<p>I am hoping to become a sports writer, and as I begin to search for schools, I was wondering what schools have good college newspapers? But more importantly, what are some college newspapers that give an opportunity to everyone to report, get experience, and make a contribution? I want to go somewhere I know I'll be comfortable and given a fair chance to be involved. A place where you can learn and gain experience needed to create intern and job opportunities. Thanks!</p>
<p>Anyone please?</p>
<p>I just want to know about less known journalism schools with great newspapers that aren't as competitive to get the desired position you want.</p>
<p>University of Maryland has a great paper, The Diamondback, and the school is big on NCAA sports. Football, basketball and lacrosse are all huge there. </p>
<p>If you want opps to write about sports on a good paper, you're probably looking at big schools. Check out some of the professional news associations online...most will have student chapters, and competitions. You can get a feel for which papers are the best...those will probably be the most competitive to get assignments on, but the opportunities will be better with papers that are serious about it. </p>
<p>From my older cousin who has a degree in journalism, it's competitive in the real world too, so you might as well hone your skills in college. If you're an excellent writer, there will be space for you. If it's competitive, push yourself that much harder to be the best writer you can be. It'll pay off more than trying to find a school where it's not competitive.</p>
<p>And if it turns out you can't get the assignments you want, you can also pursue writing with local newspapers. My cousin did that, and having clips from more than just the student newspaper helped her land her first newspaper job after college.</p>
<p>It's not true at all that only "big schools" have good papers and sportswriting opportunities.</p>
<p>That link takes you to the list of this year's ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Finalist newspapers - they come from colleges as big and prestigious as Harvard to those as small and unrecognized as 1,600-student Notre Dame de Namur. It doesn't take a "name" college to make great journalism - it takes a good department, a supportive adviser and a dedicated, talented staff.</p>
<p>Marc Carig, my former editor at 5,000-student two-year Contra Costa College's The Advocate, won the ACP College Sports Story of the Year competition in 1999, and is now working as a sportswriter for The Washington Post.</p>
<p>In fact, The Advocate, based at a small urban commuter school, has been consistently one of the best college newspapers in the United States over the last decade, winning nine Pacemaker Awards in that span. (It's nominated for another one this year.)</p>
<p>Moral of the story is, go to the j-school that fits you. If you think a smaller, less hyper-competitive j-school will give you a better opportunity to blossom and get good clips (which are what really matter), then you should go to a smaller one.</p>
<p>It would help to know what state you're looking for, if you're looking for in-state tuition. Chico State and San Francisco State both have good programs in California.</p>
<p>I'm from Pennsylvania and I would like to stay around the northeast.</p>
<p>Penn State has a specific sports journalism focus within the J school.</p>
<p>Penn State J-school, for sure.
Remember: There's lots of great papers at every score level. So go and visit schools and pick up their papers.</p>
<p>U. of Missouri-Columbia not only is one of the schools with a student newspaper listed in that link, but the journalism students actually have hands-on experience with the town's daily newspaper, The Columbia Missourian. Mizzou has owned and operated it since the journalism school was founded there in the early 1900's.</p>
<p>the University of Pennsylvania's Daily Pennsylvanian is award-winning, fabulously wealthy, and totally awesome.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10216907/site/newsweek/%5B/url%5D">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10216907/site/newsweek/</a> here's an article that was in Newsweek about just how awesome the DP (Daily Pennsylvanian) is ;)</p>
<p>Notice who else that article mentions :D</p>
<p>"You can find good-quality reporting at the smallest college, just like you might find it at a big paper," says Tom Rolnicki, executive director of the Associated Collegiate Press, who singled out the weekly Advocate at two-year Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Calif., as an exceptional college paper.</p>
<p>Sorry if my alma mater pride is showing - I was editor in chief in 06-07, and am a finalist for the Pacemaker, Reporter of the Year and Diversity Story of the Year awards. We'll see in D.C. in two weeks...</p>