Irgoodboy

Hi, this is my first post here. Anyway, I'm currently in school for Architecture (in the Midwest) and I can maybe give you some idea of what its like. It seems right now alot of universities are focusing on environmental design. I know that the two universities I've been to (Iowa State and NDSU) both focus alot on the environment now. There is also a new thing called LEEDs, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, alot of Architects are now taking an exam to pass this text to become LEED Certified, which is more for 'green building'. Im sure if there are Architects that are out there they can elaborate more on it as I am just still a student. But the way I see it it sure seems alot of the future of architecture will be involved alot with the environment. I also worked with someone who's son went to Clemson for architecture, I heard its a great school. Your first year you would probably take mostly general classes, along with some art classes (which they seem to focus on alot now too). First year Architecture classes at Iowa State consisted of 2 semesters of Art classes, one was mostly drawing and the other was mostly model design (not buildings though, so I didnt really enjoy it much). I also had a lecture class that was pretty much useless but it was called a 'Design Lecture'. Here at NDSU the first year consists of pretty much the same thing, 1 semester of drawing, 1 semester of intro to models, 1 design lecture (which I found more useful than the other one I took), and usually an Architecture History class. Along with those you'll also take English (only 2 semesters), Math (up to Calc. usually), Physics (which you only have to take 1 or 2 semesters at the most, 1 minimum), some Humanties class (Soc., Psyc. or whatever), etc. Once you finish your first year they either have you put a portfolio together of your work of that first year to show off and they look at your grades, generally a 3.5 GPA would get you in, or they just look at your grades and dont have you do a portfolio (depends on what school you go to). So its a selective admission, a 3.5 GPA would probably get you in for the 2nd year in which you will get more into the actual architecture classes. Some schools wont actually have you start on CAD until your 2nd year 2nd semester or even until your 3rd year (once again depends on what school you go to, it really varies). I would also focus on a minor that would relate well to Architecture, maybe Math or History or even Art. You will end up being in school for at least 5 years to get your Architecture degree, after that Im not really familiar with the area as Im just still a student. But I think you end up doing a paid internship for sometime and after that take an exam in the state which you work to actually obtain an Architecture License in that state. Hopefully there is some Architect on here that will be able to help you more with that since I can only give you a midwest student's point of view. I hoped I helped a little.