NHSI Journalism v. California Scholastic Press Association Cal Poly Workshop

<p>Hi everyone,</p>

<p>I'm currently a junior and an aspiring journalist, and I wanted to attend a meaningful journalism camp/course this summer.</p>

<p>I got accepted to both NHSI Journalism (Northwestern) and the California Scholastic Press Association Summer Workshop (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), and I was wondering if anyone has any input as to where I should go.</p>

<p>PLEASE, I need some help. IF YOU HAVE ATTENDED EITHER OF THESE CAMPS, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE JUST LEAVE A MESSAGE.</p>

<p>I haven't heard any feedback from past CSPA students, so if you have gone, please leave some short message. Anything will be appreciated.</p>

<p>NHSI Journalism accepted 83 or so kids. CSPA accepted 25.
NHSI is probably more well-known than CSPA.
NHSI costs $4,700 for one month while CSPA costs $1,025 for two weeks.
NHSI has a 10:1 teacher-student ratio while CSPA has about the same number of teachers but with only 25 kids.
NHSI offers field trips to some more famous/well-known broadcasting stations while CSPA offers field trips to local stations/newsrooms.
It looks like NHSI has more lectures whereas CSPA has more hands-on work.
Colleges probably have heard about NHSI more than they have about CSPA.
But CSPA rejected me last year and accepted me this year, which means that there is selectivity involved.
As for NHSI, I've heard about a group of four friends who were all admitted together. Either they were all very qualified ... or NHSI isn't that selective?</p>

<p>NHSI Journalism: (off their website)
Course offerings
• Lab sessions to sharpen journalistic skills
(write news and feature stories, editorials, and
television news; edit stories others have
written; write headlines; design newspaper
pages; and report the news).
• Seminars with university professors and outstanding
journalists to discuss subjects such as
ethical considerations, interviewing techniques,
online media, and video blogs.
• Workshops to teach free-lance writing, sports
reporting, and magazine publishing and to
discuss issues concerning high school journalism,
among other subjects.
• Field trips to Chicago’s media and other
locations.
• Discussion sessions to analyze contemporary
journalistic issues.
• Special classes to study newer story-telling
forms such as podcasting and blogging.
• Film and video showings to review works of
and about American journalism.
• Weekly sessions with teachers on a one-to-one
basis to evaluate and analyze writing assignments.
(The student-teacher ratio is 10:1.)</p>

<p>CSPA:
Participants will complete 35 journalism assignments, and have the opportunity to:
• Attend several press conferences
• Publish their own newspaper
• Post breaking Web updates and publish blogs
• Write a sports story
• Conduct multiple interviews, learn research techniques
• Report on a simulated major disaster
• Learn how to cover simulated breaking crime story|
• Cover a trial
• Tour the San Luis Obispo daily newspaper office and television station
• Produce and tape their own television newscast
• Shoot and process news photographs</p>

<p>Students accepted should expect to attend classes from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Students should expect to complete as many as five assignments a day. Graduates receive a prestigious certificate of completion.</p>

<p>PLEASE HELP! Thank you.</p>

<p>Was the decision for the Cal Poly Workshop already decided? Did you find out via email or phone?</p>

<p>I also got accepted to the CSPA workshop and will be attending this summer. I know one person who is doing the Northwestern one. I didn’t apply because of the money and the extra time (it’s a larger part of my summer than what I wanted to commit). I have read good things about the CSPA workshop online and am excited for it. With either program, you will receive excellent advice and have a great time, so just decide how long you want to spend in a summer journalism program and how much money your family wants to spend. Good luck deciding, and I might see you at the CSPA workshop if you choose that one.</p>

<p>To the person who posted above (Smiley): I found out via email.</p>

<p>I am attending the CSPA workshop as well. Does it offer scholarships?</p>