Let's Play the University Game

[UGAgirl93]

Originally Posted by Xidelt

UGA fits all of her requirements! Well, except for the basketball thing. But the Grady School of Journalism is great!

Took the words right out of my mouth. And hey, plenty of people go to basket ball games here! I have no clue how well we do but people seem to really enjoy it regardless.

[IUHoosiergirl88]

Second IndianaSigKap with IU! Well, on everything but the footballl...but we make up for it with tailgating skills

[DubaiSis]

I seriously wouldn't do anything more than a minor in any major with "journalism" in it (says the girl with a BA in, and this is not a joke, Journalism with an emphasis in French and Film Analysis). Journalism is a dying art and putting too much emphasis on it will diminish the time spent learning stuff that will actually pay her later on. If she majors in English, Communications, Marketing, Political Science, whatever, and minors in Journalism, and then beats doors down to get internships, she may actually have a future. But remind her that a career in broadcast journalism will almost assuredly put her behind the camera in BF North Dakota for 5 years before she can even think about going to a real place.

Mizzou is a good idea, as is Washington in St. Louis, but any good state school (because they offer lots of majors), will probably do. But the one where she's going to have the most connections to TV people is where she should focus. From what I've been able to gather, networking is going to be 90% of what gets her anywhere, being pretty another 9% and actual knowledge/talent, 1%.

My home town (of about 65,000 when I was growing up) had a local TV station, and a couple local girls were able to get good news jobs, although neither ever went network. In both cases they went to Iowa and both ended up working for NBC affiliates in Iowa. One ended up at what could be considered a regional job.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

Good Greek System (this old bat can't get through an SEC recruitment or UofI)

I do hope you mean IU (Indiana), as UofI (Illinois) is nowhere near an SEC-league recruitment.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

(this old bat can't get through an SEC recruitment or UofI), good football team and a good basketball team. Any one got any ideas?

Do you mean IU(Indiana) or U of I (Illinois)? Because Illinois does not have cut throat recruitments like IU, has one of the best Greek systems on earth, a very highly regarded journalism school, and big time sports (although not always good LOL). Oh, and Alpha Chi has a fantastic chapter with a beautiful house.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by IUHoosiergirl88

Second IndianaSigKap with IU! Well, on everything but the footballl...but we make up for it with tailgating skills

Exactly! Our tailgates are way better than the games. But Little 5 does make up for it!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

You are right. I'm not using my major either. She is just the kind of kid that wants to do stuff they way she thinks is right. Changing majors or transferring schools in her mind wont work.

True (from someone else not using his major, professionally at least), but I tend to think that journalism may be one of those areas where if she is serious about it, then it's the thing to study.

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I seriously wouldn't do anything more than a minor in any major with "journalism" in it (says the girl with a BA in, and this is not a joke, Journalism with an emphasis in French and Film Analysis). Journalism is a dying art and putting too much emphasis on it will diminish the time spent learning stuff that will actually pay her later on.

I don't know about that -- I think it may depend on what she wants to do with the degree. My wife was a journalism major, and our niece fairly recently finished up a major in broadcast journalism. We were all impressed with how the J School is adjusting to journalism in a modern world.

Our niece got excellent experience and great opportunities in school, and while BF North Dakota is a possibility, it's probably less of a possibility somewhere there are lots of markets to begin with, like the East Coast or West Coast.

But you're absolutely right that networking is a big part of it, and some schools are going to have more opportunity for that than others.

[AGDee]

If DeltAlum were around, he would tell you all about Ohio University. Very highly ranked broadcase journalism program, very traditional looking campus, good Greek system.

[WCsweet<3]

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

The school that was the front runner, Oregon State,doesn't have a broadcast journalism major. Some of the other schools she applied to do have a broadcast journalism

How about U of Oregon? Not to be self promoting or anything, but we have a great J school. I believe broadcast journalism falls under Journalism: Communications studies, but has a heavy focus on broadcasting.

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

traditional in both mortar and brick and in feel.

The campus has a split feel. There is definite tradition, but is constantly getting facelifts. I believe they are currently remodeling one of the j school buildings. Feel is hit or miss. There are definite traditionalists, but there are hippies as well. Our traditions do run deep if you want to take part in them.

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

Good Greek System (this old bat can't get through an SEC recruitment or UofI),

12 sororities with total in the 140s. It is growing every year, but recruitment is not nearly as competitive as SEC. We received about 20 recs for 800 PNMs. People rarely get them and still often have full schedules. There is a fabulous AXO chapter with a beautiful house. The chapter has been round since the 20s and the women I knew were definitely high quality.

