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Ask Me Anything! (for prospective architecture students)

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Hi Storm,

I help my students in product, furniture and interiors to find work experience, so I hope this helps.

There is almost too much advice out there, so focus on CV writing for creative industries.

You will have to choose a graphics approach to suit your identity but, here are a few points that I have picked out to help you stand out:
- You only have 10 seconds of their full attention. Aim for 1 side A4. Which words must come across? Would a captioned image do a better job? Are your skills more impressive than your exams? This helps get you in the shortlist pile, not the bin.
- Make them know that they are your chosen company. Always full research the company. Fine tune your CV to appeal to them. Mention their projects, and be knowledgable.
- Help the reader navigate the page - use headings in bold and larger text (signposting). Everyone reads from top left, do not arrange randomly.

Finally, always ask someone who has done interviews to dry run it with them.

Roy
Original post by Architecture-er
Note for people new to the TSR forums, if you quote this original post (using the button in the bottom-right) when asking your question then I'll get an alert, it'll mean I see your question far quicker :smile:

Summer exams are looming on the horizon, and there's a distinct smell of caffeine in the air...

Thankfully I'm on placement, and as such have nothing to do in my evenings! Therefore I invite everyone considering architecture and wondering about preparing for first year to AMA, and I'll do my best to help :biggrin:

Can't 'really' offer much in-depth knowledge about universities other than my own, but subject/career specific questions are a-ok. Additionally, if any other Part I/II/III students want their names listed here as sources of uni-specific help, then quote me and I'll add you onto the original post!
A Youtube channel that may be of use
(courtesy of Archi Student)


Hi, im looking to study Architecture at Cambridge as my first choice and Kent as my second. I was wondering i the work load is as much I have heard, or if you do get a little bit of a social life?
Reply 322
Hey i got offers from kent and liverpool for BA Architecture. Could u give me some advices on these and which one is better for architecture?
Original post by REW.
Hey i got offers from kent and liverpool for BA Architecture. Could u give me some advices on these and which one is better for architecture?


Hi, just wondering what did you do to get an offer from Kent because I really want to go there
Reply 324
Original post by Collinsino
Hi, just wondering what did you do to get an offer from Kent because I really want to go there

Hey, I just sent my portfolio then got an offer after 1 week. Why do u want to go to Kent? Is kent better than liverpool? Please reply me ASAP because i have to make choice before 8th of June. Thanks a lot
Original post by REW.
Hey, I just sent my portfolio then got an offer after 1 week. Why do u want to go to Kent? Is kent better than liverpool? Please reply me ASAP because i have to make choice before 8th of June. Thanks a lot
Ah cool. What did you include in your portfolio? Yeah I think Kent is personally better because of the course and location but that is just my opinion
Reply 326
Original post by Collinsino
Ah cool. What did you include in your portfolio? Yeah I think Kent is personally better because of the course and location but that is just my opinion

Thanks for replying. I am so struggled. I looked for accomodation in kent. I can live in the uni accomodation in the first year, but not the second year. There are not other good quality accoms in kent if i move out from the uni accom. Is that right?
Why do u think the course of kent is better?
I prefer kent as well, but it is far away from belfast. The travel cost is a lot more expensive than liverpool.
However, for me i think the course is most important factor. So can u explain in detail that your thoughts about the course in kent, please?
And i heard about that there are loads of chinese in university of liverpool about 2/3 in architecture. Do u think that would be a problem for teamwork if i go to there.
Thanks.
Reply 327
Original post by Collinsino
Ah cool. What did you include in your portfolio? Yeah I think Kent is personally better because of the course and location but that is just my opinion


I didn't do Alevel art so i just included my gcse works. There were acrylic painting, watercolouring, pencil, pen, oil pastal ...
Original post by REW.
Thanks for replying. I am so struggled. I looked for accomodation in kent. I can live in the uni accomodation in the first year, but not the second year. There are not other good quality accoms in kent if i move out from the uni accom. Is that right?
Why do u think the course of kent is better?
I prefer kent as well, but it is far away from belfast. The travel cost is a lot more expensive than liverpool.
However, for me i think the course is most important factor. So can u explain in detail that your thoughts about the course in kent, please?
And i heard about that there are loads of chinese in university of liverpool about 2/3 in architecture. Do u think that would be a problem for teamwork if i go to there.
Thanks.

