<p>Hey, I am from Southern California and i am an intended broadcast journalism major. I applied to schools with strong journalism programs. I am also interested in taking some meteorology courses. I want a college experience where i can have a good time, yet also get work done. Here is my list with a little explanation or background for each choice.
(i put a * next to my top 3 schools)</p>
<p>*University of Georgia- Visiting in two weeks. I have heard great things about their Jschool, and it is close to Atlanta(where i would like to intern at the weather channel). grand total $36,000, no aid as of yet.
*University of Maryland- Just visited, accepted into civicus(a living and learning community service group with really nice dorms.) Campus was nice and seemed like it would be fun. In the process of building a new journalism building with news bubble. Also, it is very close to DC for internships and nightlife. 36,000 grand total, i received stafford loans that are not factored into that. I appealed my financial aid due to special circumstances and i have not received a response.
* Arizona State University- brand new state-of-the-art facilities. 26,000 a year(received scholarship $), downtown phoenix location, closer to home, family in the phoenix area. Visited a couple of times. Walter Cronkite school of Journalism. Afraid the "arizona state" name is not as prestigious.
-California state university Northridge-VERY close to home(too close in my opinion). cheap, yet not prestigious. I could commute from my house, i want the real college experience. It was a back-up school. Journalism Program is decent.
-San Diego State Univ- Great location, not very presitgious. not known for journalism program.
-Northeastern University-Boston, $$$$$$, great school, lots of debt.</p>
<p>I have been offered a summer internship for a weatherman in Los Angeles which i could do while home for summer break.
Money is an issue. Parents covering what it would cost in-state(approx. 18,000 ) and I cover the rest.</p>
<p>thanks for taking time to read this, any (unbiased) opinions are welcome.</p>
<p>So it will be either $3,500 for a loan that is subsidized (you pay no interest or principal until you graduate) to $5,500 for unsubsidized (pay interest as you go through school) Which do you have?
The totals you give for costs are for tuition room and board, I assume? Have you factored in expenses, entertainment, and as you are on the west coast, airplane flight costs? My DD goes to an east coast school from CA, so you really have to consider the flights back and forth, usually around $400 if you want to see your family occasionally.</p>
<p>Are you realistically going to be able to afford the amount of loans for Georgia, maryland and Northeastern? You talking about $17,500 a year, not including the airplane tickets. </p>
<p>I don’t know that there is any difference in U of Arizona and CSU Northridge, why would you pay over $10K more? Spend the extra money on a dorm room at Northridge and you could have close to no debt when you graduate. </p>
<p>Make a deal with your parents about giving you some space even though you are in town. You are saving yourself and them a lot of expense and this is the deal you are making. Besides, that internship could lead to a position during the school year, a big plus, and making those connectiions will be harder if you go someplace else. Sounds like you are a self-starter, so no matter where you go your going to do well. But skip the debt, IMHO.</p>
<p>I’m posting as someone in the media. I’m on this board since I have a HS Freshman and I’d like to see what this experience is going to be like for him in a few years.</p>
<p>As to a school’s “prestige,” I think unless you’re going to medical or law school, it honestly doesn’t make much of a difference when you’re in the real world. Of course, every field has its “school” that has the best equipment and teachers, but in your case, when you get an internship and then a job after that, people are going to be looking at your competence and professionalism, not your degree. </p>
<p>ASU is a good school, if you get a good package I’d go with it. But overall I’d stay in or near a big city where there are more internship opportunities. Have you thought about Long Beach State? They have a good broadcast department, they’re far enough away so you don’t have to live at home, the Long Beach/Belmont Shore area is pretty fun too. </p>
<p>morton0 - ASU IS near a big city!
U. of GA in Athens is about 75 miles outside of Atlanta. BTW, CNN is based in Atlanta as well.
I would think the Weather Channel would need people stationed all over the continent anyway.<br>
The Maryland area probably has the most opportunities for journalism in general: The Newseum, DC government agencies like the Dept. of Agriculture (crop forecasts rely on weather predictions), the Dept. of Commerce (NOAA is part of that), etc.
Maybe go where the weather is most interesting like Boston. But nail down the financing before deciding between these.</p>
<p>This is the first post from me and I don’t see a post new button so I am asking my question using the reply post function.</p>
<p>I received the acceptance letters from some colleges and now I need to make a decision. The list of colleges I am considering is long for now: Rice, Wellesley, UCLA, UCSD, Barnard, my home state university, … I haven’t really decided what major yet. I am good at science and math, and I like liberal art which I am thinking eventually go for an MBA. Three schools top my list at this moment: Rice, Wellesley, and UCSD with a Regents scholarship and paying in-state tuition. I have visited UCSD Saturday, and plan to visit Wellesley in two weeks. I have been at Rice several times to visit my brother there. I am very good in paino winning the state championship and is thinking to do a minor in music or continue to take lessons in college.</p>
<p>I appreciate if you can post some opinion/suggestion for me to think about. I am sure we all find a good fit in the end. So good luck to any one in a similar situation.</p>