<p>DD is accepted to RPI,and is considering that vs a BA in Arch. Her mom is somewhat surprised that math requirement is only 1 semester calc, and one more semester of other math. Her AP BC calc should place her out of the entire math requirement, is she chooses.</p>
<p>In addition to getting a better overall understanding, it impacts our view of how hard it will be for our DD. She was a strong math student, though she did not end up taking math in HS beyond BC calc. We would hope that would make an arch education less difficult for her, but our impression after revisting RPI is that its the studio time thats most intense. Would mathematical thinking help with that?</p>
<p>Brooklynborndad:</p>
<p>For many/most schools of architecture, the math requirement is the same as RPI’s…very little. And you can “place out” with a high enough AP score. In my long experience, except for certain specialized areas of practice, architecture uses very little math beyond basic algebra and geometry. You hire an engineer to do the math-intensive things, or do them with pre-written computer programs. And the schools of architecture have reflected this specialization…they have focused more on design, theory, building systems, sustainability and materials, and less on the math mechanics. </p>
<p>For most schools, you are right in thinking that it’s studio time and design that is most intense. For design, it’s spatial thinking…the ability to convert back and forth in your mind between three dimensions and two…which is the most important. This is why the schools which require portfolios want to see freehand drawings. They want to see that you can make that conversion from a three-dimensional object into two dimensions on paper.</p>
<p>Math IS important in Arch school. While you may not be taking direct math classes in arch school, there’s lots of indirect math. Like Structures. Statics, Steel and Concrete are basically all math and physics. Algebra is good to know for these courses.</p>
<p>You wouldn’t believe how many students couldn’t get past these courses, and therefore, had to drop out. </p>
<p>I didn’t take calculus in high school but I managed to study intensely and pass the structures courses.</p>
<p>Even though engineers will do most of the calculations for structures, you must know the fundamentals and understand the stresses of structures in order to design properly.</p>
<p>Just some food for thought.</p>