<p>I didn't feel NU students being particularly arrogant; if anything, they are probably less elitist than their peers in the Northeast. However, to outsiders, some may come across as such. It's definitely not difficult to find arrogant people at any top school but I didn't feel their number was overwhelming at NU. Most students were driven but not really that competitive (the premeds may be more so); many studied together and helped each others out.</p>
<p>A list of on-line college newspapers:</p>
<p><a href="http://newslink.org/camnews.html%5B/url%5D">http://newslink.org/camnews.html</a></p>
<p>dadtimes has made some pretty accurate observations here but a few remarks since i am a mizzou journ grad, have taught journ at penn state, did a postdoc at texas, and have interviewed for faculty posts at syracuse and USC:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>for sheer vastness and comprehensiveness--read, if you are not sure what kind of journ major you want--missouri is best, followed closely by syracuse. both places have it all.</p></li>
<li><p>for quality of the program as well as the university overall--i would place northwestern (medill) and southern cal (annenberg) in a tie for first. USC is rapidly moving academically into almost ivy league quality now.</p></li>
<li><p>and if you know what you want:
a. advertising--illinois, michigan state, texas, northwestern
b. print journalism--missouri, north carolina, indiana, USC
c. broadcast journalism--syracuse, miami, USC, missouri
d. public relations--maryland, syracuse, USC, northwestern
e. grad schools--columbia, cal, USC and most of the big ten</p></li>
</ol>
<p>finally, some environmental issues: syracuse is colder than anywhere else. columbia, northwestern and USC connect you with the three major media markets--and the "bad hood" rap on USC is dated as the university keeps buying up most of the exposition park area and it gentrifies. mizzou, carolina and indiana offer the most college town atmospheres but are removed from media capitals.</p>
<p>drj--on behalf of all of us with kids who want to go to journalism school, thank you. The information you've provided is extremely helpful.</p>
<p>Except - </p>
<p>You forgot to mention that Maryland also connects you to a major media market: Washington, D.C. The opportunities for internships are astounding, especially for those interested in political science. This I know first hand from speaking to about 20 of the journalism students; many were only sophomores but were already tackling their second internship in D.C. doing investigative reporting. I visited the school this weekend and was absolutely AMAZED at the vigor of the students and their passion for journalism, as well as the "go and get it" attitude Maryland fosters, throwing them into the field as soon as possible and never letting up. </p>
<p>(There's easy access to Baltimore, as well, which although I certainly wouldn't describe as a "major media hub", it is very established city. The Baltimore Sun is a very well-respected paper.)</p>
<p>
Wrong! The Political Science degree from Syracuse is likely to be as stimulating and more valuable than the one from NWU. Remember that in addition to the Newhouse school (journalism), SU is renowned for the Maxwell School of Citizenship (social sciences, including political science).</p>
<p>^Never heard of it...</p>
<p>Kids I've spoken to doing poli sci/other liberal arts degrees there say it's not very challenging. I mean, I don't really see it is a top tier school exactly. But, I don't know, it's not like I've sat in on a class or anything. I'm just thinking that overall Northwestern academics are going to be better...based on the school's prestige, rankings, and hearsay...which is probably not the best way to go...but then, I don't know how else to make a decision like that.</p>
<p>Anyway, I imagine the Maxwell school has a better graduate reputation than undergrad. Undergrad students receive their degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, not Maxwell. But I guess there is some trickle-down effect that is inevitable.</p>
<p>How is USC for journalism? I'm really not interested in Northwestern at all, but thanks for the information anyway.</p>
<p>The only reason I bring up USC is because I'm from California, just about 3-4 hours away from LA, and I like the idea of being close to home. I've heard it has a decent program, too, but haven't heard THAT much.</p>
<p>Dean of the J-school at Maryland said it was good, and USC is ranked pretty highly on US News overall. I'd say it's probably regarded as the best journalism school on the west coast, anyway. Nothing justifies the price tag, though. </p>
<p>(Sorry for the million and two responses...I'm sure you want some other opinions, but just keeping this at the top...it interests me, too :)).</p>
