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Topic: Berkeley J-School
| Author | Message |
| young dud | Posted – 3/14/2008 4:48:27 PM | show profile Is there anyone here who attended grad school at Berkeley and is now working in magazines? I've been accepted there (as well as Medill -- so if there is anyone from there I would love to get in touch with you too) and I'm really wrestling over whether or not a grad degree in journalism is a good idea, especially with the business in its current state. If anyone who attended one of these two schools and went on to work in magazines could get in touch with me, I'd love to hear about your experience. Thanks a lot. |
| bonjoursalut | Posted – 3/14/2008 8:03:35 PM | show profile | email poster out of curiosity, did you apply to medill for summer or fall of 2008? i am still anxiously awaiting my acceptance or rejection to the fall 2008 program. i wish i could help you with your question. i am in the same boat, wondering whether j-school is worth the hefty monetary investment. right now, i have a few clips and am curious as to how feasible it would be to get a writing job in new york with not a whole lot of experience. |
| seeattleme | Posted – 3/14/2008 8:44:02 PM | show profile I went to berkeley J school and recommend it highly. It's small, it's relatively inexensive, and you get to go out West and work in the new media if you so choose. Intern at Mother Jones! Go work at one of the Bees (though they have love affairs with Sac and Chico State). You've got top notch profs and a gorgeous campus. Ski and sea two hours either way. And then--if you choose--you can up and off to NYC after two years. Highly recommend it. |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 3/14/2008 8:52:17 PM | show profile I thought about applying to Berkeley, but I couldn't get everything together by the Dec 1 deadline, plus I'm not sure I want to spend two years in a program at my advanced age. So I just stuck with Medill and Columbia. |
| Marie | Posted – 3/14/2008 11:41:31 PM | show profile they're both excellent, and I'd go to whatever one costs the least. I think Berkeley has some good international opportunities. Check. Study the programs--which one is most in line with your interests? Both schools produce grads who get places . .. |
| Astera | Posted – 3/15/2008 1:14:01 AM | show profile | email poster I went to Medill and went through its magazine publishing program, which I highly recommend. I learned a lot about the magazine publishing process as a whole, and it was wonderful to be involved in a start-up magazine environment. I went on to work at a couple of trade magazines and one consumer title, and I probably could have had more opportunities if I had wanted to move to NYC. Instead, I moved back to my native California. I don't work in magazines anymore, though. I've made the transition to copywriting, which is pretty interesting, but my current job at a bank is the most boring thing ever. It pays well, though. I don't know too much about the Berkeley program, but I think they do have some good internship opportunities. I applied there, but I didn't get accepted! I was very happy with my Medill experience, though, and I think its magazine program is first-rate. The cost is certainly a factor to consider. Even though the Medill program is only 12 months, it's quite pricey. I was lucky enough to have parents who were willing to fit the bill. I'm not sure that going into that much debt for a field where salaries are so low would have been worth it, practically speaking. I've enabled my email, so feel free to write with questions! ------ www.adventuresofastera.blogspot.com |
| young dud | Posted – 3/21/2008 1:46:00 AM | show profile qunester, would you mind sending me an e-mail so that I can ask you a few questions? I'm still really up in the air about this decision and would like to get as much info as possible. Thanks. |
| Marie | Posted – 3/21/2008 3:23:11 AM | show profile You can also get in touch with Berkeley and ask them for names of some alumni who maybe live in your area. This is a perfectly normal request that schools are more than happy to comply with. I did a fellowship at Berkeley, and it seemed like a wonderful place. And I think it costs less than Medill, even for two years. |
| Marie | Posted – 3/21/2008 3:25:53 AM | show profile I meant ask the J-school for names of alumni of that particular program. Salon also also seems to use a lot of Berkeley students as interns, who seem to progress to staff when they finish school. Also ask Medill for names of alumni. |
