<p>there are a couple questions you need to ask, rather than location (although an important factor), is 5 year BArch or 4 year BS/BA? it seems like you want to go the 5 year route, and out of the schools you mentioned, so i would go to syracuse, not because of the ranking, but because it is a great architecture school with a great program. that was my #2 choice, had i not gotten into cornell i would have gone there. penn state is also very good (their new studio space…AMAZING) virginia tech is also a good 5 year program. another question to ask: do you want more of a DESIGN education or a TECHNICAL education? schools like RPI and carnegie melon tend to focus more on the technicality of architecture…the engineering behind it, rather than the artistic and conceptual design, something you will learn at syracuse and penn state. its usually those schools which ask for a portfolio have a more design curriculum.</p>