<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I am a freshman transfer at Rowan University, recently transferred from Ithaca College to be closer to home, however the communications program here doesn't seem to be as good and the college as a whole doesn't seem to be as nice as Ithaca. So, I'm debating whether to stay at Rowan or go back and readmit to Ithaca.</p>
<p>I applied and was accepted into these schools for Television/Radio:
Ithaca College
Emerson College
Rowan University
Marist College
Temple University</p>
<p>Right now I'm stuck between Ithaca, just staying at Rowan, and I also looked at Temple while I was in Philly recently. Which has the better overall communications program? Is Ithaca worth going back to and will going there give me a better edge in TV/Radio employment in NYC when I graduate? When I was there they boasted about a strong alumni and reputation. Temple is in a very bad location in North Philly. Rowan is an NJ state school that is not Rutgers-New Brunswick or TCNJ and the program that I'm in right now doesn't seem to be as well connected and up to date which didn't occur to me until I started taking classes. </p>
<p>Really my question is, to break into the NYC communications job market for say working in television production, is where you go to college really important? Because if it isn't why do people go to Newhouse or places like that for their degrees? Should I go back to Ithaca? Would going there help me more when I graduate?</p>
<p>Ithaca has the best communications program out of all these schools. You’re right also that it’s better than Rowan, but since you left Ithaca there had to be a reason, right? That reason won’t have changed. You can’t keep going back and forth so you need to think it through…
You need to be able to network, whichever way you want to do that, with internships super important. </p>
<p>Well I had trouble getting involved with Ithaca’s TV station and radio station and things like that because there were so many people wanting to fill the positions. But here at Rowan, I was able to get involved with the campus tv and radio station more. But the stations aren’t as well known or good as the ones in Ithaca. So would it be better to go back and try to get into those things again at Ithaca, or is it better that its easier to be apart of those types of things at Rowan even though they aren’t as good?</p>
<p>This is the “big fish/small pond” vs. “Little fish/big pond” dilemma.
Some experiences, even at the lower-level stations, is better than none.
How likely is it that you’ll get internships this summer? In the following summers? This is what will matter most.
Ithaca without experience won’t help you much. Of course, Ithaca + experience, if you’re willing to put in the work and work through the system to be among the best, is more valuable.
Only you know yourself wrt to this issue.
Have you been readmitted to Ithaca and if you have been, can you afford it? (That choice may have been made for you already…)</p>
<p>The best bet is to go to the place where you can put together the best audition tape or portfolio. If you have a degree from Ithaca, but no tape or portfolio, you are further behind a grad from anywhere else that has those things. </p>
<p>A hands-on internship in East Juhbip is better than an errand-runner internship at a network.</p>
<p>I know. I was in the biz. And I hired people. </p>
<p>Emerson is also has a super-good communications program. How come you aren’t seriously considering it there?</p>
<p>Are finances an issue? Did Ithaca offer you a scholarship? Emerson is ranked near the top in Media, but they are notoriously expensive if you do not receive a scholarship. Temple is in a tough neighborhood, but their Communications program is also excellent, and they are less expensive than Emerson. You have a number of good options; if you aren’t satisfied with Rowan, and you can afford Emerson, why not?</p>