I’ve been admitted to Tufts and Syracuse-Newhouse. Tufts is obviously the better social/academic fit, but I am planning to work in film or journalism post-grad, and I’m tempted by Newhouse’s extensive industry network and exposure to similar-background students.
I would major in English at Tufts, and do internships/get experience in the field - which is a bit roundabout compared to the Newhouse route, which gears students straight for employment in the field.
How is Tufts’ career network in the communications/journalism field, or the TV/film industry? I’m sure the Tufts alumni network is strong, but I wonder if it can compete with Newhouse within the specialty of film and communications.
@saltana Your question lies at the heart of a debate between the relative value of a broad based liberal arts education that focuses on critical thnking and communication skills vs. a pre-professional education that focuses on specific job skills.
In an ideal world, the optimum solution would be to get the broad-based education as an undergrad then get professional training at the grad level (i.e. like an MBA, Law or Medical degree)
Squeezing both a broad based education and professional training in at the undergrad level is going to require some trade-offs, so you will need to decide which trade-offs are best for your interests, personality and learning style as well as your life goals.
I can’t really say what is the best path because that depends on the individual.
What I can say is that Tufts offers somewhat of a “middle ground” in this debate. At Tufts, the recommended path for you would be to major in English and minor in Communications and Media Studies (CMS). Basically, the minor provides more profession specific courses, as well as an organized internship program with links to alumni and industry. This is a “well worn” path at Tufts, with a number of famous alums, some of whom come back to teach classes at the Experimental College (which has close ties to CMS).
The CMS alumni network is strong, but I don’t see how it could match the sheer size of the Newhouse network.
There will be a group of like-minded students in CMS, but it will not be the same as being surrounded by students with a similar background (which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you fit in, and whether or not you value diversity.
Here are some links to information that will help you evaluate the Tufts path. Good Luck, and feel free to ask more questions.
http://admissions.tufts.edu/blogs/jumbo-talk/post/interested-in-journalism
http://ase.tufts.edu/cms/
http://www.excollege.tufts.edu/coursesCurrent.asp