<p>I'm considering applying to UChicago but I have a few concerns. I think I would fit in socially and I like the idea of living in Chicago, despite the winter. However, I ultimately want to have a career in political journalism, primarily broadcast and/or writing for the NYT, WSJ, or Weekly Standard. I would double major political science and econ. Chicago seems pretty wired both politically and journalistically and boasts an impressive list of successful journalists. However, I'm not interested in utilizing the econ degree in banking and I'm concerned that the grade deflation will make getting in to grad school especially difficult. And the classes sound intimidating...</p>
<p>If not Chicago, I'd like to go to Duke, but their journalists don't seem to see the same success...</p>
<p>There are several distinct types of “journalism” at issue here. First of all, you have the broadcast vs. print divide. UChicago tends to produce many more print journalists than broadcast, for obvious reasons.</p>
<p>Beyond this, you have the “reporter/news anchor” vs. “pundit/columnist/editor” separation. Again, UChicago tends to turn out many more of the pundit types than “breaking news” reporter types. The reasons for this are basically that UChicago doesn’t offer any form of journalism degree and the people who do go into journalism from UChicago tend to go at it from a more intellectual and academic angle. </p>
<p>There is a certain category of “public intellectual” that is common in France and various parts of Europe but fairly rare here in the US. I think that the closest we get to something like that would be the more intellectual national print columnists such as David Broder, Mike Royko (arguably), David Brooks, Thomas Frank (PhD '94), etc. These are all people with solid backgrounds in the humanities and very little formal training, at least at the undergrad level, in journalism as such. </p>
<p>They are successful as journalists because their natural curiosity about the world, through their Chicago education, gets a healthy dose of rigorous training, disciplined thinking and a unmatched cross-section of knowledge of the world as it stands today.</p>
<p>This is not to say that you wouldn’t be able to take on more mundane jobs in journalism if you go to UChicago, but you would not be taking advantage of something which is pretty special to Chicago; it’s a pundit breeding ground.</p>
<p>To be honest, I’m much more interested in the pundit-route. I have no interest in straight reporting. I’m far more interested in analysis, but I’d like to do broadcast and perhaps be a columnist on the side. Perhaps it isn’t fair to Duke, but Chicago seems to be defined by teaching you how to think exceedingly creatively, whereas Duke is a bit more inside the box… But I am concerned about grade deflation. I don’t mind working hard and never sleeping, and I’ve done well in high school, but I feel like the workload would leave me defeated before I even start. Maybe I’m overestimating…</p>
<p>though i’m only applying and not there yet so i don’t actually know from looking around the chicago careers in journalism seems really helpful, and the creative writing department also has a couple non fiction classes, and a couple others that might be interesting like radio and journalism</p>
<p>I’m an editor at The Chicago Maroon, UChicago’s student newspaper. There’s a handful of students who go into journalism straight out of school every year, but it’s definitely not the norm. It’s more like UChicago has a thriving subculture of “writers” who may not have a set professional goal, but enjoy writing as a hobby and hope to use those skills after graduation. To that extent, you see a lot of student journalists go to grad school (fields that have a strong writing component — law, english, history, political science), specialize in what interests them, and then become writers later on. </p>
<p>Basically, UChicago students aren’t very pre-professional, and the future journalists among us are even less so. But the education and writing opportunities UChicago provides is, I daresay, much better training for becoming a journalist than majoring in journalism and going on to J-School.</p>
<p>And then there’s Daniel Gilbert, who graduated as News Editor in 2005, did a reporting stint on the U.S.-Mexico border and in Virginia, and five years later became the youngest reporter to singlehandedly win the Pulitzer Prize for public service (think Watergate).
[Uncommon</a> Interview: Daniel Gilbert – The Chicago Maroon](<a href=“Rambling and flat, this family turmoil doesn’t amount to a handful of cherries – Chicago Maroon”>Rambling and flat, this family turmoil doesn’t amount to a handful of cherries – Chicago Maroon)</p>
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<p>I don’t think you should be too concerned about grade deflation, if it actually exists. I was freaking out about grade deflation before I came here. I am a junior now, and I have close to a 3.8 (and no, I’m not a genius; I was in the top 5% of my high school). I get close to 8 (sometimes 9) hours of sleep every day, and I am majoring in one of the hard sciences (biology, chemistry, or physics). I don’t think grade deflation characterizes UChicago at all. I think there is a lot of fair grading. If you do all of your reading, participate in discussions, and utilize the Core tutors, you can have lots of fun and still enjoy school!</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>As a recent graduate and aspiring journalist, I thought I’d try to shed some light on your predicament. I’m currently attending Stanford for a master’s in communications and journalism. I was likewise accepted to Northwestern, NYU, and Columbia, and received scholarships at each institution excluding Columbia. I took advantage of every journalism opportunity at UChicago, and ended with (from what I’m told) a pretty solid resume of experiences. </p>
<p>I think journalism at UChicago is a little what you make it. You’re not in a regimented journalism program that makes you take certain courses and guarantees you an internship. I think, however, this is to UChicago’s benefit. A journalism program might polish your presence in front of a camera, but it won’t necessarily be able to make you speak intelligently once you find yourself there. With a UChicago degree, you will be well-versed in a wide range of subjects (chem, calc, the humanities, a foreign language) and will be much better prepared to contribute to a graduate classroom or professional newsroom.</p>
<p>Moreover, CCIJ is wonderful, and the internships I had over the course of both summers and school years were incredibly formative. I want to go into broadcast journalism, and am interested in investigative reporting and commentary. Over the course of my four years, I wrote for the Maroon; was Co-Editor-in-Chief of the fashion magazine; wrote a lot of the publication material you’ve received as a prospective student as the Publications Assistant for Admissions; reported on behalf of the Center for International Studies; and interned with ESPN Radio and FOX Chicago News. Your opportunities at UChicago really are boundless.</p>
<p>I cannot speak towards Duke’s merits, but I strongly believed you will be well-served by receiving a political science degree from UChicago. I was an English major, and applied early to UChicago for just the same reason you referenced-- its ability to make you think. Ultimately, I think you should decide with your gut. If you’re intelligent and hardworking, which I suspect you are, you will be successful no matter where you go. </p>
<p>Good luck with your decision process.</p>