[MisterMurven]

Hello, my name is Murven and I'm a Year 12 student studying Photography, Graphic Communication, Food Technology and Psychology.

I have recently decided that I want to become an architect because I had has a lot of interest in that field but never developed it. However in high school, (Year 10&11) I have done and completed a Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment and achieved 1 A (this was my personal project where I had to design a youth club), 3 B's and 4 C's.

I know my current A-level subjects are bad but does anyone know what other subjects would complement Architecture?

Also, if I do go onto studying a Architecture degree at University, what are the courses like at university and what would uni's would you recommended?

Any information would be much appreciated and thank you for your time.

[Claire888]

Just so you know, I am talking as a current architecture applicant. I would say you may have trouble getting into the best architecture schools with your A-levels (but I'm sure you already realise this) many of them won't allow photography, I know that for sure at some I looked at.

I have no idea what a diploma would do for your chances, but you might want to consider a higher qualification in something more suited to architecture. Art is the obvious choice, but a science and/or humanity would also be good in addition. Some people would say maths but your other choices wouldn't suggest you would enjoy it, and it really isn't necessary.

As for the best places use this for reference http://www.thecompleteuniversityguid...s=Architecture, but don't trust it completely, it isn't always consistent but gives an idea of the better places. As you seem to like artistic subjects I would say UCL, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool or Newcastle as some of the best.

[MisterMurven]

Thank you very much for your advice, I really do appreciate your help with this and I wish you the best of luck with your application form!

Murven

[Lydia1234]

A family freind is an architect and has done very well I think he did maths and art a-levels then did a art foundation year and went to Oxford Brooks. He's doing really well atm. so maybe have a look at oxford brooks?

[MisterMurven]

Hi Lydia,

Thanks for the reply, that university looks very good! Thank you for the information

[Architecture-er]

Hey Murven, I won't pretend that your A-levels aren't somewhat unusual for an Architecture applicant, however there's a broad range of Architecture and architecture-related courses available in the UK, so chances are you can find somewhere.

Are you applying through UCAS or independantly? If you have a limit on the number of uni applications you can submit I'd do your research very thoroughly, and phone up departments to ask whether they'd consider your A-levels as accreditable, just so you don't waste time applying to places that will dismiss you out of hand.

Chances are you'll have to submit a portfolio of artwork to prove that you can draw, not just photograph, even if the university doesn't ask for portfolios from all applicants. It's basically you proving that you have artistic talent though, so it can include some photography as well, and it's merely to prove that you have the ability to draw (unless the university specifically asks for a portfolio from all candidates, in which case it's much more important).

[MisterMurven]

Hi there,

Thank you for the information, I have got over 20 prospectuses now to apply in 2013 and I am looking very carefully at the courses, also I am applying through UCAS.

Okay thank you for the portfolio information! I think my photographs will be okay however I'm developing something within my college and I will be drawing plans with a drawing board and then using the college's CAD software to develop it digitally. Do you think this will be useful to add within my portfolio?

Also with the photographs, would they have to be architectural? (sorry if that sounded really stupid!)

!

[OK Computer]

(Original post by Claire888)
Just so you know, I am talking as a current architecture applicant. I would say you may have trouble getting into the best architecture schools with your A-levels (but I'm sure you already realise this) many of them won't allow photography, I know that for sure at some I looked at.

I applied this year (do A-Level Photography) and only got rejected by one of my choices. Just out in interest, do Nottingham not accept Photography at all then? (I'm guessing you go there from your location) sorry if I am wrong though!

[Claire888]

(Original post by OK Computer)
I applied this year (do A-Level Photography) and only got rejected by one of my choices. Just out in interest, do Nottingham not accept Photography at all then? (I'm guessing you go there from your location) sorry if I am wrong though!

No sorry I've obviously confused you. I applied this year, to Nottingham, ie. 2012 entry. But I live in Nottingham, I've had an offer there but I don't think I will accept it, so have you had an offer from Nottingham?

Anyway I would check by ringing or emailing them on their website it says an 'arts-based subject' which may or may not include photography. But knowing Nottingham it probably won't as they seem to be a bit picky about subjects they accept as a whole for any course, that's just my impression anyway.

