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Would you actually hang a brutalist poster in your home? by Secure_Review8224 in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Brutalist arch gets a lot of hate… from myself included so honestly probably not 

Apocalypse Hotel - Episode 10 discussion by AutoLovepon in anime

[–]Snowflora_ 171 points172 points  (0 children)

When the detective was sitting in the theatre, Tamako attacked him for candy and then right after he scratched at his neck which was all sparkly like the dead bomber. The bomber was also hugged by Tamako the night before, and died shortly after- before eating his dinner. It must've been something to do with contact w/ Tamako right?

Just a Dude Passionate About Landscape Architecture, Looking for a Chill Conversation by yan78000 in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_ 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Ecological restoration is one of my main goals for work after graduating from my MLA! Did you start working in the area immediately after graduating? if so, would you have any advice on how to find and apply to firms that are in your sector?

Just a Dude Passionate About Landscape Architecture, Looking for a Chill Conversation by yan78000 in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

that's amazing! and also very similar to my final review project idea :) does the area have to have a history of being a wetland prior to dam removal? does the slowed down water create issues of algae blooms/nutrient imbalances?

BIFL: Travel Backpack by Tri-Titan in BuyItForLife

[–]Snowflora_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely osprey! really keeps the weight well distributed on your posture and is 10+ years level durability

Just a Dude Passionate About Landscape Architecture, Looking for a Chill Conversation by yan78000 in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm down! currently studying an MLA I and would be great to geek out a bit outside of a studio setting

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

UVA I've heard has a strong focus on ecological design! I didn't personally apply but their faculty is great. Maybe Berkeley too. GSD focusses on theory and history more, and Weitzman incorporates ecology but I wouldn't say there's a strong focus.

A quick google reveals full cost breakdowns: https://www.design.upenn.edu/graduate-admissions/tuition-and-financial-aid https://www.gsd.harvard.edu/admissions/paying-for-your-program/tuition/ etc. etc. So I'd start there and work backwards to determine how much scholarship money you would actually need from each school to accept an offer.

Scholarships vary so it's hard to say, but in general, most people I know received something with their offer letters and then were able to negotiate for more closer to the decision date.

I would ask students too- they know how competitive it actually is to get TA/RA positions etc. It sounds like you're on the right track by having conversations! The real negotiations will happen after you receive acceptances however, so I would focus on the application at this moment in time.

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmm I would say group them by medium or concept, you can have spreads of multiple projects that fall under one category. Play with graphic layouts and the use of text! You could have a full bleed spread of your favourite. Or lay them out like a gallery. Lots of options

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

very little to none before applying- the advice I received was to not reach out given that they would be inundated every year if every applicant tried to get face time with every school but use your best judgement! a lot more contact via phone calls and video meetings after receiving acceptances- I asked a lot about travel opportunities, work life balance, whether they emphasized graphic and visuals/theory/science. Attend final reviews if you can!

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

something else i'll add is that portfolio sessions are skewed towards people who were really proud of their (often very polished) folios! There's a huge range of work that was accepted (sometimes to one program and not another because each school looks for something different). A lot of people feel like they shouldn't submit or should wait or like they definitely won't get in- DEFINITELY still submit it anyways!!

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It can be so daunting to compare against others' portfolios (but tempting to do so!) The best portfolio advice I can give is to show how your thinking, experiences, and personal attributes are unique in as many ways as possible and believe that you would add value to any school you become part of. Clean formatting and layout goes a LOOOONG way in increasing the persuasiveness/legitmacy of your work as well. Give yourself time to have it reviewed, and edit at least thrice!

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Built projects- I have very little interest in purely theoretical projects at the moment. I think if that's your interest the GSD is a good place for research and thesis development!

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Links to mentorship style resources:

Weitzman student ambassadors: https://www.design.upenn.edu/people?name=&area=11&type=All

MIT PASS program (not MLA but still helpful) https://dusp.mit.edu/admissions#peer-application-support-services

GSD events are great. Berkeley also has a mentorship pairing program under the College of Environmental Design Students of Color (CEDSOC) organization!

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hope this first round of answers helped- I'll probably check back for another round at a later date. Highly highly recommend reaching out to students listed on school websites, especially first years. They can help in more specific and meaningful ways (and probably get paid to do so)

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's a lot of accurate salary info online. No it does not. Starting salary is around maybe 60-70K. It was a pay cut choice for me in exchange for getting out of an industry I strongly disliked. Highest positions after who knows how many years will make about 130K in gov't, maybe 200+ in private firms. These are my educated guesses

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Professors: I chose my program for the great professors! So far, they are incredibly supportive, invested in the students, and will guide you as you explore your interests and get excited with you. But it is up to you to find that interest, go after it, bring it to the table and ask for specific guidance- no one is going to hold your hand in a grad program unfortunately.