I don't know the accomodation side sorry but i think the course sounds really good in regards to covering my interests (i want a course that is focalised on art rather than engineering). It is well ballanced and covers historical lessons which appeal. I havent applied yet but am hoping to this year. Ok so you can include GCSE work coz i do A level as well
Reply 329
Original post by Collinsino
I don't know the accomodation side sorry but i think the course sounds really good in regards to covering my interests (i want a course that is focalised on art rather than engineering). It is well ballanced and covers historical lessons which appeal. I havent applied yet but am hoping to this year. Ok so you can include GCSE work coz i do A level as well

Oh i thought you r the person who are already in the university. Thanks anyway. Good luck for your applicatiob
Original post by REW.
Oh i thought you r the person who are already in the university. Thanks anyway. Good luck for your applicatiob

Haha nope soz. Thank you 😊
Original post by Architecture-er
Hey everyone, I've thought lots about this and decided to stop replying to questions posted on this thread (at least on a consistent basis) - as I've just concluded my final year of architecture studies and I'm acutely aware of how out-of-date a lot of my experience of the application system now is! Hopefully the questions and answers contained within here are of use to future applicants, thanks to everyone for making this a great thread!
Architecture-er



Note for people new to the TSR forums, if you quote this original post (using the button in the bottom-right) when asking your question then I'll get an alert, it'll mean I see your question far quicker :smile:

Summer exams are looming on the horizon, and there's a distinct smell of caffeine in the air...

Thankfully I'm on placement, and as such have nothing to do in my evenings! Therefore I invite everyone considering architecture and wondering about preparing for first year to AMA, and I'll do my best to help :biggrin:

Can't 'really' offer much in-depth knowledge about universities other than my own, but subject/career specific questions are a-ok. Additionally, if any other Part I/II/III students want their names listed here as sources of uni-specific help, then quote me and I'll add you onto the original post!
A Youtube channel that may be of use
(courtesy of Archi Student)


Hey :smile: so i'm hoping to study architecture at Ravensbourne. I'm beginning A levels in September and was hoping for some advice or input on my choices? I've chosen Media Studies, Graphic Design, Mathematics and Physics over three years. I'm concerned about the Media and Graphics, as i've heard graphics isn't an acceptable substitute for art, and media as it is somewhat irrelevant.. can you recommend any alternatives?
Original post by AnonymousBrit
Hey :smile: so i'm hoping to study architecture at Ravensbourne. I'm beginning A levels in September and was hoping for some advice or input on my choices? I've chosen Media Studies, Graphic Design, Mathematics and Physics over three years. I'm concerned about the Media and Graphics, as i've heard graphics isn't an acceptable substitute for art, and media as it is somewhat irrelevant.. can you recommend any alternatives?


Hi Anonymous!

You have a great group of subjects, I did psychology, fine art maths and physics. When I first applied for Ravensbourne they thought I was going for architecture.
If you really looking for an alternative I would probably suggest Fine Art. Will help to ask architecture students directly yourself and double check the criteria for the course :smile:

Hope this helps,
Jay :biggrin:
Original post by AnonymousBrit
Hey :smile: so i'm hoping to study architecture at Ravensbourne. I'm beginning A levels in September and was hoping for some advice or input on my choices? I've chosen Media Studies, Graphic Design, Mathematics and Physics over three years. I'm concerned about the Media and Graphics, as i've heard graphics isn't an acceptable substitute for art, and media as it is somewhat irrelevant.. can you recommend any alternatives?


I'm not quite sure what you're asking for advice over... if you want recommendations on alternative A-levels to Media Studies or Graphic Design then the most obvious choice would be to take... Art? :p:

Also can I ask why you're setting your aspirations on studying architecture at Ravensbourne? It's not a very good course, and as far as I know still isn't validated by the RIBA (which is required if you want to progress to be a qualified architect)
Original post by Ravensbourne
Hi Anonymous!

You have a great group of subjects, I did psychology, fine art maths and physics. When I first applied for Ravensbourne they thought I was going for architecture.
If you really looking for an alternative I would probably suggest Fine Art. Will help to ask architecture students directly yourself and double check the criteria for the course :smile:

Hope this helps,
Jay :biggrin:


As egotistical as I am I highly doubt Ravensbourne regularly visits my thread... are you just searching for any and all mentions of 'Ravensbourne' and then trying to convince the students to come to your college? Pretty unethical
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 335
Architecture-er I wonder if you could add any comment to my predicament (if so it would be much appreciated).

I am 32 and want to go back and retrain as I'm not keen on my current career path. I studied 2 out of 3 years of a Civil Engineering degree in 2005 and had to drop it due to ill health at the time and the fact that I sucked at maths. Now I did like some of it but I think I would be much happier studying something that mixes technical and creative because I found the engineering a bit 'dry' I can think of the word to explain it but basically I got a bit bored of just looking at numbers and sheets of data etc.

Now the problems are that I would have to self fund which I do have the money for now but it's a hell of a lot of cash if the job prospects are bleak. Now I'm NOT looking to earn a fortune, I believe that I have time left in my working life but I don't want to waste my years in a job I'm not interested in just to earn big money.

