Now,
consider who you are as a person, the following attributes prior to
selecting a school.
Level
of Confidence - How confident are you in your choice in becoming
an architect? Do you want options as your progress through college or
you want to dive right in to architecture.
Personality
Type - What type of person are you? Do you feel more comfortable
in certain environments?
This is
a difficult criteria to nail down, but yet a critical one. If you do
know what your personality type is, simply ask the question -- Will
I be comfortable here?
Closeness
to Home - How close do you wish to be from home with respect
to miles or time? On a U.S. map, draw a circle around your hometown
indicating your desired distance. What schools are inside your circle?
Remember, the program is only five or six years of your life; do not
be afraid of moving away from home!
Next to
cost, proximity to home is a top reason for selecting a school. Challenge
that notion, and pick a school that is the best for you regardless of
its location. In the early stages, each of the over 100 programs should
be considered; you can narrow the choices later based on your criteria.
Budget
- Do you and your parents have a specific budget for college?
Obviously
with college costs increasing at a rate greater than inflation, cost
and your personal budget is a very important criteria. However, recognize
that your college education is an investment in your future and not
something you buy and than disappears like a pizza. Although a cliche,
I can still remember my father telling me that "once you have your
education, no one can take it away."
Art
vs. Science - Architecture is a combination of art and science.
Of the two, art and science, which do you most associate?
Architecture
is often considered both an art and a science. As such, some degree
programs have a slant towards one of these more than other. Because
of this slant, you may find yourself more in tune with a program that
coincides with which of these -- art or science -- is more to your liking.
Other attributes
to investigate are:
Institution,
and Academic
Unit.
