Software

One of the things I love about SCI-Arc is the exposure to technology and software. For the past 5 weeks I've been here I've learned Maya, Rhino, 3Ds Max, Adobe Illustrator and Indesign. I've also been using AutoDesk and Photoshop as well.

Though I am still very new to Maya, I played around with it enough to be unafraid and I've been using it quite a bit in my design studio class. Maya, according to my Visual Studies instructor, was originally used for designing ships. It is widely used now for animation and modeling. If you spend enough time understanding the logic behind the commands, it is not that difficult to figure it out. It must be mentioned that Maya is very different from AutoCADD and Rhino. I am taking Visual Studies 1 class now and we are using Maya. I made below using Maya in my summer transfer digital design class.

Ducky by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2011

I've been introduced to Rhino and everyone uses it much more than I do and I plan to polish up my Rhino skills as well. Rhino works pretty much like AutoCAD and the commands are pretty similar. Can do accurate and precise drawings unlike Maya which is great for free forming and can do pretty accurate as well.

3Ds Max is a software that my current studio professor said he uses the most. He did a quick demo that really impressed us. It seems like a good balance between Maya and Rhino. I played around with a bit and I am still not using it for any classes but I plan on using it this semester for my studio classes as well.

I think its quite important to learn different software to be able to have the freedom to use different tools when we research and experiment various design ideas. I don't think we should stop making physical models but I think its very important to try it out in a software for accuracy and precision.

Ambivalent Phenomena of Projectiology

There is a great article that gives a good introduction to Projectiology that I want to share with you. This article is published in the IAC Blog.

Ambivalent Phenomena of Projectiology

by Nanci Trivellato & Wagner Alegretti

There are many types of phenomena and paranormal activities, but some of them, like regression and clairvoyance, for example, are subjective phenomena. Thus, they cannot be seen and occur inside of the person’s own microuniverse. We have previously analyzed these intimate phenomena of the consciousness, so we will concentrate on the objective, or ambivalent phenomena, which can be seen or proven. We can cite several of them. For example:

Materialization: This is a well known phenomenon in which a paranormal performs the materialization of objects which were before “non-existent,” and turns them totally visible. There are various registered cases studied on the topic of materialization. Some of the names that are better known in this field are: Rudy Schneider and Madam d’Esperance. To realize a phenomenon such as this one, the psychic should have control over a type of bioenergy called ectoplasm.

Telekinesis: Telekinesis is a phenomenon in which the person is able to move objects and transform the structure of physical things without touching them, in other words, using only the strength of its bioenergies. Diverse laboratory experiments, primarily in Russia, have been performed in order to verify this phenomenon which is today accepted. One of the best known psychics in the field of telekinesis is Uri Gueler, seen often on television, bending spoons, moving the hands on a watch, etc. Nevertheless, there have been many others who perform telekinesis which have been studied with results greater than those of Uri Gueler.

To read the full article, click here

Bioenergies: A Vital Component of Human Existence

I haven't had much time to write for the blog lately but I want to share some cool articles. These weren't written by me but they are excellent for anyone interested in learning about the consciousness (ourselves) more and related phenomena. You can find more articles like this in the IAC blog

Bioenergies: A Vital Component of Human Existence
by Sandie Gustus & Nanci Trivellato

What is bioenergy?

Bioenergy is one of many known terms used to describe the energy field that envelops every living being. A non-physical energy, it has nevertheless been identified and acknowledged throughout the ages by different cultures in different parts of the world. The yogis in India call it prana , Chinese acupuncturists know it as chi and modern day psychics refer to it as aura. Other expressions commonly used to describe this type of energy include immanent energy, subtle energy, vital energy, magnetic energy and universal energy.

Many studies have already been undertaken and others are currently in progress to better understand bioenergy (prana, chi, subtle energy). Attempts have also been made to develop instruments and other means of registering it. Kirlian photography for example, a technique that was discovered by accident in 1939, shows that when a high-voltage electric field is applied to an object placed on a photographic plate, an image of the signals emitted by the object is generated. This image is said to be a physical representation of the object's aura.

Among other experiments performed in this field, many noteworthy investigations into bioenergies have been led by the Russians. Results of their research showed that individuals can utilize their own bioenergies for self-healing or to heal another person, to move an object without touching it, or to engage in a telepathic or mental transmission of information.

Other researchers into parapsychic phenomena have concluded that this type of energy is an essential component of a whole range of occurrences such as acupressure, acupuncture, the bending of metal at will, dematerializations and rematerializations, ectoplasmy, homeopathy, poltergeist activities, teleportation and psychic surgery.

