Note to architecture students: School is hard, you shouldn’t work.

This was sent by the University of Maryland to help prepare me for grad school. I’m posting this for my family for them to better understand what I’m about to do.

J

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NOTES TO ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS

Outlined below are a few things that you can do to prepare for the upcoming academic “experience” to ensure your success

Architecture school is intellectually, physically, and emotionally demanding. At the University of Maryland, we offer you an education that prepares you for a professional career. Consequently, the degree of seriousness and commitment to study expected of our students is equivalent to that of a law or medical program. Additionally, our faculty and administration have set out a series of high goals for your education. The “partnership” that we are entering into over the next years necessitates your full participation. No doubt this will require you to make many hard decisions along the way. We hope that you will feel comfortable in seeking advice from the faculty when the need arises.

Architecture school demands long hours of its participants. There are few architecture schools in this country where the commitment on the part of both the students and the faculty rivals that of Maryland. Often students find that this immersion into education presents some true difficulties in planning their time and making choices. We suggest that you begin now to consider scenarios that will enable you to give your best effort to what is, after all, the beginning of a life’s work.

The studio forms the central focus of the Architectural Curriculum. The studio is the place where the lessons learned throughout your education, in your history/theory, technology, and other professional courses are analyzed and synthesized into a whole body of experience.

Studio is not a class, though it does meet from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Studio is a learning environment made up of people who share your passion for architecture. Consequently, it is crucial to your development that you are in studio working with your peers as much as possible. The actual amount of studio contact time between an individual professor and student engaged in direct conversation/criticism concerning the student’s personal work is relatively short.

Students learn from each other as much as, or more than, they learn from their faculty. It has been our experience that the students who become the best designers have developed a healthy habit of working in studio. Participation in studio is the equivalent of having a full-time job. Students estimate it requires 30-40 hours per week to successfully complete the required work.

Since studio is so labor-intensive and the hours are usually long, we cannot overemphasize the importance of living within a short distance of the School of Architecture (preferably within walking distance). The reason we mention this is because in the past some students have tried to coordinate relatively long commutes (in excess of 15-20 minutes) with their architectural education. Typically, long drives home (particularly after a long day’s/night’s work) can become hazardous. Additionally, if you live at a remote location you will be tempted to work at home and consequently will not benefit from the studio environment. In the past, students who have chosen to commute have found that their performance in studio suffers. So, if you have any control over your place of residence try to find some place close by.