Very good point, Munchkin03. Many of the leading newspapers in the country are fed almost exclusively by alumni of certain respected college papers.

In a pre-professional major like journalism, it just doesn't matter how good your education was if you can't get hired.

And Journalism is such a broad major. You don't have to just write for a newspaper, you can get into editing, design, proofreading, publishing, communications even some public relations...

I transfered. Twice actually. All my credits came with me both times (though I know that it's not always the case), and it was the best decision I ever made. I HATED the school I started at. I transfered back to NJ for a year to regroup and see where things went from there. I don't think I ever really wanted to stay in NJ, but it was close and it was cheap. From there, I transfered to a school in Canada, where I had never been before I took the tour of Bishop's. That was my home, and I knew it from the second I set foot on the campus for the tour. I ended up with an extra year, but only because the program at Bishop's was a lot more demanding than at either of my other schools -- which is what I wanted. I had to take more classes that were specifically in my major... which sure beat what I had had before.

Follow your heart. Do what you think is going to make you happy. Don't listen when people try to write it off as a phase if you know in your heart that it's what you want to do.

Best wishes lyrica :)

I would definitely agree that you should visit the schools and TALK TO THE ACADEMIC ADVISORS about your transferring credits.

I transferred as a junior, but had already taken several junior-level courses my sophomore year, and not all of them transferred. I ended up losing a lot of credits, but I changed my major a semester later anyway.

Also take out of state tuition into consideration. I'm not sure how it works in other states, but from what I hear out of state tuition is scary... which is one of the reasons I stayed in Tx when I transferred.

Take advantage of contacts if you have any...

Our daughter transferred as a Junior to an out of state school and changed her major.

All of her credits were accepted, but it was only because the school (actually, the department) she was transferring to was willing to be very creative with electives. A different department at the same university wouldn't accept ANY of her previous credits.

Now, there were other things in play. She transferred to my and Mrs. DA's Alma Mater, and we knew some people who were able to help -- a lot.

In fact, the guy who accepted her into his program is a Delt whom I had met several times before. The head of the department is also a Delt, but the real helper was the Dean of the Honors College who was a grad student with me when I was an undergrad who was willing to call department heads at home on a Sunday night before classes.

The good news is that, while having to take a number of 19 hour quarters, she still graduated in four years with a 3.9+.

So, if your parents have any friends...use them.

Do any of the schools you want to attend have an exchange program with your college? One of my good friends took a year and attended Mizzou's journalism school. I did a similar thing with (what was at the time) the best undergrad architecture school in the country. Having that on my resume--when all the top firms hire their interns straight from that school--has helped out so much.

Sometimes it's just easier to get a better job--or any job at all--having attended one of the best schools in your field. We would all like to think that it doesn't matter what school you attend, but let's get real--in a lot of fields, it does.

This the very reason that I discussed on the Princeton Thread.:)

There are many Greeks out in the real world after college and they know that being a Greek brings a lot more information, growing because of interaction than just being a Student.

Networking is not only just between Individual Organizations, but all of us no matter what affiliation.

Do you know members of other Greek Organizations and feel a little closer to them for being Greek?

As munchkin said, a good school name helps, but if you do not have interacting skills then where do you go if you become a blob?

Playing on what Munchkin posted...

Check out the National Student Exchange (http://www.nse.org). This is a program where you can take a semester or a year at one of almost 200 state schools. UNT is part of it, as is UWash and TONS of other schools. I'm sure there is an office on your campus (check out the study abroad office?) where you can pick up a catalog and find out. Unfortunately, you'd have to wait til next year since exchanges are arranged during the spring semester for the upcoming school year.

Not to discourage you from transferring, though... I wish I had!

alas, the only thing i can get from my father's friends is into concerts free.

you are a goddess for asking this question. i looked into it, and UW is one of the schools that i could do an exchange with.. and its just an awesome sounding program to do.
thank you so so much. i may just get to go to my dream school for a year!

Sorry to bust in the thread, but I'm also looking at some of the schools lyrica mentioned for a graduate degree in print journalism, specializing in magazines.

So, if any of you have info on the following grad schools:

Mizzou
Southern Cal
UT-Austin
Syracuse
Indiana
Northwestern
UGA
Oklahoma

it would be greatly appreciated. I know that all these schools, with the exception of UT-Austin, have Gamma Phi chapters. ;)

The Medill (sp?) School of Journalism at Northwestern has an outstanding reputation for print journalism. It is considered fairly weak by most broadcasters I know, however.

If you're looking for journalism schools in the state of Washington, then Washington State is the place to go. The Edward R. Murrow School of Communications has turned out many successful graduates, such as Keith Jackson and Edward R. Murrow, the school's namesake. The newspaper has won several national colleigate awards and if you want to teach, WSU's College of Education is one of the best in the state. UW does not have a Bachelor's level Education program, they do have a grad program I believe. ADPi is at WSU, also.

My best friend went there for a combined masters in journalism and PR. She has been doing great with her career and is a VP of a health care PR firm at the age of 39, in Los Angeles!

Dee

ETA: Looks like my son should look into Ohio U. At the ripe old age of 8, he wants to be a meterologist and/or broadcast journalist. He could double major there!