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djswan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Posts: 767
Location: Montana, USA
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 Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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I'll be the bearer of bad advise then, er maybe not. 
How about forestry? Botany sounds fun too. Working with something other than people could be exciting. Helping humans can suck the life out of you.
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rowancv
Joined: 20 Jul 2008
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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| starkca3 wrote: | | Wait...are you 2 years into MED school? or two years into school in general, as in..havent started grad school yet..... If its the latter, i'd go for it IF your really into it. Butt i have no idea what it takes to be an architect either so..i'd listen to the other people. But dude...if your already into med/grad school..thats a huge loss to cut, i;d say too much. It theres a remote possibility that you can finish med school and get your degree, i'd do that first. Its too much work to throw away..WAY TOO MUCH. |
I'm 2 years into medical school (already earned my bachelor's and am working towards an MD). it's a lot, but I don't know how much longer I can do this.
| lekizz wrote: | A friend of mine studied architecture for five years, then fell out of love with it and started 5-year training to become a doctor. She is due to qualify (as a quack) next year! So in comparison to her you are thinking of changing career paths at a relatively early stage! For any long period of intensive study it is possible to fall out of love/have doubts about your career path.
At least if you are a doctor you will be saving lives, held in reverence by the community and make a very comfortable living at the same time. Architects get blamed for everything that goes wrong, are barely paid well for the amount of work and responsibility and are generally undervalued/misunderstood by society, boo-hoo woe is me  The up-side is we sometimes get paid to make pretty drawings/be creative.
However I do tend to agree with other people who advise you to think very carefully. But you seem to have a only a vague romantic notion that you are destined to be an architect. If you want to be taken seriously by architecture schools you need to go out and get drawing, be creative, demonstrate some evidence that you have the required skills. Architecture involves far more than 'designing homes'. |
Yeah, I have a few classmates who are "older" and switched careers into medicine too. I root for them even more 'coz many have made huge sacrifices- losing a well-paying job, selling a nice home, etc. In the end, they did what they felt was best for them and as cliche as it sounds, "followed their heart." I can't argue with you though and say that this isn't a "romantic notion," as it very well may be, but it's a serious thing I am considering, which is why I am trying to do my homework. I realize that the profession is so much more than what it seems.
| innova+e wrote: | ro. there is some great advice already here, id say most of it is right on, considering the only true answer will be inside you, and you're true belief in your self. My second year studio teacher told us once (during one of our many group whining sessions over deadlines, clarity of explanation on syllabus etc) that if we wanted to do something easy, we might opt out and become dentists. We laughed then but the man was right, insofar as architecture being a real test of inner grit and a constant lesson in humility. I can't really speak for the profession of dentistry, although dating a dental student wasn't all it was cracked up to be either, in fact, I ended up marrying another architect, as we had a deep understanding of one another...
I started my undergrad in arch at 24, and finished at 28 (I had two previous years of engineering credits that passed me out of calculus physics, etc). It wasn't easy but it was rewarding as hell and I think back to my university days constantly. I was aprehensive at first about the career, after switching from mech. engineering, but going through graduate school, I knew I was in the right place. Like many others, my intro to the working environment, professionally, brought out the "mysteries" of the real world architecture, that one writer spoke of before this. With these came dissapointment, bewilderment, and very much self doubt. Grad school is a rush, but they don't prepare you for the tediousness of the work, the daily grind, so to speak. However, you learn eventually, if that is where you should be, to see the excitement in finding the right aluminum windows to fit your masonry openings, and get ecstatic when your vendor has online cad details! You fight to keep the passion alive from those early sketches, through the rigors of program and pragmatics, to see your work standing tall. This is one of the most rewarding things I feel I could be doing, and in my opinion it has as much to do with a person's well being as does medicine, when both are practiced correctly.
In light of all this however, mine is one experience, read all the above, visit some firms and inform yourself on the profession. You mentioned your other choice was web design, which our office does as well. I actually enjoy taking on the occasional web project, as it does parallel architectural design process in some ways. The creativity needs to work well in both at the beginning, and then become transferred as energy to carry out the detailing, or coding, or whatever it takes to make each 'stand up'. Architecture, like the notion of creativity, is so much more than just drawing and expression. In fact, but at the risk of opening up a tangential topic, drawing is only a form of representation of an architectural idea, just as is modeling. Architecture is the fine art of balancing that creativity with the rigors of technology and craftsmanship, construction to create the final piece of architecture.
