I would suggest that you determine the criteria by which to judge the two schools -- location, degree program, etc.

Both programs are excellent in their own right. Both cities are amazing as cities and in their architecture.

If you think Pratt is OK, why bother considering IIT and Chicago.

Thanks for advice, I don't actually know anything about how to choose architecture school, but all my friends told me that Pratt is horrible, they said the faculty is a joke, the programs are over artistic. I really don't want to go Chicago.

You're friends aren't you!

What are you looking to do? What are your strengths and weaknesses and what do you need to develop? What would be challenging for you and what would be a waste of time?

Also, what are your reasons for wanting to stay in NY and not wanting to go to Chicago (spouse with a job and kids in school, for instance, may be a stronger factor than knowing the good clubs).

Are your friends in the program? Try and talk to people at both schools and grads, if you can. Visit each and talk to professors, look at the work spaces and student work. Find out everything you can about the culture in each studio and think about what would be best for you. How to the financial stack up?

Different programs have different philosophies. Read their lit, read between the lines, and think about what you want out of your education.

Obviously I couldn't care less what your answers to these questions are, but they're all things to consider--there are a lot of "good schools" but design is wide ranging art and the merits of different programs depend a lot on who you are and where you want to be.

October

you are making it way to complicated. It doesn't mater how many questions I ask myself and how many factors I consider, sometimes things are not like what I expected, especially when it comes to architecture schools. I talked to two students from pratt, they both hated it a lot, but they tend to graduate there, because there is no better place to go. Two people's opinion doesn't make Pratt a bad school anyway. I like to stay in new york, because I have to stay in a big city even I never go to brooklyn which is Pratt located. My question is does different school will make any difference in my architectural career? I think Pratt has more network in the tri-state area that is only thing I know. Thanks for your response.

"It doesn't mater how many questions I ask myself and how many factors I consider, sometimes things are not like what I expected..."

If so much as selecting a school seems too complicated and you have difficulty adjusting to situations which were unanticipated you should probably consider another field, friend.

what I am trying to say is you never know the program and the school untill you study there.

So go to Pratt then

I'd go to IIT in a heartbeat. It's Mies central!

Rox, it doesn't sounds like you know enough about your field of study to weight the two schools.

I would recommend doing a little investigating. See what the current issues and debates are, and try to find out what about architecture interests you. This is a reasonable warm-up activity for the types of investigations you will be asked to perform in school constantly.

If you haven't yet, get yourself an internship ASAP, and begin hanging around Pratt, Columbia's school and even taking a trip to Yale, if you don't mind the train ride, to listen in on lecture nights. School is out of session right now, so they may not have a lot of lectures, but they are usually free and on-point regarding emerging issues. Also, take a look at the Architectural League here, and the Center for Architecture down by Washington Square Park.

When you know something about the profession, and your interests within it, you can look at these schools again with a critical eye. For instance, you would know about the legacies of Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago and whether these designers are interesting to you. You would alos know the Rem Koolhaus recently completed the student center at IIT and whther THAT matters to you.

Conversely, you might figure out in your investigation that Peter Eisenman and Steven Holl both have ties to pratt, and that Holl recently designed their new architecture school.

There are criteria for everything. When you have done your reading and prodding, there will be too many criteria to weigh and you can prioritize them. Good luck. if this is your first time thinking through a decision with this many facets then be patient with yourself and diligent in your efforts. Both are good schools, and either way you will learn something.

Thanks archetecton

I knew the background of both schools long time ago, just beause they hire celebrities to design the school buildings even invite them to teach studio class there, but it doesn't mean they are good schools. For instance, I talked to some students from both schools, everything they told me are so negative. I guest architecture is not a very pleansant major. I think I am going to Pratt.

i don't know much about IIT (besides touring mies and rem's buildings) and i will say that pratt has +'s and -'s. with that said, if you want to be in NY after graduation pratt would prob be the better choice. you we have an equal education (same profs) as columbia, yale, gsd, penn, cornell and will be in competition with students from those schools (typically grad students too) in the nyc job market post graduation.

few of my thoughts:

- why go to a school that only teaches failed ideas such as IIT?

- moving to a different city will open up your eyes to what bothare doing right and wrong by comparison. understanding the urban landscape is essential to your architectural education

- i've always heard decent things about pratt.