Despite some modest success in creating instruments capable of recording bioenergy (prana, chi), it remains largely too subtle to be measured with any precision by scientific equipment. The most efficient tool for this purpose is the sensitivity of the human being. Given that humans have the inherent capacity to detect and analyze the bioenergy fields (aura, energetic body, etheric double) generated by others, they are invaluable research tools in experiments of this nature.

To read the full article click here

Student Tips: Paying for school and student loans

A few students who applied to SCI-Arc as transfer students, couldn't make it here even after they got accepted, because of finances. I thought of sharing some experiences that could help you organize yourself financially so you could receive a very good education.

I can't stress enough how important it is to apply to multiple schools. My friends I spoke of above were all ready to move to LA. They were looking for car movers and places to rent. Then something unexpected happened. Their student loans got rejected. If SCI-Arc was the only school they applied to, today they would be without a school. Thankfully they had applied to UF and got admitted there as well so it worked out for them.

The second thing I can't stress enough about is to have a strong application along with a very good letter of intent, an excellent portfolio and very good recommendation letters. This will increase your chances of winning a scholarship from the school. If you are eligible for academic scholarships or any scholarships for that matter, you should apply. You should aim for a scholarship that will cover most, if not all, of your tuition.

Next step would be to apply for federal aid - FAFSA. One of the most important steps in applying to college is filing your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You will need your tax information from the previous year to file the FAFSA. All details about filing for FAFSA can be found in their website here. If you want help filing your FAFSA usually the school financial aid office can help you with this. But trust me, you can fill it on your own online, just read the instructions carefully.

Then you should apply for financial aid with your school. Usually, all schools have a set of documents they would require you to fill for financial aid. These documents can be found at the financial aid office of the school and there will be staff who can help you with this. You should talk to them and don't be afraid to ask questions until you have absolute clarity. Remember, when in doubt, and that you will be, ask for them. Financial aid applications and the process can be confusing. Take time to do it. Don't miss the deadlines because money gets allocated pretty fast.

Between federal aid and financial aid with school, you should get a combination of grants, scholarships and loans. There are various grants like Pell Grant and grants from the school that you don't have to pay back. There are loans from the federal government such as the Stafford loans and PLUS loan. Based on if you are an independent student or a dependent student, you should get a combination of these options that should cover a good chunk of your tuition and other study expenses.

I fit in the category of an independent student because I file taxes on my own and I'm married. Your financial aid from the government and the school will vary greatly upon your dependent status.

Until I started at SCI-Arc, I didn't have any student loans. But, like any private school, SCI-Arc's high tuition required me to seek loans to pay the tuition. I'm taking all the Stafford loans they are offering me and I had to take out a private loan to pay the Summer tuition.

As far as I know, there are 3 types of federal student loans. The subsidized Stafford loan, the unsubsidized Stafford loan and the PLUS loan. Click here to read more about the Stafford loans & the PLUS loans.

Private loans are a bit tricky. Usually your school can provide you a list of approved or preferred lenders. This list will usually consist of a few banks and specialized student loan providers like Sallie Mae. I went with Sallie Mae because they know the drill about student loans, that's their specialty so they know the kind of problems you face and they know how to find solutions faster. They are pretty quick in processing the loans too.

The main thing to remember about student loans is that you have a good credit score and if you have a co-signer, that they have a good credit score and a good pay stub to show to the bank. I would check with the school before applying for the loan just to make sure that your chances of getting the loan approved is pretty good.

You have also remember, you may have to chase the bank and the financial aid office to see through that the loan money gets dispensed on time. So be on top of them.

As you can see, you have to be quite organized with the whole process. Do your research. Read on line, talk to people. Be careful not to apply for too much money in loans than you actually, absolutely need. You don't want to graduate and walk out with $ 150,000 in debt and not know how to pay it off. Loan Payment calculators such as this, can help you figure out how much money you will be repaying over how long.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions :)

SCI-Arc experience: The move & week 1

So I picked SCI-Arc to finish my degree. I moved to LA 19 days ago. A big change. Miami is a small place compared to LA. And moving was hectic. For about 3 weeks prior to the move was when I finally got all the info from SCI-Arc. Like I said in one of my previous posts, one of the things about SCI-Arc is that their decision making process is very slow and the wait is painfully long. But in the end it ended up being worth it. I got a very good scholarship and good financial aid. Everyone was very helpful in getting the documents processed.

To give you an idea of how I planned the move and everything, this is the time-line. (**Note: I started from week minus seven working up to week zero being the week I actually moved**)

Week -7:
Order packing kit. Think about drawing out an initial moving plan and do the math to see how much money I can spend on the move, etc. Start researching which areas in LA are good to living, read reviews, check prices, look for pet friendly places, etc. Craigslist.com & apartments.com was very helpful for this research.

