Architecture in USA

Pervin Malhotra

Architecture in USA

Q. Can you please suggest a few good colleges in the US for pursuing a bachelor’s degree in architecture. — Tushar Mehra

A. USA offers some of the top architecture programmes including those at Cornell University, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University Syracuse University, Rice University, Rhode Island School of Design, University of Texas, Austin, Auburn University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Southern California among several others.

As an international student, you will need to meet the requirements of the particular school. Make sure you research each school and identify their specific requirements as well as expectations in the course of the programme. Note the deadlines to increase the likelihood of a smooth and easy process.

There are technical requirements for admission to the five-year architecture programme in the US that includes: a strong academic record, a creative portfolio (not always mandatory); letters of recommendation (LOR); interview with a department head (this is variable – can be done by Skype/writing down the answers in some cases).

---

Prepare for a career in Big Data

Q. After BTech, I took up my first job last year as data analyst. I’m enthusiastic about Big Data and wish to handle a Big Data analytics role in the near future. How can I prepare myself for the same? — Rajiv Puri

A. You’re off to a good start! Companies are struggling to find the right people in the Big Data space, but many professionals are confused about how they should prepare themselves for Big Data. So, you’ll be a step ahead when it comes to securing a role on the analytics team.

Hadoop and MapReduce are amongst the widely adopted tools in the market which are then supported by database languages such as NoSQL, Hive etc. As new ones keep evolving, so keep yourself abreast.

There are some good Big Data training courses in India from organisations such as SimpliLearn, Edureka, Blue Ocean Learning, BigDataTraining.in, Jigsaw Academy, iClass Bangalore and NIIT. To equip working professionals with industry-relevant knowledge, IIIT Bangalore, Genpact & UpGrad have also teamed up to offer a postgraduate diploma in Data Analytics.

Courses are also offered by prominent Indian B-schools such as IIM-A/B/C and ISB, but those are based on business analytics in general. If you intend  pursuing a Big Data course online, then you should check out MOOC providers such as edX and Coursera.

---

Is Btech a ticket to top B-schools?

Q. I am preparing to take the CAT next month. I am a social science student (MA Economics). What are the prospects of non-engineers like me getting into top-B-schools in India? I believe there’s special quota for engineering students. — Tripti Baweja

A. Let me assure you that no such rigid quota prevails – at least currently. And to further set your mind at rest, just look at the rise in the number of non-engineering students qualifying for a seat in our premier B-schools of late. At IIM Ahmedabad, which is on the top of the pecking order, three out of every ten students in the class of 2017-19 happen to be non-engineers.

Paving the way for better academic diversity and richer peer-learning, even at other IIMs – Kozhikode, Lucknow and Indore, bright non-engineers from varied backgrounds,  including the social sciences like you, constitute 20 per cent of the batch strength. This is a major turn-around from the highly skewed ratio of 90 per cent engineering students just two years ago.

This refreshing change is partly driven by industry demand for a more diverse and creative cadre of managers in leadership positions who bring an innovative and varied perspective — thanks to their different backgrounds to balance and complement analytical thinking.

So, just focus on your preparation in dead earnest. If you manage to score on par with your engineering counterparts in the Quant & DI section, you stand an equal chance.

Email your queries to [email protected]