I need advice...please help

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've had two big post-college short-term goals in my life that I'm very passionate about: I want to become a journalist, and I want to live in NYC after college (preferably during and/or shortly after.) However, with how low journalist's salaries are, especially starting off, it seems as if living in NYC on a journalism salary within the next 10 years would be nearly impossible. In fact, living on my own out of college on a journalism salary with my student loans almost seems impossible. And I REALLY don't want to move back home (not that I hate my parents or anything, but I just really want my independence and to be on my own)</p>

<p>In addition to journalism, I'm also interested in business and could see myself being happy and successful with a career in business while making more money. However, I truly believe I was meant to be a journalist and that's where my greatest talent and potential lies, but I also want to make good money (both now and in the future.) </p>

<p>One thought I've had was to major in business, minor in journalism and start my life in business while trying to establish myself in journalism by writing online (or even just do it as a hobby.) I feel journalism would be an easier field to break into without a degree.</p>

<p>My parents don't really have any money to contribute to me for college (I don't come from much money, making a career in journalism even more risky if I don't make it) so I'll be graduating with debt (thankfully not as much as it could have been because of financial aid.) And that is really the reason why I need to make this decision now:</p>

<p>I only have two options that are really affordable for me: Stony Brook and Pace. Stony a very good journalism school, Pace a very good business school. However, Stony lacks in business (not to mention I have yet to even be accepted into the business program) and Pace lacks in journalism. Another leg up for Pace is obviously the location, going back to the first paragraph NYC is my dream, and that location is also what makes it a good business school. A leg up for Stony is that it would be cheaper. (Give or take $5k for either school, I'd graduate Stony about $28k in debt with a journalism degree and Pace $48k in debt with a business degree, though I think Pace having better location and me majoring in a more lucrative field there kind of evens out the money thing a little bit.)</p>

<p>Please don't take this as me complaining, I realize how lucky I am to get financial aid. I realize how lucky I am to have the opportunity to get a college degree. I realize how lucky I am to have these great options (I realize I'm not choosing between Ivies like a lot of people, but I'm at least happy with my options. And just to even have the opportunity to have options.)</p>

<p>But I just don't want to make the wrong choice, I really want to make something of myself and make a profound impact on the world. </p>

<p>So here I am, asking for honest advice, what do you guys think I should do? Sorry this was so long, but advice would be greatly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>I don’t know about either of the schools but based on what you said I think I would choose Stony Brook, mainly because NYC cost so much to live in already and since Stony Brook is a good school for journalism, you could make some contacts in that field.</p>

3

<p>$48k is too much debt, even for a business major. Go to Stony Brook. Live as cheaply as you can while you are there. Buy your books used and/or online. If you aren’t admitted to the business program as a major, find out which business classes you can still take as a non-major and squeeze them into your schedule. There is every chance that you can get enough business coursework that way to qualify for a business-related job when you finish college if you still need or want one then.</p>

4

<p>Anyone else?</p>

5

<p>I think it’s likely that over the course of college you’ll develop a career plan that’s more nuanced than journalism or business. You may discover that you want to work in in house publications for a large company, or you want to work on the business side of a newspaper or that you want to do something completely different that you haven’t even considered at this time.</p>

<p>Given that, I wouldn’t choose a school based on a single major. $48 K would be a deal breaker for me. So, I’d vote for Stony.</p>

6

<p>I would recommend stony brook. It is typically regarded as a ‘stronger’ academic school than Pace aside from business. Also since you will go into debt either way, minimize it and attend the cheaper of the 2 options. Since journalism is your primary passion, stony brook’s journalism school has an advantage. What type of business would you like to go into? You can always get a marketing or econ minor.</p>

7

<p>Do you think a journalist could conceivably afford to live in manhattan right out of college?</p>

8

<p>Take a look at CUNY Baruch college at some point. Meanwhile choose the lower cost and take many business electives. Sometimes it is not either or and you can combine both…an example is that many students from the top Liberal arts colleges get recruited by top business corporations. Get excellent grades and reevaluate in six months.</p>

9

<p>I agree that $48k is way too much debt coming out of a school like Pace.</p>

<p>Why do you have to live in Manhattan after you graduate? Triple up in Brooklyn like the rest of your generation. It’s a rite of passage.</p>

10

<p>Bump. .</p>