Ha.

Not because there's anything funny about your request, just because it's the typical "no right answer" question.

First:

You're into architecture for some reason, right? What/Who/Why is that?

Second:

Most schools offer lots of classes and have somewhat of a spread among faculty. I'd be surprised if you could go anywhere with any mentality and not be able to find an ally. If you're not sure where you fit, aim for the middle

Third:

Sometimes you learn a lot running against the grain. If you're the intelligentsia-pshcyo-babbler at a tech school, you just might uncover something cool.

Fourth:

As you've noted, there are things other than school which will mold your career (LEED, internships, etc); so you're likely never taking a step in the wrong direction.

"And who here doesn't want to and need to learn about sustainability issues? So why should that influence which school I choose, if you get LEED-certified outside of school anyways"

... Learning LEED hardly means you know anything about sustainability at all. Seriously; AP status means you know the LEED process, not necessarily anything about sustainable buildings.

I realize this doesn't answer your question, but I don't have an answer. I'm guessing you just have to do some learning on your own and think about why you're interested in pursuing it, as well as your other interests in life (e.g. if you're really into theory and figuring new things out in other areas, it's quite possible you will be interested in doing the same with regards to design).

try narrowing down you options, and then try visiting the schools,, but, as mentioned above, you must have some kind of idea why you are going into architecture, start from there, and see if the school(s) of your choice can help you enrich that,,

no quiz will ever tell you what you are

Also, if you are afraid of missing your interests, be sure to apply to bigger programs that incorporate a variety of directions.

Get an MBA too. That way, years down the road when you realize that 75% of your education you cannot recall nor car about you will have something that is tangible and that helps you for the rest of your life.

The path is yours, make it your own. Doesn't matter which school, make a decisive choice, spell it out, and follow it through.

Don't stress about it to much. Like others have posted, there's obviously something that's already pulling you towards architecture. At this point, pursue that. The only way you'll ever find out if it's truly for you is by doing it!

Besides, most people haven't figured out where they fit in architecture until much, much later in their careers, much less before they begin studying.
And the fact that you're even asking these kinds of questions, shows to me that you're already better prepared than many of your future classmates ie. "what's a better school, SCIARC or Harvard?".

IamGray- I think that's largely the point... I don't care as much about which school is better, as much as which school do I fit better into.

Trace- I'll probably forget what I learn the minute I learn it, since my memory isn't great. However, if I'm taught skills I can reapply, I'll be happy... Unfortunately I don't feel motivated to get an MBA in the slightest, nor do I have the time to dedicate myself towards it.


To everyone- I like y'all's ideas about larger programs, now I need to figure out which ones those are. I don't want to be lost in the crowd, but I do want the choice of variety. Sci-Arc seems pretty firmly anchored in conceptual-design-land, while Priceton's in theory-land. Anyone know of any programs that do a bit of both?

Sci-Arc and UCLA will have theory, as will just about any decent school. Be very, very careful about making decisions based on broad assumptions or what you think a school is.

For the MBA, I understand, not exactly motivating stuff. But trust me, you'll appreciate it later on. Once the real world hits, and hits hard, what seemed like a good idea when you started might not be so great after all.

Everyone changes their mind over time. Don't be so specific and naive to think that you know all now (that's what I did, partially, and I missed a few decent opportunities while in school to learn while it was easy).

Sbeth, I asked myself the same frustrating questions when I started applying for the M.Arch (non-arch background) graduate programs. Some good points have already been made so I will probably sound redundant.

I believe there are two basic ways of going about this. I don't promote either one over the other and both methods can be consolidated and used in conjunction.

1) Be true to yourself and your current ideas/values. That means, in your applications and portfolio, don't try to tailor your application for the specific school. The idea behind this is that the school will pick you as they see fit.

2) You can do heavy research into the schools and their programs, interview with the school's faculty, dean, etc. During the process, you will hopefully start asking yourself more specific questions about what it is you want to do. If you do interview, intuitions based on first impressions will inevitably influence your decisions.

Realize that even if you find that School A is the best fit for you, you might not get accepted based on the increased # of applicants which affects competition, or just the fact that one applicant has some sort of "in" that you don't.

afrdzak- I like your advice... I guess I do have certain values in place at the moment, and first impressions do count alot. Since I'm from Houston, I went to visit both Rice and University of Houston, and had two very different impressions. I know without a doubt that I'd come to be bored at U of H, while Rice was definitely more my style but perhaps a bit too small. I hope I get a chance to visit all these schools!

I might only be able to go in the summer, which I know wouldn't be ideal...

Trace- I think you make good points... but why specifically an MBA and not just a few business courses? I have friends with MBAs in publicity and marketing, which are perhaps not directly relevant to architecture. Do you mean get an MBA in case I need to switch fields, or because it will augment my future profession? If, in the future, I need to switch fields, I'd rather go into something else design-based (graphic artist, web designer, etc) than into something corporate-based.
And now I need to look up which programs include MBAs...

to figure out what school you 'best' fit in, visit lots of them when they are in session. You'll quickly figure out the studio culture and types of students who you'll likely to encounter. The stereotypes about students at GSD, Sci-Arch, Columbia, Yale, et al have some grains of truth - the problem is that programs change and every matriculating class is different.

