Current graduating B.Arch student here, going to Columbia for an MSAUD soon! I was wondering if anyone had advice for incoming students to a post-professional program related to time management or work load.
I'll likely be working part time (casually on campus) to help fund my education and would love to maintaining a good personal life but am a bit nervous about how different my grad school experience will be compared to my undergrad. I go to a top 10 undergrad school right now and can pretty confidently say I have my work-life balance down, with I take 5 classes a semester and TA multiple classes while somehow managing to sleep 5-8 hrs, but it seems like so many people become stressed and sleepless in grad school? Would love to hear current/past grad students' thoughts, even if it's not for GSAPP.
newbie.Phronesis
Apr 15, 23 11:43 am
Hi eiffel, working part-time alongside a full course load AND having a life outside studio probably won't happen, but does depend on your school, advisor, and ofc personal goals + skillset. Less sure on the US, but for Canada the M.Arch is sizeable skill step above bachelors; it's also far more self-driven, which is partly where the sleeplessness and stress comes from...
My two-cents advice would be to work and be at studio continuously, viewing grad school as a marathon not a sprint - take breaks when needed but don't slack off for weeks, as you may need to present suddenly. Aim less for "finished work" and more for quality design progress can periodically discuss with your advisor to improve. And don't be afraid to drop a course partway if you need to. Hope that helps!
eiffeldown
Apr 15, 23 3:44 pm
hey! thanks for your response and advice. :) I think the normal for GSAPP is 3 courses, so I'm hoping to take just the normal 3 and build my schedule around it, which will hopefully help? we also don't have a thesis program, so hopefully that'll cut down on some of the time that I'm wasting stuck in my thoughts...
newbie.Phronesis
Apr 15, 23 7:43 pm
Sticking to three should definitely help! :) Careful to not take on too much additional work though - might seem manageable at first, but...
ahjun
Apr 16, 23 4:00 pm
I'm planning to attend Carletons M.Arch program. Any tips? I'm taking on TA'ship to cover some of my tuition fees. Is that an issue?
ahjun
Apr 16, 23 4:01 pm
I am international student as well.
newbie.Phronesis
Apr 18, 23 10:27 pm
Same as above really, though: TA's usually a good gig while studying, and professors tend to be flexible when studio deadlines come up :)
Non Sequitur
Apr 18, 23 10:59 pm
Strange to piggy back on a US-specific comment to ask about a Canadian university less than 5 people on the forum even know about. Ahjun, were you offered a TA position at Carleton? Grad school work load is equal to a full time job, often 1.5 full-time jobs, in addition to your other courses/labs deliverables.
eiffeldown
Apr 19, 23 1:54 am
Yeah, on that note, I'd love if someone from a US university attending a post-professional program could give some advice on my original question too!
ahjun
Apr 19, 23 5:56 am
@Non Sequitur
ahjun
Apr 19, 23 5:57 am
Yes I got accepted into Carleton 2 yr program, with TA and little scholarship. Overall it seems comparatively affordable than the others I'm offered currently TMU & ManitobaU (Still waiting on Waterloo)
Hi all,
Current graduating B.Arch student here, going to Columbia for an MSAUD soon! I was wondering if anyone had advice for incoming students to a post-professional program related to time management or work load.
I'll likely be working part time (casually on campus) to help fund my education and would love to maintaining a good personal life but am a bit nervous about how different my grad school experience will be compared to my undergrad. I go to a top 10 undergrad school right now and can pretty confidently say I have my work-life balance down, with I take 5 classes a semester and TA multiple classes while somehow managing to sleep 5-8 hrs, but it seems like so many people become stressed and sleepless in grad school? Would love to hear current/past grad students' thoughts, even if it's not for GSAPP.
Hi eiffel, working part-time alongside a full course load AND having a life outside studio probably won't happen, but does depend on your school, advisor, and ofc personal goals + skillset. Less sure on the US, but for Canada the M.Arch is sizeable skill step above bachelors; it's also far more self-driven, which is partly where the sleeplessness and stress comes from...
My two-cents advice would be to work and be at studio continuously, viewing grad school as a marathon not a sprint - take breaks when needed but don't slack off for weeks, as you may need to present suddenly. Aim less for "finished work" and more for quality design progress can periodically discuss with your advisor to improve. And don't be afraid to drop a course partway if you need to. Hope that helps!
hey! thanks for your response and advice. :) I think the normal for GSAPP is 3 courses, so I'm hoping to take just the normal 3 and build my schedule around it, which will hopefully help? we also don't have a thesis program, so hopefully that'll cut down on some of the time that I'm wasting stuck in my thoughts...
Sticking to three should definitely help! :) Careful to not take on too much additional work though - might seem manageable at first, but...
I'm planning to attend Carletons M.Arch program. Any tips? I'm taking on TA'ship to cover some of my tuition fees. Is that an issue?
I am international student as well.
Same as above really, though: TA's usually a good gig while studying, and professors tend to be flexible when studio deadlines come up :)
Strange to piggy back on a US-specific comment to ask about a Canadian university less than 5 people on the forum even know about. Ahjun, were you offered a TA position at Carleton? Grad school work load is equal to a full time job, often 1.5 full-time jobs, in addition to your other courses/labs deliverables.
Yeah, on that note, I'd love if someone from a US university attending a post-professional program could give some advice on my original question too!
@Non Sequitur
Yes I got accepted into Carleton 2 yr program, with TA and little scholarship. Overall it seems comparatively affordable than the others I'm offered currently TMU & ManitobaU (Still waiting on Waterloo)