Hello everyone I'm new here and don't know how to navigate the site so please excuse me if this thread has already been made(link me to existing thread if u find it necessary).
Unlike some of my peers who are already in the Uni I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life until recently. I have been attending a local community college close to home and had given up on Architecture since I didn't get accepted to the Uni I wanted to go to; but then I realized If I didn't study Architecture I would end up regretting It as an adult.
So I'm here seeking help.
How would one go about getting accepted into and undergraduate program in Architecture with a poor gpa(due to lack of motivation)?
I live in the states. Would I have a chance getting accepted to a school in Europe?
I'm 19yo going on 20
I have a Photography Profolio
gpa 2.0
..........
Mar 17, 14 12:43 pm
You really need to work on your academics if you want to go to architecture school. If you don't mind me asking, why is your GPA so low? Not to be mean, but wouldn't wanting to eventually study architecture be motivation enough. I think most schools require at least a 3.0 to transfer, but don't let that discourage you. Architecture is very demanding, it's not hard, but it requires commitment.
24arches
Mar 17, 14 12:52 pm
You're only 19 and probably like only like a dozen courses into college. Get the GPA up over time and rebound--everyone gets rejected in life and it's not the end of the world. I know community colleges generally let you retake courses so redo them with sincere effort and consider it a second chance.
You can either transfer to an undergrad program in due time or study something else (might help you sort things out as a young adult) and then apply for a Master's at a later stage in life. Don't stress too much about picking the right path right now--focus on getting the education foundation to a point where aren't constantly worrying over it. Academics isn't crucial to how good of an architect one can be but there is a minimum threshold.
curtkram
Mar 17, 14 1:17 pm
you can't just ignore the community college time and start over with no gpa?
thisisnotmyname
Mar 17, 14 3:50 pm
Boston Architectural Center has open admissions, meaning that only a high school diploma is needed to enter. I think there may be a handful of other architectural schools in the USA with open admissions as well.
Menona
Mar 17, 14 4:04 pm
Before you go worrying about an architecture degree, or your GPA for that matter, get some technical skill in the drafting programs (from a community college or private classes) and then get the entry level CAD monkey job at an architectural firm. This will give you some work experience and information about the profession. Take a look for a year or two. If you still want to go to arch school, then you'll have some of the skills that will help you produce projects in school and you'll be able to prove that you know something about the discipline. This will benefit you greatly.
IF (note the caps) you can find a job for a couple of years AND you still like the profession, THEN go and take on the massive debt load and put forth the effort for the degree. The thing here is that finding work is not the easiest thing (with or without a degree these days) and then the cost of an education may or may not be worth it to you. This is what I wish someone had told me tens of thousands of dollars ago.
Best of luck to you though.
thisisnotmyname
Mar 17, 14 5:42 pm
Yeah, any CAD or BIM or computer art training you could do at the CC level would be a smart move before starting architecture school. Maybe some building trades or construction courses too.
Minn.Sam
Mar 18, 14 12:47 am
Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it. I'm not to concerned about the difficulty during school or after, while trying to seek employment. This is just knowledge I want to acquire before my time runs up. Being able to study the history and practice that is architecture; in a formal environment such as academia will be rewarding enough. Once I finish schooling up to the M.Arch level I can be happy knowing I have learned a wealth of knowledge and fulfilled a lifetime goal.
So my question is should I pursue an AA in Art(while raising my gpa & learning necessary CAD and drafting skills) then transfer to a Uni?
I know this is a lot but I was also thinking about moving to NYC(I've saved enough for 3 months rent) so that I could get into the right social groups/ network with artists and designers while trying to start up a clothing brand and hopefully make a chair in the next two years.
For reference I live in Minnesota of all places, not to many opportunities for decent CAD courses or internships relating to the field.
placebeyondthesplines
Mar 18, 14 2:01 am
Don't move to NYC without a job or admittance to a school. That's just idiotic. Social groups and networking won't pay your rent, and you'll end up back in Minnesota sooner than you think.
Your time isn't going to be "up." You might not finish at some typical meaningless prescribed graduation age, but so what?
My advice: start with where you are. Start fucking crushing it at the community college. Get the GPA up. Transfer to a decent 4-year college (in anything that academically interests you, not just architecture). If you still want to do an M.Arch at that point, go for it.
