Hi, I’m looking to expand my list of schools. I’m currently a junior in high school with an intended major in journalism and Spanish minor. I’m looking for a school with nice academics, good internships, study abroad and someplace where there’s a lot to do (probably a city school?) I don’t want to be so far away (I live in Boston) but I like the Northeast as well as DC/Maryland/Virginia area. I also would really like a school with diversity because I am Hispanic and my high school has no diversity lol. I’m looking to add more safety schools also so please give me any suggestions you have–here are some examples from my list to give you an idea of what I’m looking at
Fordham (between a match and a reach)
Loyola Maryland (safety)
American (between a reach and a match…my stats seem good enough but the admissions rate is low so idk)
Marist (safety but I’m not sure if the area is too boring)
Ithaca (same situation as Marist lol)
my gpa is around a 3.4 (i know this sounds low but my high school is highly regarded so the estimates i put above are based off of naviance) and my sat is a 1330 but I’m waiting for my june results so fingers crossed for a 1350 lol
If you’re willing to consider the midwest, it’s hard to beat the practical experience you’ll get at Mizzou. It’s not a northeastern city school, but it was the first J school in the nation and continues to be stellar. It should be cheaper than the rest of your list too. Good luck.
American admits a large percentage of its class Early Decision; if it’s a clear favorite and you can afford your EFC per their Net Price Calculator, you might want to weigh whether you’re willing to apply ED, as it would be a reach in the RD cycle.
A bit far from home, but the Cronkite School at ASU could be a great place to combine journalism and Spanish, if that aspect is important to you. https://asunow.asu.edu/20170125-asu-cronkite-school-launches-new-spanish-language-journalism-platform U of Miami is a private, urban U with a communications/journalism program and good Hispanic/Latinx representation - would be a reach but not a completely unreasonable one. Syracuse U is similarly competitive and is particularly known for its journalism programs - you’d have to look at whether the competitiveness of the Newhouse School in particular might be too reachy, but it’s worth looking into. Drexel and Temple, both in the very diverse city of Philadelphia, could be worth a look as well.
If you like schools like Ithaca with a strong performing arts culture, maybe consider SUNY Purchase, which is similar in size (smaller than Ithaca and Marist but bigger than Loyola Maryland), considerably more diverse (19% Hispanic), and much closer to NYC (can take commuter rail into the city). It has a journalism program in addition to a vibrant performing arts culture and a Spanish minor, and a strong array of exchange opportunities abroad. https://www.purchase.edu/academics/journalism/
Have you run the NPC’s for the schools that interest you and verified how they compare in terms of affordability?
for a diverse city school that is not impossible to get in but is academically strong and underrated, look at University of Pittsburgh. students there are really happy and have great access to the city.
I found a few schools that I think would be good to look into. They’re all safeties I think.
Eugene Lang College at the New School - Has a Journalism + Design major as like some interdisciplinary thing. The school doesn’t have a Spanish minor, though. It is in New York City, and is 17% Hispanic.
Marquette University would be a good option if you’re willing to go to the Midwest. I don’t feel like describing the schools anymore at this point so much lol, but it seems to offer Journalism and Spanish.
St John’s University - VERY diverse, a bit of a commuter school, in Queens, NY. I think offers Journalism and Spanish.
La Salle University - In Philadelphia, I think offers Journalism and Spanish. Also a really diverse school.
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). It’s an underrated school. Strongest, perhaps, in Communications and the Arts (top Arts program), also a good place for pre-med (lots of opportunities). Urban school, diverse, Richmond (RVA) is now a great city for students and young professionals (University of Richmond is also there). It has lots of fun places in the city and wonderful parks on the James River. We’ve known several VCU students recently/currently. They are all loving it there and finding it a wonderful experience.
What is your budget? Sit down with your parents, and run the Net Price Calculators at the websites of several of these places. Have some adult beverages and soft tissues on hand in case there are tears. Many parents are shocked at the cost of college now.
Hi!
I’m a current student at Marist College. I completely understand the concern regarding diversity - I’m from NYC and am very used to diverse school settings. Marist college is much less diverse than what I grew up with, but you will find plenty of people you can relate to and connect with and make great friends with them. My first week or two at Marist I was a little concerned about making friends - everyone was very very different than what I’d grown up with. I joined a couple of clubs though and found friends I felt comfortable around and at home with very quickly. We have a couple of cultural clubs, one of them being ARCO, which celebrates different countries and cultures. There I’ve met both American students with Hispanic heritages, as well as international students from Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, and many other countries. In terms of a city school, Marist College is a 90 min, $18 train ride from NYC. I wanted a college with a full campus and a lot of green space, which Marist college definitely has. At the same time, I didn’t want to be too far from home / the city, so it was the perfect choice. In terms of the area, it’s definitely not the same as being in a city, but I find that I’m rarely off campus.
