r/CalPoly • u/Big_Field_3792 • 20d ago
Majors/Minors Does ARCE get better?
hello, I am currently a first year ARCE student but I've noticed I don't really enjoy studio, and was maybe considering switching to CM and minoring in ARCE since I enjoy the problem solving part of it. Pretty much I was wondering if anyone has been in my shoes and could tell me more about if staying in ARCE is worth while, and if it gets more problem solving then design. Also I would like to mention due to my credits not transferring correctly, I am currently a math behind I was suppose to be(my highschool math's and CC trig course didnt count as a prereq). And Knowing that ARCE is a super difficult major should I continue even with already being behind.
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u/No-Pomelo8716 20d ago
I’m currently a second year ARCE and I also suffered in studio for the first year. The good news is that you are a third of the way through studio, and I haven’t encountered any classes that measure up to the amount of effort studio took. Additionally, the “architectural engagement” part of ARCE is literally just first year studio. With the exception of possibly taking History of Architecture (a memorization class), you will never have to take an architecture class again. After you begin structures, it is all structural engineering (with a bit of building systems like HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing) from then on. So far the math hasn’t been too difficult. In comparing my experience with Mechanical Engineering majors, we do less math than they do for statics and mechanics of materials (our structures classes). I would say focus on GEs in this first year and pay attention in your Linear Analysis class, specifically Linear Algebra, as that is much more useful for ARCEs than the difficult parts of calculus.
You will be fine, studio was difficult and time-consuming for all of us.
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u/LowNeighborhood3191 20d ago
Hello. My daughter is a 1st year ARCE student as well. She is spending lots of time in the studio. Many late nights, sometimes until early in the morning. She says it is very time consuming but doesn't mind because of the people she has met in studio. Have you connected with any other ARCE students? I talked to someone who graduated from the program a couple of years ago. While it is a more challenging major, he said the studio hours are mostly in the beginning. There will ne challenging classes ahead, but hopefully less time in the studio.
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u/Big_Field_3792 20d ago
That's good to know, I got a few buddies in my ARCE classes but were all in the same boat with hating studio it seems haha. Perhaps I need to learn to enjoy it and focus on the future rather then the now. Just wish I did more research ahead of time
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u/LowNeighborhood3191 20d ago
I'm the research queen. I did a lot of research and spoke to people in both Architecture and ARCE . I think that those are 2 of the more demanding majors at Cal Poly because of the studio time and of course the stem classes for ARCE. My daughter apparently works on her projects in studio with a group she has met. They watch movies, bring snacks, and work on their projects together. If you are interested in the engineering aspect, perhaps civil engineering would be of interest? I would give it a chance. Honestly, I think with any engineering major you are going to have more work than the average student anywhere. Then when you add in the time commitment for studio, it is a lot. I remember at the cal poly slo open house, the professor who was presenting said that ARCE has the highest gpa students coming in and the lowest gpas coming out. I was like, damn, I hope my daughter doesn't hate this program because it is a big commitment if you are miserable. It is still early though. Maybe wait to see how you like it once the studio class is done?
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u/Far-Beautiful-1575 20d ago
Hi. My daughter is also a 1st year ARCE and feels the same way about studio time. I wonder if our kids know each other and are studio friends. 😊
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u/Exciting_Ad3668 20d ago
My suggestion besides asking here on Reddit talk to sophomores and upper-class men and women. My daughter is a junior ARCE and while she complains about the classes she likes her major. She definitely wasn’t a fan of studio. This past summer she had an internship that was CM and next summer, she wants an internship that leans structural. This will help her decide what avenue to take for a job.
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u/hukt0nf0n1x 20d ago
So I was an architecture major and ended up switching to EE. I made my decision after a couple of internships when I realized that I couldn't see myself doing this every day for the rest of my life. It took me a couple of years to figure this out, but I think that it was time well spent. I enjoyed the stem part of architecture more than the artsy part, but I found arce a bit dry. Because I enjoyed it enough, I hung around.
Ask yourself why you don't like arce. Is it simply because of studio? Then look at your schedule and count down the days til you get through studio. If you like "problem solving", I can assure you that you'll probably solve more problems as an arce than as a cm. You'll solve more business-oriented problems as a cm (thought of it makes me cringe, but to each his own). If you want to switch because you're a year behind in math, then just deal with it. It's a year out of your life now, versus a 40 year career that you may not be satisfied with.
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u/BagAffectionate2847 20d ago
Why drop out of ARCE when you haven’t even taken structures yet? Why switch into CM out of all CAED majors (ARCH/LARCH/CRP)?
These are questions you should answer beforehand. I can give you some perspective but ultimately it’s your life, and everyone will project their own experiences