alex62wp7c

Well I have been accepted by USC and Pratt, but I'm not sure which one to choose. I'm worried about the future after attaining the Barch degree because USC is in LA whereas Pratt is in NY. I would like to know the good and the bad about both schools and how they compare to one another. My mom is very focused on me attending Pratt because it is located in the NY area, where she feels I will be more successful as an architect. I'm just hoping she isn't making the wrong decision for me. I know that I should be choosing the college on my own, but it feels she has already decided on me attending Pratt. I would like to know what USC has to offer. I feel that I will be missing out on the social life at USC if I attend Pratt, but the working conditions (by that I mean the studios) at Pratt seem to be more... well better. To whom have first hand experience with USC or Pratt please take your time to read this post and type your thoughts out. I'm very confused right now. I will list my thoughts.

1) Not sure where it is best to practice architecture (LA or NY).
2) I still want a social life and do outside activities (I like to breakdance and want to join a club).
3) Which schools offer the best and most connections.
4) The style the schools focus on (As in their style of architecture such as research).
5) I would like to try something new because I am from the NY region, so LA could be the right change.
6) I have more, but have currently forgotten them.

To those who have taken their time to read this thread, thank you.

very_hopeful

Have you accepted one of the schools?
If so, which one and why?

larationalist

1. NY and LA are both great places to practice architecture. Historically NY has the history of the skyscrapers, LA has the Case Study program, and both are booming right now.
2. Frankly no architecture school is going to offer you a ton of social life, but being within a larger university, USC would probably offer you more structured opportunities to do things with what time you have.
3. One of the many nicknames is the University of Special Connections for a reason: USC's alumni network is strong, and frequently willing to go out of their way to help a fellow Trojan.
4. I'm not sure about Pratt's 'style', but USC specifically avoids teaching a style, they don't believe that style is valid. The *teaching* style was very much based on the Bauhaus when I was there, and the work trends contemporary, but you'll see everything from very rational but well-detailed work to some much more formally experimental stuff. They really just try to make sure that you have a good reason for everything, and within those parameters most professors won't try to force a specific look on you. The curriculum is balanced in its requirements, and you use your elective credits to decide whether your education slants practical (advanced structures, lighting, construction management), experimental (furniture design, art classes), or theoretical (housing seminar, urban planning). If you could find out similar information for Pratt, you'd be in a good position to make a decision, but I'm not familiar enough to provide it.