Looking ahead to S24 who wants to be a broadcast meteorologist.
We know Penn State is good, we are PA residents. Are there any other
around the country that have great TV facilities and TV weather programs?
Millersville anyone?
Anyone have experience with Florida State or Oklahoma’s programs?
Does Cornell have good TV experiential learning facilities?
Any indications about your son’s GPA? Any tests, yet? Areas of the country? Budget? Size of the university?
Top tier student, admissions won’t be a problem. Looking for the best programs with strong TV opportunities. We know PSU is great. Looking for others. Location and budget doesn’t matter.
You already have Penn State, but I’d also take a look at these colleges (in no particular order)
University of Colorado - Boulder
University of Maryland
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
University of Oklahoma
University of Michigan
UCLA
VA Tech
Cornell University
Rutgers
University of Wisconsin
They’re all noted for both meteorology and broadcast journalism, or at least have a tv station. I’m not familiar with Millersville, but I did see it on list of noted meteorology programs. It does not seem to have a tv station, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have broadcast facilities. It does have a radio station. If your son finds its size more comfortable (5-6k students) then I definitely think you should do more research on it to see if it would be a good fit.
Actually - for this subject, there’s one top school - Mississippi State - believe it or not.
Others who offer the degree - Ohio U and Oklahoma. B4 my son decided on engineering, this was a major of interest…if you read weatherman profiles, you’ll see a ton of MS State.
Others strong in the field (non broadcasting) are Penn State because Accuweather is there, FSU and Oklahoma. btw - many schools offer the degree even if they don’t list the major - at many schools it’s a concentration under geography.
Good luck.
B.S. Broadcast Meteorology | Department of Geosciences at Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)
Thanks! I am familiar with Mississippi State and know some meteorologists in the past who received a certificate via them but not undergrad. I will look into them closer.
Personally I would sway my kid away from the major. Not meteorology/atmospheric sciences but something so narrowly focused as the broadcast end bcuz of you can’t get hired as a weatherman, then what ??? Or if at least make sure the curriculum isn’t watered down vs normal atmospheric science.
I’m sure their program draws nationally. But we visited Oklahoma (it’s on a separate campus a mile away) and FSU. Both impressed. But that was the straight major. We visited PSU and accuweather on their admitted student day.
I’m sure u can’t go wrong. Just make sure he gets into the college radio and tv station. Broadcasting is more about your look and sound then knowledge although I graduated 30 years ago. Today there’s tons more outlets to practice the craft. If you have a face made for radio like me, you can survive today. 30 years ago…nope.
Yup! S24 is a performer (singer and actor). This has been his dream.
Full disclosure- I have a 30 year TV career (Behind the camera)
Programs have really changed over the years so this is great info.
We have been in contact with FSU, and since PSU tuition is so high, FSU OOS tuition is the same for PSU in-state! Plus you get the sun!! Lol.
And if you get a 31 ACT…we’ll in 2021…not sure next year…it’s in state. About $7k. FSU not an easy OOS admit anymore.
Good luck to your son. And u on saving some $$
Clark University and Dartmouth University both have outstanding Geography and Earth Science Departments—both are world-renowned in Geography/Earth Sciences research. It’s not directly Atmospheric Science, but both produce Atmospheric Science research, and your son could add a second major/minor in Physics or Chemistry to complete a well-rounded Earth Sciences/Geography degree with a concentration in the Atmospheric Sciences.
Unique to Penn State is you get the full-blown Atmospheric Science degree but you can take the Communications specialty. FSU is similar. 2 great choices.
Sounds like you have it nailed. Funny. My son had 4 majors pre college. Astrophysics, then meteorology (when we toured), aviation but now he’s an engineering major but a geography minor where two classes have been related to climate. It should have been his major. It’s his love. But he said engineers make more. I just hope for his sake that becomes I love what I do. Since most don’t love what they do, I think these kids should pursue their passions.
Best of luck…we’ll look for your kid in tv in 5 years !!
Purdue
As soon as I saw this thread I thought Mississippi State. SIL went there undergrad and for MBA and one of his best friends was in the meteorology program. The friend now does something on the west coast related to weather predictions for agriculture and is pretty well paid from the comments I have heard from S & DIL.
UMiami should definitely be on the list.
The UMiami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science is pretty amazing and well funded. UMiami has merit and need based aid they will stack.
Double majors are easy to navigate at UMiami and they have a double major with meteorology and Broadcast journalism.
UMiami had the best info videos of the Covid era virtual open houses with many about Rosenstiel programs and labs.
And across the street from Rosenstiel is the NOAA lab with great internship and research opportunities.
https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/about-aoml/
And the bonus - the UMiami mascot is a meteorological marvel - They are the hurricanes!