But know that between now and then, you're going to have to be absolutely dedicated to exceptionally high grades. No more of whatever screwing around got you that 2.0.
Source: A long time ago, I was twice on academic suspension at a community college. Got my shit together, transferred to a good state school, graduated, attended a top-5 M.Arch program.
Your biggest obstacle right now is you.
Micah Macaulay
Mar 18, 14 2:15 am
Also, Minnesota is not even remotely close to a bad place for internships in architecture / exposure to technical courses. The University of Minnesota offers a great CAD course, although you must be enrolled in the College of Design.
There are several good firms in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and the art scene in the Twin Cities is very tight knit. Whereabouts in Minnesota are you, exactly? I did my undergrad at the U and grew up in the area.
Minn.Sam
Mar 19, 14 10:24 pm
@m.mac Sweet. I live just 20min from Minneapolis in Anoka County although I've lived in the southern metro and spent a brief time in St.Paul(Central High) during high school. I've already applied at a few ad agencies but I'll keep applying(not sure if its too late). What did u study for your undergraduate? Are you currently pursuing an M.Arch? and Where?
Micah Macaulay
Mar 19, 14 10:31 pm
@Minn.Sam
I have a bachelor's degree in Environmental Design from the U, and am currently pursuing a dual MLA/M.Arch degree. I'm in the MLA program at Oregon currently, but am strongly considering a relocation to Washington University in St. Louis for their dual MLA/M.Arch in the fall.
Minn.Sam
Mar 20, 14 12:04 am
@m.mac Sick! One of the things that actually drew me to the field of Architecture was the possibilities of integrating the natural enviroment w/ modern cityscapes and finding ways for citizens in an urban environment to be able to interact with nature more intimately. I'm interested to know, how was your experience at the U? Did u find enough stimulation from your peers and professors?
anonitect
Mar 20, 14 2:14 pm
Are you sure that your lack of motivation is a thing of the past? Are there other factors which have kept you from succeeding in school?
If you are sure that you're ready, finish your associate's - no reason for a person of reasonable intelligence to do less than A work at community college, then find a program and buckle down.
But, if you are unsure, my advice would be to head off to NY (or LA, or Chicago, or S.F.) for a couple of years, work construction (arch. schools love people who actually know how things are put together,) be young, have fun, and then head back to school when you've mellowed out some- see if you actually maintain your interest in the subject.
You can learn a lot on your own in a big city - buildings to draw, museums to haunt, people to meet, etc.
I was a total fuck-up at your age. Dropped out of school at 20, tried again too soon, and didn't finish up until later. It worked out, though- I got my M.Arch, and I'm happy I did - it's not what I wanted to do at 20, though.
Fischer Moth
Jun 9, 14 5:29 am
@thisisnotmyname I don't have a GPA. lol. Maybe a list of open admission schools?
Ignorance is definitely a hard thing - had I known alot of what I know now I'd be better off. So I dropped out of a carpentry/masonry course with a month or so to graduate - chould I salvage this to try and improve my chances?
In the Caribbean we focus heavily on grades earned at single sittings (exams). I've done well. I have 4 (2)'s and 3 (1)'s at O's and 4 (1)'s, A, and 2 (D)'s at A's. I've spent the last six years making films - animations and comics, writing scripts, working in the bank and a whole lot of other nothings. Got a few prizes for some of my work. I have certification in some of these things (not sure about accreditation though.)
I think I'm scared of what my chances are of getting into AA. You think I should work on getting that construction experience up to par ( i really hated the manual labor). I've been looking at some courses in Trinidad that are free - some construction courses. I'm 25 and still pretty much a bitch.
accesskb
Jun 9, 14 7:11 am
If you're really passionate about architecture (we're we all at some point before becoming jaded), go back and raise your GPA. Everyone who gets accepted had to work hard and you ain't getting a freebie (unless maybe your dad is filthy rich and got connections). If you can't get your GPA up even after a few tries, forget architecture. Its brutal and you will likely not survive. Its not art and not photography where you can paint anything or shoot anything and just b.s your way through... Well, Architecture is full of b.s also and a heck lot more.