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

good football team

Do I really have to answer this? We have finished in the top 5 for the last four years. Even with Kelly gone our talent and strategy will remain. Aliotti will take good care of us. Also Autzen is an amazing experience.

Originally Posted by AXOrushadvisor

a good basketball team.

We are now ranked in the top ten!

I don't know where you live so Oregon might be a touch too far away.

[ggforever]

Just as a reminder, University of Missouri is now in the SEC!! If you are avoiding the intense competition of SEC then cross off UGA and certainly Bama.

[Kappamd]

Originally Posted by AGDee

If DeltAlum were around, he would tell you all about Ohio University. Very highly ranked broadcase journalism program, very traditional looking campus, good Greek system.

Ohio came to my mind as well. Scripps is one of the best journalism schools around, especially for broadcast (Matt Lauer, anyone?). Plus, they have a fantastic greek system and their campus is STUNNING.

[Sister Havana]

Thirding Indiana. I'm an alum of the journalism school and I can tell you that it is amazing. The campus is absolutely gorgeous, there's plenty to do, and Bloomington is a great town. The football team isn't exactly great, but it is fun to go to games - there's nothing like a Big Ten football game. As for IU basketball - it's practically a religion. : )

[als463]

As an Alumna of Syracuse (ranked #58), I would like to throw out Syracuse University because S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is known nationwide. It is a top notch school and has produced many greats in Hollywood like Aaron Sorkin (Social Network screenwriter) and Dick Clark. The football team may not be top-notch but, the Greek life is amazing considering it is home of the Syracuse Triad (Alpha Phi, Alpha Gamma Delta, and Gamma Phi Beta). They also have houses at Syracuse University for the sororities.

I am also an Alumna of Penn State (ranked #46) and think this could be a great school for your daughter too! We have top-ranked programs and the Greek life is amazing. In fact, Penn State has the largest student-run philanthropy in the world and it was started by the Greeks.

I wish your legacy luck!

[AXOrushadvisor]

We should have just come here in the first place. WOW, I leave to do a recruitment workshop and I come back to a lot of really great information! You all could have saved us a lot of time. Thanks for all the information and AZTheta devils like to pitch fork those wildcats!

[AXOmom]

AXORushAdvisor-


I agree with Gusteau that if she is going to be a freshman this fall, the application dates for most of these schools has passed and it sounds like she has an extensive list already. Is she planning on applying to other schools for this fall?


On the topic of the major. I'm with MysticCat on this one. Daughter just got her degree in journalism from UofO. If they had focused solely on print and broadcast journalism - her options would certainly be limited and she would be tubed, but that isn't the focus of most j schools in this day and age. They know this - they focus on online media and the graphic and/or technical skills that go with it and well as marketing and pr for every journalism student. It is often one of the potential majors listed for marketing, public relations, event planning, or any job requiring writing and/or communications skills. While it doesn't have the marketability of many other majors, I would put it ahead of communications, political science or English, and I say that as an English major.


I would also agree that it is much less about the major than the internships, job experience, volunteer experience, and connections you make and use that are going to help her find and land a job, and yeah, she probably will change her mind a bit. Mine was determined to be a broadcast journalist as well - some things changed her mind and she's now headed down a different path.


Now back to the school issue - assuming any of these schools are still open for applications - for a journalism major I don't know what could beat Mizzou. I have no idea how traditional the campus is and don't know squat about it's greek life. Their basketball team is usually good (not Kentucky, Kansas or Duke good, but good). Their football team....not so much.


If she wants to stay out west, the best school in the Pac-12 for broadcast journalsim is Washington State. Their communications school which includes broadcast journalism is ranked 4th in the nation (last I checked). Greek life is the major part of their social life - a big deal, but at the same time it isn't SEC competitive by any stretch. They are in the middle of nowhere and it does have a bit of a party school reputation as I've mentioned. I also can't say much for sports there which currently....well, suck, but hopefully things will start to look up for them.


I'm assuming since you mentioned she had once looked at UofO that there were things that made her decide it didn't fit her and that's understandable. As much as I love it - no school is right for everyone. WC stated it's attributes well, and I don't have anything to add to that unless you want to know more about the journalism department there specifically in which case, feel free to ask or pm me - as I said, daughter just got her degree from the j school there and had a great experience, and of course you know she was an AXO there and she loved that as well.