I am looking for input on experience at Roger Williams BArch from a student's perspective and future employer persepective. I only located old information so far. Thanks for any thoughts!
Anon_grad2.0
Feb 25, 19 12:02 pm
I can’t tell if this is a serious question.....it’s not a BArch program. Honestly, I’ve never heard of that school.
Looked through the schools student work section, nothing really stood out.
arch1!
Feb 25, 19 10:17 pm
Thank you, and I appreciate you looking at the student work. I understand the difference in the degree offered now.
arch1!
Feb 25, 19 1:04 pm
Thank you for checking. I posted the question because it seemed unusual that it wasn't showing up on this board or not in a very long time. It is in Bristol RI, is a 5 year BArch, and the school information indicates that they have funding allotted to pay firms when students are placed for internships. Sites that ask students to rate their school talk about architecture as something that the school is known for. I hope to find out more from people outside of the school about how students are (or are not) prepared through the program... Thank you
Anon_grad2.0
Feb 25, 19 1:22 pm
Like I said, I’ve never heard of it. And it is NOT a BArch program. It is a BS Arch degree with a Master of Architecture required.
arch1!
Feb 25, 19 9:42 pm
Thank you for your replies, and I understand the degree offered now.
Non Sequitur
Feb 25, 19 1:08 pm
Never heard of the school.
arch1!
Feb 25, 19 9:42 pm
Thank you
arch1!
Feb 25, 19 10:15 pm
Thank you for your replies. I appreciate you looking at the student work.
eeayeeayo
Feb 25, 19 1:28 pm
The thing that they seem to be most known for is having one of the shortest routes to an M.Arch (students who complete its pre-professional 4-year undergrad architecture major are eligible for its 1.5-year M.Arch route, so 5.5 years total to an M.Arch.) My recollection is that they did have a B.Arch program years ago, and converted it to the 4+1.5 M.Arch 15 or 20 years ago.
The Roger Williams grads I've worked with have ranged from struggling to very good. The worst of them was someone who managed to get through architecture school AND a few years of a previous entry-level job without ever learning how to draw a section. That was pretty frustrating. I think any comprehensive curriculum should have some method of checking students off on the most basic of competencies - so I have some qualms about this program just because I know it's letting some people through the cracks with a degree in hand. But the better grads I've worked with were reasonably skilled and knowledgeable, and enthusiastic hard workers who held their own against any others of the east coast middle-of-the-pack type architecture grads. I'd probably pick a Roger Williams grad over a BAC or Wentworth grad, for instance, in terms of average technical knowledge, presentation skills, and work ethic.
arch1!
Feb 25, 19 10:15 pm
Thank you- I appreciate you explaining the pre-professional part required before the professional degree. I didn't recognize the difference when I looked at the number of years involved.
Sean!
Feb 25, 19 2:06 pm
I had a kid on my team who went there. I never heard of it before working with him but it turned out there were a few people from RW at our office. He was great. His Revit skills were awesome and he had really good soft skills. Definitely one of the better junior people I've worked with. And it was a really challenging project.
arch1!
Feb 25, 19 9:55 pm
Thank you- I appreciate it.
archinine
Feb 25, 19 8:12 pm
I know someone who went there. Never heard of it prior. He seemed competent enough. Nothing spectacular, but not terrible. That’s most architects and most schools. Like anything else it’s what you put in that determines what you’ll get out.
Do yourself a favor and apply to more than one school though. And make sure to research the work thoroughly. Don’t sign up for an insane amount of loans prior to really digging into what the program covers and if it really aligns with your interests. You’ll be showing your work from school for years when you first start out so make sure it’s work you want to talk about. You’ll have plenty of time at your future job to do boring stuff.
arch1!
Feb 25, 19 9:57 pm
Thank you for the information. I appreciate it.
placebeyondthesplines
Feb 25, 19 8:19 pm
Like anything else it’s what you put in that determines what you’ll get out.
this is such a laughably incomplete idea of what architectural academia is, and it's something only people who went to shitty schools ever say. better programs have stronger student populations and more accomplished faculty, both of which enable/force designers to create more thoughtful and intelligent projects.
randomised
Feb 26, 19 3:58 am
If "shitty" schools would lead to equally capable graduates as from top tier schools, those top tier schools could simply quit with their scholarships and close shop alltogether. But the (sad) fact is, it does rub off on you, if you are surrounded by the best and brightest you are pushed to do better yourself, you see that it can be done all around you. If all you see around you is mediocrity it is very difficult to even imagine something that's not mediocre.
archinine
Feb 26, 19 7:41 am
Sure spline, my ‘shitty’ top 10 school which counts among the alumni numerous starchitects. And yet at the school, which was not easy to get into, there were both strong and *gasp* lazy weak students. Obviously a stronger class of students will push one another. If a candidates options/finances/personal situation etc are limited, as we don’t know what reason OP is asking about this school, the question, is there a decent career or schooling to be had at this non ‘elite’ school. Based on the responses yes there is a career to be had if one puts in the effort. Same as one could finish an ivy program and go nowhere, and yes I’ve met some of those. They’re just ‘too good’ for the (few) firms willing to hire them. Are the odds better coming out of an ivy? Of course. Is one doomed by going to a lesser known (likely much cheaper) school? Doubtful.
