I want to approach this in the most genuine way possible and want to avoid any accusations of bigotry, xenophobia or racism, as that is not at all where I am coming from as a POC myself.
I was recently placed in a studio class of about 35 students, of which I would say almost 30 are international students and all but one of those being of chinese descent. I was looking forward to studio being a mixed bag of people from all across the world providing varied artistic insights but so far it seems like everyone is grouping by demographic and that doesn’t promise to change much based on past experiences at schools w heavy international populations.
I am having a hard time with it because this will be the same group i am around for the next 3 years if I see this program out, and I know my individual work will speak for itself, but I was really looking forward to the open, collaborative social and artistic environment that even other classes at this same school seem to have, and so far have felt very isolated with very little hope of it changing much to sway it in a positive direction
Does anyone have any advice or experience in this area? Please advise and please understand I come from a place of compassion and understanding
OddArchitect
Sep 3, 19 6:26 pm
Talk with everyone. Ask if they want to hang out. Volunteer information about case studies or assignments that may be helpful.
It's probably that in the group of young adults this could be their first time away from home so they're just looking for something familiar.
citizen
Sep 3, 19 9:17 pm
+++
AlinaF
Sep 3, 19 9:12 pm
What is the overall percentage of international students in your school? Usually, schools with greater than normal groups of foreign students are low quality institutions which maximise their intake of Asian students to pocket the high level fees.
How many professors does your studio have? 35 students per professor is a rather high student to staff ratio, which is another indication of the school's quality. The higher the ratio the less contact time per student the poorer the work produced. Can you ask to move to another studio? Speak to the head of the program and explain that you want to move for reasons of academic interest. Or consider going to a better school altogether.
surprise_drug_test
Sep 4, 19 3:42 pm
it’s about a 60/40 ratio at a school of around 500 but it doesn’t really feel that dramatic as the school itself is very diverse with students from about 40 different countries. When I say “studio” I should clarify that this is the entirety of my incoming masters program, and we will all be assigned to the same classes that’s are locked in so there’s no “different studio” to switch into. The class itself is broken into 3 so the
instructor ratio is 10-1
archanonymous
Sep 3, 19 9:19 pm
Regardless of whether you have a super-diverse class or the most homogenous one in existence, you will be best served by looking OUTSIDE the architecture school for inspiration, connections, friendships, relationships, etc...
Take a step back and remember that probably the worst thing you could ever do for your career is to surround yourself with architects, no matter their race, gender, or origins.
flatroof
Sep 4, 19 8:29 pm
The language barrier will be tough. Some students outright cheat on the TOEFL to get a high score even though their spoken English is poor as well as having admissions essays written for them in English. This is why a few prestigious schools are doing Skype interviews with international students to see if they actually have the English skills their scores and essays claim they have.
International students for the most part pay full cash for tuition, so schools that are low quality or are low enrollment will try to fill their classes with them, getting your M.Arch STEM-OPT approved is an ATM for Arch schools.
I noticed in my school that Chinese students tended to stick together since their English isn't very good and they already have a large resource for friends with other Chinese students.
The language barrier is an issue in teaching, during reviews, and getting feedback. Getting/giving advice from fellow students is hard when you can't communicate well.
I don't blame the students, I blame the schools for chasing $$$$ by accepting them, not doing due diligence and doing a disservice to American students as well as foreign ones.
I want to approach this in the most genuine way possible and want to avoid any accusations of bigotry, xenophobia or racism, as that is not at all where I am coming from as a POC myself.
I was recently placed in a studio class of about 35 students, of which I would say almost 30 are international students and all but one of those being of chinese descent. I was looking forward to studio being a mixed bag of people from all across the world providing varied artistic insights but so far it seems like everyone is grouping by demographic and that doesn’t promise to change much based on past experiences at schools w heavy international populations.
I am having a hard time with it because this will be the same group i am around for the next 3 years if I see this program out, and I know my individual work will speak for itself, but I was really looking forward to the open, collaborative social and artistic environment that even other classes at this same school seem to have, and so far have felt very isolated with very little hope of it changing much to sway it in a positive direction
Does anyone have any advice or experience in this area? Please advise and please understand I come from a place of compassion and understanding
Talk with everyone. Ask if they want to hang out. Volunteer information about case studies or assignments that may be helpful.
It's probably that in the group of young adults this could be their first time away from home so they're just looking for something familiar.
+++
What is the overall percentage of international students in your school? Usually, schools with greater than normal groups of foreign students are low quality institutions which maximise their intake of Asian students to pocket the high level fees.
How many professors does your studio have? 35 students per professor is a rather high student to staff ratio, which is another indication of the school's quality. The higher the ratio the less contact time per student the poorer the work produced. Can you ask to move to another studio? Speak to the head of the program and explain that you want to move for reasons of academic interest. Or consider going to a better school altogether.
it’s about a 60/40 ratio at a school of around 500 but it doesn’t really feel that dramatic as the school itself is very diverse with students from about 40 different countries. When I say “studio” I should clarify that this is the entirety of my incoming masters program, and we will all be assigned to the same classes that’s are locked in so there’s no “different studio” to switch into. The class itself is broken into 3 so the
instructor ratio is 10-1
Regardless of whether you have a super-diverse class or the most homogenous one in existence, you will be best served by looking OUTSIDE the architecture school for inspiration, connections, friendships, relationships, etc...
Take a step back and remember that probably the worst thing you could ever do for your career is to surround yourself with architects, no matter their race, gender, or origins.
The language barrier will be tough. Some students outright cheat on the TOEFL to get a high score even though their spoken English is poor as well as having admissions essays written for them in English. This is why a few prestigious schools are doing Skype interviews with international students to see if they actually have the English skills their scores and essays claim they have.
International students for the most part pay full cash for tuition, so schools that are low quality or are low enrollment will try to fill their classes with them, getting your M.Arch STEM-OPT approved is an ATM for Arch schools.
I noticed in my school that Chinese students tended to stick together since their English isn't very good and they already have a large resource for friends with other Chinese students.
The language barrier is an issue in teaching, during reviews, and getting feedback. Getting/giving advice from fellow students is hard when you can't communicate well.
I don't blame the students, I blame the schools for chasing $$$$ by accepting them, not doing due diligence and doing a disservice to American students as well as foreign ones.