my advice is... the perception of any career, especially architecture, is very different from the reality of that career. get in front of as many architects as you can and try to get a feel for the profession before you commit yourself to classes. and if you loved your undergrad experience, ask yourself why? the arch school experience is completely unlike any other college experience. I have heard plenty of times the i work harder than my uncle who graduated top of his class in law school... and all i have gotten for my efforts is unemployment.

Architecture is dangerous, there are 3 possibilities after you graduate from architecture school:

1) You end up a designer (You are the leader).

2) You end up a CAD monkey or a Renderer (You are the typical office guy seating in a cubicle).

3) You end up unemployed stuck with a mountain student loans debt (Like me).

With a business degree as a background you could be a great asset to any arch firm. I would recommend looking into the program at the University of Texas at Austin. You could get your degree in as little as 3.5 years, probably more like 4. The program mixes people of all backgrounds arch, business, poly-sci, you name it in the first 1-2 yrs of studios.

Many will tell you that the pay is not what you make in business so do your homework to make sure you are comfortable with that. Don't get in over your head in loans. Think of this aspect when choosing a school.

There are many facets to the practice of architecture.

Do what makes you happy.

Honestly,

I don't think having a business degree is that much of an asset. I have a BBA in Marketing as well as BFA in Interior Architecture and Design and am working on my M.Arch (for now) and I know that it's not the much of an asset to firms that I have seen .

"Do what makes you happy" is optimistic advice - advice to which I once subscribed but now I'm becoming more realistic as I realize I'm spending $70K+ on a degree that really nets very little in financial return.

cmarshalle, do what you want but weigh the pros and cons thoughtfully between being an architect and how much you'll spend on the degree, how much your student loan payments will be if any, and how much you'll make as an architect roughly.

Thanks for the advice so far everyone. I know its a huge decision, and fortunately my business side is keeping me from diving into this field without thoughtful consideration.

I have always wanted to study architecture, but I agree that my perception of being an architect may be overshadowing the reality of the career. I know this is a huge financial decision too. I would be paying for school with student loans so that is definitely a big part of my decision. I am not that old, but I know 4-5 years of education puts me almost to 30 and that a big time commitment.

I think what I really want to do is at least test the waters. I don't have that much to lose in taking a year or even a semester to fully commit myself to this education. From what I have read, it sounds like I'll know if this is right within my first year. I just really don't want to look back in five years and regret not at least trying something that I have always wanted to pursue.

You will know if you love it within the first year. If you find that you want to be in studio working without minding the long hours and get a great sense of accomplishment after completing the project, you are in the right place.

I'm going to be 30 when I get my MArchI, and then a little older than that when I get my MarchII. It does take a little getting used to when a lot of your classmates are younger than you, but it also helps that you already got the undergrad experience out of the way so you aren't tempted to go party every night.

Do you mind me asking what school you went to? I grew up in Indiana (Columbus) and did Architectural Technology/Construction Management at IUPUI before coming to Tulane.

I think too much may be made of the current high rates of unemployment in the industry. It may feel like it, but it really isn't the end of the profession, much less the end of the world.

A downturn is a downturn, guys and gals. This downturn hit real estate and the built environment industries really realy bad. Unemployment among real estate development professionals (the guys who once made the big bucks) is now 60%+ according to a local ULI memo I saw a few weeks ago. Land use lawyers, architects, planners, surveyors, civil engineers, GCs/builders, real estate bankers, etc., etc., are ALL out of work now. This is cyclicality, not the end of the profession or the end of the world. In 4 years (the time it'll take cmarshalle to apply, get admitted, matriculate, study and graduate with an M.Arch), it'll be back to normal.

Our profession is paid about average relative to other professions (which is unfortunately below average for the expectations of the very bright people who typically go to top architecture schools and get expensive degrees). This is bad news, but no worse than many other professions out there. You were never going to get paid like a lawyer (many of whom are now unemployed too, by the way), but you should've known that going into the profession, and, heck, not everybody can be a lawyer, or our society really would be in trouble.

I think there are wider problems facing the American middle class, as I've noted in other threads, but architects or no worse off than any other group and better off than many others. The bottom line is, 3-4% of the building stock of this country (that's 6 billion square feet a year, of total building stock of 200 billion square feet) needs to be replaced, just as a matter of course. Somebody's going to be designing this 6 billion square feet.. and that makes architecture a pretty safe choice for the long-term, even it means most of us have a less glamorous career than 2nd years at the GSD assume that they'll have.

sorry. and average 6 billion square feet EACH YEAR..

