D got accepted from several BS/BA Architecture program. We’ve narrowed them down to
The Ohio State U, Knowlton (Honors, Morrill Scholar-full scholarship),
University Of Cincinnati, Architecture, DAAP (Honors, Presidential Scholarship-full ride)
University Of Virginia, Architecture (OOS $75k and don’t think we can get any aid from Fasfa and CSS).
She also received Governor’s Merit Scholarship, up to $5k for 4 years to top 5% of the senior class of each public high school in Ohio to encourage them to go to universities in Ohio.
D really likes UVA and tried very hard to get as many scholarships as possible locally. They are like $2500 here and $5000 there. (However, we know the chance to send her there is pretty small.)
We have visited three schools, and made a list of pros and cons. My husband was a Buckeye alumnus and wants her to go to TOSU which is close to home. It’s a bonus full scholarship. I am torn as a mother.
We would like to know from current students/parents or recent graduates/parents’ honest input regarding those schools as well as faculty, students, opportunities for study aboard, internship and networking. D loves to explore and will definitely go into graduate school, but is not sure if it’s MArch or other fields.
Have you looked at outcomes - yesterday there was a Syracuse CMU discussion - and SU showed salaries in the high 50s. CMU a bit higher but had few reporting and they were NYC, Boston, SF, LA, etc- and a knowledgeable parent came on and said 50-60 is about right.
So it may be a question of - are you seeking value - because it doesn’t appear the school matters that much for outcomes - or just the school your student wants?
Did the student apply to Miami? I’m guessing yes but no scholarship? It’s closest to UVA feel wise - in my opinion - is why I’m asking. Was it considered - as it would have lower cost?
She also got accepted from Miami U (Oxford) with $10k per year for 4 years scholarship. She also got into CMU and Purdue (General Engineering). CMU was the only BArch she applied. However, she really wants to start with BS and see if she will pursue it further. She likes UVA over CMU. She didn’t apply to Syracuse.
I asked the Columbus MArch (earned at Ohio State) I know what his thoughts were regarding choosing an undergrad architecture program at either Cincinnati or Ohio State:
Cincinnati has an internship program giving students a better practical understanding. Cincinnati students are sought after as knowledgable in Ohio.
OSU provides a Buckeye experience and it’s better known out of state.
His impression is that architecture students like Cincinnati more, because Ohio State’s program is so theoretical.
Sorry - wasn’t meaning to introduce other schools (was curious about Miami because it’s most like UVA) - I was just asking as you look at these and the large cost differential - did you take outcomes into account or is that something that would be important to you.
In other words, if you get a similar job / salary out of pricey UVA and not pricey OSU or UC, does that impact the decision - because the parent the other day in that SU/CMU discussion (only reason I brought them up) said that’s what will happen…the outcome will be similar no matter which school you attend.
Does that ROI play a role in your decision? In many cases a UVA grad will outperform a Cincy grad financially, but from the knowledgeable parent the other day, that didn’t seem to be the case in architecture. I see @momrath posted - that’s who I was referencing!!!
Wasn’t sure if that would matter to your family or not - as part of the decision making of these three schools.
With the other scholarships she received outside of the school, OSU is close to full ride too. We have no problem to send her to in state school with no scholarship. How are their architecture programs?
You might want to consider your child’s 2nd and 3rd area of interest beyond architecture. Students very often change their focus after taking more university classes. THE university is a bit stronger across a range of areas than Cincinnati. So, if your student changes their mind THE might work out better.
Something to note is that University of Cincinnati has curricula built around co-ops, including for the architecture major. Whether this is desirable or not to the student could move it up or down significantly in preference order.
UVA has a wonderful architecture program but if it isn’t feasible for your family financially then I’d take it out of the running. UVA will still be an MArch option if your daughter decides to pursue that degree in the future
I don’t know much about OSU’s School of Architecture. I would ask the usual questions about curriculum, faculty backgrounds and student outcomes in summer internships, grad school acceptances.
My son considered Cincinnati for his March (but ultimately made another choice). UC’s architecture program is highly regarded, especially for its co-op opportunities. I couldn’t find a list of firms that sponsor UC’s architecture co-ops, so that’s another question your daughter should ask.
Again, if your daughter pursues an MArch, she could continue on at UC or choose any other School of Architecture.