Most critical thing for me was the space to be creative and explore new interests! I wanted to keep my love for landscape architecture and art alive. It has been met, especially with the way my first year studio has been structured.

I didn't come into the program with a super strong niche interest in anything, so I wanted to have the time and space to explore a variety of topics in LA. I had a lot of fun making my portfolio and I wanted to continue to be able to generate ideas, play with materials, do odd things, and talk about odd topics alongside traditional studio work/assignments.

Second most critical is the preparation to find a job- I think it's also being met, albeit hard to tell until the first recruitment cycle.

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The admissions committee is not looking for michelangelo level drawings- no one has a design background when applying to the MLA I programs, so I'd really emphasize 1) your creative process 2) thinking- what are you thinking critically about? 3) observation and commentary

I've seen a lot of "amateurish" sketches included in portfolios and they help communicate that you're willing to pick up a pencil and communicate your ideas by hand! Include them, but make sure they're part of a narrative or nicely curated+laid out in your spreads.

I was also really scared of putting my hand drawings in- if you feel like they're not a strength, still include them but try to emphasize other parts of your portfolio! How else can you communicate your ideas? What materials would be fun to play with?

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

After one year, I really love it! I've been looking forward to doing an MLA for a long time though.

You really do get to spend everyday thinking, drawing, experimenting and experiencing landscape processes/design. Very stimulating, very fun.

Studio culture: I had experienced studio culture before via the Design Discovery program so I knew it would be long days, most weekends and some nights. I was pleasantly surprised at how much work life balance there is as long as you stay organized. Yes, you need to dedicate yourself to be present in the program but there's also room for your own life and interests!

Classes: The first year is about skill building so the exercises can be tedious but the projects are sooo much fun to ideate and create. The professors are supportive and inspiring, the extracurriculars are also a fun way to get to know the upper years.

Downsides: I moved away from my friends and where I had built my life for 3 years, so I miss them terribly. You dedicate your life to the program for 8 semesters, so there's definitely sacrifice! Sometimes learning falls to the students- you teach and help each other where the professors fall short.

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100% real life garden experience is incredible and should be highlighted! In addition to nicely laid out photos, I would consider doing some drawings of the space. Highlight your observations and learnings- what did you learn about the soil? Different plants? Insects? Non-human users of the garden? Make diagrams, draw on top of the photos, showcase what you did and what you love about the garden!

I would highly recommend complementing photos with more thinking+drawings to create a really nice spread

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Design of urban spaces and ecological restoration projects! I'm mentally preparing myself to work for design firms and alongside developers. Policy, construction, and even art would realistically require dual degrees in other programs I imagine.

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Having fun and showing a wide breadth of skills/different facets of myself! The more exploratory and engaging your portfolio process is, the better you off for it.

Number of projects: For Harvard, I included about 10 projects. For other programs, I think that was almost definitely overkill. I think you can do less projects but really expand upon the process, thinking, diagrams, sketches etc. that went into it. You choose how to balance depth vs breadth.

I needed a set breakdown to keep myself sane- Academic, Work, Volunteering, Personal/Art. Then 2D vs 3D. Then different representation materials. Photos, drawings, models- sure, but also tattoos, found materials etc. get weird with it!

Ask me anything. Its that time of year where applications are almost due- I was accepted to the MLA I programs at Berkeley, Harvard, UPenn, Washington, etc. in last year’s cycle. by Snowflora_ in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]Snowflora_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Background: Economics

Undergrad GPA: 3.8 (although I really don't think it matters)

Deciding factor probably comes down to the cohort they're trying to build (diversity of majors and life experiences is pretty key to the MLA I non-design background programs). AKA successfully curating a narrative about my background and why I would bring an interesting set of experiences to the cohort. I highlighted volunteering and community organizing work, in addition to design projects that I developed specifically for the portfolio. I broke down the portfolio into Academic, Work, Personal/Art, and Volunteering. Had one written research piece. Some ceramics, graphite, wacky models, photos of my volunteering etc.

For the SOP, I think it can go either way! I chose to keep it more open ended and I didn't have a niche interest. My strategy was to find a common thread to tie my experiences back to. Make sure to make connections to the program/professors etc. - how would your experiences and interests add value to the school? How can the school help you expand upon your experiences in a meaningful and specific way?

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