How to Become an Architect: Being an Architect involves a lot more than just having great drawing skills and a very creative imagination, they have to have a lot of self discipline Architects also need to be highly educated and exactly know what they are doing when it comes to written and oral communications, engineering and computer literacy. What is an Architect: An Architect is a person who is trained to design buildings and often supervises their construction. How to become an Architect: 1. See School Guidance Counselor: The first step in becoming an Architect is to have a chat with your school's guidance counselor and ask for advice regarding which courses are needed to prepare you for an Architect program for college. 2. Take Maths and Science: Extra courses in science and maths will also need to be taken. If you have a disliking for either of these subjects or maybe even both, then it is highly suggested that you find an alternative career path. 3. Maintain B Average: It is very important that at least a B average is maintained. 4. Contact Colleges: It is recommended that you contact colleges that you may be interested in, that offer an Architect course, a good couple of months before you begin your senior year in high school and find out what the admission requirements are. 5. Education Options: There are various options regarding education, that you need to decide on and they are as follows: OPTION 1: Receiving a Bachelor's Degree in any related field and then a further two years for your 'Master of Architecture' degree. OPTION 2: Doing a five year 'Bachelor of Architecture' program. (Most popular option of today) OPTION 3: Receiving a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field, followed by a further three-four years studying to obtain your 'Master of Architecture' degree. 6. Apply to Colleges: Follow the rules of admission for all the schools with the requirements that you meet and, making sure you send in all the necessary documents, apply to several of them. 7. Degree with Honors: Once you have been accepted, it is time to work towards obtaining your degree with honors. This could prove to be to your advantage at a later stage, as the competition among architecture students is very intense. 8. Get a Part-Time Job: Regardless of the salary, get a part-time job at an architectural firm and make sure that you receive letters of recommendation from any jobs you may do. 9. Get to Know CADD: Due to the fact that a large amount of architectural firms require the knowledge of CADD, which stands for computer-aided design and drafting, it is now time for you to familiarize yourself with it and learn how to use it as soon as possible. 10. Build Your Resume: Now you will need to start building your resume. It is very important that you get a letter of recommendation from the necessary individuals at your part-time job/s, and don't forget to add to your resume that you have excellent computer skills. 11. Intern: It is important that you now go and Intern at an architectural firm. Make sure that this is done well in advance of your graduation. In order to take the ARE exams (Architect Registration Examination), it is required that you stay in this position of internship for at least three years. 12. Prepare for the ARE Exams: Do thorough preparation for the ARE exams. 13. Apply for the ARE Exams: You are now required to send in your application for the exam well in advance of the due date. 14. Take the ARE Exam: Now it is time for you to take the ARE exams, make sure you pass it. Helpful Tips: - Licensing requirements may vary according to states/provinces. - It is important that you are aware of the long working hours in which architects are involved. This may include nights and weekends depending on project deadlines. |