Don't ignore the lesser known programs, you might just find your alma mater off the beaten path. There are some other amazing programs around the gulf coast/south east that are worth exploring (and getting out of houston can be a good thing).

SBeth85 - I have a minor in business, it isn't enough and barely scratches the surface. Running a business, you need as much knowledge about the 'real' world as you can get. I've done just fine learning on the job, reading books, etc., but as things grow I find myself wanting the MBA more and more. I might go back to get one, actually, but it costs a decent amount and more importantly, takes time I don't have. I could, however, done it with my MArch.

So it's just an ace up the sleeve. It will help you down the road, regardless if you run your own business or move up in another.


For the graphic/web, there is no reason you can't do this while in arch school. Those aren't hard, they just take time. I learned most of my graphic/web/video/3D while in grad school. You just have to be disciplined about integrating it with your regular studies.


For the MBA, get one in Real Estate. Try a search, been discussed here a few times.


Hedge your bets, stack the deck, and you'll be thankful you prepared for everything down the road, I promise.

trace: What is it you think you will gain with an MBA that you won't gain in the real-world or through books? I fear that you will be disappointed.

I come from a background in Information Systems, a cross between business and IT. While I feel that it has given me a solid foundation in business fundamentals, it's not going to teach you good business acumen. MBA programs are mostly about case-studies, teamwork and networking. It's also an entry into a (more) lucrative corporate career.

Trace- I found a nice thread about whether or not it's worthwhile to get an MBA (the context is Yale, but there are a lot of general comments):
http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=89883_0_42_0_C

It seems that an MBA is overkill, and really more useful for social networking for the corporate field.

Since I live in the Middle East and plan on moving back here after the M.Arch, it seems pointless to pour money into a degree where I won't stand to benefit from business connections, or one which will teach me a system different from the one I plan to live in.


Though what did sound like a good idea was to try and take some business school classes in finances and accounting... I could try to work that in.

Barry- everyone keeps talking about 'typical' students, and unfortunately I somehow was never informed of who they are! Besides GSD and GSAPP being Ivies and into computers, it's been really hard to dig up info on them.

In a way, I am investing in the name-brand of a school, since I need to import this degree into the Middle East and the more name recognition, the better for my job prospects.

nobody writes 'purdy' and doesn't have a sense of their position.
I have no clue what your conundrum is.
if you can even seriously say "intelligentsia-psycho-babbly" I think your position's decently clear.

I have all the basic business classes, management classes, marketing classes, etc., etc. I also have experience running things.

What is not so easily found is solid financial analysis, complex pro formas, insurance, legal, taxes, etc. as they relate to real estate. Obviously some things would be redundant, but certainly not overkill or a waste of time.

I think my MArch was overkill (having a 4 year degree already in architecture)! However, the only regret I have is not getting a MBA in RE at the same time.

I have looked at specific MBA's, their classes and goals and am quite confident that they are not a 'waste of time'.

In the real world there just isn't a lot of time to just read book after book, hoping you'll find the knowledge you are looking for.

Trace- I found something nice at Penn, it's a certificate in Real Estate, in conjunction with the Wharton school of business, but unfortunately I think it's only 'officially' open to Masters students: http://www.design.upenn.edu/about/real-estate-certificate


Another issue I have in general is that I like so many things... in just perusing Penn's other joint certificates, I'd want to do a Graphics Design certificate, their Ecological Architecture certificate (for building in our desert over here), and their City Planning certificate- to help impoverished towns. To focus on 1 (which) or to dabble?

I would agree with the above comments and say as well, whatever you pick when you get there, study the hell out of your peers and professors. Look for people are amazingly invested in something and pick their brain, and then weigh your own common sense against it. You will figure out the the big paths pretty quickly.

Be wary of certificate/degree collecting, as it can be extremely time-consuming for little gain. if your focus is spread over a variety of topics, try and seek out independent projects-fellowships-research grants that allow you to develop those skills in a more self-directed manner. You can get a lot more mileage out of a project that you develop, execute and then share, rather than just going to more classes. It not always where you go, but what you do.

msudon- i like that, thank you... i had a big prob in undergrad doing too many things as wasn't focused. yet, i feel pulled to learn about the urbanism/sociological aspect of architecture, as well as sustainable! guess i'll have to choose one.

no problem! I can really empathize with your position, I too have a lot of interests and have struggled with focus. At the end of the day, I try make them coalesce around architecture but sometimes it's a stretch.

bam! "Documenting the Cultural Implications of Sustainable Policy in rural____". blah blah blah. Seriously. academia absolutely loves it and you can chose almost anything. This is especially true for research-based state schools, I can't speak for the Ivies, there is SO much grant money up for taking. Architecture is increasingly moving in a multi-disciplinary direction, you can get a lot of mileage out of other knowledge that still informs your architecture.

I dunno with the recession and all, but keep your eyes peeled for the SOM and KPF travel fellowships, they are pretty serious sums given away for travel relating to architecture and they usually have early spring/feb/march deadlines (if that is something you are interested in :))