<p>I am a second year student who has attended 4 different schools in the past 3 years. Some of which were single course attendances. I have technically attended 2 universities, and 2 community colleges. I am currently attending Butte College near Chico, CA and am applying for transfer. Being impatient, I only applied to two universities, Chico State, and CSU Fullerton. If I did so decide, I could attend Chico state, Fullerton, or San Francisco state in the fall. My major is Public Relations, hoping for minors in Marketing and International relations. I have a 3.5 overall college GPA.</p>
<p>Here is my problem: I don't know what school I should attend.
I love living here in Chico, but I am afraid it may be limiting my opportunities (i.e. its reputation, opportunity for internships, etc). the school is close to home, and I have many friends here. I'm also interested in knowing if there is the possibility attending a notorious party school as a PR major might be beneficial (making connections, social skills, etc).</p>
<p>I like the idea of Fullerton because it is close to Disney which is where I would love to spend some time interning (but there are options post grad). I have some friends nearby, but really no other support system out there. I didn't particularly like the area, but its near LA which would be beneficial for my career. What I'm afraid of is that i'll be miserable if things don't turn out the way I want them to.</p>
<p>Lastly, SF, which doesn't have a PR major, but has a lot of opportunities.</p>
<p>I have also considered staying and aiming for a higher school, like a UC, or waiting and applying to San Jose (somewhere near the bay with my major). however the only school with my major is UCLA, and I don't think I could make that happen. </p>
<p>With a 3.5, you could probably be admitted at lots of schools (perhaps Davis and other UCs) now, I don’t get why you didn’t apply a little more broadly. That is what it is… Rather than wasting another semester or year to hit the next application cycle, I’d encourage you transfer to whomever will have you and get on with your education.</p>
<p>Chico and Fullerton have solid reputations in the business community. I don’t understand how you have the option to attend SFSU without applying but, they are fine too. </p>
<p>Don’t worry so much about the major. PR, Communications, and to some degree Marketing read the same on a resume. </p>
<p>I have been accepted to Chico and Fullerton. I can attend SFSU next fall because due to a technicality, I was still enrolled this past fall. </p>
<p>The reason I didn’t apply to UCs is because I was told most of my credits wouldn’t transfer anyways, so if I was to transfer to a UC I would still have to spend a significant amount of time where I am. Now however, I think I wish to try and pursue a better education instead of just doing whats expected. I wanted to go to a CSU because it was cheap and I would be done relatively on time. </p>
<p>To determine if your CC course work transfer to UCs or CSUs, and to see how it matches up with specific campus and major requirements, you can use <a href=“http://www.assist.org”>http://www.assist.org</a> .</p>
<p>I guess it doesn’t matter why you didn’t apply to a UC. You have 2 options to evaluate - stay put, for a couple of years until you can TAG someplace like Davis, get on with your life, graduate and get a real job in the same 2 years! At this stage, </p>
<p>I think you are over estimating the ‘quality’ gap between a good CSU and a UC, particularly for a degree like PR/Communications. Chico and Fullerton are not only ‘cheap’ and expedient, career readiness is what they do. T They will provide a solid education with plenty of opportunity for the internships and community engagement better that will make you an appealing applicant. </p>
<p>From your posts above, I surmise you’ve attended several schools already, if you were my son, I’d suggest you get your degree from one of the 3 schools that will have you - make the most of the opportunities presented, you’ll be a great job candidate. What’s really expensive is another year out of the workforce… </p>
That’s something that everyone faces. The best you can do, the best anyone can do, is make the best decision we can at the time and then deal with the consequences. If you’re hoping there is some “sure to work” choice out there, the sad truth is there isn’t. </p>
<p>For your major, PR, the thing that is going to help you along is experience/contacts. Waiting an extra year for a UC is not a good idea; the degree is not really what makes you marketable. And I’d advise against Chico. Great school, great location, know people that loved it. But its not in a large urban area. YOU need to be in a large urban area. </p>
<p>You start by doing anything you can to get started and work it from there. One very successful PR executive I know started as a volunteer in a political campaign. He worked hard, they liked him, it turned into a part-time field office job during college and a full-time job after. With the contacts he developed he got hired by a advertising company, then did a few more round-trips between gov’t jobs and the private sector. I’m not saying try to duplicate that path, I’m saying start somewhere and make it fly.</p>
<p>As for pinning your hopes on post-grad jobs at Disney, not going to happen without experience first. Everyone wants to work at Disney, so do you think they need to take someone with no experience as an intern or just out of college when they have the pick of so many applicants? The way to stand out is to have already done some PR work so you can explain to the interviewers what you did and how you did it, with glowing references from your previous bosses to back you up. </p>
<p>Fullerton has nice dorms. My son had some debates there and it is a nice campus. Chico wins that, hands down to me, though. Chico is kind of more isolated I guess, and I guess it depends on if you think you will actually be working WHILE at college, because if so, I guess that leans towards Fullerton. Disneyland Resort is KINDA near Fullerton, I guess (I mean, they are both in Orange County…) but a lot of the public relations is out of the studio in Burbank (not the park stuff, though, if that is what you like more.) Maybe you could try calling or writing to Disney and asking if they have a preference? </p>
<p>Also, I agree a political campaign is a way to get initial experience, but you could also ask Disney about FUTURE internships in your letter (make it an informational request, not a request for a job, and it would be more likely to be treated as a public relations thing, not a human resources thing, imho.) Whether you get it or not, you possibly make a connection.</p>
<p>Anecdotal evidence: I know someone who graduated from Chico and has founded a very successful marketing company. Success is not about the college, it’s about you. </p>
<p>It looks like you are not ready to go anywhere.<br>
You are so anxious that you are running around trying to find a party school to make yourself successful.<br>
You want everyone else to make your decision and you already don’t know that Disney hires from within their college program.<br>
My personal opinion is that you have some growing up to do. </p>