High school senior applying to NYU CAS [NJ resident, 3.97, 1530, parents require pre-med or pharmacy, and commuting from home]

[AustenNut]

@JayLab

Major is more important than college choice for them. I’m not really sure which majors they prefer, they just want one where I would be able to work right after graduation, even if I might not necessarily do so.

Many families expect their children to be self-sufficient once they graduate from college, and just earning a college degree (with the associated skills of critical thinking, analysis, excellent writing, etc) along with some internships will usually get a student there, regardless of their major.

@JayLab

Major is more important for me, as well, since that’s probably going to determine my future career path.

Many people (most?) are in jobs that have very little relation to their undergraduate majors. Being able to have transferable skills, learn quickly, and adapt are very important, as there are many jobs that exist now that didn’t exist 20 years ago, and there will be many jobs that exist now that won’t exist in 20 years and others that will be entirely new. Your major will not chain you to a particular career for life.

@JayLab

What do you think I should double major in, then? I was thinking pairing Journalism with one of the following:

• Political Science
• International Relations
• Data Science/Analytics
• Statistics
• Economics

What are you interested in? That’s what I’d pick. If your family has concerns, then I suspect that data science/analytics or statistics would be the best bets. But I’d also be checking out what AI can do and what people think it will be able to do. I don’t know how that might play a role in the future. For instance, computer programming jobs are already being threatened by AI. Don’t know whether these other fields would be too, or not.

As you’ve mentioned being a foreign correspondent and international relations several times, have you looked at Seton Hall’s program in diplomacy? One of the majors that might be of particular interest is the International Quantitative Economics and International Relations major which requires fluency in another language and a professional internship. If you’re more interested in financial reporting, there’s a major in Mathematical Finance (or just regular finance). Its journalism major takes advantage of the college radio and tv stations as well as the college newspaper to provide experience and requires students to create and maintain a news blog, providing additional experience. I suspect you’d get amongst their more generous merit awards, but I don’t know if that will bring this school within budget for you. Make sure you run the NPC.

@thumper1

I will stick my neck out and say…reaching six figure salary in journalism will take you a number of years…some good experience, good connections, and some good luck.

Are you eligible for any of these programs? These would be good ways to get an education within your family’s budget.

@MACmiracle

NJ previously had a program that gave free tuition at community colleges to students under a certain income level, which had a rather low cut off. The income limits have risen and currently community college is free tuition with an adjusted gross income of $65K and reduced tuition between $65K-$80K.

Last year NJ announced the community college program would be expanded to include a free or reduced price tuition
for the third and fourth year at any NJ public college. It’s called the Garden State Guarantee and it still looks at adjusted gross income solely and disregards assets and EFC’s. Even at the upper limit of $80K tuition should not exceed $7,500 annually.

Meanwhile earlier this year, Rutgers New Brunswick announced a program that would be even more generous, with the adjusted gross income limit up to $100K and tuition no more that $5,000.

Rowan just announced a similar program, but not quite a generous as Rutgers’. It will provide a first and second year of free or reduced tuition, according to the same criteria that the state uses for the free or reduced tuition for the third and fourth year.

Stockton also has a similar program but unlike Rutgers and Rowan, it uses other criteria besides adjusted gross income, maybe the fafsa EFC. I think another state university, perhaps Kean, offers something like that, too.

[citivas]

@JayLab

But isn’t that also true for healthcare related jobs? Surgeons, physicians, pediatricians, pharmacists, etc. might soon be replaced by robots.

Any job has the risk of being replaced eventually but that risk is less overall and further out for jobs like those you list than journalism. I’m saying that by the time you graduated in 4.5 years from now 75% of the paying writing jobs still left may already be gone. Not 10 or 20 years, but before you could even start. And that’s on top of a long slow decline of the profession before we even got to the era of generative AI.

@JayLab

If I were to become, say, a foreign correspondent or investigative journalist, I don’t think that would be replaced by AI. In that case, I could work for a major news agency (as long as I have experience and skill) and not risk losing my position due to AI.

I wouldn’t put much hope in places that commission investigative journalism either. It’s not that AI will take those jobs, its that the sources that pay for that kind of work are simply disappearing. Sure there will always be a few. But there will be literally a hundred people graduating with journalism or writing-related degrees for every job left that pays a living wage. Are you confident enough you will beat those odds?

@JayLab

The point I’m trying to make is that if I take the journalism path and specialize in one or more fields, I’ll have a lot more options available to me, and a lot might be very lucrative.

