DIT or UL - Please help.

[Frogo]

I've applied for college this year to do architecture in DIT and UL, after taking the past year to do a portfolio course. After recently receiving the results of my interview (I somehow managed 100 points in the interview, and I thought I did horrible in the interview, so I was certain I was going to end up doing architecture in UL) and suitability test results for DIT, so I now know the points I have, and they were well above the acceptance level last year. I have also passed the UL portfolio assessment, which now leaves me with the decision on where I plan to begin college in Autumn.

I know that DIT has a good reputation and is accredited while UL is a relatively new course and currently does not have full accreditation, I'm having to weigh up the pros and cons. I've confirmed my place of accommodation in UL, and I'm very attracted to campus itself. Obviously, DIT does not have a campus of such, nor provide accommodation, and therefore accommodation in Dublin is not going to be as easy to avail of. And as I'm sure you're aware, one's living environment has great influence on one's work and also creativity, let alone travelling to and from college in the morning and eveing may also be draining. As well as that, UL is just over an hours journey home, while Dublin is two and a half to three hours journey, on a good day. I find the option of work experience abroad in DIT very appealing, and was disappointed to find out on UL opening day that they do not have such work experience.

So, as you can imagine, I'm having trouble making my final decision, and was hoping would anyone be able to provide any further information or advice that would be of any benefit. I've read all the threads on such discussions before, but this is more specific, so please, any help would be greatly appreciated. I've only two weeks to make up my mind.

Cheers,
Phil

[Fionn]

DIT is terrible to access, and any accomodation you get in Dublin could be miles from Bolton Street. Imagine dragging models and drawings through the city on a wet, windy day! It really is an advantage to be near the college in student accomodation like in UL I think.

[PTB]

Eanie meanie?

[Frogo]

Thanks Fionn, didn't really consider that. I wish DIT had UL's campus, lol.

Hehe, cheers PTB.

Got some good advice over on boards.ie. Still can't make my mind up though! I'd really appreciate further advice from others, even if it's just a sentence or two.

Thanks guys,
Phil

[rira]

[quote="Frogo"]And as I'm sure you're aware, one's living environment has great influence on one's work and also creativity, [quote]

Thats exactly why I love DIT and living in the North Inner city. It's that Moore St thing of Chinese shops and Auld Dublin fruit stalls, the horse and cart coming from the Fruit Market and the massive new developements in Smithfiled. It's crazy and expensive and sometimes scary (especially around Smithfield on Ice for some reason?!) but it's great.
I would love if DIT was already in Grangegorman and was able to hand out accomodation and such left right and centre but it can't, what it does offer is walking distance to the best galleries, and most important buildings in Ireland. It's part of the livliest and most accessible architectural community around and watching the development of the new campus will be amazing for students over the next 5-10 years

I'd choose that over easy accommodation any day.

On the commuting front, trust me, you won't want to home that often.

[Frogo]

I've decided on DIT. The sole reason is that it's well established and has the best reputation, at the moment. I would say however, give it 5-10 years, UL will be well established, and I'd say even have a better reputation. UL does have alot of advantages and is very very appealling, but I just feel that at the moment, DIT is the better option. If it was around 3 years down the line when I had to decide, I'd be going to UL I'd say. Which is a pity but I think I'll be happy in DIT anyway, if I get good accommodation. If not, I could always reapply for UL.

Thanks for the help everyone, I greatly appreciated it.
Phil.

[Barry Hall]

I didn't know that UL had an Architecture degree - thought it was only DIT UCD & WIT - how long is the UL course going - what are the entry requirements likely to be?

[rira]

http://www.ul.ie/architecture/

[Bren88]

I've decided on DIT. The sole reason is that it's well established and has the best reputation, at the moment. I would say however, give it 5-10 years, UL will be well established, and I'd say even have a better reputation. UL does have alot of advantages and is very very appealling, but I just feel that at the moment, DIT is the better option. If it was around 3 years down the line when I had to decide, I'd be going to UL I'd say. Which is a pity but I think I'll be happy in DIT anyway, if I get good accommodation. If not, I could always reapply for UL.

Thanks for the help everyone, I greatly appreciated it.
Phil.

What do you mean you decided, surely the cousre to attend is decided by the CAO document, and it had to be in long ago

[rira]

If you read the original post he said he was reapplying having spent a year to do a portfolio course, he has worked out his points and figures he'll qualify for both and now wants advice on his order of preference, you can change your order up until 5:15 pm on 22nd July 2007

[jrk92]

yeah, but is it possible that if my portfolio will be very well, then UL will offer me place although I will get less than 460 points? what do you think about this? maybe I should say something when I will leave my portfolio in the office? ( I mean that I will get probably less points , only because english is my second language) I will say for example that I see my own efforts, that I am very good in technical drawings, three-dimensional things, that I always dreamed about Architecture etc..(all of it is truth, and I think that I would get about 500 points only if I would be about two years longer than I am in Ireland) I know people , which after two years speak almost perfect but reason of it is that they had long time english in school .. unfortunatelly I had german...ehh I am really confused.. maybe I should stay again in 6th year? I really dont know what to do...