School Reputation vs. Variety and Location

[snowfrog]

I currently have my B.Arch from the University of Michigan and have completed two years of internship in both a small residental firm and a larger corporate firm in Chicago.
I am now planning on obtaining my M.Arch and have been accepted back to the Univ. of Michigan and to the Univ. of Illinois at Chicago. I would like to focus on residental and environmentally effiecent architecture.

Which program will prepare me of this field of architecture? Univ. of Michigan has a better reputation however, I have already been a part of that progam as an undergrad. Would branching out to a new program at Univ. of Illinois at Chicago prove to be more beneficial than a school's reputation and ranking?

Please help!

[antomical gift]

First, you don't have a BArch from Michigan, you have a BS in Architecture...

[antomical gift]

If UIC is your only other option, I say go to Michigan. Although I would generally recommend going to a different school for your Masters degree, from what I hear UIC is not the place to be.

[snowfrog]

yes, antomical gift, I understand that the degree earned from Univ. of Mich is a B.S. in Arch... that wasn't my point of posting. I'm just seeking friendly advice on grad schools. Any particular reason UIC is not the place to be? Personal experience? Thanks for your time.

[antomical gift]

I currently work in Chicago along side a number of UIC grads who found their education to be unrewarding. I am also very familiar with Michigan (I went there for undergrad) and know that it is a good school and cheap if you're in state. Although Chicago is a great city to work in, the schools around here are sub-par.

[djavolak]

I've heard good things about UIC, but only from a couple of sources, so it's not really representative. From what I hear, they are particularly good with computer app's and forward-looking in general. If you have a choice of only these two, and all other things are equal (meaning financial issues), I think it's really a matter of you feeling like staying in a familiar place or feeling like going away someplace new. I think the mere fact of going away to a different place to continue with your study (esp. if it's a city like Chicago) has its advantages. Good luck!