The options are narrowing and a tiny portion of them are lucrative. Even successful published authors rarely make a steady six-figure income from it, unless they are a celebrity or one of the handful of truly famous fiction writers.

To be clear, writing and journalism is an amazing, noble profession. If it’s truly or one true passion, you should go for it. But if its one of a range of options you are considering, you should be eyes wide open that its an industry in massive decline.

[tsbna44]

OK - I’m confused.

OP - pre med isn’t a major so it’s ok that your parents don’t want you to major in that. It’s more advising - but yes, you have to take the right classes.

So you asked a question earlier - what should I pair with journalism - and my answer is YES.

When I graduated Syracuse, you needed a minor or double major - I forget. Mine was a history double with BJ. So you want print - which is less of an art.

Journalism is a tough degree. I’m not saying don’t pursue the dream - but a lot of it what you look like or sound like - or in your case you want to write, perhaps longform, which rarely happens anymore. And many great journalists never ever took a journalism class. And those that do - the success rate is probably really really low.

So when you say which should I double in - I say yes!!

• Political Science
• International Relations
• Data Science/Analytics
• Statistics
• Economics

Odd answer - but you should choose the one that you’d enjoy. Poli Scie, IR and especially Econ will all have a stats basis to them.

So I’m confused - you’re a 4.0, 1530 but want to stay near home?

Or don’t have money - and you’ll think you’ll qualify for aid?

I mean, great J schools won’t work for you but frankly, one doesn’t need a great J school at all.

So if your NPC (not sure for which school) shows $3K - then look at schools that meet need and would be solid in the areas you listed - Lehigh, Lafayette, Franklin & Marshall, W&L (has business journalism) and any that meet need. Or for local, how about a Ramapo or William Patterson?

Solid B school programs on the cheap - but not the cheap you need - would be like Arizona State, Miami Ohio, UF, Ohio U, Mizzou, Lehman (CUNY), Hofstra, KU, Iowa State.

Not sure I understand the ask here - a lot of comments in the last two hours but responding to the request from @thumper

Finally - and you’re print - anyone can write - or for broadcast because print often works on air today to make ends meet - everyone has a phone - and can practice. Having a phone is like having your own TV studio.

Good luck to you - but it’s your life - so you need to chase your dream, not mom and dads.

[JayLab]

@citivas

Is the need to commute 100% driven by the cost of college housing or some other reason?

Cost, but also my parents don’t want me to move out just yet. And if I do, they wouldn’t want me moving to another state.

[JayLab]

I’d like to attend a famous university, one that has lots of funding and can grant me really good positions in the future and has lots of resources and connections. I know it’s not absolutely necessary, and I’m willing to give up prestige if I can choose my major and be able to pay off the tuition.

[thumper1]

You have a lot of choices of colleges in NJ…from the list you posted.

How much can your parents pay annually for you to attend college? Be realistic…and ask them. It sounds like they have other financial obligations…so get an answer about YOU.

[JayLab]

@twogirls

You indicated that your parents want you to go into medicine or law, but you also indicated that they would like you to choose a major that leads to a career. Is this a precaution in the event you do not go to medical or law school? I am a little confused (sorry).

Yes, that’s what I mean. Sorry if I made it unclear.

@twogirls

I believe you stated that you don’t want to be a doctor. Do you feel this way about all healthcare careers?

Basically. I wouldn’t mind doing something like psychology or something that doesn’t require more than six years in college, but I’m really not interested in healthcare as a whole.

@twogirls

Would you be interested in nursing? What about public health?

It depends on time in college, like I said, and the work-life balance of these careers.

[thumper1]

@JayLab

I’d like to attend a famous university, one that has lots of funding and can grant me really good positions in the future and has lots of resources and connections. I know it’s not absolutely necessary, and I’m willing to give up prestige if I can choose my major and be able to pay off the tuition.

You need to attend a college with good opportunities for internships in your field. That should be a top priority, in my opinion.

We know recent broadcast journalism majors and both did get jobs…but neither one got a job near where their family currently lives. For journalism, you will need to move to wherever you are offered an entry level job. Period.

[twogirls]

If you do not want a career in health care then nursing is out of the picture. Have you considered school psychology (you indicated an interest in psychology)?

I am only suggesting careers because I feel it may be important for your situation. Normally, I would encourage somebody to explore their interests for a bit (hopefully you can do that)

[tsbna44]

@JayLab

I’d like to attend a famous university, one that has lots of funding and can grant me really good positions in the future and has lots of resources and connections.