Ask yourself why you want to be an architect, and why it is important to you, the answers will come, but be very thorough about your research. Great happenstance you stumbling across this forum, there is some great advice within those links in blue.
good luck.
ac |
AC- your response is incredibly appreciated. I like how you said, or at least alluded to, how whether it is medicine or architecture, there will still be aspects that are rigorous and unattractive. You said that once you get past the creativity part, you still need to expend energy doing the little things, still have to deal with the daily grind, and that is true (same with medicine). That part of it is required to make it "stand up."
Thank you AC for sharing your experience with me, and I take none of the above responses for granted at all, as I truly do thank all of you for taking the time to help me out in whatever way you can. I've definitely benefited a lot and it's given me a lot of food for thought. I've got about a month left in my semester (29 days), and a LOAD of exams left. The other day I was ready to just drop it all to be honest, but a few things which would include all of your input, has made me realize that maybe I should finish the semester and see where it takes me. I've just been so fickle lately and unstable. I still don't know what to do, but I will keep on praying about this sincerely.
And again, I can't thank you all enough for the input and honest answers.
| djswan wrote: | I'll be the bearer of bad advise then, er maybe not.
How about forestry? Botany sounds fun too. Working with something other than people could be exciting. Helping humans can suck the life out of you. |
Unfortunately, I wouldn't know the first thing about forestry or botany, but thanks for trying  |
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nox_armada
Joined: 26 Mar 2008
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:23 am Post subject: similar situation (?) |
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| hello rowancv. just wanna share something. i think that we're just in similar situation. i'm also very2 keen in studying architecture. maybe the difference is that i'm still in matriculation college which is still a free route for anyone who are still not thinking of what they are going to study at the varsity ( i guess you know that matriculation is a pre-U programme) but even though i'm in matriculation, we are not being taught about anything that's related to architecture education like art and design (though they can send matriculation student to do first degree of architecture at any public varsities in malaysia) so i feel like i have to explore architecture by myself before entering the varsity to enhance my knowledge so that i wouldn't be misconcepting or misunderstood about what architecture is all about. thus, i've bought and read many local architectural magazines to gain more knowledge about architecture. i even explored many architectural websites and this site is the best architectural forum website. i also enjoying www.archcareers.org and www.architecture.com.au to seek a few basic infos on becoming an architect. i also suggest you to go to www.archrecord.construction.com for a few general overview of architecture. for most of the infos that i've got, i had really set my mind on doing architecture and i think i'm ready enough to start my architecture education, only waiting for times to come. good luck man. |
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rowancv
Joined: 20 Jul 2008
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: similar situation (?) |
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| nox_armada wrote: | | hello rowancv. just wanna share something. i think that we're just in similar situation. i'm also very2 keen in studying architecture. maybe the difference is that i'm still in matriculation college which is still a free route for anyone who are still not thinking of what they are going to study at the varsity ( i guess you know that matriculation is a pre-U programme) but even though i'm in matriculation, we are not being taught about anything that's related to architecture education like art and design (though they can send matriculation student to do first degree of architecture at any public varsities in malaysia) so i feel like i have to explore architecture by myself before entering the varsity to enhance my knowledge so that i wouldn't be misconcepting or misunderstood about what architecture is all about. thus, i've bought and read many local architectural magazines to gain more knowledge about architecture. i even explored many architectural websites and this site is the best architectural forum website. i also enjoying www.archcareers.org and www.architecture.com.au to seek a few basic infos on becoming an architect. i also suggest you to go to www.archrecord.construction.com for a few general overview of architecture. for most of the infos that i've got, i had really set my mind on doing architecture and i think i'm ready enough to start my architecture education, only waiting for times to come. good luck man. |
I'm glad to hear that you are making steps towards doing something you WANT to do, and even more glad to hear that you are doing so early in your career. Your strength there is definitely encouraging, and I thank you for sharing your experience, and for also helping me by giving me some great places to go where I can learn more about architecture. I look forward to checking out those websites and resources. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate that you shared those with me. I wish you all the best as well in your future. Keep doin' what you're doin' my friend. And thanks again for the kind words
-Ro |
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djswan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Posts: 767
Location: Montana, USA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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Just throwing a bone out there to ya
In my world if you don't know the first thing about forestry you don't know the first thing about architecture. Trees grow in a forest.