[OK Computer]

(Original post by Claire888)
No sorry I've obviously confused you. I applied this year, to Nottingham, ie. 2012 entry. But I live in Nottingham, I've had an offer there but I don't think I will accept it, so have you had an offer from Nottingham?

Anyway I would check by ringing or emailing them on their website it says an 'arts-based subject' which may or may not include photography. But knowing Nottingham it probably won't as they seem to be a bit picky about subjects they accept as a whole for any course, that's just my impression anyway.

Oh right, haha sorry!

No I didn't apply to Nottingham because I'm one grade off their requirement, and I too did get the impression they wouldn't like photography (Bath also?). However I was thinking perhaps I would have the chance to go there as I've heard of a few people getting lower offers than AAA! Although you're probably right, they wouldn't like photography in the first place

[Claire888]

(Original post by OK Computer)
Oh right, haha sorry!

No I didn't apply to Nottingham because I'm one grade off their requirement, and I too did get the impression they wouldn't like photography (Bath also?). However I was thinking perhaps I would have the chance to go there as I've heard of a few people getting lower offers than AAA! Although you're probably right, they wouldn't like photography in the first place

I'm the same as you predicted AAB (and an A in general studies, which they don't accept). It seems like they only give lower offers to people predicted A*s, so I wouldn't apply based on that alone, for instance my offer was still AAA despite not being predicted that.

[OK Computer]

(Original post by Claire888)
I'm the same as you predicted AAB (and an A in general studies, which they don't accept). It seems like they only give lower offers to people predicted A*s, so I wouldn't apply based on that alone, for instance my offer was still AAA despite not being predicted that.

I'm predicted A*A*B, but I don't know if that would even balance out for them. it's that one grade that made me really skeptical haha. Because with the other predicted grades I'm sure I could meet them if i keep doing what I'm doing, however that B could easily end up a C if I'm honest

This all said, I'm more arty than science-y so I guess, realistically, even though it is a great university, Nottingham wouldn't be for me in the end

[Y07jamesp]

Hi,
I am currently only at GCSE level and i think i'll be studying Chemistry, Maths, F. Maths, Physics and Biology at AS.

I'm doing Art at GCSE and typically my work is of an A/ A* standard, most of the universities need a portfolio to discuss. As i will be no longer studying a art based subject, would it be alright if i just worked on pieces in my free time and what do the universities want to see?

[Claire888]

(Original post by Y07jamesp)
Hi,
I am currently only at GCSE level and i think i'll be studying Chemistry, Maths, F. Maths, Physics and Biology at AS.

I'm doing Art at GCSE and typically my work is of an A/ A* standard, most of the universities need a portfolio to discuss. As i will be no longer studying a art based subject, would it be alright if i just worked on pieces in my free time and what do the universities want to see?

I think it will be a lot of work, most portfolios will need to be 10 pages plus, and i think they expect at least 2 good final pieces on most pages. I spent ages putting mine together, especially the digital portfolio and wouldn't have liked to have the additional work of producing everything on top of that. Having said that last summer i did a lot of sketching and some etchings, in all probably about 15 pieces, which i included in the portfolio but I'm still sure my strongest work was A-level stuff.

Universities say that they don't really mind. It doesn't have to be all buildings at all, so if that isn't your thing now don't worry. Just try lots of different media and have a good balance between finished work and experimental stuff.

[Archengsculp]

I'm in Year 11 and planning to study Architecture..

thinking of AS's next year as:
Art, Physics, Maths and either Geography or Chemistry - can someone who has studied either/both geog & chem suggest which would be better for me? I'm struggling to revise for geog at GCSE level now and I'm not sure whether I'd cope to remember masses of detail for case studies especially as some people say that there's not much of a difference from GCSE to AS Geog. In chemistry I think I'm struggling in lessons but my exam results show strong A/low A*'s..

help appreciated, thanks!

[winniey]

(Original post by Y07jamesp)
Hi,
I am currently only at GCSE level and i think i'll be studying Chemistry, Maths, F. Maths, Physics and Biology at AS.

I'm doing Art at GCSE and typically my work is of an A/ A* standard, most of the universities need a portfolio to discuss. As i will be no longer studying a art based subject, would it be alright if i just worked on pieces in my free time and what do the universities want to see?

