Aspiring Architect?

When I decided to learn Architecture,I started searching the internet for information on how to get into a design college and most of the time ended up getting wrong information ...But when I did get the right information,the time of need had passed.It went to an extent to where it became hard for me to get admission into a certain college because admission had started early and I was late.Lack of information was the same problem me and my friends faced during NATA exam preparation.During that time I always hoped that a blog like this existed but I never did find one and so I've decided to put up this page for all you guys who don't have a freakin' clue about how to be eligible for doing B.arch.

Eligibility to apply for the course in any college in India:

►Maths be on of your subjects regardless of your stream

►Score above 50% aggregate in your +2 exam

►Score above 80/200 for your NATA exam

Most important for an Architecture Student:

*Creativity 

*English

*Maths(only knew that part after screwing up my maths exam!)

Exams for Architecture:

►+2 Boards & NATA

►AIEEE B.arch 

Do your boards well...Focus more on Maths and English throughout the year!Keep your knowledge base on Maths rock solid because it will help you for your AIEEE B.arch to a very very very great extent

Board Exam: Study anyhow you want but score your maximum for English and Maths because it will be helpful later on.

NATA: National Aptitude Test for Architecture is definitely a must write!Its usually conducted from May to September in different centers in the country.You have to go to the center to register with the filled up NATA forms of that year.Best part about NATA is you can pick your date to attend the exam!(from a list of choices...BEST WRITTEN AT THE MIDDLE OF MAY)

NATA exam is divided into 2 parts(100 marks each) attended one after the other without a break in between:

►Offline Exam(2hrs/3questions)-This is concerning your Drawing Skills

There will be 3 questions in this exam different for each individual but...its just random shuffling of few questions into different papers.ALWAYS ask your friends who wrote NATA before you and practise those questions well...There will be a 90% chance of you getting it because by the middle of may you would have heard almost all the questions that come in the Offline Exam!

The three questions are divided as follows:

*A scene taking the whole page(50 marks)

*A pictorial composition taking half a page(25 marks)

*A picture of few objects like pots,vases etc together being detailed with regard to light,contrast and shadows taking half a page(25 marks)

Scene depiction is only easy when practised well.2 point perspective drawing should be practised and understood well.Free Hand Drawing is a BIG must for the exam and it should be practised on A4 size sheets or larger!!!


Learn to draw straight lines without rulers 

Mediums:
Colours can be used for the scene depiction and compositon

Water colours and Colour Pencils are the best mediums as tonal values can be altered to a great extent.

Pencils best for drawing are 3B,2B as they help in shading as well as makes less mess compared to 4B or 6B

H and 2H are useful only for rough sketching as they are light and cant be used to shade a picture.Avoid using 2H because its very hard on paper and results in easy tearing if applied pressure!

A Ruler can only be used for the composition but it is best used only for the exam and not during your practise sessions at home

 Find out your ideal pencil!

►Online Exam(1hr/60 questions):Its an aptitude test without negative marking but there is a time limit for each question.Everytime who answer a question correctly,the difficulty level changes but each time you answer wrong,the next question will be made easier.Not answering will deplete ur time and keep difficulty level stagnant but each difficulty level carries questions of different mark weightage so keep trying to answer.

Nothing from school syllabus will be asked so you are safe!BUT...English vocabulary based questions(meaning,antonym,synonym etc)will be asked and I can assure you even Shakespeare wouldnt know half those words!!!

Other questions are based on 3D figures,Finding Patterns,Identifying Buildings etc

ALSO NATA MARKS AND BOARDS WILL NOT MAKE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR MERIT SEATS!!!...U have register in the state's exam board(Kerala Entrance,COMEDK etc) to have your marks published in the rank list of that state.

AIEEE B.Arch:Usually held in April end or May beginning.The speciality of this exam is that...A students +2 marks will not be accounted for admission if he is getting alloted based on his AIEEE rank but the sad part is there are very few colleges that take in kids based on AIEEE rank!
AIEEE has two Parts:
*Drawing Section:Easier than NATA
*MCQ based exam:50 questions on aptitude like NATA(very easy) and 25 questions from Maths(not at all easy!These questions can be answered only if your Maths base is AWESOME!!!)

If you manage to crack the Maths exam then your ALL INDIA rank will come in 2 or 3 digit figures!!!

All the Best :)