<p>apr: even though the school is “big” the architecture class is really small, and you’ll find that everywhere. at penn state, with 40000 ug, there are only 75 architects. thats why i didnt care whether the school i was applying to was big or small, becuase either way, i would have no more than 75 people in my class</p>
<p>and if you are deciding between the 4 or 5 year program, i would go with a 5. even with the 4+2 route, the students in the 5 year program end up having more studio time, which is where you develop skills that are looked for at firms. the 5 year program also saves you time in your life, since you dont have to go for a masters directly after school for 2 or 3 years. and even if your son decides to go for that MArch II, its only 18 months or something. when i was talking to architects i knew, they preferred the 5 year programs because they said that those students end up being stronger in the end. plus, it makes you more competitive. they said that they would rather hire a BArch graduate than a BA/BS graduate because of the stress in design and studio early on (now people dont chew me out, this is what architects who i have talked to said)</p>