By the Numbers

Well, it has been a long time coming, but today I submitted my application for an architectural licensure. Yes, I am finally going to be a real "architect." (I have sometimes felt like Pinnochio as he wished to become a "real boy"!) With luck, the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Architects will review my application at their next meeting, and I will be licensed in the next month or so.

Becoming an architect takes passion, time, and perseverance. Let's take a look at some important numbers along the journey, shall we.

2

Number of professions I seriously considered before architecture. Growing up, I wanted to be either a marine biologist or a commercial airline pilot. To this day, I still enjoy the water (though I hate sand) and I love to fly!

12

Age at which my best friend wanted to be an architect. He had a book about Frank Lloyd Wright. He ended up becoming an engineer instead.

11

Grade in which I took a drafting class. We had to "design" a master bedroom addition to an existing house.

2

Number of colleges I attended. I was an undergraduate student at Georgia Tech and a graduate student at Yale.

7

Number of years I studied architecture in school. I studied four years at Georgia Tech and three years at Yale.

18

Age at which I started studying architecture.

29

Age at which I submitted my application to become licensed.

11

Number of years between starting my studies and becoming licensed.

1000+

Number of times in the past 11 years I have been asked whether Frank Lloyd Wright is my favorite architect.

1000+

Number of times I have had to answer the above mentioned question in the negative.

7

Number of professional exams I took to become licensed.

5

Number of months it took me to take above mentioned exams.

5600

Number of hours of work experience required to become licensed.

9070

Number of hours of work experience it took me to fulfill all categories.

20

Age at which I first worked in an architecture firm.

5

Number of architecture firms I have worked for.

5.5

Number of years I have worked for my current employer.