any architects here?

[pontifex]

What do you think about your job? Do you get paid well? How difficult is it to become an architect? Does it require lots of math (like algebra, geometry, etc.)?

 

[habib89]

i'm not an architect, but my dad is... from what i recall, he had to take the full science load, meaning all the calculus and all the sciences... but i could be wrong, it's been a long time since i asked him about his college years... he got his degree from uc berkeley

oh, and he doesn't really like his job.. he gets paid 6 figures, but he's been doing it for 20+ years... he likes the designing aspect of the job, but you don't really get to do that too much...

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: habib89
i'm not an architect, but my dad is... from what i recall, he had to take the full science load, meaning all the calculus and all the sciences... but i could be wrong, it's been a long time since i asked him about his college years... he got his degree from uc berkeley

oh, and he doesn't really like his job.. he gets paid 6 figures, but he's been doing it for 20+ years... he likes the designing aspect of the job, but you don't really get to do that too much...

so what does he do then, if you know?

 

[AtlantaBob]

I'm not, but I work with a lot of dissatisfied architects.

The training is long 4 or 5 years for undergrad, plus a two year professional degree -- or, if you already have a degree, there's a compressed three and a half year program. After that, you still have to work for a licensed architect for a few years before you can sit for the professional certification.

Realize that whatever you think is "pretty" in buildings now is probably not what your instructors think is attractive and/or theoretically relevant. (The exception here is Notre Dame, where almost everything is hand drawn and classically-based).

Once you get out, assuming you didn't go to a top notch school (Harvard, Yale, etc.) you'll likely work at a big firm designing floor plates for large buildings. Assuming you did go to one of these schools, you'll do something similar, albeit at a more prestigious firm.

Salaries in the Atlanta area for a new grad are probably $40-50K/year.

Although structures requires calculus, most don't use it in their day to day work--structural calculations are done by civil engineers on anything more complex than a house.

If you're interested in the field, probably the best thing to do is find a way to take some business classes and strike out on your own after you do the school thing.

PM me if you have some more questions.

 

[AtlantaBob]

If he's been there that long, it's likely meetings with clients, pitching them ideas, working out technical cost-savings measures, listening to their concerns, etc.

Only a very small number of senior design partners really ever work on a building's idea from scratch in a big firm.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: AtlantaBob
I'm not, but I work with a lot of dissatisfied architects.

The training is long 4 or 5 years for undergrad, plus a two year professional degree -- or, if you already have a degree, there's a compressed three and a half year program. After that, you still have to work for a licensed architect for a few years before you can sit for the professional certification.

Realize that whatever you think is "pretty" in buildings now is probably not what your instructors think is attractive and/or theoretically relevant. (The exception here is Notre Dame, where almost everything is hand drawn and classically-based).

Once you get out, assuming you didn't go to a top notch school (Harvard, Yale, etc.) you'll likely work at a big firm designing floor plates for large buildings. Assuming you did go to one of these schools, you'll do something similar, albeit at a more prestigious firm.

Salaries in the Atlanta area for a new grad are probably $40-50K/year.

Although structures requires calculus, most don't use it in their day to day work--structural calculations are done by civil engineers on anything more complex than a house.

If you're interested in the field, probably the best thing to do is find a way to take some business classes and strike out on your own after you do the school thing.

PM me if you have some more questions.

yikes...
ok scratch that idea...the higher level math and the 6-7 years totally kills it for me.

 

[AtlantaBob]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: AtlantaBob
I'm not, but I work with a lot of dissatisfied architects.

The training is long 4 or 5 years for undergrad, plus a two year professional degree -- or, if you already have a degree, there's a compressed three and a half year program. After that, you still have to work for a licensed architect for a few years before you can sit for the professional certification.

Realize that whatever you think is "pretty" in buildings now is probably not what your instructors think is attractive and/or theoretically relevant. (The exception here is Notre Dame, where almost everything is hand drawn and classically-based).

Once you get out, assuming you didn't go to a top notch school (Harvard, Yale, etc.) you'll likely work at a big firm designing floor plates for large buildings. Assuming you did go to one of these schools, you'll do something similar, albeit at a more prestigious firm.

Salaries in the Atlanta area for a new grad are probably $40-50K/year.

Although structures requires calculus, most don't use it in their day to day work--structural calculations are done by civil engineers on anything more complex than a house.

If you're interested in the field, probably the best thing to do is find a way to take some business classes and strike out on your own after you do the school thing.

PM me if you have some more questions.

yikes...
ok scratch that idea...the higher level math and the 6-7 years totally kills it for me.

The burn-out rate is pretty high among studio students... the bad part is that a lot of their hours don't transfer very well to other majors. Maybe I'm sounding more cynical than usual because of a bad day at the office here, but you have to be pretty serious that that's what you want to do to make it through.

 

[JS80]

my dad is AIA, works for himself. i think he makes less than minimum wage considering the all-nighters and such.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: AtlantaBob

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: AtlantaBob
I'm not, but I work with a lot of dissatisfied architects.

The training is long 4 or 5 years for undergrad, plus a two year professional degree -- or, if you already have a degree, there's a compressed three and a half year program. After that, you still have to work for a licensed architect for a few years before you can sit for the professional certification.

Realize that whatever you think is "pretty" in buildings now is probably not what your instructors think is attractive and/or theoretically relevant. (The exception here is Notre Dame, where almost everything is hand drawn and classically-based).

Once you get out, assuming you didn't go to a top notch school (Harvard, Yale, etc.) you'll likely work at a big firm designing floor plates for large buildings. Assuming you did go to one of these schools, you'll do something similar, albeit at a more prestigious firm.

Salaries in the Atlanta area for a new grad are probably $40-50K/year.

Although structures requires calculus, most don't use it in their day to day work--structural calculations are done by civil engineers on anything more complex than a house.

If you're interested in the field, probably the best thing to do is find a way to take some business classes and strike out on your own after you do the school thing.

PM me if you have some more questions.

yikes...
ok scratch that idea...the higher level math and the 6-7 years totally kills it for me.

The burn-out rate is pretty high among studio students... the bad part is that a lot of their hours don't transfer very well to other majors. Maybe I'm sounding more cynical than usual because of a bad day at the office here, but you have to be pretty serious that that's what you want to do to make it through.

yes, I had several Architecture student friends in college. They would routinely spend up to 48 hours straight in studio, and would usually catch short naps at their studio desks instead of going home.

 

[LordMorpheus]

My dad is an architect at PGAV in saint louis, one of their senior design guys. He loves his job, they do lots of theme park/convention center type work.

He's nothing special at math, but had to take calculus in school.

 

[troytime]

my wife used to be one

she's creative, but was never given the chance to show her creative side

the pay isn't great, and there's not a high demand for architects.
i remember my wife contacting every architect in town looking for openings.

 

[newnameman]

Isn't an architect just an art school drop-out with a tilty desk, and a big ruler?

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: newnameman
Isn't an architect just an art school drop-out with a tilty desk, and a big ruler?

IT'S CALLED A T-SQUARE!