But the reality is there are leagues of architects to every 1 job available, now or in a good economy so it will always be difficult whether the economy is good or not.

I know my interior design business was BOOMING in 2005 - 2008 and I was making 250K a year which is a lot more than most architects make, but I would gladly make 100K or even 75K a year to do architecture but I doubt that that is a reasonable explanation. I guess it boils down to whether one values the security of money over the security of loving what one does.

I'm not sure I agree with that. Right before the recession, BLS stats show that there were 140,000 people employed as architects and architectural designers in the US, plus 72,000 interior designers, 38,000 urban planners, and 27,000 landscape archs. Growth prospects were positive or middlng for archs, slightly worse for landscape archs and interior archs, and strong for planners.

A healthy economy requires the annual production of roughly 20 square feet of combined residential, commercial, retail, institutional and governmental building space for every man, woman and child in America. So we're sayng that 141,000 people are more than what's needed to do this work? Given that industry employment has grown on average at roughly the same rate as the economy as a whole, in the past, it seeks pretty unlikely.. unless American building requirements will lag economc growth at an increasing rate going forward.. which is simply untrue. In fact, the opposite is the case, as buildings constructed in two of the three post war boom periods reach end of life.

Things feel miserable now, but the future prospects for the industry seem decent to me. Right now, the need for buildings is there but structural problems in the economy a) prevent financing from being made available and b) there is a mismatch between where buildings of what kind are and where people need them to be.

joshuamings-

Thanks for the advice. I went to IU and finished my bachelors in management from the business school. I am still living in Bloomington, and thats why part of me was considering entering the interior design program here.

That would at least give me a feel for studio/design culture, but I have some reservations about going back for another bachelors from the same school. Its a safe route, but I think I am really after an m.arch as the end result. (Sidenote) I work for two insurance agencies, one in Bloomington and one in Nashville, so I am over towards Columbus quite a bit.

Urbanist-

I completely agree with your viewpoint on the economy and the job market. I realize things are bad out there, but as I read some of these discussions it gets really depressing. I feel for everyone out there that is unemployed, but things can't get much worse. Give it time and things will start to turn around.

When I started my undergrad in business, all my professors talked up the degree and how successful we would all be. Five years ago business grads from my school were taking no less than 50k starting salaries and 90%+ found jobs right out of school.

I graduated last year and the job market was horrible. Our campus career fairs had very few employers and every graduate was fighting even for jobs that paid less than 30k. Five years ago I would have told you I would make at least 60k out of school, but in reality I ended up with a job that pays enough to cover a mortgage, student loans, and food.

So its not just architecture, every recent grad is having trouble. On the positive side, this economy is partly responsible for why I am considering going back for architecture altogether. For me its not completely about the salary anymore. I am going to make what the market determines, but whatever that may be, I at least want to wake up and be passionate about my work.

Maybe that is unrealistic, or maybe I am an optimist, but at least I am trying to stay hopeful. For me, I don't think there could be a better time to get started on my m.arch.

cmarshalle, you could also do a summer architecture program. A number of schools offer them (UC-Berkeley, GSD, UT-Austin, Columbia, UIC, etc.). They range from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, and it might be a good way for you to test the waters of design school without committing to anything long term. It's also a great way to start putting a portfolio together, which would open up your school options.

If you decide you do want to pursue a M.Arch, I don't think you should limit yourself to one school option. People enter architecture masters programs from all sorts of backgrounds, including business. You could start working on projects now to put in your portfolio, and have something put together by next December's application deadlines. Because you are interested in going to design school, the process of creating your portfolio could be very enjoyable.

I don't have any words of advice for you about whether you should enter the profession or not, as I'm going to be just starting a M.Arch this fall, but if you have questions about the application process, let me know :)

Raviolo-

Thanks for the advice. I have actually spent most nights this week researching summer programs. I feel like I'm pushing it for this summer, but I am definitely going to apply to a few anyways and see what happens.

I agree that I should be considering more options. I don't want to limit myself and end up wasting money at the wrong school. That being said, I think a summer program would be a great way to get my portfolio started. I could also stay here in Indiana this fall and do the intro ID studio as well as a few design electives. Hopefully, that would give me enough experience to at least get a portfolio together for applications this winter.