<p>no all these responses are really helpful. I'd love to go to USC, but getting in is another thing, not to mention, as you said, the price tag.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Anyway, I imagine the Maxwell school has a better graduate reputation than undergrad. Undergrad students receive their degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, not Maxwell. But I guess there is some trickle-down effect that is inevitable.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Hit the nail on the head. Syracuse's Maxwell Grad School has been ranked above most (if not all) Ivies in some programs (particularly IR). Unfortunately, undergrads don't get their IR degrees from Maxwell. But if I understand correctly, some Maxwell courses are in fact open to undergrad students. </p>
<p>Anyways, that is a whole other discussion!</p>
<p>Cuse0507, Many, if not most, of the SU undergraduate classes in Political Science (and IR) are taught by Maxwell faculty.</p>
<p>MissSuperFantastic, For someone who never heard of the Maxwell School at SU, you seem to know quite a bit about it!</p>
<p>Briefly checked out the website. It interested me, for sure. I'm applying to Syracuse and do like a lot of things about it. Come April decisions will be tough :). Don't get me out to be anti-Syracuse...I try to be objective. Haha.</p>
<p>But yes.</p>
<p>Back to journalism.</p>
<p>It was vaguely related. Kind of. Haha.</p>
<p>a list of Good Journalism School (graduate)</p>
<p>Columbia
Northwestern
Penn (annenberg, sp?)</p>
<p>MissSuperFantastic, My DD is looking at some of the same schools that you are looking at - USC, Mizzou, and Syracuse to name a few. A question: Have you found any LACs that have strong journalism programs?</p>
<p>Whats an LAC?</p>
<p>^No, I haven't actually! At one point I was more interested in LACs and so did a lot of research on smaller state schools, like W&M (more similar to LACs than Unis in my opinion) and also all-girls' schools. I never came across any journalism programs. I think this is because LACs focus more on the liberal arts core than specific schools; strength of journalism programs is usually found in separate schools for communications in larger universities. </p>
<p>Then again, I never went /too/ far with this research, because I became way more interested in big schools. I also think that an excellent undergrad education at a good LAC coupled with participation in internships and the school paper will give any journalist a solid foundation to get a great job. Just my two cents and what I picked up from talking to people at papers.</p>
<p>SUPER analysis...agreed...mea culpa, i was with the washington reporting graduate program at mizzou and the four major media markets include new york, washington, chicago, los angeles with top tier j-schools in all four places.</p>
<p>missouri of course is a bargain if you hail from in state. but while on the high side you get a lot of value added benefits from USC, where the director of the j-school merely was the editor in chief of the los angeles times and other faculty were senior editors at the washington post and new york times. the trojan mafia ain't bad either. hands down the best in the west.</p>
<p>I thought I read a post about UGA not having it's act together (another term was used rather than act). I don't see it now; so, it may have gotten zapped, or it may have been in a similar thread.</p>
<p>UGA made a REALLY BAD hire for the dean of Grady (J school). He has since been relieved, but his contract gives him a spot as a professor. He's trying to make some legal trouble over the issue.</p>
<p>Grady and Terry (B school) are the two big "dawgs" on campus. They each require a subsequent application after the sophomore year, and each charges additional tuition. The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) is rapidly gaining ground in stature on campus and actually houses the university's highest ranked graduate program (MPA at # 3). So, J majors will have the chance to take their "outside of the department" courses from some other well respected areas.</p>
<p>Grady is in a dingy building compared to many of the other buildings on campus, and it shares the complex with the psychology department.</p>
<p>Grady does host the Peabody Awards. The magazine concentration seems to be more popular than does the newspaper concentration. The student newspaper (The Red & Black) recently got a nice new building, but in my opinion, the R&B is not a particularly good rag.</p>
<p>Somebody mentioned above about the attitude of the respective schools and how Texas wouldn't make time to meet with a prospective student. Any school that can't find the time to meet with a prospective student would immediately get crossed off of my list.</p>
<p>Your student experience will be much more important than rankings.</p>
<p>I came to this thread late, but want to offer a note about Northwestern. Drj recommended it for its advertising program. I believe advertising is a graduate program there. I majored in advertising in the 1970s and Medill eliminated that major soon after.</p>