[LenzrBen]

I love Toronto and Ryerson is a great school but the program/academics is what's important here and I wold choose Waterloo in this case. Although it's not as 'fun' a school, in the sense that you don't have the city at your disposal, the RIM boys have really built up Waterloo and their Arch. program is (from what I have heard) truly great. Also, accreditation is very important for the program. For me, that would be a dealbreaker.

 

[LenzrBen]

Also, I realize that it's Waterloo Planning - but maybe you would be able to transfer into the Arch. program. Also, Waterloo planning is still a great and reputable program.

 

[TrickyRicky]

This might seem like a strange suggestion but if you are seriously interested in becoming an architect, consider doing your undergrad NOT in architecture. What?

A lot of people, and it's natural to think this way when you are young, rush to fill up pre-professional undergraduate programs. But let me tell you, you are actually not at an advantage by doing so. Coming into a profession indirectly is actually more powerful in the long-run. This is especially true in architecture where the route to an established career can be very long. Don't take my word for it, ask the admissions departments for the professional schools or better yet ask some architects. I think you will find that there is a bias towards people with alternative degrees. For the record I did an undergrad in Engineering a long time ago, and later applied and was accepted into a Master of Architecture program. I ended up not accepting that placement and taking another opportunity instead.

 

[that_girl_there]

As a Waterloo grad, I can tell you that a lot of people who wish they were architects are floating around in the Planning program. Many of them are unhappy, wishing they were in the architecture school. I realize it may be too late, but I think that if architecture is what you want, it is really what you should study. If you can't get into the top architecture school, take some time off, maybe built your portfolio, take college courses, etc and re-apply. Don't study something that doesn't interest you.

That being said, many of my planning friends were hopnig to get into architecture afterwards so I assume it's possible. I don't know if they wanted to stay at Waterloo for that, however.