[Car Posts: 965 Status: Offline WWW]

One of my characters wants to be a journalist. Where would be a kid's "dream college" to do that? Let's assume location (as long as it's in the states) doesn't matter.

Thanks! 

[KDuBayGillis Posts: 310 Status: Offline]

I was going to pursue journalism at Columbia.  Turns out it is listed as #1. http://education-portal.com/top_10_journalism_schools.html

[Stephanie Leeth Posts: 362 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

University of Missouri at Columbia Missouri.  It has been a very respected J school for a LONG time and still is.    They have special programs for J school students. 

[Mike Jung]

UC Berkeley's J School is also very well regarded (#2 on that list KDuBay linked to).

[Stephanie Leeth Posts: 362 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Ah.  And Mizzou is #3. 

[Christine B. Posts: 457 Status: Offline WWW]

Also Northwestern.

[Anissa Posts: 30 Status: Offline]

I've always heard the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse was one of the top journalism schools.

[Kell Posts: 1,400 Status: Offline On the other hand WWW]

UNC, Berkeley, Florida, Maryland are really good. Really depends on the region!

[JennaWren Posts: 2,231 Status: Offline WWW]

I was going to say Columbia too! Maybe NYU?

[TH Posts: 245 Status: Offline]

My son just got his MS from Columbia School of Journalism in May. It is considered the top graduate school for journalism (arguably, of course)...but it sounds like you want an undergrad program.

[cindoh Posts: 255 Status: Offline WWW]

I'm a former journalist... I think the big three are generally considered Columbia, Northwestern and Missouri.

[stephg Posts: 22 Status: Offline]

It definitely depends on what kind of journalism. Print or broadcast. I've been a broadcast journalist for 20 years and can tell you on the broadcast side Missouri and Newhouse at Syracuse are two of the best. They've kept up with the changes in journalism when it comes to social media better than many other j schools.  When we have job openings we can pretty much count on quality candidates coming out of those programs.

[Stephanie Leeth Posts: 362 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

stephg, that's good to hear.  My niece is at Mizzou, and wrote (and did photo journalism) for Her Campus, one of their online outlets through her freshman year.

[Tori Posts: 512 Status: Offline Italy...Intrigue...Limoncello...a Bit of Romance.. WWW]

All of the schools mentioned are excellent.  Our daughter wanted to be a broadcast journalist (and is one) but also wanted to attend a university that didn't have a journalism major, so she majored in English and interned at networks during semesters and summers and did the university radio show.  There are other options, depending on what happens to your character and what he/she decides to do or can/cannot do.
Aloha,
Tori

[AdamV]

Midwesterners would automatically think of Mizzou (though you mentioned location doesn't matter). I couldn't have even named another J-school until recently.

[Veronica]

I've heard the journalism school at Northwestern is really good.

[AnnS Posts: 131 Status: Offline]

Definitely think about whether the character wants to be a journalism major and check to make sure the dream college has that major for undergrads.  This is the link the the Columbia undergrad majors, and it doesn't look as if it's listed unless it's somehow embedded in one of these (many, many) other majors. http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/college/areas.php

[Jody Feldman Posts: 137 Status: Offline WWW]

You may also may want to consider your character's preferred learning style, aspirations. Of the top three, Columbia is a grad-school experience. Northwestern, I understand, is more theory-based. University of Missouri uses more hand's-on, real world experience (dubbed the Missouri Method). Syracuse and USC are especially noted for broadcast journalism.

If you have any specific questions about Mizzou, feel free to ask. I'm a J-School grad and still have ties to the school.