I enrolled in AAU's architecture department expecting to receive the tools that would help me grow creatively and academically.  I don't even know where to begin to explain why AAU's architecture department is so faulty.

First of all, I'm warning that although some places they advertise that the program is accredited.  It is only accredited by WAASC, NOT by the architecture accreditation board.  And they just started the architecture department so no one has graduated yet, and they still don't have the curriculum don't pat.

If all you want out of an architecture degree is to be a little creative, then go for AAU.  Other than that, graduating with their BFA in architecture will do nothing for you.  The classes that should be there to support your future in being an architect like physics, language,and mathematics are ALL A BIG FAT JOKE.  Excuse me but - I want to be a seriously taken architect and I want to have a level of higher education in subjects other than what is esthetically pleasing for a building. 

Most of students are fairly all nice, but some of them are unmotivated and are just wasting their time and money.  Whats worse is that they think they're better than you just because they went to a few years of community college.  If you're straight out from high school - don't go here.  You'll be treated like a baby.  A stupid one at that. 

Theres no communication with the some of the staff and the head of the department Alberto Bertolli.  He just sits around and doesn't give a fuck when the instructors try to talk to him about regulating the curriculum.  He honestly has no clue whats going on when the students bring up an issue to him. 

Dont get me wrong.  There are a few good things about the department.  The computer labs and wood shop are all new, and the printing system is pretty efficient.  The IT's and the shop helpers are all super nice.  The actual architecture studio itself really is a good class to take, but only if you're lucky enough to have at least one of the 3 good instructors there (Ethan Wood, Beverly Choe, & Geoffrey Gibson).

Overall:

If there were one thing to make you feel better about how dreadful the architecture department is, it would be the city of San Francisco itself.  It's always alive and there's always something to do with lots of opportunities to meet people.  Yes there's a big homeless population, but unless they're hobos in the tenderloin; they usually don't harm people or cause too much trouble. 

The public transit system is pretty good, and if you don't feel like taking a bus everyone walks in San Francisco. 

In the end you'll realize that San Francisco is your campus because AAU doesn't really have much of one.  There is no school spirit.  Since there really isn't a campus to unite the students, a lot of people kind of go off and do their own thing in the city.  This could be a good or bad thing to someone.

To anyone thinking about going to AAU for majors other than the Architecture department: pretty much the only worth while degree is the Fine Arts.

My room mate was a Fine Arts painting major, and she loved every single one of her teachers.  I've seen their course work and how much she and the other Fine Arts kids were improving and i can tell you that it is definitely professional grade work.