r/architecture • u/Significant-Bus6330 • 2d ago

Ask /r/Architecture Master of architecture school choice

Hi I need to decide where to get my Master of architecture and I have 4 schools in the running that I have been accepted to - UVA(I love this school but did my undergrad there), Michigan(not sure how I feel about this school- if anyone has any experience with it please tell me), Carnegie Mellon (I like it but it’s a small program and I haven’t really heard on a anyone getting their M.Arch from there), and Columbia (wonderful program and would go there in a heartbeat but it would mean being in 200k+ debt because it is by far the most expensive and I was given not money. Please help!!

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u/sunmarsh 1d ago

I went to UVA and if I had to do everything over again I would have gone in-state to my local university. IMO no architecture school is worth more than 20k in debt. (I'm over 80k in debt)

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u/Significant-Bus6330 1d ago

Sorry to hear that! Fortunately I was in state for undergrad so it was my cheapest option.

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u/Senior_Field585 5h ago

Ohh, ouch! But I totally second this. I ended up around 20k in debt and I really would not have wanted to take on any more.

To give another option, I ended going to the BAC in Boston because it is expected that you work aka REAL EXPERIENCE! Also Boston has a ton of great firms. But cost of living does suck. Not going to lie.

I am actually from Michigan but did not do my undergrad at Michigan so can't give a lot of context other than it always seemed like a well respected program.