So I went to Syracuse for journalism. Well known. Tons of connections except and it’s 30 years ago - everyone is there for the major and few end up successfully. I had 9 months at a major cable network, couldn’t afford to live and that was that. As a broadcast major, I had a ton of competition for college radio and in class I got to be a news anchor once, weather once ahd sports once.

Yes they put out successes but by the percentages, not necessarily.

My friend Becky came for two years and had to leave. Her parents moved into a trailer to pay for two years and then they had no money. She transferred to her home school - Montana. I visited. 20 kids in class. They all had access to all the equipment and at graduation, all 20 had jobs.

Sometimes going to the big, famous one is a disadvantage, not an advantage. Sometimes in smaller, less known places, you get many more chances to ply your craft.

It’s like In the workplace - at small, unknown companies, people might have to do everything whereas when you work at a big, well known company like I do, opportunities are limited.

Go where you are able and hustle. Take advantage of what is offered. Be first in line to volunteer. The where will matter far less.

When I look up journalist profiles - some come from big name J schools or no J school and some come from William Paterson and Beloit.

You are not limited.

[DigitalDad]

@twogirls

school psychology

At least in NJ, that’s a 6 semester Masters (after college), resulting in certification.

E.g.

School Psychology MA plus Certification

[twogirls]

It might include summers, which brings it to 2 years. I guess it depends on the program.

[DigitalDad]

@JayLab

my parents don’t want me to move out just yet

A compromise might be to stay at your college during the week, returning Friday afternoon. Sometimes, you can arrange your course schedule to have no classes Friday or Monday (my daughter was semi-“religious” about that) - thus possibly allowing for a 3 day weekend with your family.

[JayLab]

I live in Monmouth County. I’m planning to commute by train most of the time (if I have classes at 9:00 I could take a 7:00 train, for example). It’s not ideal, but that’s the plan anyway since we can’t afford to get a car for each of us. I figured if it’s not over an hour or an hour and a half, I could manage the rest somehow.

[tsbna44]

Does the train drop off at school ? Or is it hard to then get there ?

Honestly if you’re going there daily on such a long and inconvenient commute, live home and go to a community college bcuz you won’t be taking advantage of school life - the study session, late night pizzas, clubs, weekends - make your life easy. Then transfer when your family can let go.

[JayLab]

@twogirls

I would look at the job outlook for journalism.

I did already. Given that I double major, dual degree, or do a co-concentration, there are countless opportunities for jobs in the field. Their main concern is that I won’t make enough money, but if I convince them that journalism can lead to lucrative jobs, they won’t be as opposed.
I know undergraduate major won’t be the determining factor for the rest of my life, but I’d like to study something that actually interests me for at least four years.

@twogirls

Your parents are paying and making the decisions. The alternative is to lower the “prestige” and try for a full ride, or major in something you enjoy but take the prerequisites for medical school so that your parents are happy.

I mentioned before that I don’t mind going full ride at a smaller college, as long as I can choose my major. I’d do one or the other.

[momofboiler1]

Reminder to posters that CC is supposed to be a friendly and welcoming place.

[DigitalDad]

@JayLab

I have seven siblings that my parents have to pay fully for, and there are a lot of expenses. Not to mention, we are currently having to pay for med school, graduate school, and undergraduate school at the same time

Let me just say for the record:
Your parents have my sincere admiration and respect that they someone manage to afford higher education, even graduate studies, for all their children!

@JayLab

They want pharmacy or something, so that I can be able to get a job when I graduate

Just to be clear, pharmacy assistant or technicians are low-paying jobs (despite their importance), there is not even a degree requirement. And a pharmacist is a Pharm. D. - a doctoral degree that takes four years to complete beyond college.

@twogirls

If you do not want a career in health care then nursing is out of the picture.

Agreed - unless you are absolutely, unconditionally passionate about nursing, then don’t remotely consider it. It’s not “just” a job.

@JayLab

Data Science/Analytics

I generally do like your idea of data science as something that your parents might view as future oriented, and with a solid outlook. I saw you took Statistics, no Calc - and I see no mention of any computer science related classes.
Do you actually have any interests/talents that way?

Dito - economics. It tends to get math-heavy - is that really where you shine?

[JayLab]

@thumper1

Are you serious about journalism? If so…why aren’t schools like Missouri and Northwestern on your list? Missouri actually could be affordable…NU is no more costly than NYU (except you wouldn’t be able to commute).

They’re too far… I have to commute, I can’t dorm or live on my own. Maybe during graduate school.

[JayLab]

Oh, I meant if I don’t go to law school, not if I do. Like one that will still get me a job without going to law school. Is political science useless? Maybe with Journalism or International Relations?