Aside from UC’s co-op program, I would think the nuts and bolts of all undergrad BA/BS architecture experiences would be similar. The major point of differentiation between OSU and UC as a parent institution, to me, would boil down to a choice between a Big 10 university with an immense breadth of majors and graduate schools and a university more focused on professional skills and less on the liberal arts. Your daughter may prefer one or the other.
U Cincinnati DAAP is the most prestigious imho, and having a full ride+ Honors is really impressive.
However prestige for that major isn’t everything - and Morrill definitely impressive in its own right.
It’ll be more a matter of fit: how does she feel about a very large, classic campus with a lot of football spirit vs. A beautifully designed, architecturally impressive (* ) campus that is nevertheless urban, with all the advantages and downsides it means?
How does she feel about the co-op opportunities at UC?
(* UC used architecture, especially postmodern architecture, to change its image in a very successful rebranding process, alongside pioneering the co-op approach).
Architecture students, unless things have wildly changed, spend an immense amount of time in their building, so I think I’d consider that in the decision too. Which building felt like a place she could (sometimes quite literally) live in?
Co op is new to us. We are trying to figure out how the 7 semesters classes and 3 semesters coop works within 4 years. She also wants to have study abroad experience in college. I am not sure how this in and out of college life works. My d is good at finding resources and utilizing it. We hope she enjoys her college life while preparing for the future.
Coming in with a lot of credit (only needing 7 semesters instead of 8) means they can accept a spring or fall co-op and not have to take a summer term of classes to catch up.
There are a lot of study abroad programs that aren’t an entire semester. Starting and ending in the breaks between full semesters.
I don’t think all 3 semesters of co-op are mandatory.
In addition to study away (Chicago, NYC), Study abroad would be a must - London (the first 20 mn or so of Ashes to ashes illustrate how a city that’d become sleepy in the late 80s-early 90s reinvented itself through architecture -well, one of my take aways as it’s part of the background to give a sense of place) but also St Fagans folk musem, Hampton court, Holyrood aka the Scottish Parliament…; various areas in France from the Loire Valley to Paris to examples of Portzamparc, Bofill, Lacaton/Vassal…
Some study abroad programs that enhance a course are tacked onto it, adding 10 days or 2-3 weeks at the end. Some are a summer or a semester long.
She would need to contact the relevant offices (Arch, study away/abroad, Honors, co-op) and ask questions, specifying she’s an admitted student trying to make a decision.
You mentioned you visited the schools. Did she do an admitted student day? Usually these will have breakout sessions for career services, study abroad, undergraduate research, major advisors, etc. for students to learn, connect with other students, and have their questions answered.
One of D24’s potential schools freely stated that 30-40 hours a week (just in the studio) was common. The studio space was a big part of the decision making process for D24. One place had a cafe on the meal plan within the architecture building. The lighting in the space makes such a difference. Where are the freshman v. sophomores v. upperclassmen? What do you see when you look at the works being produced? Digital, conceptual, wood, 3D printed? One place D24 eliminated (among other reasons) because the work she saw was lackluster to just…nonexistent?
Make a 4 or 5 year plan with all the classes, and compare them. There can be a surprising amount of difference, especially with BS vs BA, and “prepares for a 2 year M.Arch” means they are serious about getting the fundamentals in. If you do a departmental visit they may give you a sample plan as part of the presentation.
This is another thing that D24 keyed in on in her architecture department visits. Many architecture programs have a dedicated semester or even year of study abroad potential in the 3rd or 4th year. Because of extensive studio requirements, doing study abroad through the architecture program may be the best or even only way to do it (unless a short spring break etc. abroad is enough).
If possible, go visit tOSU and Cincinnati specifically for an architecture department visit. They are both good programs but she will probably vibe with one better if she actually gets in the studios, talks to their architecture students, gets the scoop on how exactly the coop program works, and how encouraged/supported/almost required(?) architecture study abroad is/is not.
This is assuming UVA is eliminated due to not being worth the extra cost, which seems reasonable given the amazing in-state offers she has.
For some reason, UC architecture includes 7 semesters and 3 semesters co-op. We haven’t talked to any student advisors about her AP/CCP credits yet. We did visit Kowloon and DAAP as an admitted student. She found and talked to anther Presidential Scholar from UC who is graduating this year with BS in Architecture. She also got a hold of scholarship manger in UC to see how the scholarship is distributed and used. She also left a message and is looking forward to speak to the architect you recommended. She had a zoom meeting with incoming Morrill scholars yesterday and is excited!
I really hope we are close to making a final decision!!
