I've been researching the programs I'm interested in for Fall 2017, and the financial aid picture is a little murky. Some of the state schools on my list seem to have several merit-based scholarships, full in some cases, whereas others (i.e. GSD) are much more mysterious. Penn mentions that students are considered for merit scholarships (but doesn't list amounts), and GSD doesn't mention anything about merit at all. At least in terms of GSD M.Arch. students, I've seen people post here about receiving grant awards that seem to be above the maximum prescribed need-based amount from the GSD handbook. There are also rumors on other forums that people are going to GSD on full rides. Can anyone clear this up for me (in the cases of Penn and GSD particularly)?
Thanks!
Marc Miller
Aug 8, 16 12:53 pm
Admission committee processes and financial aid opportunities are program and institution specific so there is no clear cut, formulaic answer. In some cases funding for graduates students is fluid from year to year. I would suggest actually interviewing at each of the schools in the fall and asking that question directly. Having known people who have attended a range of programs at the graduate level on the east coast, you need to be persistent and never take the funding question for granted.
Dangermouse
Aug 8, 16 1:28 pm
I have a 'full ride' to the GSD for MLA I (I pay 3k out-of-pocket per year, the rest is covered by grants and work study). I did get a merit grant and a need-based grant. None of my grants were above the maximum prescribed amount.
I didn't apply to Penn, so I can't help you there. But I have heard of people e-mailing richard weller to ask if Penn will match their GSD awards.
iiDe
Aug 8, 16 1:44 pm
I see, thanks. I suppose my question was less about concrete amounts, but whether anyone on here had any more examples (if they know someone or have been accepted into one of the programs I mentioned). What had me confused in the case of GSD was someone on here in the M.Arch. acceptance thread mentioning they had a scholarship *and* need-based grant from GSD, where on the GSD website it doesn't mention the existence of aid other than need-based grants.
Additionally, based on some threads I've found on Gradcafe and elsewhere, it would appear that merit-based aid at PennDesign is fairly new. Is that true? I've only ever found traces of people over the last 7 years or so saying all they got was an insubstantial need-based grant, so I wanted to poke around to see what a merit-based scholarship could entail. Even knowing the funding changes year-to-year, and that anything based on merit is very individualized, it would help me tremendously to get an idea of what's possible. It's been harder to get a picture of what the funding and admissions pictures are as a prospective MLA I student versus M.Arch. I.
edit: Dangermouse (named for the artist? nice!), I'm happy to hear that. What was your background prior to GSD? My GPA and GRE are fine for a program like GSD, but those are less important than the portfolio, so I'm going back half-time this fall to grab my drawing credit and improve the design and content of my portfolio.
Dangermouse
Aug 8, 16 2:35 pm
I have a pre-professional design degree from a nowhere state school. I spent a solid month of full-time work putting together my portfolio.
iiDe
Aug 8, 16 4:03 pm
Since you applied for the MLA I program, am I right in assuming your portfolio content was mostly unrelated to landscape architecture? My undergrad degree is in geography, so I've got a relevant knowledge basis for LA but I'm going back half-time this fall to take a couple design and fine arts courses. I have some photography and sketches I know I'd like to include, but with the drawing course this fall, I hope to produce some decent renderings as well. For an MLA I, the portfolio should be more a demonstration of how you think, right? I'll be including a couple GIS projects in there to supplement, but without a design background I'm not sure what kind of personal project I should take on. I'd love to reproduce a home design I did for a drafting course in high school, but it feels too loose to just make up constraints.
Dangermouse
Aug 8, 16 4:26 pm
Yes, it should demonstrate how you think. I don't have renderings in my portfolio, just diagrams, sections, elevations/axonometrics, and models. I like sexy renderings but they aren't how I think, so I left them out. It was also helpful for me to show process work. Don't worry about making up constraints. Most constrains are self inflicted. Since you don't come from a design background, your personal statement is where you'll say why you want to study at each program.
Hi all,
I've been researching the programs I'm interested in for Fall 2017, and the financial aid picture is a little murky. Some of the state schools on my list seem to have several merit-based scholarships, full in some cases, whereas others (i.e. GSD) are much more mysterious. Penn mentions that students are considered for merit scholarships (but doesn't list amounts), and GSD doesn't mention anything about merit at all. At least in terms of GSD M.Arch. students, I've seen people post here about receiving grant awards that seem to be above the maximum prescribed need-based amount from the GSD handbook. There are also rumors on other forums that people are going to GSD on full rides. Can anyone clear this up for me (in the cases of Penn and GSD particularly)?
Thanks!
Admission committee processes and financial aid opportunities are program and institution specific so there is no clear cut, formulaic answer. In some cases funding for graduates students is fluid from year to year. I would suggest actually interviewing at each of the schools in the fall and asking that question directly. Having known people who have attended a range of programs at the graduate level on the east coast, you need to be persistent and never take the funding question for granted.
I have a 'full ride' to the GSD for MLA I (I pay 3k out-of-pocket per year, the rest is covered by grants and work study). I did get a merit grant and a need-based grant. None of my grants were above the maximum prescribed amount.
I didn't apply to Penn, so I can't help you there. But I have heard of people e-mailing richard weller to ask if Penn will match their GSD awards.
I see, thanks. I suppose my question was less about concrete amounts, but whether anyone on here had any more examples (if they know someone or have been accepted into one of the programs I mentioned). What had me confused in the case of GSD was someone on here in the M.Arch. acceptance thread mentioning they had a scholarship *and* need-based grant from GSD, where on the GSD website it doesn't mention the existence of aid other than need-based grants.
Additionally, based on some threads I've found on Gradcafe and elsewhere, it would appear that merit-based aid at PennDesign is fairly new. Is that true? I've only ever found traces of people over the last 7 years or so saying all they got was an insubstantial need-based grant, so I wanted to poke around to see what a merit-based scholarship could entail. Even knowing the funding changes year-to-year, and that anything based on merit is very individualized, it would help me tremendously to get an idea of what's possible. It's been harder to get a picture of what the funding and admissions pictures are as a prospective MLA I student versus M.Arch. I.
edit: Dangermouse (named for the artist? nice!), I'm happy to hear that. What was your background prior to GSD? My GPA and GRE are fine for a program like GSD, but those are less important than the portfolio, so I'm going back half-time this fall to grab my drawing credit and improve the design and content of my portfolio.
I have a pre-professional design degree from a nowhere state school. I spent a solid month of full-time work putting together my portfolio.
Since you applied for the MLA I program, am I right in assuming your portfolio content was mostly unrelated to landscape architecture? My undergrad degree is in geography, so I've got a relevant knowledge basis for LA but I'm going back half-time this fall to take a couple design and fine arts courses. I have some photography and sketches I know I'd like to include, but with the drawing course this fall, I hope to produce some decent renderings as well. For an MLA I, the portfolio should be more a demonstration of how you think, right? I'll be including a couple GIS projects in there to supplement, but without a design background I'm not sure what kind of personal project I should take on. I'd love to reproduce a home design I did for a drafting course in high school, but it feels too loose to just make up constraints.
Yes, it should demonstrate how you think. I don't have renderings in my portfolio, just diagrams, sections, elevations/axonometrics, and models. I like sexy renderings but they aren't how I think, so I left them out. It was also helpful for me to show process work. Don't worry about making up constraints. Most constrains are self inflicted. Since you don't come from a design background, your personal statement is where you'll say why you want to study at each program.