College

[matt_c3]

I don't know much about NYU either, but you could always try e-mailing recent alumni and ask about what they thought of the program. The photo dept at Tisch has some short alumni blurbs and their e-mails:

 

http://www.nyu.edu/tisch/photo/alumni/index.html

[drewday]

It doesn?t look like anyone has mentioned this ? but another advantage of attending a AAS/BFA program, and especially in NYC is the ability to network with small and big name professionals. Also you?ll have the opportunity to secure internships/assist jobs that you wouldn?t otherwise get if you weren?t in that school?s network. If you look at the BFA programs at Pratt or SVA almost the 100% of their graduates go on to either further education or employment.

 

Yes you can run up a sizeable debt - no a degree does not mean guaranteed employment (any degree for that matter) - but attending one of these programs (and I very highly suggest you aim for NY) will only greatly increase your chances of making it ? and if that?s what you want to do then do it.

[cassarilda]

Come to Melbourne, AUstralia and do my course! :) Im majoring Photojournalism/Editorial at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)...

 

Just a thought! :D

 

 

But RIT is meant to be realy good, and its the course that my lecturer went to for a year, and says its really good, and we are able to do exchange with them, so must be good.

[elizabeth_rhodes]

Hi Ben,

I'm not a photographer so I cannot address the merits of different college photojournalism programs. However I am a newspaper reporter with many years in the business so I have some insight on staffing. It used to be that people who were talented but unschooled writers or photographers could get newspaper jobs. Those days are long gone as newspapering has become more professional and landing jobs more competitive. Today you must have a college degree. If you want to be a photojournalist you really should study photography within a good college journalism school. Why? Because editors demand that newspaper photographers be journalists -- just like newspaper writers must be journalists (vs. fiction writers, poets, essayists, etc.). It's an approach to the work that requires a specific skill set. You'll learn it in the right college program -- and you'll have access to the kinds of journalistic internships that will position you for a job after graduation. Newspapers and other publications are very big on hiring interns. Do try to take advantage of that because without a strong portfolio you have zero chance of eventually landing a permanent job. As for finding a good school, check around on the Web for big photo competitions that have student categories. See where the winners attend school. Check those schools out. Believe it or not, the pros pay attention to those contests.

Hope this helps.

[EricM]

"Today you must have a college degree."

 

utter bullsh*t. complete nonsense. i'm proof that you're full of crap.

[edmo]

School would offer experiences that going straight to work would not and which you will aquire anyway. Given the choice I would opt for going to school.

[EricM]

"Given the choice I would opt for going to school."

 

i would too, it's so much more fun.

[edmo]

Yeah, your going to spend your life working so why not grab some time.

[dominic_.]

I sometimes go down and check out the students' work at the local art college here in Vancouver. Some of it's really nice, but as Eric said, there are a lot of almost identical ideas/shots. Colleges also seem pretty big on the conceptual art thing right now too, the idea seems to be more important than the photograph. I don't know how far that's going to get you in the business.

[markplawchan]

"The problem with a cheap, specialized education is, you never finish paying for it."