Your reading comprehension skills are so incredible spline, you must have come out of one of these non ‘shitty’ schools. Probably the most elite one. Please tell us more about how smart you are and how you have literally nothing to add in response to the actual question.
placebeyondthesplines
Feb 26, 19 12:26 pm
settle down. obviously students don’t just walk into an ivy, do zero work, and become great architects. no one is suggesting that at all. the point (that you missed in favor of a petulant rant) was that strong students will benefit more from better programs. the (true but irresponsibly incomplete) idea that “you get out what you put in” is a way of equalizing schools that just are not comparable at any level.
geezertect
Feb 26, 19 9:58 am
Google shows average cost at $34k per year after aid, so you're looking at around $200k to get a professional credential (assuming I'm interpreting this correctly). Sounds pricey for an apparently obscure school. And, the fact that they pay the employer to take on their grads as interns sounds like they are trying to goose up their "placement" statistics. Proceed with caution on this one.
I am looking for input on experience at Roger Williams BArch from a student's perspective and future employer persepective. I only located old information so far. Thanks for any thoughts!
I can’t tell if this is a serious question.....it’s not a BArch program. Honestly, I’ve never heard of that school.
Looked through the schools student work section, nothing really stood out.
Thank you, and I appreciate you looking at the student work. I understand the difference in the degree offered now.
Thank you for checking. I posted the question because it seemed unusual that it wasn't showing up on this board or not in a very long time. It is in Bristol RI, is a 5 year BArch, and the school information indicates that they have funding allotted to pay firms when students are placed for internships. Sites that ask students to rate their school talk about architecture as something that the school is known for. I hope to find out more from people outside of the school about how students are (or are not) prepared through the program... Thank you
Like I said, I’ve never heard of it. And it is NOT a BArch program. It is a BS Arch degree with a Master of Architecture required.
Thank you for your replies, and I understand the degree offered now.
Never heard of the school.
Thank you
Thank you for your replies. I appreciate you looking at the student work.
The thing that they seem to be most known for is having one of the shortest routes to an M.Arch (students who complete its pre-professional 4-year undergrad architecture major are eligible for its 1.5-year M.Arch route, so 5.5 years total to an M.Arch.) My recollection is that they did have a B.Arch program years ago, and converted it to the 4+1.5 M.Arch 15 or 20 years ago.
The Roger Williams grads I've worked with have ranged from struggling to very good. The worst of them was someone who managed to get through architecture school AND a few years of a previous entry-level job without ever learning how to draw a section. That was pretty frustrating. I think any comprehensive curriculum should have some method of checking students off on the most basic of competencies - so I have some qualms about this program just because I know it's letting some people through the cracks with a degree in hand. But the better grads I've worked with were reasonably skilled and knowledgeable, and enthusiastic hard workers who held their own against any others of the east coast middle-of-the-pack type architecture grads. I'd probably pick a Roger Williams grad over a BAC or Wentworth grad, for instance, in terms of average technical knowledge, presentation skills, and work ethic.
Thank you- I appreciate you explaining the pre-professional part required before the professional degree. I didn't recognize the difference when I looked at the number of years involved.
I had a kid on my team who went there. I never heard of it before working with him but it turned out there were a few people from RW at our office. He was great. His Revit skills were awesome and he had really good soft skills. Definitely one of the better junior people I've worked with. And it was a really challenging project.
Thank you- I appreciate it.
I know someone who went there. Never heard of it prior. He seemed competent enough. Nothing spectacular, but not terrible. That’s most architects and most schools. Like anything else it’s what you put in that determines what you’ll get out.
Do yourself a favor and apply to more than one school though. And make sure to research the work thoroughly. Don’t sign up for an insane amount of loans prior to really digging into what the program covers and if it really aligns with your interests. You’ll be showing your work from school for years when you first start out so make sure it’s work you want to talk about. You’ll have plenty of time at your future job to do boring stuff.
Thank you for the information. I appreciate it.
Like anything else it’s what you put in that determines what you’ll get out.
this is such a laughably incomplete idea of what architectural academia is, and it's something only people who went to shitty schools ever say. better programs have stronger student populations and more accomplished faculty, both of which enable/force designers to create more thoughtful and intelligent projects.
If "shitty" schools would lead to equally capable graduates as from top tier schools, those top tier schools could simply quit with their scholarships and close shop alltogether. But the (sad) fact is, it does rub off on you, if you are surrounded by the best and brightest you are pushed to do better yourself, you see that it can be done all around you. If all you see around you is mediocrity it is very difficult to even imagine something that's not mediocre.
Sure spline, my ‘shitty’ top 10 school which counts among the alumni numerous starchitects. And yet at the school, which was not easy to get into, there were both strong and *gasp* lazy weak students. Obviously a stronger class of students will push one another. If a candidates options/finances/personal situation etc are limited, as we don’t know what reason OP is asking about this school, the question, is there a decent career or schooling to be had at this non ‘elite’ school. Based on the responses yes there is a career to be had if one puts in the effort. Same as one could finish an ivy program and go nowhere, and yes I’ve met some of those. They’re just ‘too good’ for the (few) firms willing to hire them. Are the odds better coming out of an ivy? Of course. Is one doomed by going to a lesser known (likely much cheaper) school? Doubtful.
Your reading comprehension skills are so incredible spline, you must have come out of one of these non ‘shitty’ schools. Probably the most elite one. Please tell us more about how smart you are and how you have literally nothing to add in response to the actual question.
settle down. obviously students don’t just walk into an ivy, do zero work, and become great architects. no one is suggesting that at all. the point (that you missed in favor of a petulant rant) was that strong students will benefit more from better programs. the (true but irresponsibly incomplete) idea that “you get out what you put in” is a way of equalizing schools that just are not comparable at any level.
Google shows average cost at $34k per year after aid, so you're looking at around $200k to get a professional credential (assuming I'm interpreting this correctly). Sounds pricey for an apparently obscure school. And, the fact that they pay the employer to take on their grads as interns sounds like they are trying to goose up their "placement" statistics. Proceed with caution on this one.