Grad School Needed for Future Journalist?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hey everyone. I plan on journalism as my future career, and I realize that I need to make some decisions pretty soon as far as education. Here's the situation. I am in a position where I have a good chance of getting into Yale, which is my top choice and dream school. At Yale, I would presumably study political science/international studies/something of that sort, work on the school paper, etc. Would a journalist need to go to grad school? I've heard that for a journalist, practical experience is infinitely more important than grad school. </p>

<p>If, however, I somehow have a mid-college crisis and decide not to become a journalist, I fear that my choice of an expensive undergrad education would compromise my ability to go to grad school. So this brings up a few questions:</p>

<p>Is it necessary to go to grad school to be competitive in today's job market? Would an undergrad degree from Yale compensate for no grad degree?</p>

<p>How easy is it to hold down a job and go to grad school at the same time?</p>

<p>It's important for me to figure this all out, because if I decide I need to go to grad school, I probably will have to give up my dream of Yale and settle for a less expensive, but still reputable, college, like UT Austin or something. Any help would be appreciated, especially from someone who knows what they're talking about.</p>

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<p>Well, this is a big area of debate in the field of journalism. Some journalists say the best way to become a journalist is to go to college and write write write, while others say write write write as a journalist.</p>

<p>Grad schools isn't needed, but it can have some benefits. However, these can be outweighed by the costs of time, money, energy, and the loss of experience, to name a few.</p>

<p>"Is it necessary to go to grad school to be competitive in today's job market?"</p>

<p>It depends on what you want to do, really. If you want to do something related to your major, chances are you have to do some grad school.</p>

<p>"Would an undergrad degree from Yale compensate for no grad degree?"</p>

<p>Compensate . . .? no, but it is one of the best undergrad degrees to have, although the value of an undergrad degree is up for debate.</p>

<p>"How easy is it to hold down a job and go to grad school at the same time?"</p>

<p>I have no idea. most grad students have a job as a TA or research, but you mean an outside job (i assume), and thus i do not know. I would guess a full time job and grad school is pretty near impossible, though.</p>

<p>"It's important for me to figure this all out, because if I decide I need to go to grad school, I probably will have to give up my dream of Yale and settle for a less expensive, but still reputable, college, like UT Austin or something. Any help would be appreciated, especially from someone who knows what they're talking about."</p>

<p>Yale might give you superior opportunities to UT Austin, even if it does cost a bit more. If Yale fits you, you should probably go there. The resources and attention received there are most likely better than those that you would receive at Austin, and the contacts you make will probably be better, too. If Yale isn’t the place for you, screw it, but those who excel at Yale get into fantastic grad programs (if they so choose- they tend to become professionals).</p>

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<p>thanks a lot, DRab!</p>

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<p>bump.......</p>

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<p>you're welcome, i hope i helped and that others do as well.</p>