College of Communications

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
1

<p>Haha I know I've posted so many threads in this forum, but what can I say I'm really interested in this school and you UIUC people have been a great help too.</p>

<p>I was just wondering...what can you guys tell me about the College of Communications? Do you know anybody who is majoring in Advertising? Do they like it, is it a good program?</p>

<p>Also how does applying to it work...I've heard you apply to LAS and then you transfer to it your JR year or something. Is it a tough program to get into? (ACT scores etc aren't provided on the UIUC site) Are there a lot of seats available?</p>

<p>Anything you know would be greatly appreciated!</p>

2

<p>yo!</p>

<p>I'm an advertising major at UIUC. Unfortunately i just transfered here, but i have had a couple days of classes and can discuss the admissions process as well as give you an idea what you would be in for if you decided to try for UIUC Advertising.</p>

<p>The program is tough to get into, as the college is relatively small (right around 700 i think?). During my orientation they told us that the college is known for its rigorous admissions process. In fact, i was originally denied by the comm college, but i decided to write an appeal letter and it worked.</p>

<p>I'm not sure the Communications College is so concerned with your ACT score (in fact, i dont think they even ask for it). Instead, it seemed that they were much more concerned with my performance in college for my first 60 credits. Also, the essays for entrance to this college are not to be taken lightly (I was denied because my essay didnt display enough interest in advertising). As a transfer from another university, the suggested GPA target for admission was 3.0 (although it's a sure bet that this is a bare minimum and a 3.5 and up would give you a much better chance). Their website states that this is the guideline for UIUC students as well. How high above 3.0 the college decides to make the cutoff will depend on the talent of the applicant pool.</p>

<p>Keep in mind, starting in the fall of 2006, the college will be admitting soph. students, (those with at least 30 credits). You would apply to LAS for initial admission to the university as a freshman, then the Communications College after you have earned 30 credits. If you do not make it into UIUC as a freshman, you can always transfer (assuming you keep on top of your studies and coordinate your classes to closely match those UIUC freshman and Soph. would be taking). For most, it's not worth the effort, but for me, the program just sounded too irresistable to not attend.</p>

<p>I know people are always wondering how they stack up, so i'll give you some of my stats:</p>

<p>ACT: 24 (I was rejected from UIUC as a freshman applicant, this score is probably why, guess i should have retaken it :) </p>

<p>College GPA Stats: 3.6 ish</p>

<p>University of Wisconsin Madison (my first semester of college): 2.5
Eastern Illinois University (my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th semesters of college): 3.6, 4.0, 4.0</p>

<p>Volunteer work for EIU's Odyssey Radio Station: 1 Semester
Internship with Next Media Chicago co: 1 summer</p>

3

<p>I guess i should tell you a little about the college too huh?</p>

<p>I've had each of my classes once, but have been given a sort of "what to expect" in each class.</p>

<p>It is a requirement that Comm Advertising students take Business Administration 320: the principles of marketing. My professor in that attended Harvard and i'm incredibly excited to learn from him, he seems great and so does the class. Very formal, almost seems like my economics classes i've had so far.</p>

<p>Now the stuff you're probably interested in: I have 3 Advertising related courses this semester besides my marketing class. Communications 356 is called Sex and Gender in the Media and Popular Culture and my professor has divided it up into two quarters for the semester. The first quarter we will study the rolls that sex and gender play in film. We'll be watching movies every week like Hitchcock's Psycho, Tarrantino's Kill Bill, etc. and studying them. The second quarter we will study television. The Real World, old sitcoms like I love Lucy, the Simpsons, etc. and again study the relationships in these movies. My Intro to Advertising 300 class is 5-600 people strong and there will be opportunities to conduct research, create advertisments, and study certain advertisements done by professionals. Finally, my Advertising 411 class is called Classic Campaigns and is devoted to studying advertising campaigns from the past. We will look at coke and pepsi, ESPN's role in changing television sports talk, Apple and Ipod campaigns etc. and learn why they are so affecting.</p>

<p>I know that's a little to specific, but it really gives you a good idea of what you'll be here to study and whether or not it's for you.</p>

