A Roller coaster ride

The college was more than what I expected, I liked the fluidity and flexibility of the learning environment, but more focus should be given to bringing out the individuality of the student and allow for more opening of the mind. Sometimes it might seem limiting, and putting you in a box. But this has majorly got to do with the kind of faculty also, but I think the course should shape exercises in a way that the students are stretched to their maximum abilities regardless of the teacher's nature.

I had to write the NATA exam to get into architecture, it's a nationwide aptitude test for architecture, totals 200, and evaluated with your XII grade total marks on 200, to get a sum of 400. I got a score of 129 out of 200 on my NATA, which placed me at 7th rank, district wise, for my caste. I opted for SAP, Anna University, as I thought it was the best college for Architecture in Chennai, and five years later I can confirm that.

The course structure is pretty interesting as unlike the general idea about Engineering courses, where you learn something in college and do something totally different at work, the architecture course allows you to get into the practice of designing and creating right from the start with supporting theory subjects that brush you up on the technical side of things. It's a decent balance of Practical (model making, sketching, designing and stuff), with Theory to Substantiate it (building construction details, mechanics of structures) and so on. You also learn about History of Architecture, Theory of Architecture and Vernacular, Contemporary as electives in your later years to name a few.

Our college doesn't provide internship nor does it have a campus interview. However in the course a year is dedicated for internship where every student needs to look out for their own companies by making a suitable portfolio of their work in college.

The Architecture course does not have have Campus placement in any college, so no companies come to college. The students have to apply for jobs by themselves. But since 2016, discussions about the first campus placement in Anna University for Architecture came about, with L&T being the only company to offer to take some students from the architecture department as well. They offered 40 k starting salary with a bond of 2 years. Other Architectural firms offer much lesser. It's always better to start your own company, after a few years of experience.

The architecture department has it's own traditions with festivals like Diwali bash, a celebration for Diwali, and Cul de SAP, the annual Cultural event that usually goes over three days. Many years ago it used to be inter college, but since 4 years ago, it has been an inside department thing. Events in SAP are mostly exclusive to just our department. A more intimate, home like setting. The college has its own dance, music groups as well.

As I got through merit, the fee structure was very feasible for me. Paying around 8 k per semester for tuition, and 1.5 k for exam fees. The students in Self supporting category, pay twice the amount that I mentioned. The ones in NRI and Management quota pay in lacs, not sure about the exact figures.

Kohler Company offers a scholarship of Rs. 45 k, every year for the final year students to help with their thesis project, I'd received that scholarship. They usually come before the start of the final semester, and have an interview with your portfolio and idea for the 'big' project.

In my class, we had 13 boys and 28 girls, but this is more or less the proportion all the time. The girls outnumber the guys in any architecture class. We've had hands on workshops now and then, and great lectures from practicing architects. The college is quite fun, with a lot of vibrant activities, as mentioned before, the Diwali Bash and Cul de Sap festivals are some of the most looked forward to events. There is a Student Activity period, every Wednesdays, that have unique activities planned every week, like a Heritage walk, Movie screening and so on. There is no discrimination between girls or guys, they are free to talk and be in healthy discussion, and team work, and also fun. There's no question of what race, religion, sexual orientation, such matters don't meet the eye at all. It's a pretty decent environment, also to do with the small and intimate setting. Since it's just our department with 5 years, everyone knows everyone else. A good healthy relationship between seniors and juniors as well.

I'm no a Hosteler, but from what I've heard from friends and seen of the hostel, the regular Hostel is not that great, the rooms are quite small and overall maintenance is quite poor. The Anna University mess however is regarded as one of the best in town, and people are satisfied with it. But The NRI hostel and mess is in it's own league, the hostel's like a 3 star hotel, and the food is top quality.

Our college has a really healthy Junior Senior relationship, there is hierarchy, where Juniors are expected to show their work to seniors, and they crit them to get better, and juniors also help seniors in their projects doing all that they can, in the process learning about things that they wouldn't normally in the natural course of the curriculum. So both juniors and seniors benefit out of this relationship, it's symbiotic.

The Exams are kind of chilled out because the focus is more on actual projects that happen throughout the semester. The Design subject which carries most credits and hours during a week demands us to work on different projects in the course of different semesters, and is divided into different stages of submission that keeps you occupied and pull all nighters, on and off throughout the semester. So at the end of the semester, when you come to regular theory exams, they are not relatively as daunting.

This is one question that cannot have a generalized answer, because you have faculty who are extremely adept in what they're doing and then faculty who teach with just a power point. Since Architecture is quite subjective, design and creativity oriented, some faculty might be very influential in shaping the morals and ideals of the very field in the minds of the students. This can be a good and bad thing, and because of this, and the fact that you can number the faculties who are extremely passionate about the subject, you feel like the rest are just not good enough. I feel more faculty who are passionate about teaching and learning in the process is needed.