Syracuse vs Carnegie Mellon BArch

enjo10
Tue, 14 May 2024 03:51:24 +0000

I am a prospective architecture student who has been accepted at both Syracuse and Carnegie Mellon for the BArch program, and I am struggling to make a decision. I know that both programs are great, but I want to make sure I make the right decision and am fully informed about the program I choose. I was hoping to get some insight as to which choice would be better for me not only during college, but also after.

Here are some of my preferences regarding school: I probably won’t be participating as much in the party scene or greek life, but I still want to be in a social environment. I don’t really care much about the weather. I do want to travel abroad and obtain job/ internship opportunities in and out of school. I don’t want too artsy or too technical of a program, somewhere in the middle.

Now I’ll give more details for why I am struggling to make a decision:
Syracuse:
Pros: $10,000/ year scholarship, highly accredited (and ranked) architecture program, I like their arch building, I like the student work, good study abroad (NYC, Florence, South Korea, Japan), better connections with professors
Cons: very cold, not much in the surrounding area, 140 incoming architecture freshmen (very big class), less prestigious as a whole, professors only teach and aren’t active in the field

Carnegie Mellon:
Pros: near city, professors are active in the field, well rounded school, only around 50 incoming architecture freshmen, 1 year study abroad at Singapore’s NUS, better location
Cons: QOL not the best, more technical focused program (?), couldn’t find many images or videos of student work or the facilities themselves

I understand that money does play a part in making a decision, but I would like to know about the programs themselves and which one would potentially be best for me. I would appreciate any answers, especially if you are alumni or active students at either school, or just architecture students in general. Thank you for any help!
(also I have to make a decision by the 15th so this is kind of like a stress post lol)