And don't put too much of anything on a first thing, change can happen at anytime, who knows, it could the fifth or sixth thing too.
Good luck, you can alway ignore bad advise or heck, even good advise, but why bother asking then.
or should I have said "break a leg" instead of wishing luck.
Break a Leg.
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Married To The Job
Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:44 am Post subject: |
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Here's advice handed out in high school -- find someone doing what you'd like to do and spend a day (or a week, or a month) at work with them. I can only imagine how difficult and draining med school is, especially if your passion is elsewhere. However, architecture is no walk in the park, either. There are universities that offer post-graduate degrees for non-architect students, but you'll have to dig to find them.
If I were you, another fairly easy fix would be to find the nearly architecture department, introduce yourself to the director, and request permission to sit in on a few studio critiques. If time is at a crunch with your own study schedule, introduce yourself through the director to the student organization and arrange with some of the students to visit the studio during non-studio hours.
If you do both of these things (experience the professional workplace and experience the academic workplace), you'll get a general idea of what you'd be in for during the next five to seven years.
That said, I have two friends who have developed a very profitable firm who specialize in health care facilities. Perhaps you could take what you already have learned and put it to good use in a new field. Just keep in mind you're just trading one set of circumstances for another.
P.S. Despite the suggestion above, I don't know a single doctor or surgeon who has time to have a 'hobby' in anything, much less architecture. |
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teamjdc
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 291
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:34 am Post subject: |
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| Married To The Job wrote: | | I don't know a single doctor or surgeon who has time to have a 'hobby' in anything, much less architecture. |
Are you kidding me?
I suppose all the docs you know work at the free clinic.
I know a doc who loves cabinetmaking. Self-taught. Over the years, he had time to make his own furniture and make custom pieces for others -- and that wasn't his only hobby. He was also in his 30's!
The hobby has now become his primary vocation.
BTW, he never seemed short on cash. |
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djswan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Posts: 767
Location: Montana, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:35 am Post subject: |
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OMG! you just stole my thunder. 
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teamjdc
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 291
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:42 am Post subject: |
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| djswan wrote: | | OMG! you just stole my thunder. |
GMTA |
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djswan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Posts: 767
Location: Montana, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:53 am Post subject: |
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| teamjdc wrote: | | djswan wrote: | | OMG! you just stole my thunder. |
GMTA |
Oh My Gollyjeewillikers.
GMTA??? I'm a newbie.
I was typing the same thing you were. It caught me by surprize.
Seeing how a big chunk of clients tend to be docters, I've had a chance to see many of thier hobbies.
Opportunities not taken are...
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Married To The Job
Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:54 am Post subject: |
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| No free clinic docs, but several in mid-career. Either moving up (and putting in the hours) or mid-divorce (putting in the alimony). |
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starkca3
Joined: 10 Jul 2008
Posts: 99
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| lol...mid divorce. Hey, good idea on finishing the semester? Why would you drop it? Even if you want to go for architecture, dropping halfway through a semester is only going to hurt! Either way, its a lot of work...haha i guess you have a big choice!!!! Haha good luck with that, I wouldnt know what to do. I guess it all depends on just HOW strong you feel about it... |
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rowancv
Joined: 20 Jul 2008
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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djswan: i hear you man, thanks for the comment. well taken.
Married To The Job: thank you for the advice. as you mentioned, the my schedule is pretty crazy, so something like that would have to wait- either until i make a decision or until i am on break. but that is solid advice and i thank you for it.
starkca3: thanks. you have no idea how much this has been eating at me, but i'm praying i make the right decision. again, i may very well complete my semester and see where i am at that point. taking it day by day right now.. no scratch that, hour by hour.. |
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