<p>Someone told me that if I go to the right college, I can major in Publishing in stead of just English. Is that true? And if it is what are some really good colleges that offer good publishing programs? I know most of them will probably be in New York (I live in California), but I'm willing to go to college there if its a good program. Thanks so much for the help!</p>
<p>I've worked in publishing. I don't think whether or not a school has a publishing major should play a big part in your college decision. It's better to get a degree in English or journalism from a good school than a publishing degree from one with a lesser reputation. The other degrees are more versatile (especially English)--it will be easier to do something else if you ultimately decide publishing isn't for you. Be wary of preprofessional majors outside of the sciences.</p>
<p>I imagine that the skills/knowledge you would learn in a publishing program would be easy to pick up from other experiences. What matters most for getting these jobs is your experience outside the classroom--internships and work on college/community publications. If you major in English and have solid experience, you'll look better than someone who majored in publishing but didn't do anything outside the classroom. Consider colleges where it will be easier to get this experience--unless you're pretty aggressive, you don't want to end up at a place where there's a lot of competition for editorial positions.</p>
<p>Also, if you want some classroom training specific to publishing, there are courses you could take during the summer (NYU comes to mind) that could help you get a job. But just one of these should be plenty--after that it's more about the experience you have working on actual publications.</p>
<p>If you really want to be in a good position to get a publishing job, think about the kind of materials you would like to work on (fashion, literary, educational, etc...) and double-major or minor in something related. You'll have an edge if you can demonstrate good writing skills and have some knowledge of a particular content area. If you have any interest in or aptitude for the sciences, this is in demand and something to consider. Writers who can do math are rare, but necessary.</p>
<p>My sister majored in education and now works for a large publishing company that publishes text books and educational periodicals.</p>