@badmintonarchitect The first consideration in making a college list for all students is financial. How will you pay? Since you’re only starting high school, you have some time to talk to your parents about money.
The second consider for students interested in architecture is which undergraduate degree do you want? There are two paths to becoming a licensed architect. 1) An undergraduate Bachelor OF Architecture (BArch) or 2)An undergraduate Bachelor of Arts or Science IN architecture – or anything else PLUS a Master of Architecture (MArch).
Rice offers a 6 year BArch, which is highly rated. Admission is highly competitive. You must submit a design portfolio with your application.
MIT offers a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, and a Bachelor of Science in Art and Design. Both are 4 year programs. I don’t think either requires a portfolio, but you’ll need to check with MIT for details.
With a BS from MIT you could continue on to a MArch at MIT or any other MArch program. Admissions to MIT’s MArch is not guaranteed. The MArch takes from 2 to 3.5 years depending on your undergraduate degree and the MArch program.
There are about 50 BArch programs in the US, in varying degrees of selectivity. Some require portfolios; some, including some of the highest rated, do not.
There are dozens and dozens of BA/BS programs. They usually don’t require portfolios, though a few do. Selectivity varies widely.
You can also get accepted to top MArch programs with a BA or BS in anything, though the time that it takes to complete the MArch is usually shorter with a major in architecture or architecture studies. I can’t stress enough: the variation in time and money is very wide.
Over the next 2-3 years, I’d strongly encourage you to attend a summer career exploration program at a school of architecture. This is a good way to learn what architecture is really all about – both architecture school and architecture in the real world. It’s also a good way to build a portfolio.