Cannot afford private colleges, but want to attend

[brantly]

I

f you really want to be a journalist, don’t major in journalism, but major in a subject that will enrich your understanding of the world, like History or Political Science, which will develop your critical and analytical skills. Then join the school newspaper and try to take some journalism courses on the side to learn some of the nuts and bolts. I’m basing this off of advice shared with me by a former NPR journalist.

100%. I’m a journalist. Don’t major in journalism. Or, if you do, double-major with any liberal arts discipline (history, political science, philosophy, economics, anthropology, psychology, etc.) The number-one most important way to prepare yourself for a career in journalism is to go to a college with a DAILY, student-run, independent newspaper. An independent student newspaper is one that does not have a “faculty adviser,” is not a project of a journalism class, and is not in any way subject to censorship by the university. Based on what one poster above said, it seems that UF has that. You’re in luck. Walk into the paper’s office on day one and join the staff. Stick with it, Rise up through various editorial positions. Graduate with a bucket-load of clips. There you go.