MyDream
Nov 23, 15 6:16 pm
My god I'm just starting to see how hard it is to get into a university, Jesus. I have a mountain of attempted hours though from cc. I'm getting old, (28) and I only have a 3.1 gpa I think my chances are dwindling. I'm having problems and I am going to have to get a A.A and try and transfer to University of Miami, Florida, usf, or FIU. If I get rejected I''l have to finish a Bs.ET with a construction concentration then apply for grad school.
Hello everyone I'm new here and don't know how to navigate the site so please excuse me if this thread has already been made(link me to existing thread if u find it necessary).
Unlike some of my peers who are already in the Uni I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life until recently. I have been attending a local community college close to home and had given up on Architecture since I didn't get accepted to the Uni I wanted to go to; but then I realized If I didn't study Architecture I would end up regretting It as an adult.
So I'm here seeking help.
How would one go about getting accepted into and undergraduate program in Architecture with a poor gpa(due to lack of motivation)?
I live in the states. Would I have a chance getting accepted to a school in Europe?
I'm 19yo going on 20
I have a Photography Profolio
gpa 2.0
You really need to work on your academics if you want to go to architecture school. If you don't mind me asking, why is your GPA so low? Not to be mean, but wouldn't wanting to eventually study architecture be motivation enough. I think most schools require at least a 3.0 to transfer, but don't let that discourage you. Architecture is very demanding, it's not hard, but it requires commitment.
You're only 19 and probably like only like a dozen courses into college. Get the GPA up over time and rebound--everyone gets rejected in life and it's not the end of the world. I know community colleges generally let you retake courses so redo them with sincere effort and consider it a second chance.
You can either transfer to an undergrad program in due time or study something else (might help you sort things out as a young adult) and then apply for a Master's at a later stage in life. Don't stress too much about picking the right path right now--focus on getting the education foundation to a point where aren't constantly worrying over it. Academics isn't crucial to how good of an architect one can be but there is a minimum threshold.
you can't just ignore the community college time and start over with no gpa?
Boston Architectural Center has open admissions, meaning that only a high school diploma is needed to enter. I think there may be a handful of other architectural schools in the USA with open admissions as well.
Before you go worrying about an architecture degree, or your GPA for that matter, get some technical skill in the drafting programs (from a community college or private classes) and then get the entry level CAD monkey job at an architectural firm. This will give you some work experience and information about the profession. Take a look for a year or two. If you still want to go to arch school, then you'll have some of the skills that will help you produce projects in school and you'll be able to prove that you know something about the discipline. This will benefit you greatly.
IF (note the caps) you can find a job for a couple of years AND you still like the profession, THEN go and take on the massive debt load and put forth the effort for the degree. The thing here is that finding work is not the easiest thing (with or without a degree these days) and then the cost of an education may or may not be worth it to you. This is what I wish someone had told me tens of thousands of dollars ago.
Best of luck to you though.
Yeah, any CAD or BIM or computer art training you could do at the CC level would be a smart move before starting architecture school. Maybe some building trades or construction courses too.
Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it. I'm not to concerned about the difficulty during school or after, while trying to seek employment. This is just knowledge I want to acquire before my time runs up. Being able to study the history and practice that is architecture; in a formal environment such as academia will be rewarding enough. Once I finish schooling up to the M.Arch level I can be happy knowing I have learned a wealth of knowledge and fulfilled a lifetime goal.
So my question is should I pursue an AA in Art(while raising my gpa & learning necessary CAD and drafting skills) then transfer to a Uni?
I know this is a lot but I was also thinking about moving to NYC(I've saved enough for 3 months rent) so that I could get into the right social groups/ network with artists and designers while trying to start up a clothing brand and hopefully make a chair in the next two years.
For reference I live in Minnesota of all places, not to many opportunities for decent CAD courses or internships relating to the field.
Don't move to NYC without a job or admittance to a school. That's just idiotic. Social groups and networking won't pay your rent, and you'll end up back in Minnesota sooner than you think.
Your time isn't going to be "up." You might not finish at some typical meaningless prescribed graduation age, but so what?
My advice: start with where you are. Start fucking crushing it at the community college. Get the GPA up. Transfer to a decent 4-year college (in anything that academically interests you, not just architecture). If you still want to do an M.Arch at that point, go for it.
