Wasting my Money!!!

[Brian Effinger]

This situation is like an ancient riddle that has no answer.

Yup, that's the architecture department, in a nutshell. I had a similar experience, and after I graduated in '98, I had very little working knowledge of how architecture was practiced. Fortunately I was able to get into a firm, and one of the guys there took me under his wing, & 10 years later, I'm doing just fine.

Basically I see my formal education as just a stepping stone. If I didn't have that degree, I couldn't get a job and real experience, and I couldn't be taking my licensing exams (all 9 of them ). It sounds to me like you and your daughter are more "nuts & bolts" than the professors. My advice is to just grin & bear it, and get the most out of it she possibly can. They aren't there to teach the practice of architecture, they are there to teach her how to think creatively. And while sometimes it seems like a colossal waste of time, it is valuable (to some extent) in the real world.

Also remember, most of the professors aren't licensed architects, nor do they have extensive experience in a firm (at least that's the way it was at my school). They are professional educators, nothing more and nothing less. As I said before, get through it and have her get the most out of it.

I wish her good luck. She's embarking on a difficult career that will earn her very little money, but a lot of satisfaction and enjoyment.

Brian

[Colin Giersberg]

While I only took a few college classes (University of N. Alabama, and several classes from a junior college), I think that the education process is going downhill fast. In the local paper today (The Huntsville Times, front page) an article states that Alabama is going to lessen (if passed) the requirements for getting a diploma. Instaed of emphasis on Science, the schools will have mandatory foreign language classes. Now, I am full blooded German, even though I was born in England, and I think that this is oh so wrong.
My parents learned English while they were in England, and improved their vocabulary while here. I just do not see where learning a foreign language should be mandatory. Optional, yes, mandatory, no.
To me, Science is one of the greatest things that a student can learn, and while I wont say that I am proficient in any one form of Science, I do enjoy reading up on various topics, just to keep up with the world as I know it. Learning a new language just does not seem to qualify.
I sincerely think that teachers need to do a better job, but I am not so naive as to believe that the students need to try harder too. We can all do better, we just have to want to. On a side note, the article also siad that the students would have to take more advanced math courses. Well, I hated math in high school, but my employer (AL. Dept. of Transportation) required its employees take a placement test, then go through several courses that fellow state employees taught. I can't say enough about how good these classes were. I never thought i would like geometry or trig, but I do now. Granted, these classes were not in depth like in a normal classroom, they were very good when it came to seeing how they applied to my job. I had been doing geometry for years before I realized just what it is. I know that there is a lot more math that I need to learn, but for the time being, what I know is enough for me. I can work with angles, and add, subtract, multiply, or divide them easily enough in order to get what I need. The states surveying made me learn that, as well as bookkeeping, records keeping and other things. So, I will end my rant here.

Regards, Colin

ps. Does any one have short cuts in math that they use and would care to share. How about a new post for that? I will start one shortly, so post up. Thanks.