USC vs Syracuse vs Pratt vs Carnegie Mellon for B.Arch

[enjo10]

I am a high school senior who has been accepted for the B.Arch programs at USC, Syracuse, Pratt Institute, and Carnegie Mellon. Even though I have looked extensively into the programs, I am struggling to make a decision. From what I have heard, all of these institutions have great architecture programs, so making the right decision has been tough for me. 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:
(I have no info for what my financial aid might be at the moment)
USC:
Pros: big campus, located in L.A., large alumni network, visited campus
Cons: no scholarships, high tuition, distractions, not as high level of an architecture program (?)

Syracuse:
Pros: $10,000/ year scholarship, highly accredited architecture program, quieter environment
Cons: very cold, not much in the surrounding area, less prestigious, smaller

Carnegie Mellon:
Pros: near city, well rounded school
Cons: QOL not the best, more technical focused program, not the best location

Pratt Institute:
Pros: in Brooklyn, $20,000/ year scholarship, highly accredited
Cons: small campus, lower QOL, less prestigious, more artsy

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and please also correct me if I am wrong in my pro/ con lists. I would really like some input or opinions, especially if you are currently in a B.Arch, or have graduated. Thank you.

[ucbalumnus]

@enjo10

(I have no info for what my financial aid might be at the moment)

Will the result of financial aid be a significant factor in your decision?

Do you have estimates from the colleges’ net price calculators so that you can set some expectations?

[juststaycool]

Go to Syracuse. It is an excellent BARCH program, has great connections to the profession, especially in NYC, and runs the best abroad programs. I have a UT M.Arch 1 degree and have practiced for over 20 years. My husband has B.ARCH from Cornell. We think very highly of Syracuse grads. Save money; you will want to travel as much as possible!

[Mashinations]

Ill add a couple of things.

You say Syracuse less prestigious. I would suggest when it comes to the BArch, its just as well regarded as the others.

Another consideration is size of programs. I don’t know much about USC or Pratt, but CMU program is much smaller than Syracuse. CMU program shares a building with the music department. Syracuse program has a dedicated building.

[MYOS1634]

Sounds like Syracuse is the best fit based on your criteria and its BArch is quite as prestigious as the others. No regrets!

[momrath]

I would agree that Syracuse has high name recognition, certainly in New York but also throughout the east coast and increasingly globally. I would say the same about USC and Los Angeles and the west coast and increasingly Asia.

The atmospheres and campus environments of Syracuse and USC are quite different, however, and may impact the locations of the firms you intern with and the firms that critics and visiting instructors are drawn from. This is how you build a network and resume.

If you’ve visited Syracuse as well as USC, you probably prefer one over the other.

Syracuse (like Cornell) understands that their non-urban location may be a drawback so they have compensated by adding a variety of travel and study away programs. But they can’t do much about the long winters.

All accredited BArch programs include the same mandatory number of courses in design, structures and technology but they may vary in emphasis. Pratt being an art school obviously focuses on creativity. CMU has carved out an advanced technology niche.

Let us know when your financial picture is final and how it impacts you and your family. The BArch (and MArch) are expensive degrees with a lot of hidden costs so make sure you’re not burdening your family or yourself with a mountain of debt.

[enjo10]

Ok, thank you for the response! I think I was already straying away from CMU, and I would rather be a part of a program that has a large emphasis on architecture, so this helped narrow it down further.

[enjo10]

Yes, the amount of financial aid will be a factor in my decision. For schools like USC, where it’s upwards of $90,000 per year without aid, I don’t think I could attend without financial aid without going into six figure debt. I think it might be best to consider more cost efficient options, such as the schools that offered scholarships, for sure.

[enjo10]

Thanks for the detailed response! Yes, I think I’ve definitely narrowed it down to USC or Syracuse, and between the two, financial aid will be a deal breaker. I also recall most architecture programs not accounting for model making materials and such, which will be pricey, so that’s another thing to consider. I was also finding it hard when facing the idea of where I’d want to work after college, whether it be the east coast or the west coast. Anyways, I’ll definitely include some updates when FAFSA eventually decides to come through. Thanks again for the help!

I do enjoy the environment around USC, but there is definitely a lot going on, whereas Syracuse is very different location and environment wise.