one quick thought about Carnegie Melon - if, somehow, they don't pass accreditation in 2020, his degree would be useless. It's a risk, but CMU knows their stuff and have had their B Arch program accredited since WWII.

yes, and I appreciate your bringing that up. We discussed the subject of accreditation at length with them. He'd go in with his eyes open on that. thanks.

I've always wanted to pretend to be an architect.

]"one quick thought about Carnegie Melon - if, somehow, they don't pass accreditation in 2020, his degree would be useless. It's a risk, but CMU knows their stuff and have had their B Arch program accredited since WWII"
Carnegie Mellon came through today for Will. Acceptance and a generous scholarship. Wait and see how the others respond soon. Thanks again for the good advice.

Why let the kid settle for being an architect when he could be a city planner.

Or a janitor in San Francisco.

I've always s said he'd be a great janitor. Nothing wrong w that!

He could make $270K.

I'd like to jump in on this post if you don't mind. My daughter is in 10th grade and wants to pursue architecture in college. I am completely in the dark as in how to guide her in making informed decisions. If anyone can give me the basics of what we should be doing, and what she should be doing, it would be a great help. She's interested in the sustainability/environmental friendly aspects of architecture and is a pretty creative person.

We've found that some schools offer an integrated program that gets you your license quicker? She's also heard of a perceptorship program? She just heard of that today and a college event with several colleges set up at the Marriott.

Do you know if firms look at that sort of program as a positive or negative?

Are there any schools you recommend we look into?

This is the list of schools that have the integrated program, but if it isn't really a positive we'd certainly look elsewhere.

Thanks,

Chad

The full list of accredited architectural programs offering IPAL is as follows:

• Boston Architectural College, Boston
• Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.
• Drexel University, Philadelphia
• Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Mich.
• NewSchool of Architecture and Design, San Diego
• North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.
• Portland State University, Portland, Ore.
• Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Ga.
• The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
• University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati
• University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit
• University of Florida, Orlando, Fla.
• University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan.
• University of Maryland; College Park, Md.
• University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C.
• University of Southern California, Los Angeles
• Woodbury University, Los Angeles (two programs)

Where do you live?

We are in Atlanta now, moving to Boulder Colorado at the end of this school year.

well, you are damn lucky then.

The integrated program is NEW. I'm pretty sure this is the first school year of it. No one has any idea about it yet, but it's all about licensure, not the degree.
Only a couple of the schools that offer the program so far is ever close to a top architecture school (USC). The rest of the list are 2nd tier or worse. I do have friends who went to BAC, Lawrence Tech, U Cincy, and USC.

I've never heard of a preceptorship program, and google tells me only Rice and OK have it anyway. Rice is a top Architecture school though.

Rice was one of the college's at the event.

Can you or someone explain to me the path to becoming an architect?

Is it like law school, where you can get a four year degree and then finish up at an architect school?

I'm really in the dark about this and my daughter is getting input from the schools which are very good at selling themselves but it's tough to know what's best for her.

What is architectural grad school. Is that an advanced degree in architecture? If so what is the advantage of that vs. going out and using your architecture degree?

---

They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Kinda.

If the end point is to be a licensed Architect, then:

• Pass Architecture Registration Exams
• To do so, you've got to check the boxes for the state you want to get registered in
• Most states require IDP/APX (hours worked, administered by NCARB) and a professional degree.


• A professional degree is either a B.Architecture or a M.Architecture from a NAAB/CACB accredited school
• In a couple states, you do IDP/APX and a number of years experience depending on what degree you have


• Example: California


• With a professional degree, you can begin taking the ARE 1 year after graduation, before you complete IDP/APX.
• With a preprofessional degree (a BS from a school with a NAAB accredited M.Arch degree [Harvard, Yale, Michigan, Rice, etc]), you need to work for 2 or 3 years.
• With an unrelated degree (masters or bachelors), 3 or 4 years
• With an associates, 4 years
• With just a HS diploma, 5 years. But good luck getting a job in the first place
• So the easiest way is to get a professional degree. This is either a B.Architecture or a M.Architecture. http://www.naab.org/...-Programs-010116.pdf
• There are 120 schools of Architecture in the US - 59 B.Arch, 113 M.Arch (some schools do both).


• B.Arch schools almost always take 5 years, and almost always have a single year of pre-architecture classes then a competitive application into the professional program.
• M.Arch schools have BS in Architecture pre-professional programs.


• This BS program is usually 2 years of pre-arch classes then a competitive application into the last 2 years where NAAB-prescribed pre-professional classes happen.
• This BS allows you to cut 3 semestes off the M.Arch program.
• The M.Arch program is 7 semesters if you have any old bachelors degree. So with a preprofessional BS, it takes 2 years

TL:DR - NCARB.org for licensing info. NAAB.org for what schools are valid.