• architecture,  grad school,  physics,  science

    why do i have the feeling that you’re not going to follow my advice

    January 29, 2010

    Hi Aska,I see you’ve already mentioned you’re not an Architecture major like your predecessor (I assure you, I read all the messages with the architecture tag) but I was wondering if you knew what the primary factor is in getting in to the Architecture program. I see they require a portfolio and also have some minimum marks in certain courses, as well as a required GPA, but which of those matters most? Are they all equal? I believe I can at the least attain a GPA of 3.7 or so, but I am worried about the depth of my portfolio (or lack thereof). Any tips?

    Also, perhaps the is going beyond the scope of things answered here, but I see the Masters program gives “preference” to applicants with a well-rounded set of credits from the three disciplines. Do you think it’s better to be well-rounded or have better marks? Sciences are definitely my weak point and if I take those courses they will hurt my average.

     

    Thanks for any information you can give!

    ————————————————–

    Yes, you?re right, I am not an Architecture major. I?m actually a (*dun dun dun*) Physics major. I bet you?re shocked. I know what you?re thinking: ?A Physics major who can actually write coherently instead of thinking in expressions like? 2x*exp(xyz)? LYK NO WAI!!? But then it dawns on you: aaahhh, so THAT?s the reason for all the silly alien jokes. Anyway, rest assured? I may be someone of a mad scientist… but I’m totally sane. *aska quickly sweeps up from the floor the harvested brain from last last post and throws it into a huge box containing a lot of other brains*

    Anyway, how may I help you today? Well, I got you some inside information from my architecture ancestor (lucky you) so here goes.

    First of all, you?re getting your entrance requirements mixed up. I?m going to assume that you?re an undergraduate student and that you?re talking about getting into the undergrad program, because you?ve talked about ?minimum marks in certain courses?. You don?t need a portfolio for the undergraduate program at UofT at all. So don?t be worried about the (lack of) depth of your portfolio. Your portfolio could be empty space for all they cared and it still wouldn?t matter. As for the other two requirements, GPA is definitely more important. A lot of people achieve 71% in ARC131 and ARC132, but an overall GPA that is high is rare, especially in first year.

    You do need a portfolio to get into grad school, but 1) you have four more years to complete the portfolio, and 2) if you do get into the undergraduate architectural design program at UofT, you?re going to have a lot of studio courses that would provide you with many chances to add extra pieces to your portfolio. According to aska?s ancestor, you should come up with pieces using as many types of media as you can, as it shows your creativity. 😀 If you are unable to get into the architecture design program, then you’re going to have to work on your portfolio on your own time — but this is something that you want to do in the long run if you want to be an architect anyway, right?

    As for well-roundedness giving you an advantage in graduate school, I don?t really think you have to worry too much about that either. Yes, it?s true that the architecture program at UofT does really like to take in people from every discipline (apparently, one of the master students in architecture had an undergraduate biochemistry degree). But in the end, architecture at UofT is only a major program (as opposed to a specialist), which means that you have to combine it with another major program or two minors in order to graduate anyway. As long as you don?t combine it with something like Art History, you?d probably end up with a pretty diverse mix of courses in the end. Hint: if you don?t have any other good ideas for the second major, you could try out something from the Centre of Environment. Green architecture is always in. As for the sciences being your weak point, you probably don?t have to worry about that. The admissions requirements for the Master?s program only require ?secondary calculus? and ?secondary physics?. So you only have to take calculus and physics at the high school level.

    tl;dr version (that’s “too long; didn’t read” for all you non-geeks): undergrad architecture doesn’t require a portfolio. The grad program does but you have four years to make the portfolio. So my advice to you is: Relax, go out and have some fun, and stop freaking out.

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  • architecture

    askagrandpa/grandma

    January 19, 2010

    Hello,

    I’m a first year undergraduate student at UofT and am hoping to go into an Architecture major while minoring in Art History and Physics. So, I’m not so sure how my final went for the ARC131 course and I was just wondering what course of action I would take if I ended up not meeting the requirements to enrol in Architecture by the end of the year.

    Thanks!

    ——————————-

    Hi. I’m late. Sorry. Aska was on a roll on the first week back to school in January, writing several posts in one day, when he/she was struck by the flu. Aska suffered several days of fever and cough, vomited around 4 times, and had a sore throat and an eye infection. Yes. Now aska is feeling a little better and is going to answer some posts despite feeling a little dizzy and not being quite able to open his/her eyes fully. (Have you ever known a more selfless person?)

    Anyway, a good place to start is searching the past posts on askastudent. This is a really good post written by aska?s great-great-ancestor, who was a caveman. Did I really just say that? I meant architecture major. He (or she, I can?t tell anymore) also applied to architecture at the end of first year, but did not get into the program in first year. The comments on the bottom also might help and you might want to read them over.

    If really find that you do not even meet the requirements to enroll in Architecture by the end of your first year though, you should talk to your college registrar. They?ll give you some advice, which (depending on how close you were to meeting the requirements) probably involves you retaking some of your architecture courses and then trying to reapply at the end of second year. I don?t really have enough information to give you any further advice, but feel free to ask me again if you find out that you really did not meet the requirements for entrance into the program.

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  • architecture,  art,  subject POST

    Tugging at Askastudent’s heartstring.

