I need ideas...

College Search & Selection
1

<p>My college list is really short. I'm just having a hard time finding schools that I like. </p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>--White
--Female
--Nevada resident
--First generation college student</p>

<p>--Private/College Prep school
--GPA: 3.5ish UW (my school barely weights, so W isn't much different)
--Will graduate with 32 credits (4 math, 4 lab science, 4 English, 4 social studies, 3 foreign language, 4 religion, academic electives)
--A handful of honors, and a couple APs (my school doesn't offer many)
--1970 SAT w/o studying. Strong slant towards CR. I might retake in October. (If so, I'll probably get about a 2010). </p>

<p>--GPA explanation: I had a few really bad family circumstances. My counselor is going to write a note. </p>

<p>--My hook: 4 years of journalism, editor-in-chief for 2 years. At my school, journalism is a class, but as an active member, I dedicate many extra hours before and after school. My individual work has won many awards, and as a team, we win Best Newspaper every year at county-wide competitions.</p>

<p>--Other ECs
-Equestrian riding. (9, 10, 11, 12.)
-Community service organization. (9, 10, 11, 12.)
-Independent studies. (11, 12.)</p>

<p>--Part-time job held every summer. </p>

<p>Criteria
-Medium or large size (at least 4,000 - no maximum).
-Lots of school spirit & strong athletics
-Any location is fine, but I prefer cooler environments to warmer ones
-I plan on doubling majoring in communications/journalism and another subject in either the humanities or social scienes</p>

<p>I already have a few large public schools on my list, but what I'm really looking for is a some more privates that fit my criteria. I really like UNC Chapel Hill, but it's obviously a reach for me. I've found other state schools that are similar, to use as safeties and matches. But like I said, I want variety in my options. Any private schools that are similar (lots of options, eclectic college town, good sports)? Ones that I actually have a chance at? (It's hard to tell with me, I think).</p>

2

<p>Elon has an Equestrian team. It might be a good fit.</p>

3

<p>Syracuse Newhouse School of Communications
maybe Northwestern...a reach</p>

<p>Gourman ranking for Communications</p>

<p>Northwestern
Stanford
U Penn
U Michigan Ann Arbor
USC
U Iowa
Michigan State
U Texas Austin
Syracuse
Florida State
U Wisconsin Madison
U Washington
Ohio State
U Minnesota
Purdue West Lafayette
SUNY Buffalo
U Mass Amherst
Ohio U
Wayne State</p>

<p>Gourman ranking for Journalism:</p>

<p>U Missouri Columbia
Northwestern
Syracuse
U Minnesota
U Illinois U-C
UNC Chapel Hill
U Wisconsin Madison
Ohio State
Michigan State
USC
NYU
Indiana U Bloomington
U washington
U Kansas
U Texas Austin
Kansas State
Marquette
I Iowa
U Colorado Boulder
Ohio U
Penn State U-P
U Florida
U Montana
U Arizona
U Oregon
Iowa State
U Oklahoma
U Georgia
U Utah
Arizona State
U Maryland C-P</p>

4

<p>I'm sure you've probably already seen, these, but these were the lists of some top Journalism schools. There hasn't been many rankings made recently. The Gourman Report doesn't list the criteria for their ranking (which many CC posters criticize the ranking because of that), whereas the US News ranking is all Peer Assessment of the programs.</p>

<p>================================================== =====
Journalism School Rankings - US News & World Report Rankings (1996)
================================================== =====</p>

<ol>
<li>Univ. of Missouri at Columbia</li>
<li>Columbia University (N.Y.)</li>
<li>Northwestern Univ. (Medill) (Ill.)</li>
<li>Univ. of N.C. at Chapel Hill</li>
<li>Indiana Univ. at Bloomington</li>
<li>University of Florida</li>
<li>Ohio University (Scripps)</li>
<li>Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison</li>
<li>Univ. of California at Berkeley</li>
<li>University of Kansas (White)</li>
<li>Univ. of Md. at College Park</li>
<li>University of Texas at Austin</li>
</ol>

<p>===================================
Gourman Report 10th Ed. 1998</p>

<h1>Top Journalism and Mass Communications Programs</h1>

<ol>
<li>University of Missouri-Columbia</li>
<li>Northwestern University</li>
<li>Syracuse</li>
<li>Minnesota</li>
<li>University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</li>
<li>University of North Carolina Chapel Hill</li>
<li>University of Wisconsin-Madison</li>
<li>Ohio State University Columbus</li>
<li>Michigan State University</li>
<li>University of Southern California</li>
</ol>

<p>As far as your list, if you are looking for a private school, with lots of school spirit and prefer a bit of a cold environment, Syracuse would be a perfect fit. Big private school, big in sports, and an amazing Communications/Journalism program. </p>

<p>Is cost a concern? If so, you may want to look at schools that are likely to give you some sort of grant or merit aid to come there. Ohio State, Michigan State, Ohio, Maryland, Indiana, and Missouri all will give you a small scholarship (well, Maryland may not). Syracuse will give you grants. </p>

<p>I didn't include Columbia, USC, or Northwestern as I don't believe you're competitive for admission at those schools.</p>

5

<p>Cost isn't a concern.</p>

<p>That said, I already have a number of the state schools mentioned on my list. </p>

<p>I'll look into Syracuse though. Thanks.</p>

<p>ALSO: I should probably mention that although I'm taking on an extra major or minor in journalism/comm, strength in the humanities/social sciences is more important to me. Not necessarily high-ranking, just solid, with lots of different options.</p>

6

<p>Syracuse is probably not the best place for somebody looking for a solid liberal arts experience. I have a good friend who turned down a handful of elite schools for Newhouse, and while he loves Syr, he's dismayed that he can make it to dean's list without an ounce of studying.</p>

<p>Boston College might be a good reach. It doesn't have a journalism major, but it has a communications major and you can work for their newspaper.</p>

7

<p>I love BC. But I didn't realize that I would have a chance. Are they really number oriented? Or do they tend do be more holistic with apps?</p>