I mentioned in another post that I’m torn between enrolling Temple University as an in-state resident or waiting to hear back from my reach school USC. I aspire to be a broadcast journalist, so I’m majoring in journalism. I’m considering a second major in either human resources or pol sci. My entire life, I dreamed of not just going to any school, but a good school and in NYC. Well, I explored my options there. I wound up not liking Fordham or NYU and I’m not qualified for Columbia. And really, I can’t afford to go to a pricey school. My EFC on fafsa is 0. I will definitely be paying for my education with whatever is not covered by scholarships/grants. Temple is a great school in the sense that it appeals to everything on my "college checklist:
-Large, Urban campus (not something that’s a half hour from a city but something actually IN a city)
Good journalism program
-Study abroad programs
-Allowed students to double major
-Offered classes in my other interests
-Co-ed
-guaranteed housing
It also gets bonus points because:
-it’s affordable
-great social scene
-accepts AP credits
-lots of on-campus activities
-extensive alumni network, including 18,000 in NYC
-close to NYC and D.C
-great local reputation
On the downside, it hurts my soul to know that I won’t be moving to NYC like I dreamed. I have a bad relationship. We’re not close and they’re emotionally abusive. I was looking forward to being far away and now I’ll only be a 15 minute, $13 train ride away. I know I can choose how often I see them to an extent but money/distance won’t be excuses not to come home. I’m afraid of all the networking opportunities I’ll be missing out on by not going to school in New York. A lot of kids from my high school go to Temple. It’s one of the most popular choices, about 20% of the graduating class each year picks Temple. It doesn’t garner the same excitement as say my lab partner gets, who was accepted to Upenn. I have another friend going to Upenn. Other schools such as Penn State Main and Drexel are also considered more prestigious. I used to be SO excited about college. Now that I know I’m “just” going to Temple, I’m really not excited and that alone is making me unhappy. It just feels kind of “whatever”. I’m hoping the excitement will hit me when I get there but I’m afraid it won’t. I’m very social so I know I’ll do well in that aspect and should do well in school. On the flip side, it’s too late to apply to the majority of schools and I’d hate to go through the transfer process if I don’t have to. (In the sense that unless I feel like I’m dying at Temple, I don’t want to have to deal with it.) And on the other hand, if it’s not NY or it’s not Temple, there’s no other school where I’m like, “Damn, I really wish I could go ___” There’s no other places that equally meet my needs that I’d rather go. I mean, I guess I really liked American University but I don’t see anything that makes life in D.C superior to Philly and it’d just be more expensive.
Has anyone gone through this and have any advice on how to cope with or why I’m not feeling excited and what I could do to get excited. I feel like such a failure in this sense, like my life isn’t going in the direction it’s supposed to.
There is no stigma. It is all in the mind of HS students. Most adults grow out of such notions. So what I am saying is that I think you will outgrow this perspective. I think you can think about just going off to college and meeting new people, did you join the Temple FB group yet?
Yeah, I joined the page. On one hand, it kind of made me feel better seeing all these diverse kids who seemed interesting and were really excited about Temple. But, then it also made me feel like there was something wrong with me because I didn’t feel the same.
I do understand your disappointment, however, you’re entirely wrong to believe any stigma is associated with matriculation at the many excellent public universities. Don’t engage in self-pity and ESPECIALLY don’t accept any garbage re all public schools somehow being second-class alternatives. That’s simply and completely untrue . . . and it’s also absurd.
@gearmom I appreciate you responding but that doesn’t sound right either. I can not wait for my career in journalism. to start. I mean, I’m doing stuff now but it’s unpaid. I definitely know I want to go to school so I don’t see how delaying it would help.
@Mellisa1918 There are so many people who would give anything to go to college. If you had to work a job for a year, you would be completely over caring that it was a state school.
You are definitely looking at the glass as if it is half empty. Stop worrying about what other people think. The last thing you need if you are going into journalism is a boatload of debt coming out of college. I can also tell you that the “excitement” wears off at any college once you settle into the actual work. Quit focusing on the “greener grass” of other schools and focus on the advantages of Temple.
@Melissa1918 Did you know Oprah Winfrey went to Tennessee State University? You can network ANYWHERE. Broadcast journalists start in local markets, at small stations, and then get picked up from there to larger markets. So maybe, set your goal to own your little corner of PA and NYC will come calling for you one day.
Oh hey, Christiane Amanpour went to Univ of Rhode Island. I just looked it up. State schools have done very well for those at the top! Temple will be just fine.
My son is at Temple. Philly might not be NYC, but it’s actually a lot more fun for young people without sizable trust funds, because it is much more affordable. You can find great off-campus accommodations for a fraction of what you could get in NYC.
Katie Couric went to UVA, another state school. I’ll stop now but you get the picture! It’s about talent and personality and being watchable, no one cares where they went to school!
You can probably do an exchange with a university in another state. I think they call it the National Student Exchange. It’s like study abroad but in the US. Do two semesters if you can in New York City.
And it is all perspective. There are students who are very sad they did not get into Temple.
Get over yourself! Maybe things didn’t work out exactly as you hoped, but you will be going to college! Temple is a fine school and Phila is a great city! Get out there, work hard, have a great college experience and set yourself up for success. So many people would love to have your opportunity.
You know what’s hilarious? Seeing kids in NJ spurn their in-state options and pay extra to go to MSU while seeing kids in MI look down on MSU as the place where the loser kids in their HS go and pay extra to attend Fordham or Pace because they get to live in NYC (while the NJ kids are forsaking easy trips NYC in order to pay extra to go to an OOS school).
You indicated in your original post that there are issue at home and maybe that is the real problem here. Even getting away a short distance can really be another world.