[Sarah Gronquist]

You’ve certainly clarified your position here. I’m happy to let your words speak for themselves.

Today’s liberal agenda: studying the CBC codes for pool enclosures, looking at the latest MAWA/ETWU studies from UC Davis, and doing some invoicing. Semester starts in a few weeks!

Best,

Sarah

[Sarah Gronquist]

Well, as I say, it’s different than a formal BA or MLA. What is the cost to go through the full program at UC Berkeley?

Most of our students are not high school students, they live and work in the Bay Area already. And many go on to work in well-regarded local design firms… so I guess it comes down to what your personal circumstances are. If you get an AA and then spend 5-10 years working in a good firm, you will know a lot and you will be eligible for sitting the LARE.  

I also find these programs very useful for people who have a BA or MLA. When I moved to CA after earning an MLA in Massachusetts, Merritt’s plant id courses got me up to speed quickly and were quite thorough in what they covered. 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 

[Sarah Gronquist]

I teach at Merritt. With the demise of other part-time/night school programs in the Bay Area, Merritt offers a solid path for mid-career changers or people already working in the field who want to transition to a more professional environment. I think it is a different thing than a formal BA or MLA. The faculty and students at Merritt are very focused on hands-on, practical applications of design and construction education. 

Our profession used to be much more of an apprentice/journeyman/professional path, and I came up that way. I don’t see a problem with providing multiple gateways into a very diverse profession. And making sure some of them are accessible to people who need to study part time or at night just seems like a good idea. 

Happy to answer any questions about Merritt or the two-year AA track!

[Author]

Posts