Hi, I'm an international applicant.I study Biology, Chemistry, and Economics and still managed to receive some offers even I do not lhave any art background. So don't worry too much! But I guess you may also need to think whether you want to apply more technical based courses or arty ones as you HAVE TO TAKE ART if you want to apply to UCL's archi course. From your AS subjects, it seems like you may be more interested in technical side like Bath's.

[Claire888]

(Original post by Archengsculp)
I'm in Year 11 and planning to study Architecture..

thinking of AS's next year as:
Art, Physics, Maths and either Geography or Chemistry - can someone who has studied either/both geog & chem suggest which would be better for me? I'm struggling to revise for geog at GCSE level now and I'm not sure whether I'd cope to remember masses of detail for case studies especially as some people say that there's not much of a difference from GCSE to AS Geog. In chemistry I think I'm struggling in lessons but my exam results show strong A/low A*'s..

help appreciated, thanks!

I did both at AS, and dropped chemistry at A2, I think that tells it all. I got an A* in both at GCSE, geography was actually lower than chemistry, but at AS I got a fairly high A in geography and a highish C in chemistry. Anyway for chemistry there is a LOT more to learn and it is much much harder than GCSE, whereas AS geography and A2 actually I have found fairly easy and it is really interesting.

Yes you have to learn case studies but actually you don't need to know loads of facts for them to get the marks so don't worry about that. Also I found the human side of geog very relevant to architecture as well as some of the physical stuff on weather and flood prevention. I really enjoyed both but actually put in at least double the amount of revision for chemistry and it still didn't pay off. Go with what you will enjoy most, it is only one year after all, both will be absolutely fine for architecture.

[Archengsculp]

(Original post by Claire888)
I did both at AS, and dropped chemistry at A2, I think that tells it all. I got an A* in both at GCSE, geography was actually lower than chemistry, but at AS I got a fairly high A in geography and a highish C in chemistry. Anyway for chemistry there is a LOT more to learn and it is much much harder than GCSE, whereas AS geography and A2 actually I have found fairly easy and it is really interesting.

Yes you have to learn case studies but actually you don't need to know loads of facts for them to get the marks so don't worry about that. Also I found the human side of geog very relevant to architecture as well as some of the physical stuff on weather and flood prevention. I really enjoyed both but actually put in at least double the amount of revision for chemistry and it still didn't pay off. Go with what you will enjoy most, it is only one year after all, both will be absolutely fine for architecture.

hello! thank you for the response - I'm doing both Unit 1 & 2 Geography exams in early-ish june.. could you perhaps tell me how you revised for it? I just can't seem to remember a lot of detail for the long questions and average at about 5/6 marks for the 9 markers - thank you!

[Claire888]

(Original post by Archengsculp)
hello! thank you for the response - I'm doing both Unit 1 & 2 Geography exams in early-ish june.. could you perhaps tell me how you revised for it? I just can't seem to remember a lot of detail for the long questions and average at about 5/6 marks for the 9 markers - thank you!

God this is going back a while. Well for starters I didn't do units, we just had 2 exams, skills and the main paper and coursework beforehand.

Ok, from what I can remember I did a fair few past papers, just to get an idea of key words the mark schemes have in them and to give an idea of how long the answers should be, trying not to waffle too much. Just make sure you know the key facts, don't get too worried about learning specific dates (unless really important) or facts, usually a rough amount will do, just to give an overview. And make sure you know the processes well, it makes answering longer answer things a lot easier, so you can just regurgitate it all, without too much effort. Hope it helps

[Archengsculp]

(Original post by Claire888)
God this is going back a while. Well for starters I didn't do units, we just had 2 exams, skills and the main paper and coursework beforehand.

Ok, from what I can remember I did a fair few past papers, just to get an idea of key words the mark schemes have in them and to give an idea of how long the answers should be, trying not to waffle too much. Just make sure you know the key facts, don't get too worried about learning specific dates (unless really important) or facts, usually a rough amount will do, just to give an overview. And make sure you know the processes well, it makes answering longer answer things a lot easier, so you can just regurgitate it all, without too much effort. Hope it helps

ah right - thank you very much!