Hi, My DD got a great scholarship to Syracuse (5 years if she wants to get some grad school in) and is thinking of doing Maxwell/Newhouse – can you please share more about your experience here?
Tagging @tsbna44 as this was a reply from another thread.
New thread started to not hijack.
Thanks @momofboiler1 . Yes, I’m a Maxwell (History), Newhouse (Broadcast) alum but I graduated 35 years ago. So my perspective may not be valid.
I think a lot has to do with what you want to do in life. Typically Newhouse/Maxwell alums are heavy on the Newhouse (they want to be in some sort of advertising/PR/film/media - but at least back in the day, a double major was required - and for good reason. For any famous person and we have a few from my class - that I was on college basketball or other sports, most ended up doing something entirely different - and rather quickly.
One thing I’d note is - if I think your daughter is riley1 - if her interests are photography - well if you have a camera and you’re good - that person can come from anywhere. It’s just like I sat in on a session with one of my broadcast colleagues (and those well known come from a bevvy of named and unamed schools) - but his comment was, if you have an iphone, you have enough equipment to sit at a high school basketball game in the bleachers and practice your craft. So same with a student with an iphone - or even better camera - my son (an engineer) had this passion for “plane spotting” - so in his middle and early high school years, I’d take him to the airport and he’d sit and watch planes take off and land and capture them. Any time we traveled, we’d stop at an airport - small and large, domestic and foreign, and he took pictures and he had an instagram where he posted. Had he seen that passion, I’m guessing the where matters less.
For me, SU was a place of great growth and mostly fond memories. However, I could have had great memories at many schools. I also suffered heartache as I was there for Pan Am 103 - something that even when I visited 5 or 7 years ago, still seems to permeate the campus, at least each December 21.
Maxwell is renowned - and #1 for grad programs in public affairs. But does it really matter where you get a poli sci degree? I think not. If one wants to be a photographer for work, does it matter where they go or does the portfolio they submit matter?
One thing I’d check into is access to labs/equipment at Newhouse. Newhouse is so popular - that when I was there - I got to practice being a newscaster exactly one time, a sportscaster once, and a weathercaster once. Yes, we had two radio stations and TV, but there was a ton of kids competing. Same to work at the Daily Orange (photography). My friend, who dropped out due to affordability and ended up at U of Montana, they had 20 in their class, they all had school issued equipment, and she told me they all found jobs. I had dinner with her 10 years ago in OKC and she was working and in fact, until two years ago, when she left the news industry and went back to school for a Masters in something else.
Not to be long winded - but I’m guessing what I’m saying - is find the right fit. Someone with your daughter’s interests can excel anywhere. Look at things like the Washigton programs (yes, SU has but LSU had one with mass comm). Look at budget - because given interests, the paycheck is likely to be “contract” or not large. Get on campus - SU and otherwise - walk around, talk to kids, visit the Schine Student Center, walk up to the dorms on Mt. Olympus and decide if you can do that a few times a day in the snow, walk on Marshall (M) Street.
Do that everywhere - and ultimately, choose where you fit best. Don’t worry about rank and other things - this is a four year monetary and time investment. If SU is right and it won’t strain your family - then great!!!
But is it going to singlehandedly get her a career - unlikely.
So I can’t answer about experience today - but from what I read on the college confidential - it seems overwhelmingly positive. Expensive, but positive.
I know @OregonMom2024 , if she’s checking messages, has a daughter there - and is having a wonderful experience, I believe socially and academically.
Best of luck.
Yes, my daughter is a freshman in Maxwell and was just selected to be a Maxwell ambassador. She’s also a TA (as a freshman), in a sorority and has taken some great classes with smaller groups. The weather is rough, but she knew that going in. We have found it is a super engaged group of over achieving kids, they are all super busy with clubs, etc and really dive in. Work hard, play hard. Feel free to dm me, I can give your student my daughters IG.
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Also mine is a leadership scholar which may be the same scholarship.., half tuition and other perks.
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My son is a senior at Syracuse. Can’t say enough good things about his experience there. As noted above, it’s a very high achieving student body. People talk about its party culture- these students play hard, BUT they work even harder. It’s a busy, engaged group- clubs are very popular and provide social opportunities. My son is in a house of 5 guys and has been in that house for two years. They have an extremely high collective GPA, are graduating with honors, and they also have a good time. They are not in a frat.
My son’s advisor has been phenomenal- personally connected him to folks in the field, recommended him for things, etc. The alumni network is amazing. My son has had unbelievable internship opportunities and has a job already secured. His best friends all have secured jobs lined up for after graduation. Each college within the school feels small and cohesive, so that you have a smaller school/program feel and support within the framework of a large school experience.
TONS of school spirit, school pride, and name recognition. Truly, it has been a fantastic school for my son, in every way. Lmk if you have any questions!
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My midwest son is a second year there in a different major. Kids mostly stay on campus but downtown is a short uber away. SU is pretty heavy greek in my opinion but there is also plenty to do on campus without it (although my son lucked out and did get into a frat). My son is one of the poor kids on campus there mostly on my employer benefit and the lifestyles of many of the students is very different from his own. However, he has found many friends and learned a lot about different cultures and religions. He went random for roommate and ended up with a nice kid from Turkey.
My son has 0 regrets about choosing SU but would have chosen another place if the budget required him to.
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@Crosbylane and @2plustrio - what are your son’s majors? Is SU worth the full price? Thank you
@tsbna44 this is so helpful. Do you have insights into Whitman Business school? How easy is it for students to switch or double major at Falk? Thank you!
No clue but bet you can call and ask and I found this link. Is the student admitted to one already ??
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Switching into Whitman not easy at all.
Son figuring out majors now. He TAs in ISchool this semester.
I cant answer if SU is worth full price because my finances would not allow it to be in consideration. (My D25 qualified for a Pell Grant this year).
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And that’s a personal question - what’s good value to some isn’t others.
yes admitted to whitman
My so is pre-health in Falk, and yes, you can double major.
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@Crosbylane and @2plustrio - Thank you!
Would welcome any tips you/ your sons’ might have for an incoming freshman? Any choices (academically, socially, emotionally) that in retrospect they wish they had/ had not made?
Any advice on making a smooth transition to SU and in particular navigating the winter… (our tour guide shared that “a lot of freshman feel down” during January/ peak winter period and “seek out mental health services”)… We are from CA, and there’s no family close by in SU area.
We are from Wisconsin so no cold adjustment needed.
Biggest thing is the kid has to force themselves to go to welcome week events alone if they dont know anyone. Or any club meeting. My son met some of his good friends by forcing himself to socialize.
As with any school, joining a club or organization as soon as possible, is highly recommended. That’s how my son met and made his best friends.
Academically, good time management, never skipping class, being proactive, and utilizing professor office hours are all important.
We come from a similar climate, so the Syracuse weather was no surprise. This winter was tough for NYS, but the last two winters in Syracuse were pretty mild. I doubt most freshman feel down, but seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a real thing and can affect anyone that is living an area that experiences a true winter/reduced daylight. I would say, in that regard, make sure they take a good quality Vitamin D (the “sunshine vitamin”) supplement daily (ask dr. how much), and perhaps get them a phototherapy light (“happy light”) to help combat SAD in late fall/winter. They can be found on amazon.
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