismic design

But it is like many other MArch programs, where beyond the required courses its pretty much up to you want direction you want to persue.
Some go the more theoretical route taking courses with the younger instructors that have more cutting edge views, and others take more grounded courses in sustainability with some very experienced PHD professors. Its pretty diverse.
If you want to go with a heavily theoretical and a bit more cutting edge design route I would say SCI Arc is a better spot for you. If you are interested in Sustainability, historic preservation or design Cal Poly is a great money saver. We certainly have money problems here, funding is VERY LOW, but the faculty is great and very involved with each student (especially the MArch students) Class size is small (under 20) which has its advantages and disadvantages, My entire class is very close and help each other out on everything. But exposure to more students would be beneficial.

Summary:Both are great schools, Neither one is better than the other it depends on what your interests are and what you are looking for in an MArch program.

Good Luck