Hi! I’m deciding between Syracuse (Newhouse + Maxwell) and UMD (Merrill + Carillon) for journalism + political reporting, and I’d really appreciate perspectives from people familiar with either program.
Cost isn’t the biggest factor in my decision, but for context:
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UMD: about $51k/year with my scholarship
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Syracuse: about $58k/year
My goal is political journalism, ideally national political reporting (campaigns, Congress, or eventually the White House). The things I care most about are:
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program reputation
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internship access (especially DC)
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alumni network in political media
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opportunities during the school year
Some context:
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I’m from California
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I plan to double major in journalism + political science
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I have family in Maryland, and my parents went to UMD
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I was admitted to Carillon Communities at UMD
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At Syracuse I’d be doing Newhouse + Maxwell
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I really liked Syracuse’s campus and Newhouse’s reputation
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I’m very interested in getting DC experience during college
Right now, I’m trying to weigh what feels like the main tradeoff:
UMD: closer to DC with easier access to internships during the school year
Syracuse: stronger overall journalism reputation with the Newhouse + Maxwell combination
For someone who wants to go into national political reporting long-term, which program tends to open more doors?
Would especially appreciate insight on Newhouse vs Merrill for political journalism, and whether proximity to DC during the school year makes a big difference compared to Newhouse’s network.