How would the world of graduate architecture view a 32 year old career changer (well I'd be considerably older than that at full graduation!)?

A friend and colleague of mine is studying architecture and says just go for it but I wanted to get some more opinions on it first?

Oh and I can't really draw that well! I'm good with a camera but only so so with a pencil!
Original post by Andy13
Architecture-er I wonder if you could add any comment to my predicament (if so it would be much appreciated).

I am 32 and want to go back and retrain as I'm not keen on my current career path. I studied 2 out of 3 years of a Civil Engineering degree in 2005 and had to drop it due to ill health at the time and the fact that I sucked at maths. Now I did like some of it but I think I would be much happier studying something that mixes technical and creative because I found the engineering a bit 'dry' I can think of the word to explain it but basically I got a bit bored of just looking at numbers and sheets of data etc.

Now the problems are that I would have to self fund which I do have the money for now but it's a hell of a lot of cash if the job prospects are bleak. Now I'm NOT looking to earn a fortune, I believe that I have time left in my working life but I don't want to waste my years in a job I'm not interested in just to earn big money.

How would the world of graduate architecture view a 32 year old career changer (well I'd be considerably older than that at full graduation!)?

A friend and colleague of mine is studying architecture and says just go for it but I wanted to get some more opinions on it first?

Oh and I can't really draw that well! I'm good with a camera but only so so with a pencil!


Hey Andy!

I'm only 24 years old myself, so you probably have a lot more "world smarts" than me! I'll throw in my opinion, however. Bear in mind I'll take the opposite angle to your friend, so you can consider both sides

It's a tricky one, I think your biggest obstacle is the time investment since architecture, as you probably know, takes a minimum of 7 years to qualify (though they're looking at streamlining it down to ~5). At that point you're looking at a salary in the region of 32-35k depending on experience, architecture salaries start off quite slow and then grow with time, generally once an architect is 10-20 years into their career and started their own practice.

You say money isn't your focus though which is fair enough, just be aware that you'll have a significant gap in income compared to your peers if you choose to 'reset' like this and that could impact upon buying a house, funding a family, building a pension etc. Afterall studying at university will probably cost you upwards of £50k to complete your Part II, and you have to add the opportunity cost of the salary you'd otherwise have been earning if you just stayed in your current employment, which I'm guessing would be another £30k * 5 = £150k?

Current job prospects are good, the sector has recovered well from the recession... but bear in mind a lot of architecture work could also be considered dry! You have to draft plans, browse carpet and tiling samples, specify light fittings, detail window elevations, obey clients/developers... it's not all pencil sketches and flowing creativity!


The long and short of it is, in my opinion, that it depends on your current professional condition. I know someone who was in our architecture course at the age of 30 and he did alright out of it, he used his age and prior experience in business to leverage an above-average salary upon graduating from his BSc, though he's not saved up the money to do his Masters yet.

If you loathe your current professional situation then I think it can be worth re-training, the question is whether architecture would be the best career, I personally wouldn't choose architecture if I found myself in your situation

There are probably a great number of creative careers that have a far shorter training time and a better salary, IT security / programming being one that immediately pops to mind in the technical/creative field. I know a friend who spent 3/4 years at uni doing that and is now constantly being flown everywhere for conferences and on-site consulting for firms on IT security.. not a bad life! I think something like that would be far better than being a 40 year old newly qualified architect, it could be hard to convince a top creative practice that you're worth hiring over an identical graduate who's far younger (and may stay with the practice for longer), so you may find yourself working in a larger consultancy firm which gets stuff done but doesn't push the creative envelope and mainly pumps out public contracts. Which is fine of course, but may not be the high-flying architectural life you may be envisioning

Hopefully this wasn't too much of a downer, feel free to fire back a response :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 337
Very good reply, thanks. I agree with your well thought out points. The only thing I should point out is that my current income as management in retail is only just over £15K so I couldn't be in a much worse paying job given my 40 hour work week!!!!

I think I saw that you posted in another thread about a friend you had who had/is studying Civil Engineering. I was just wondering if you had any further info on their situation now and if they are still enjoying their career choice? I also wonder how you feel your answers to my question above would be if I did Civils rather than architecture which is a lot shorter in course length and the jobs seem like they would pay better in the early states after graduation. Still not sure how a late 30s graduate would be treated in by employers in Civils!
Reply 338
Hi!! Can anyone provide any good websites that contains info about building regulations, codes and standards in the UK??

Thanks.
A lot of the posts here are about comparing different schools. The Architects Journal has published a list of UK Schools by region. These have the Universities' statements of what they believe their ethos is, and a review of one 2016 graduate's work from each.

*http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/SPIN2.aspx?navCode=4394

AJ is pay-walled, but allows you to look at 4 or 5 pages per month for free, so use it judiciously!*

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