- yes, the school you attend will have a huge effect on who you will be in the future. it's all a gamble as you might get lucky with great and adequate professors at a bad school as you can get lazy professors in a good school.

- what are the degree differences in both schools? never consider a school that doesn't offer a 5 year professional degree even if they offer 4+2 because you will miss something in the mix, or at least, i've noticed it in 100% of 4+2 vs. 5yr grads.

- if you plan to eventually enter a masters program somewhere else, i'd get one degree science based and the other arts based.

Thanks Migrod, I didn't know IIT only teaches failed ideas. I want to choose a right school because I don't want to end up being a CAD drafter after I graduate.

Rox -- As one who served on the staff of IIT for seven years, I would disagree with the comment by Migrod that IIT only teaches failed ideas. Bottom line, both Pratt and IIT have accredited architecture programs. You should consider both on their merits not comments on this website.

As previously stated in my first comment -- you determine which of the two programs is the best fit for you.

I would suggest that you determine the criteria by which to judge
the two schools -- location, degree program, etc.

Both programs are excellent in their own right. Both cities are
amazing as cities and in their architecture.

Best to you in your decision.

re-examine what made you apply to those schools in the first place, and go with your gut.

don't be fooled, earning a degree from a "better" school will not in any way shape or form affect your future of being a CAD monkey.... it's what you bring to the table, not solely the pedigree of your school.

migrod- that's a bold statement to make about the comparison of 4+2 vs. 5 yr grads. care to elaborate?

I believe IIT is a technical school, Pratt is more Artistic, but I don't know how these factors will effect my career as an architect. I also think they both have good professors. I won't consider a 4 + 2 either.

Trust me! IIT is not a technical school; no more than Pratt is an artisic school. You need to do much more research. May I suggest you contact the dean, Donna Robertson at IIT to learn more. You can do the same for Pratt.

Again, best to you.

thank you, Dr Architecture. I don't think I have enough knowledge to ask the dean questions, And no Dean will tell any student they are bad schools. Students from Pratt told me Pratt is very artistic. Some one told me IIT focus on Engineering, they teach students how to build skycrapers, once again that just what I heard.

Rox - visit ARCHCareers.org and send an email to via the link to Dr. Architecture so we can discuss.

The purpose of contacting the dean is to inquire about the program, its focus, etc.

From the IIT website -- review more at www.iit.edu/arch

IIT's architecture program is structured to develop professional architects who are well prepared in specialties of their choice. Architecture, "the liberal arts of the 21st century," effectively blends technology and the humanities and equips you to adapt to change. IIT maximizes the benefits of an architecture education with a uniquely concentrated yet flexible curriculum:

I really want to stay in New York City because of its energy, the program takes 5 years, I have to stay in the place I like. I visited the studio in Pratt last week. I saw some students' work and I thought they are OK.

Rox,

For what it's worth, my daughter visited Pratt after being admitted to the MArch program. Yes, she has a B.S. and will be a 4+2. She left thinking that the work of the 2nd year students was equivalent to her junior year of college and that they didn't have solid grounding. Also, she found a class being held in the hallway because the classroom could not accommodate the students. Finally, she was told by each student that the studio space is limited, so many of the students just go home to work. I'm not an architect, but that seems to defeat part of the purpose of being in a studio environment.

Pratt is one of the most well-rounded architecture schools, and I believe becoming one of the best UG programs.

That said, I went there.

mot- Juries and pinups are held in the 'hallways', ie galleries, at Pratt. She probably ran into one of those. The reason for this is to expose work to the rest of the school population- makes it much more transient and interactive.

MArch students have enough space at Pratt. They choose to work at home because the studio environment is more inclined towards the schedule of 18-23 year olds, rather than mature students.

3rd Year at Pratt is when things get a bit more 'solid'. So it would have been normal to see more conceptual work in 2nd year. Also, it depends on what studio students take. Some studios are incredible conceptual (see Gamal El-Zoghby or any studio taught in the past by Evan Douglis), and some are incredibly technical and 'real' (see Michael Trencher). This is one of the great things about Pratt- the variety it offers while still maintaining a school of thought.

Evan Douglis is going to RPI this fall

Yes, I know. But there are many others like him that he brought into Pratt during his tenure.

Pratt is fucking joke. Avoid it like the plague.

This is the thing about studio space and NYC, there is no such thing as enough adequate studio space. I go to the other school that starts with a "P". Anyway, with studio space you deal with it and " make it work"