If I am going to spend the money and go into a masters program, I want to get a good education, but are there any schools in particular that seem to be more accepting of applicants with nearly zero design experience? Obviously that was a major factor that made the BAC appealing. I've also been looking at Newschool.

I know picking the right school really depends on the individual, but just in general, what schools start with the most basic principles or have a greater number of "career changers" just starting in architecture? Are there any that come to mind?

No problem--I know the whole process can be really daunting. It's great that you are going to apply for a few summer programs. I did one last summer and it made such a difference for me. It was pretty stressful, with many late, late nights, but it was exhilarating.

You might want to re-frame the way you are viewing what you have to offer to schools. Architecture programs accept people from a wide variety of backgrounds not because they are looking for blank slates to fill, but because everyone will bring something different to the program, making the group more dynamic. You will bring your business background, someone else will bring their BFA background, and you will inform and push each other in new directions.

Because the majority of people entering a M.Arch I program come in with an undergrad degree in an area other than architecture, it is designed to try and bring everyone up to speed. Don't worry that you have zero design experience right now--by the time you apply, that won't be true! Between now and next December, you can take drawing classes, the intro ID studio, etc., and then you will put your portfolio together, which is a design project in itself. Instead of looking for a school that caters to what you know now, think about what you want to learn in school, and research schools that will support you in exploring issues that are interesting to you.

i agree with raviolo - summer programs (columbia, gsd, those are the ones i know) are a perfect intro to arch. school plus they are intense and a blast. if you enjoy the summer program you will enjoy arch. school. do not hesitate to apply to the best schools - they love people coming in with diff. backgrounds.

Thanks for all the help everyone. I just got started here a week ago and already I have learned a ton from the discussions. this is really a great resource!

I am feeling more excited and motivated about my future in architecture than ever. For now, I think I am going to to start with a summer intensive and then go back to Indiana University full time in the fall. At IU I will enter the interior design program and take the intro studio as well as a 3D drawing studio and a few other design courses. hopefully this will give me a good opportunity to get my portfolio ready for the 2011 m.arch apps.

Best case scenario, I get into a m.arch fall 2011. At worst, I take a summer intensive and decide this is a crazy idea and head back to the business world. Somewhere in between, I can always continue the ID program here at IU and finish that bachelors and/or continue applying to m.arch programs.

Thanks again for the help and I will definitely continue to use this site to help me along the way. I just hope I don't get fired for being absolutely addicted to this site. It is great! I think I spent 7.8 hours reading the discussions today and .2 hours in the restroom. And I made a pot of coffee. Not a bad day in the office...for an insurance agent anyways.

Summer programs are a great start. Find a good one, don't skimp. I went to RISD for a summer intro, one of the best experiences of my life (lotsa fun, incredibly well rounded intro and fairly brutal time commitment).


I'd get a dual degree (as I post in all of these "question" threads!) - MBA+MArch or MArch+MSRED (try a search, there are good schools that offer this, such as Columbia). That way you get a business masters as well as an arch masters. This would be, imho, the best 'bet, allow for the most flexibility later on, etc.

If you approach architecture with a business mind, you could find a niche in the market somewhere, and perhaps succeed with a different approach.

Its not worth it. The reality that is making your life hell right now is 100x worse inside the bowels of the arch profession.

I'm making my final escape this fall thank god.

Figure out what it is that you like about architecture and do something else that incorporates those things...like structural engineering, engineering in general.

Arch is dead. Unless you are itching to spend 24/7 in a cubicle reinventing your mastery of cad software every 10 months for little to negligible pay--->don't do it if you value your life and time on this planet.

Most likely though you will only be trqading your mid level crisis on the foodchain for a much lower level existence (like photoplankton/ protoplasmic status) on the foodchain.

In retrospect you'll porbably with you'd remained an anchovie...a small fish but at least a fish nonetheless and not a one-celled, asexual amoeba. Being an amoeba is a prerequisite to working within AIA approved paradigms.

I say go for it. I was in a similar situation and now I'm finishing up my MArch. I could never have anticipated the experience that I've had in school or working and wouldn't change it for the world. I know the outlook of the profession is grim at the moment but if you have a strong enough interest I would say it is worth the risk. PS - you don't have to sit at a cubicle if you don't want to.