Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
University of Southern California (USC)
Tulane University
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Temple University
University of Oregon
Cranbrook Academy of Art
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
Kansas State University
Questions about Specific Schools (help!)
Well, I've been looking around at architecture schools and I was wondering if anyone could clear up some things I've heard.
Does University of Toronto neglect their undergraduates? Because when I toured their building and asked where their undergrad studio space was, they gave me a strange look like 'of course not'.
For University of Illinois U-C, is it a bad idea to go to a school in the middle of a cornfield? I went to their summer camp and liked the school, but will it be worth it if I can't make any connections for jobs after graduation?
I've heard that University of Minnesota is on the rise in architecture, but there's really not that much out there as far as information goes. I've scoured their website, and I briefly looked over their campus a year ago (but plan to go on an official visit later this year), but it's hard to get a read on what it's like to go there. Are there any current undergrad students who'd be willing to talk to me?
I'm sorry, that was a lot of questions, but looking at architecture schools is complicated and kind of stressful. Thank you, thank you, thank you if you can answer any of my questions!!!!!
If you want to design buildings in the city, it helps your education to be going to school in a city - the city becomes very influential on your designs and learning process. There are also more job opportunities in a city.
That said, a school's reputation has some merit, but I would look mainly at the student work from the school to judge it. Is that the kind of work you want to be doing?
John, it's all about your portfolio - but I would definitely be taking into consideration school reputation/location/job acquisition rates in a slump like this.
But yea, Chicago employers (for ex.) are more likely to hire people from reputed or more local/regional schools that they're familiar with than a random, generic school. Same goes for everywhere.
thanks so much for your help!
By the way, jk3hl, I'm actually a girl, johnsen is my last name... :)
If you are looking in the Mid West Milwaukee has an excellent school. I have completed their undergrad and am thinking to go back for my Master's. They are a new school with a lot of energy and some wonderful new staff. Also the city is great with interesting new architecture and some of the first steel construction buildings.
jk3hl is right in the fact it is about your portfolio and how you project yourself. If you go to Illinois U-C and any school for that matter, most employers will not have any idea where it is or care if your portfolio is intriguing and you mesh well with the firm.
some of these comments are just hilarious. Wonder whether anyone commented so far have worked in firms in the Chicagoland. For better or worse, UIUC alumni dominate the architecture job market because it is the flagship university of the state and has one of the biggest program in the Midwest. Especially in reputed firms like SOM, Perkins + Will, Adrian Smith and Gensler, UIUC was perhaps the most represented school in my opinion, even more so than UWM, UIC or even IIT.
I am not saying Champaign has the best program in the Midwest, but job prospect is definitely not a concern. One clue is to look at the number of firm at career fairs hosted by each school. UI typically has about 45 firms, comparing to 12 at WashU.
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