Week -6:
Schedule appointments for house hunting. Start initial packing & pre-packing sorting process

Week -5:
Trip to LA for house hunting. I had short listed 16 places and actually visited 8 places. But I found a place I like the very 1st day and on the 4th day before I left I went back to this place and we put down the deposit, etc. Make sure to take checks with you for deposits.

Week-4: Looked for movers, car shipping company. Read reviews online. Check with Better Business Bureau to see if they have any complains, etc and address the issues.

Week -3: Decision from SCI-Arc, along with placement & scholarship information received. Time to pack, pack, pack

Week -2: Finalize the movers and sign contracts, etc. Pack, pack, pack!!!

Week -1: Finish packing. Ship the car & the household items

Week 0: Move

Week 1: First week in LA
Took time to adjust - the time change and all. But everything went well. Car movers were ok, household movers were splendid. (if you want references, email me)

Week2: SCI-Arc Summer transfer session started
So the first week at school has been great. I love the instructors we have. I was recommended to take only 1 class out of 4 classes by the application review committee. So my load has been pretty easy. I'm already learning Maya & Rhino. It's very exciting.

keep checking back for more updates... I promise to post more regularly...... :)

Student Tips: Picking the right school

After submitting all applications and fulfilling the application requirements, then came the time for waiting.... Finally when I've heard back from all the schools I had to make a decision. I'm sharing a few things about that process.

• Always apply to more than one college. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. I know a few people who applied to only one school and they got turned down/ rejected and then they have to wait a whole year to apply again.

• Even if you apply to just one school and get accepted, having a few options to choose from works better because you may get more scholarships or financial aid from different schools.

• You should visit the schools you are applying to. You have to see if you like the place. Also speak to an academic adviser to see if there are any classes you can or should take before you transfer into the upper division school.

• Get your parents and family involved in making the decision.
  

• Needless to say, financial aid & scholarship money play a big role in the decision.

• You should research the living expenses in the city your school is at. Consider rent, food expenses, distance to school that affects the gas money, etc.
  

• Placement: most private schools evaluate to see which studio class they are going to place you in. You should make a case to them that you don't want to repeat a class you've taken already. This will save you time and money.
  

• Before you make definitive plans, check to see if your scholarships and financial aid from school/ federal government fills the tuition, fees, books & materials, room & board & other expenses. If it doesn't, then you may have to get private loans. Check to see if you qualify for a loan and if you would get approved.
  

• Research the city you are moving to. It should be safe and you should like living there. Being in a new city, without family and friends, starting at 3rd yr can be really tough. So you have to be mentally prepared to handle all of these.
  

Last 3 yrs of the Bachelors of Architecture program can be very challenging. So make the decision carefully. After all, you are chasing your dream and you should be able to enjoy the ride...

College Review: A student perspective - University of Miami

University of Miami (UM)

**Please note this review is mainly from a transfer student's perspective.

Location: Coral Gables, Miami

Degrees offered: B. Arch & M. Arch

# of Faculty: 75 full-time and part-time faculty and 7 associated faculty, collaborative associations among faculty and students are the norm. Of the 33 full-time faculty, 72% are involved in professional practice, 75% have terminal degrees in the discipline and the remaining 25% have terminal degrees in related fields, including fine art, art history or planning.

# of Students: nearly 400 students

Class size: small class sizes - around 10 students per studio

Cost: undergrad 2010/2011 Academic year

• Tuition - $ 38440 / yr
  
• Fees - $ 1214 / yr
  
• Books & Material - $ 4000 a semester ( from my experience this is actually like $ 6000 a yr but could be more)

Click here for all price details

Financial Aid & Scholarships: Available. Click here

Application Requirements: Application to UM (Common Application), Application to School of Architecture, Application fee, 3 academic recommendation letters, Letter of intent, resume, Portfolio, Letter from the dean of student services, transcripts. Click here for detailed description of transfer applicant requirements

Deadlines: Undergrad transfer Click here , Undergrad freshman click here.

Pros: Small class sizes, professional degree, aimed at professional practicing. Very convenient and beautiful location, the real college experience, experienced professional faculty

Cons: I loved the school setting so I am going to be bias. The biggest drawback would be the high cost.

Notes: Set in beautiful Coral Gables, a wonderful and a convenient location, UM is a school that offers small class sizes and probably the best Architecture undergraduate experience in Miami. A good place to study if you are planning to become a practitioner. Make sure to meet the dean of student affairs and find out what classes they will accept and what classes you can take before you transfer there. Their staff is very, very helpful.