What courses should I choose?

Hi, I am currently a junior in highschool and am brand new to this forum. I am interested in becoming a sports journalist and would appreciate any info on what college courses I need to take.
thank you
Bianca

 

(sort of) Funny but true answer:
Time travel 101, so you can go back to when there were jobs

Not so funny:
Enroll in a college that offers journalism as a major, and they will make sure you get all the classes you need

 

Make sure it's something in the health care industry.

 

Then get a internship, work at the college paper, put together some clips and when you have a degree, you'll be ready.

 

In all seriousness, I would major in something like accounting or another profession where you can still get a job. Then do sportswriting on the side to see if you really like it.
Having a journalism degree doesn't mean anything when it comes to getting a job in the field, and I sure as heck didn't learn how to write from any classes.

 

Study law, history, medicine and business. And if that doesn't work out, go to a trade school and learn to be an electrician or plumber. Then think about journalism.
Don't mean to be sarcastic (well, a little), but it'll really pay to have a well-rounded knowledge base.
Best of luck.

 

Don't go to J-school. Take classes that interest you, BUT make damn sure you're working at the student paper, radio station, magazines, as well as getting internships in the summer. On a day-to-day basis I use absolutely nothing I learned in the classroom, so I have a bit more utilitarian view of things (i.e. I didn't get my money's worth and it bothers me greatly).

 

1. BLOGGING for profit
2. BLOGinating and aggregating
3. How to look and sound great in your BLOGcasts.

I'm sorry, B. Seriously....

The one area where I don't see a rapid decline is the broadcasting of games. I think you should try to go to Fordham, Syracuse or somewhere that offers sports broadcasting and focus almost entirely on play-by-play.

If it doesn't appeal to you now, trust me, by the time you get there, you'll realize that's where it's at.

And because you're a woman, there will be a market. Why not be the first woman to do play-by-play for the NHL?

Go for it, girl!

 

Maybe it's just me, but I learned more in my classes and internships than I did working for the school paper. But it was a school way too small to support a daily student newspaper but the staff didn't want to admit it, so we were all incredibly overworked and churning out garbage just to get it out every day.

 

I, too, learned very little in the classroom. I certainly didn't learn to write until I got a co-op job that enabled me to work at a mid-sized daily. Writing for the school paper is all well and good, but you'll learn more in a professional environment where you'll have plenty of professional advice and assistance.

 

Please don't do it. Don't do it don't do it don't do it.

Every company has been laying off people for 5 years now.

Things are getting really bad, 401k cuts, pension cuts, furloughs, more layoffs, buyouts, pay cuts, more job cuts, less travel. You name it, it's being cut.

 

This is good advice.