<p>Ok so this is my deal: I couldn’t afford going directly into a College right after graduating from High School, so I (well, not really me but my parents <lol> after all they pay for my education <double lol=“”>) decided to go to Community College, Miami Dade College to be precise; I’m Majored in Architecture, already in my fourth semester right now, and though I really like it, I’ve had some serious thoughts about Architecture as a way of living, I really don’t know if I still want to do that for the rest of my life, to be honest the only real reason why I majored in Architecture in the first place was because Industrial Design (my first choice) wasn’t offered nowhere near Miami, (other than the Miami Institute which is like 40k) well that and some other factors (let’s just say my parents wanted one of thier sons to be an Architect), and like I said before I really like Architecture, so it was kinda like my second option or plan B when I found out that Industrial Design wasn’t offered here (which is exactly where the problem comes, it never was my first choice).Afterward, my plan was to try to get into Virginia Tech and study Architecture and minor in Industrial Design, and take some Industrial Design classes as elective too; I thought I was a great idea since Virginia Tech’s Industrial Design program is recognized as on of the best in the country if not the best, and at the same time it has one of the best Architecture Program (I think is like top 20 or something), But After struggling with my Architecture class, especially the ones related with design and artsy stuff while doing pretty good in everything else I think I’ve realized that maybe Architecture is just not for me; and it not like I’ve being partying harder or just being irresponsible, I have put all my energy into this major is not like I actually just didn’t study or something, I’ve had to do a lot of sacrifices, like having no social life (seriously, I parctitly have to give that up), and staying up all night working in a model then going to school and then right to work, then getting home late at night just to stay up all night again working in some drawings that ntakes you forever to finish, I really have done everything at my reach to do well at school, but somehow it’s just not working well for me, It’s just way essay to crack up a book for a couple of hours for a test than having to do a model of The Capitol, I mean how to you study to do a replica of the Capitol??, you just can’t go to a library an read books, you either are good at it naturally or you are not; I do pretty well though, in more theorical classes, like Theory and History of Architecture. So I’ve done some research about changing Majors, one thing that people have recommended to me is looking into something similar to architecture somehow, like Landscape Architecture, because it required a little less design class and drawing skill and it’s more of a functional field and a aesthetic one, I looked into that but It’s really not that excited, What I did find intriguing though was, Architectural Engineering, I didn’t know of this Major before, I seem like a pretty marketable field, I know all that chemistry, physics, calculus, etc may scare some people but that is really not that big of a deal for me, I always like challenges. I research about it and found that they are better pay than Architects, though architect do tend to have an increase in salary more regularly than “A.E.” (I mean I know money is not all but why the heck would you study something in which you probably won’t even a get at?;… see what I mean! ) </double></lol></p>
<p>So now my dilemma is, since I’m already pretty far with my studies in Architecture in my Community College, do you guys think I’d be better off just finishing my A.A. in Architecture and later on after I have transferred to a school just change my Major to Architectural Engineering? (and how hard would doing something like this be), or Should I finished my A.A. in Architecture and apply a university for their Architectural Engineering program (can I even do that?, like If I have an A.A. in something can I transfer to a University to a different Major than the one my A.A. says???, isn’t that tough??? ) I mean, would they accept me into their Architectural Engineering program without fulfilling the required credit courses to transfer there, isn’t it possible just do it there? and if so, would I have to start from scratches?</p>
<p>Or do you think I’d be better off, just changin my Major right now and take the courses required, before I transfer?</p>
<p>another Option is to Transfer as an Architecture student and then do my master in Architectural Engineering, that this option isn’t that appealing to me.</p>
<p>oh, and something else, Architectural Engineering is relatively new compared to others fields of Engineering so there are only 18 Universities/Colleges in the US that offer it that are accredited by "ABET’. Out of those 18 I have narrow may options to these ones:</p>
<p>California Polytechnic State University -San Luis Obispo
Drexel
Kansas State University
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Oklahoma State University
Pennsylvania State University
Tennessee State University
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Kansas<br>
University of Nebraska, Lincoln<br>
University of Oklahoma<br>
The University of Texas at Austin<br>
The University of Wyoming
Illinois Institute of Technology </p>
<p>Since there isn’t any kind of ranking for Architectural Engineering out there how would you rank those Universities based on their Architecture and Engineering program and (of course) the name and prestige of the university. It’d be very helpful (and fun LOL) to see which what ranking you guys come up with</p>
<p>I think it’d be probably safe to say that Cal Poly SLO, Dexler, Penn State, UT austin, Boulder and IIT (Illinois Tech) should be the best options. </p>
<p>I’m going to apply for all of the anyway, afterward I see which one I pick, but Cal poly, and Boulder are looking good for me so far.</p>