I’m a Syracuse/Maxwell guy….and from California.
I think journalism is a very tough field and you need a double major - so it’s good you have UMD. Today, it’s a lot more fractional - meaning contract work.
I would not count on getting in state at UMD - but you can talk to the residency office. Having family in Maryland will not get you residency. There are 7 things you need to be considered:
- Having a primary residence there - if your parents aren’t there, you don’t have that.
- All your personal property, including pets in Maryland. As you’ll be domiciled in your parents home and a dependent of them (they are paying your costs, you don’t have that)
- You won’t have a Maryland tax return (and as a resident, paying Maryland taxes even on income earned outside Maryland
- Have your vehicle registered in Maryland for 12 months
- Have a Maryland driver license for 12 months
- Receive no public assistance from any state (but Maryland)
- Have the ability under Federal and Maryland law to live permanently and without interruption in Maryland.
TO me, you can’t afford SU - and costs will go up. Most kids don’t make it in journalism - it’s just how it is. But yes, SU has a great rep, a DC program, and some will make it but most won’t. In media, all are competing - so the network won’t help as much as you think. I know very few who made it - those who have are in sports. There are many examples of some who did a few years, etc. Interestingly, a friend dropped out because her family couldn’t afford. Ended up at Montana. When I visited her, every person had equipment and they did so much practice work. At SU, there were far more kids than equipment - and if 10% obtained journalism success, I’d be surprised. At Montana that year ,my friend said everyone got a job and she was a sports and news reporter for many year, followed by a long stint as a news director.
But your family can’t afford SU - that’s #1. Even UMD, with annual cost increases, will move up into their max area.
And you are pursuing difficult majors - and you need a double - so you need a second at UMD.
Neither is ideal for you given the finances but UMD wins.
Proximity to DC doesn’t matter - there are governmental stories EVERYWHERE including in Onondaga County (SU). And DC internships aren’t impossible no matter what people say - my student did a DC semester and had 5 DC offers and two right outside in Maryland. Just apply to enough.
If you have a lower cost school, given your majors, I’d seriously look at it. What you’ll find is - many journalists - never even studied journalism. They had the right look or sound - and today, with so many contract jobs, well it’s just tough to spend money you can’t afford.
But of the two, I don’t see (even as an alum) how you can choose SU - but if you do go to UMD, find a second major to partner with it.
Best of luck.