Advice for Students
There's More Than One Path to AICP Certification
The AICP Candidate Pilot Program launched in 2017 allows for planners to begin the journey to AICP certification earlier in their careers—even while they are still in school.
Getting Into Grad School in Planning
Ten years ago I wrote "Graduate School 2008: Nuts and Bolts of Applying". As deadlines draw near for this year’s round of applications it is a good time to revisit and update this advice.
The Best Reasons to Go to Grad School in Planning
As the 2016 admission season winds down, thoughts turn to the 2017 application process. For students considering the idea, there are several good reasons to attend graduate school in 2017, and a few that may cause problems later.
How do Planners Generate Ideas?
How to generate ideas in planning is a question that many planning students ask. This can seem a mysterious and difficult process. Unfortunately, planning education has not always done a great job of helping students unpack this apparent mystery.
Advice for Students: When to Contact Faculty at a Different Institution
With social media and the internet generally making it easy to contact faculty across the globe students are tempted to do so. But when is it appropriate? The short answer is contact them if they request it.
What Makes a Great Planning Program?
Ann Forsyth, professor of urban planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, shares insight into common traits of the best educational programs in planning.
Should I Present at a Conference? And If I Don't Present, Should I Attend?
One question I get asked a lot is if students should present at conference. In fact it is often more of a statement of intent rather than a question about whether it is useful. The answer, however, is not as clear as many students believe.
How to Decide if Planning is for You
At this time of year, many prospective graduate students are asking themselves if they should apply to planning programs. This is a good question. Planning is a diverse field and it can be hard to figure out if it will be the right fit.
How Important is Your Graduate Planning Specialty or Concentration?
As students plan their spring semester courses and make early plans for the summer, they often wonder how to choose a planning specialization or concentration. They ask how important the concentration is for their future career as a planner.
Writing a Statement of Purpose for Graduate Education
How should a statement of purpose for a graduate school application differ from one for an undergrad program? This post outlines the elements of a compelling graduate school statement.
Making the Most of Being a Student, Part 2
Making the most of being a student requires more than just completing the course credits necessary for a degree. See my suggestions for activities beyond the classroom that are key to getting a great education.
Does it Make a Difference if a Planning Program is in a Policy, Design, or Other Kind of School?
Students investigating options often ask if it makes a difference where the planning school is located. The short answer is it matters less to students than many think.
How Much do GREs Matter for Graduate School in Planning?
If you are applying to graduate school in planning, how much do GREs matter? Like many things in planning the answer varies with the person and program. Below I provide some general advice.
Breadth and Depth in Planning Education
A frequent query I receive from students is whether they should focus on gaining a broad understanding of many aspects of planning and places or if they should focus on one topic in depth. This is an important question.
Sticker Price vs. Real Price for a Planning Education
Unless they are independently wealthy, students thinking about graduate school in planning need to consider the cost.
Urban Design Graduate Study for Planners
Each year a lot of students ask me "how can I get a degree in urban design?". This is a very big question but in this blog I outline some key questions that those interested in urban design in planning need to consider.
Getting into Planning School: How Much do Transcripts Matter?
I’ve had a lot of questions lately from students about how important transcripts are in the graduate admissions process. Your application is one of the few times anyone will actually read your transcript so it has some importance.
Finding an Undergraduate Planning Program
Undergraduates face special challenges and one of them is in finding a planning-related program. The following tips may make the search easier.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