4

<p>Sweet! That sounds like a really fun major and now you've made me want to consider it even more! (First I gotta get in though...I don't know if I want to go through the trouble of transfering) I know it's a little early but I thought in college it might be a good idea for me to double major in something along with Advertising (if I do decide on that as a major that is) because I always thought it seemed like a tough field to find a job in...and so it'd be good to have another common major as a backup. What are your views on that?</p>

<p>Anyways thanks for taking the time to explain all that, it was very helpful! I've actually noticed not a lot of schools I'm looking into even have Advertising specifically as a major - they only have Marketing, so I'm thinking the kind of courses you're currently taking probably aren't offered at many other schools which is awesome for someone who wants to go into that field I suppose...gives you more background. </p>

<p>I am taking an Advertising elective class this year in school (I start school Mon) so I'll see how I like that too.</p>

<p>So basically you're saying the Comm. program is slightly tough to get into because of the limited seats, but I won't have to worry about that until I actually get into the school, right? </p>

<p>Thanks again...really! Your internships/volunteer work sounds interesting.</p>

<p>BTW out of my nosiness and curiosity, how come you didn't do well at UW? Was it a freshmen year thing or did you not like the school? Because that's another school I'm looking into so just wondering.</p>

5

<p>....and did I read that correctly? Did you say you have 500-600 people in your Intro to Advertising class?!?!?!?!</p>

6

<p>Yeah, my intro to advertising class is massive. the professor said it was 700, but that seemed a little high so i played it conservative and estimated around 500 or so. I suppose he'd know the lecture room's capacity better than me though.</p>

<p>Anyway, i wouldn't recommend transferring if you can help it. It really is a total pain, especially when you do it twice like i did. luckily i have a lot of my best friends already here so i didnt have to start all over a third time. Wisconsin-Madison is an excellent school. Many say it's even better than Illinois. Sometimes I wish i hadnt left. The reasons i did leave and did not do well though: 1. I was a pre-business marketing student when i enrolled there. After attending a meeting with the business school advisors that help you get your classes in order and prepare you for what it will be like in business school, i decided the whole number crunching, economics-related desk work was not for me. I wanted less business, more media, and i knew illinois had the program i wanted. 2. Madison was expensive. Out of state costs were right near $28,000 after all was said and done. This is why i decided to go to eastern and earn my 60 credits till i could transfer to UIUC. 3. I was not nearly mentally prepared enough for college. I do things completely different now than i did when i was a freshman. If I have a test, i go to the library to prepare, rather than run through my notes in my room the night before. My grades were low, but i couldnt see that it was because i wasnt putting in the time. I had all B's, but a C in a 5 credit math class dropped me to the 2.5 GPA. big ten schools mean business. if you dont put in the time, you will not do well.</p>

<p>I do sometimes worry i am not as versitile as a marketing major, but i'm not sure i could stand doing something i didnt like for my career, so the possibility of making a bit less money is a trade-off i'm willing to make. The advisors here(in Comm Advertising) seemed very enthusiastic about the internship opportunities they are able to provide their students. They said they know and work with people at large advertising and marketing firms and that it was not at all uncommon to have their students go to new york or chicago during the summer and then get jobs with those employers after they graduate.</p>

<p>You are right, the courses I am taking are offered in very few places. Marketing and Advertising have some critical differences, with Advertising leaning more toward actual developement of adds and interaction with media and marketing leaning more towards the business end.</p>

<p>"# 1 ADVERTISING SCHOOL IN THE NATION: University of ILLINOIS undergraduate advertising program was selected No. 1 in the nation in a recent poll of advertising educators, who ranked the nation's 84 advertising programs."</p>

<p><a href="http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:p0vMDYDJsjAJ:www.hometeamsonline.com/htosportsteam/About.asp%3Fusername%3DILLINILACROSSE+UIUC+advertising+program&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=6%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:p0vMDYDJsjAJ:www.hometeamsonline.com/htosportsteam/About.asp%3Fusername%3DILLINILACROSSE+UIUC+advertising+program&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=6&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>^I know thats not the page i found that quote on originally for somone else a few months ago, but it is the same quote.</p>