    July 8, 2009

    I’m going into first year next year and I was really looking forward to doing a double major in architecture and something else unrelated. After looking at the website I got really discouraged. (http://www.daniels.utoronto.ca/programs/ba_architectural_studies)

    91 applied for history and 8 got invited. 176 applied for design and 42 got invited. Then at the bottom it says please note: For both Design and History Theory Criticism NO double majors were accepted.

    Wow so much for my dreams, lol. Haven’t double majors been accepted before? I don’t even know if I should bother next year if that’s the case. Please shed some light on this matter askastudent. (: And have a fantastic summer.

    ?

     

    First, a point of clarification: “no double majors were accepted” refers to student who wanted to simultaneously take both a double Major in Architectural Studies (Design) AND Architectural Studies (History/Theory/Criticism). You CAN pair a Major in Architectural Studies with any other Major imaginable in the Faculty of Arts & Science. In fact, you have to (see this post).

     

    As for your discouragement about getting into an ARC Major, I graduated with a BA in Architectural Studies (Major with a concentration in Design). So, I’m really gonna try here…

     

    I could give you a pep talk about turning that defeatist attitude around, buuut that’s not really my style. Plus, I’m not sure what good it’ll really do. Instead, I will give you a play-by-play of my affair with an ARC Major, which I think should shed some anecdotal light on your prospects.

     

    1. at the end of my first year > in the first round of POSt enrollment > requested both ARC Majors > ?didn’t get invited into either > tears > anger > Hello Art Histoy!

    2. summer after first year > second round of POSt enrollment > requested both ARC Majors > got invited to History/Theory/Criticism > foot in the door!

    3. end of second year > first round of POSt enrollment > requested ARC Major in Design > didn’t get the invite > denial > rage

    4. summer after second year > second round of POSt enrollment > request ARC Major in Design > got invited > celebration > buy an entirely black wardrobe and thick-framed glasses

     

    Despite getting a (baker’s) dozen rejections by the ARC Program, I was not behind on any courses when I eventually got into Design in third year. This is because the second year ARC courses are the same for either Major. So, entering Design at the 300-level was as if I was always there. I think that they finally let me in for a couple reasons. One, that I was persistent and/or obnoxious – thus demonstrating genuine commitment to ARC. Two, that enough time had elapsed for me to resurrect my dismal CGPA from the first-year massacre. Three, that I was able to demonstrate competency in the 200-level ARC courses.

     

    As you can see, my relationship with ARC began on a tumultuous path. It teased me for a bit, played hard-to-get, then finally realized that we were meant for each other.

     

    But the honeymoon phase was short-lived. My tenure in Architecture was a cyclical abusive relationship characterized by: lack of sleep, shattered confidence, and gradually losing my fingertips in desperate attempts to cut plexiglass (all of this interspersed with the awesome realization that you get to draw and build things for credit!).

     

    I’m gonna go a step beyond your question now, and talk a bit about Art History, which – should you get into an ARC Major – you will quickly develop a deep affection for. This relationship will begin in the lusting phase, on account of FAH being pretty cool (you get to look at pictures all class). Then, the inevitable transition from courtship to a committed relationship will happen just after marks are posted on ROSI. This is when ARC studio courses are trying to demolish your GPA, while FAH courses are blissfully counterbalancing them.

     

    Let’s be clear that only in the realm of Arts & Science would I condone such infidelity. While Art History is a sexy part-time lover, when you’re going steady with Architecture, it is not the only good option. I also did Environmental Studies (the way of the future, my friend). Urban studies and visual studies are popular, but I encourage you to consolidate ANYTHING with Architecture. All good design is interdisciplinary.

     

    To all of you monogamistic purists out there, whose jaws are in perma-drop from my sexually-liberated metaphor, go take a Specialist. Of course you can’t in Architecture – they are far too corrupt.

     

    Ooo! Let’s push this metaphor too far… Taking a double ARC-ARC Major is an incestuous love triangle. And why on earth would you want that!?!

     

    …

     

    Fine… okay… I’ll say it: DON’T WORRY SO MUCH!!! You’ll be fine!!! Even if you don’t get into an ARC Major – you can still apply for a Master of Architecture… and then you can go on and make ultra-plastic buildings that are purely derived from computer software and have zero relationship to context… and then they fall apart… and then you get sued. The end.

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  • admissions,  architecture,  medicine

    and that’s kinda it

    March 6, 2009

    heyy

    I was wondering of what to choose, at the moment i kinda want to go into the medicine field, but at the same time i kinda want to do architecture as well, but i don’t have physics 12 and apparently U of T doesn’t offer architecture design. So im kinda lost. please help! =)

    Thanks

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  • architecture,  art,  subject POST

    YES THEY CAN!

    December 12, 2008

    If I did a major in Architecture Design, can some of the FAH courses be put towards an Art History minor? The requirements for an arch major include FAH270H1, FAH272H1 then two other credits that can include FAH courses. I could get 3 FCE’s in FAH courses towards the major in arch, but I was wondering if it could overlap and go towards a minor in art history as well? Thanks!

    ?

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  • architecture

    inspire me to inspire you to write an essay

    November 29, 2001

    HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME WRITE AN ESSAY!!!!
    I have the topic, I have the sources, I have the intro and the thesis. I don’t know what to write, I can’t gather my ideas together or even sort one out.
    I went to the writing lab, it helped (I wrote the inro and the thesis), but they can’t tell me what to put in the essay.
    By the way, it’s 7-10 page critical paper, and my intro is 1.5 pages.
    HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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