I am also graduating early and would like to know how it would affect my MArch I. I'm guessing it can't be positive, but is it a negative (and, if so, how much)?

I don't think it could be too positive either, and the negatives that I can see and that my professors are telling me are:
a. less time to develop portfolio
b. less time to develop real-life work experience
c. universities like unique experiences, ie. study abroad, outstanding volunteer work within your major - both of which are difficult when you're spending your time taking 19 credits/semester.
and d. let's face it, until a certain age, younger students/ aspiring professionals are taken less seriously than older competition.

Just some thoughts.

WHat school do you go to angelocaro5704? How many studios will you have taken by graduation?

The GSD pigeon holes certain undergraduate schools for advanced standing or not. WHat I mean is that if you go to certain schools, you are not guaranteed acceptance, but if you are accepted, you almost always get advanced placement. WIth certain other schools, your chances for admission are not at all negatively afftected, but if you get in you will not be given AP status. WHen I was there tHey were tougher about giving advanced placement than any other school in the country. Over half of the 1st years have a 4yr degree in architecture already and did not receive AP.

FOr example: Yale, MIT, Princeton, undergrad = no AP. THey will probably love you and admit you, but no AP. FLorida, IIT = AP. Berkeley goes either way depending on the student.

You can however appeal for AP once you have been admitted and they will take a close look at your portfolio.

This is the way it was 5 years ago anyway.

Depending on what school you go to graduating a year early may or may not hurt your chances of receiving AP at the GSD because you may be ineligible anyway. I would call the admissions office. t
Tell them where you go to school and ask them what their policy is regarding AP status for students from your college.

As for other schools, they will look at your porfolio and focus in on your architectural studio work. GOod drawings etc may get you in the program, but will not get you advanced placement. So graduating a year early means less studio work to put in your porfolio and I would think less of a chance at advanced placement.

If you graduate a year early you can use that year to gain work experience, but ivy grad schools are not really interested in mudane corporate work or what they consider trade skills
(knowledge of code, detailing --unless it's an exotic detail on a modern project). I'm not saying this is right, it just is what it is. So working, does not help your porfolio that much, UNLESS YOU WORK SOMEPLACE WITH AMAZING FORWARD LOOKING PROJECTS. THis could be quite a boost. It will help your resume, personal statement to ssay that you have worked somplace medicore, but this could be accomplished through a summer internship.

If you think your grades will be worse because you are trying to graduate faster, no room for less stressful electives, then this may put you at a disadvantage. Otherwise waiting a few years after college to go to school is only helpful to your application if you do something noteworthy with that time. The other advantage to working first would be that you are able to bring some real world experience to your grad studio sections and details giving your projects added depth and realism.

Can you use the extra year to make room for studying architecture abroad for a whole year through your school? THis would make sense if you are receiving a decent financial aid package. That way you wouldn't be graduating early, but you'll have a great experience, improve your portfolio, etc.

I applied as a college senior and another disadvantage is that you cannot put your spring studio stuff in your portfolio. Plus it's mayham trying to get fall studio stuff in your portfolio before applications are due. If you go this route make sure you study for and take the GREs the summer before your senior year, and put your porfolio, resume, and essay together before senior year too. I did not do this, and ended up with a final review in studio, the same day as a final physics exam, the same day I had a grad application due and I nearly had a heart attack. Seriously.

A good chunk of my class mates were fresh out of school. THe majority were only a few years out of school. The rest had significant experience.

Sponge - thank you for your exceptionally helpful comments.

I am currently enrolled at the University of Missouri - Columbia. The interior design program has just been rated #9 in the country according to DI, however, being in architectural studies, this publicity may or may not help my chances. By the time I graduate, I will have taken all studios offered by the program - 4 Studio classes + a capstone/thesis.

I decided on Missouri for a few reasons, over Syracuse, RISD, and Northeastern. Money being one of them, but I am also confidant that at Mizzou my chances of being at the top of my class are much higher, and correct me if I am wrong but it seems to be a general trend that success outweighs your school's reputation.

As far as work experience, there are a few firms in Columbia, MO that are forward thinking, but there is a greater concentration of these in St. Louis - a 2.5 hour drive away. Unless I received tremendous financial aid, study abroad would be somewhat out of the question, as much as I would enjoy it. Instead, being from Florida, there are a few very forward thinking firms I have contacts with that I could possibly intern over summers. It's reassuring, though, to hear about the lack of interest in "trade skills" as I assumed the GSD would be a more theoretical, phenomena oriented program - again, correct me if I'm wrong.

nothing impossible!

Some schools offer their normal financial aid application if you study abroad at a program that they host, so I would be 100% sure before you rule out that option. When the economy gets better maybe you could try working abroad? Even if you can only afford to do so for one summer it could be worthwhile.

As far as gpa vs prestige it's very variable. SOmeone from MIT for example will be cut SLIGHTLY more slack than someone from a school with no clout. But being near the top of ones class anywhere is impressive. I am sure all the schools you are listed are fine institutions, but it's as not as though any of their names will afford an applicant gpa slack room, like say, Yale would, so the best gpa/portfolio will be the winner of the bunch.

Just do not kill your gpa graduating early. If you do take time off between college and application, make that time count. THat's all. You'll be fine.

Don't overstress about working for someplace stellar before you apply. Most of us had not done that. When you submit professional work I think the assumption is that you're only involved in a basic way anyway, unless you're an MARch II or someone with many years out of school. ALl I meant to say is that working for 2 years for someplace blah before applying does not help that much. So you may as well apply senior year if you already have an internship under your belt, then the only disadvantage is not having senior spring stuff in your portfolio. YOu can always reapply in a few years and enter competitions to put fresh design work in your portfolio. YOu just can't patch up a poor gpa that's all. ANother option is to apply the fall after graduation, that way all your school stuff gets in there plus you can say you're working fall time.

THe GSD is in between on the theory scale. Not as theoretical as say Princeton, but still far more interested in design over technical skills. People lump theory together but there's a difference between emphasizing dogma or written architectural philosophy vs being primarily interested in design over necessary job skills. Princeton in my mind would be the former, GSD the latter. THere are great building technology electives there though, people are just so overwhelmed by studio though that they do not have the time they ought to invest in those classes. YOu are taught the basics of how a building goes together and really exotic high tech stuff, but there is less training in the day to day assembly of construction documents etc.

Thanks again for your input.

I think as of now I will focus primarily on my gpa/portfolio, and see what opportunities arise as far as internship/work experience. Ultimately, being taken as seriously as every other applicant regardless of being a few years younger is my main goal, and if I can accomplish this I'll be happy. I'll be graduating with AT LEAST a 3.8, so I can dedicate some extra time to studio classes...

I assume you went through the program, from which undergraduate school did you apply?

does gpa after 1st ba count?

I went to Harvard for college and took studios at MIT, but there were lots of people at the GSD from all over. With a high gpa and a bangin' porfolio you could be from Tiajuana Tech and you'd still be a competitive applicant.

Jizzy, not sure. Were the grades for a degree program? I'm sure they would be interested in that. I think they ask for cumulative gpa + transcripts. You could call all the admissions office where you're applying and ask if you can include university level courses not part of your undergrad degree in that number, esp if it's going to improve your numbers.