But know that between now and then, you're going to have to be absolutely dedicated to exceptionally high grades. No more of whatever screwing around got you that 2.0.
Source: A long time ago, I was twice on academic suspension at a community college. Got my shit together, transferred to a good state school, graduated, attended a top-5 M.Arch program.
Your biggest obstacle right now is you.
Also, Minnesota is not even remotely close to a bad place for internships in architecture / exposure to technical courses. The University of Minnesota offers a great CAD course, although you must be enrolled in the College of Design.
There are several good firms in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and the art scene in the Twin Cities is very tight knit. Whereabouts in Minnesota are you, exactly? I did my undergrad at the U and grew up in the area.
@m.mac Sweet. I live just 20min from Minneapolis in Anoka County although I've lived in the southern metro and spent a brief time in St.Paul(Central High) during high school. I've already applied at a few ad agencies but I'll keep applying(not sure if its too late). What did u study for your undergraduate? Are you currently pursuing an M.Arch? and Where?
@Minn.Sam
I have a bachelor's degree in Environmental Design from the U, and am currently pursuing a dual MLA/M.Arch degree. I'm in the MLA program at Oregon currently, but am strongly considering a relocation to Washington University in St. Louis for their dual MLA/M.Arch in the fall.
@m.mac Sick! One of the things that actually drew me to the field of Architecture was the possibilities of integrating the natural enviroment w/ modern cityscapes and finding ways for citizens in an urban environment to be able to interact with nature more intimately. I'm interested to know, how was your experience at the U? Did u find enough stimulation from your peers and professors?
Are you sure that your lack of motivation is a thing of the past? Are there other factors which have kept you from succeeding in school?
If you are sure that you're ready, finish your associate's - no reason for a person of reasonable intelligence to do less than A work at community college, then find a program and buckle down.
But, if you are unsure, my advice would be to head off to NY (or LA, or Chicago, or S.F.) for a couple of years, work construction (arch. schools love people who actually know how things are put together,) be young, have fun, and then head back to school when you've mellowed out some- see if you actually maintain your interest in the subject.
You can learn a lot on your own in a big city - buildings to draw, museums to haunt, people to meet, etc.
I was a total fuck-up at your age. Dropped out of school at 20, tried again too soon, and didn't finish up until later. It worked out, though- I got my M.Arch, and I'm happy I did - it's not what I wanted to do at 20, though.
@thisisnotmyname
I don't have a GPA. lol. Maybe a list of open admission schools?
Ignorance is definitely a hard thing - had I known alot of what I know now I'd be better off. So I dropped out of a carpentry/masonry course with a month or so to graduate - chould I salvage this to try and improve my chances?
In the Caribbean we focus heavily on grades earned at single sittings (exams). I've done well. I have 4 (2)'s and 3 (1)'s at O's and 4 (1)'s, A, and 2 (D)'s at A's. I've spent the last six years making films - animations and comics, writing scripts, working in the bank and a whole lot of other nothings. Got a few prizes for some of my work. I have certification in some of these things (not sure about accreditation though.)
I think I'm scared of what my chances are of getting into AA. You think I should work on getting that construction experience up to par ( i really hated the manual labor). I've been looking at some courses in Trinidad that are free - some construction courses. I'm 25 and still pretty much a bitch.
If you're really passionate about architecture (we're we all at some point before becoming jaded), go back and raise your GPA. Everyone who gets accepted had to work hard and you ain't getting a freebie (unless maybe your dad is filthy rich and got connections). If you can't get your GPA up even after a few tries, forget architecture. Its brutal and you will likely not survive. Its not art and not photography where you can paint anything or shoot anything and just b.s your way through... Well, Architecture is full of b.s also and a heck lot more.
My god I'm just starting to see how hard it is to get into a university, Jesus. I have a mountain of attempted hours though from cc. I'm getting old, (28) and I only have a 3.1 gpa I think my chances are dwindling. I'm having problems and I am going to have to get a A.A and try and transfer to University of Miami, Florida, usf, or FIU. If I get rejected I''l have to finish a Bs.ET with a construction concentration then apply for grad school.
I got it bad!