<p>I’ve heard from people that go to RISD that the the curriculum is toooooo hard… they do not have enough sleep and they are not happy. Is this same for the architecture programs of RISD and Cornell??</p>
<p>Which school is harder? can you explain just HOW hard it is? is it harder to do academics in ivy schools or doing architecture in these two schools?</p>
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This part is easy to answer: Of course it varies with your major and how hard you may want to work at your Ivy. But architecture is unrelentingly demanding (projects, hours in class and out, deadlines), and at RISD also exacting. My daughter knows one student whose final project wasn’t approved by the review committee and he had to repeat a year.</p>
<p>Mackinaw is right. Architecture is an extremely demanding major, regardless of what school you are attending, although the very best programs may be even more challenging. </p>
<p>It’s true that students at RISD do not get enough sleep. They tend to be up very late at night in the studios working on their projects. But my son (who attends RISD), his roommate, and the 10 - 15 other RISD students I have met are not the least bit unhappy. Oh yes, they sometimes grouse about the lack of sleep and the limited time available for having any kind of a social life, but they also will admit that they love the school and don’t mind the work because they are doing what they want to be doing. They all have a PASSION for art and/or design and the education they are receiving makes all the effort worth it to them.</p>
<p>I think this is generally the situation at most architecture schools. I went to RPI 25 years ago and I can remmember how we engineering majors all used to marvel at how the architecture students never seemed to sleep. The lights in the Greene Building (where the Architecture Dept. was housed) were always on – all night long! One of my suitemates was an architecture major and I think she actually slept in her bed no more than four or five nights a week (though she often took naps during the day!).</p>
<p>This may be redundant, but I doubt RISD is more demanding that the majority of architecture programs. Architecture as a major is universally a challanging a rigorous course. I’m only a first year student (not RISD), but I am fully aware from personal experience and EVERY conversation I have had from upper level students. It’s tough. If you are interested, you need to be very dedicated. Don’t shy away from RISD or Cornell, though. It will be difficult regardless of where you are.</p>