JOURNALISM: PLEASE HELP

[L.E.]

Okay guys and gals, I'll get right to the point. I need advice choosing between Syracuse's Newhouse Program (for Magazine, Newspaper, and Online program) and Missouri's Journalism Program (for Magazine Design). I got my undergraduate degree from Cornell in Apparel Design and now want to go into fashion journalism. More specifically, I'd love to become an art director/magazine designer, do online/multimedia type things and perhaps even some styling/photography along the way. I have many interests and want to have an enriching, fun, and creative experience while learning the fundamentals of journalism. I MUST make a decision and I need people WITH ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE to provide some feedback. Here are the circumstances I'm dealing with. FYI, I am from Baltimore, so take that into consideration when considering distance from home as well (if it even matters)

 

1. Newhouse- full tuition offer (I was a finalist for a minority fellowship; after competing through an interview process, I got runner up), $300/month stipend (ends up being roughly $3000/year), 1 year in length (July to July)

- Newhouse also has fashion/beauty journalism milestone and I may be able to take an elective or 2... HOWEVER the program is so short that taking many of the electives you're interested in isn't all that feasible; students said the time flies by QUICKLY

 

2. Missouri- Thurgood Marshall Fellowship: full tuition is covered, $10200/year stipend, health insurance is covered, 2 years in length

 

These are extremely good offers and while Syracuse seems like the more comfortable/easy choice (provided that I've visited, it is an hour from where I went to undergrad, it's not unreasonably far from home, and it's semi-accessible to NYC), I do not know enough about Missouri (who is giving more money in stipend) and haven't visited to make a decision. Please help!? I'd love to make a preliminary decision by Monday... as a matter of fact, I NEED TO! 

 

[L.E.]

no replies? i'm running out of time guys! I need assistance lol 

[somethinbruin]

Hi! First off, it's good that you have options, and congrats on your acceptances. In my opinion, one offer clearly trumps the other. Given the state of your chosen industry (journalism) I would highly recommend considering how much debt you want to incur in graduate school, as you are likely to have a difficult job search and low paying entry-level jobs when you graduate (I speak from experience--I left this industry recently). $300/month will not go very far in upstate New York, whereas $10,000 will allow you to be fairly comfortable in Missouri, where the cost of living is very reasonable. So at Syracuse, you have the potential to graduate with significant debt that you may incur to cover living expenses.  

 

Both programs are solid with good reputations in the industry, and you have the requisite fashion knowledge from your undergrad, so the fact that it looks like Mizzou doesn't have as specific a fashion focus as Syracuse shouldn't be a big deal. If you're nervous about not visiting Missouri, see if you can get a faculty member or student to talk to via phone on Monday. It's not a visit, but it will give you a chance to ask some questions and get a feel for the program.

 

I really would urge you to consider the overall state of the field (people told me this before I entered journalism, but you never think it will effect you. Everyone thinks they are the exception) and diversify as much as possible when you're in grad school. Acquire transferable skills (web programming/web design/marketing) because the journalism industry is in a state of decline without a turnaround on the horizon. Honing these skills will make you hire-able outside of journalism should you be unable to find exactly what you want (particularly since your focus is very narrow) or decide to pursue something else.

 

The best advice that I ever got from a professor was this: "Don't go to a graduate program that isn't willing to pay you." This can be modified to fit your situation. In both instances, the programs are willing to pay you, but one is fully-funded and the other is a significantly smaller stipend. If you have to incur debt to go to Syracuse, that would be a big drawback for me.

 

That's just my two cents. I hope this is helpful as you make this difficult decision. Let me know if you have further questions or if you make a decision. Best of luck to you!

[L.E.]

somethinbruin thank you so much for your response. coming from another industry, i can only go with the words of those with actual experience, so i cannot thank you enough for your words of wisdom. means a lot