How to choose the best architecture school for you
Perhaps because Architecture is such a diverse discipline, architecture programmes vary significantly from one university to another, internationally and nationally. This variation can take many forms, including: areas of specialisation, degrees offered, levels of accreditation, focus on channelling you into the profession, and so on.
So how do you select not just a great architecture school,
but the best architecture school for you?
Some architecture schools require an interview, and/or a portfolio submission. Some require neither - but you will need to achieve at a certain level to progress beyond the preliminary year.
“The 4 areas to consider before choosing an architecture school: You, the University, the Cost & the Opportunities.”
Whatever the admission requirements, you should treat entry to architecture school like a job interview - remembering that YOU get to choose the school, just as much as they get to select you.
To make a decision, then, you need to find out information and take into consideration a range of things.
There are 4 key areas to consider: You, The University, Cost and Opportunities. To find out more about each of these areas, including a list of suggested questions, things to find out and things to think about for each, check out the partner post, Architecture Schools: What to find out before making the choice. Of course, everyone's situation is different, so it's entirely personal!
It's ALL ABOUT YOU
To choose the right school for you, you need to be clear on:
why you want to study architecture;
where your interests lie; and
what you want to get out of studying architecture or where you want to go afterwards.
At the same time, you probably want to be sure to leave yourself some wiggle room, so that if in the future your interests, skills or aspirations change, you have the ability to easily explore other courses or other areas.
You'll likely be committing to at least a 3 year relationship with this architecture school - so it is important to get the right fit! This choice can be both daunting and exciting at the same time.
one way to relieve the pressure is to be methodical about it.
In my opinion, there are 3 key things to tick off
before you THINK about making your choice:
Start by identifying your options.
All your options. Keep your list as broad as possible at this stage. Be aware of courses offer the most direct pathways to becoming a Registered Architect, if that is your goal.Find out as much information as you can to make valid comparisons.
Refer to websites, go to open days, talk to or even visit the universities, talk to current students and architects. Use our questions about Universities, Programmes and People as a starting point - scroll down to find them.Be clear about your personal circumstances, goals and priorities.
This can include realising that at the moment you just don't really know if architecture is what you want to do! In this case, you might choose a programme with open entry, a reduced or non-credited course, or one which gives you the opportunity to move off into other areas of study without 'losing' a year.
