Why Pursue Journalism?
In general, strong extracurriculars are always a bonus on a college application. They can serve to strengthen your academic profile, highlight interests not otherwise obvious through traditional school or classwork, and provide you with valuable, real-world experience.
Journalism is one extracurricular that is fairly closely tied with your traditional academic coursework. In some cases it may even be a partial requirement of some of your English classes. Pursuing journalism outside of class exemplifies your dedication to the craft and gives you some insight into the broader idea of writing as a possible career path.
It might be easy to think of journalism as a pipe dream, since in reality only the very top journalists will see their work published nationally and achieve the high end of the pay scale. But in reality many careers exist in which strong writing skills are highly valuable, be they journalistic or not. By pursuing journalism, you train for a career as not only a journalist, but also a number of other options. We’ll discuss these more in depth at the end of this post.
Career Paths for the Aspiring Journalist
It’s easy to think of journalism as a career path in and of itself, but you’d be selling yourself short if you limited your vision in this way. Journalistic skills actually prepare you for a number of potential career paths—essentially, any career that incorporates strong writing abilities.
These skills are particularly valuable in the fields of:
◦ Advertising
◦ Business
◦ Communications
◦ Digital Media
◦ E-Commerce
◦ Educational and Instructional Technology
◦ Education
◦ Law
◦ Marketing
◦ Media Studies
◦ Public Relations
◦ Publishing
◦ Radio and Television
◦ Sports Communications
◦ Technical and Business Writing
◦ Webpage and Multimedia Design
Developing your skills as a journalist not only prepares you for a career in journalism, but also develops valuable skills that can be applied broadly depending on your other skills and interests.
Opportunities to Pursue Journalism
Student Newspaper or Magazine
This is the most obvious option for students who are interested in journalism. Many schools already have a school newspaper, and getting involved is as simple as talking to the editor or faculty adviser.
Most school newspapers produce printed or online editions on a regular basis. The more often your school publishes a paper, the more writers they will generally need to keep their work flowing.
You may have to start in an entry level role taking assigned stories, but you can think of this as good training for an actual career in journalism, when you’ll likely start out similarly. Over time you may be able to work towards a leadership position or at least start to source and pitch your own stories.
If your school does not have a student newspaper, you might be able to start one. Start by gathering a group of interested and skilled students. Choose a teacher as a potential faculty adviser. This should be someone who has taught you in the past and who has some kind of expertise in writing or publishing. Meet with that teacher to request advice and guidance.
Volunteer Your Writing Skills
Newspapers aren’t the only outlet for journalistic skills. Any organization that produces written communications has a need for strong writing. Consider reaching out to local charities like animal shelters or food pantries. You could also contact retirement homes, community centers, youth groups, or your local church.
These types of nonprofit organizations generally welcome any publicity they can get and would be happy to have you volunteer your services. Offer to write a newsletter outlining recent changes or developments in the organization. Ask leaders for stories they would like to see highlighted or propose your own if you’re already familiar with the organization.
Volunteering your writing services is a good way to get your work in print and begin to build a portfolio. As you progress to more professional roles, you’ll always be asked for samples of your work. Be sure to keep hard copies of everything you’ve written, especially when it has been formatted and printed as a part of any professional copy.
Get Published
Along these same lines, you can also submit your work to be published at existing publications. Many newspapers or online news sites rely on submissions from freelance writers. Even if they don’t specifically seek work from high school students, they won’t necessarily know your age when you submit a piece of writing.
Be sure to do your homework before submitting anything to a new publication. You should be aware of the specific types of writing that they are interested in and the correct submissions address to send your work.
At some publications you will only get one chance to be considered seriously. If you submit something that is off target or not polished and fully edited, they are unlikely to take your submissions seriously in the future.
Instead, seek out publications that publish exactly the type of piece you’re submitting. Proofread carefully and get constructive criticism from a teacher or peer before sending in your work. Consider submitting to smaller, local or regional publications first. Or, consider submitting your work online.
Browse this list of online publications for some ideas of where to submit. Be sure to select carefully and keep in mind that publications that pay for submissions are likely to be more competitive and hold you to overall higher standards.
Enroll In A Summer Program
Academic and extracurricular summer programs are becoming a more and more common way to pass the summer break. Many opportunities exist for students interested in pursuing journalism. In these programs you can expect to develop your journalistic skills, build important connections, and gain a better understanding of the field of journalism.
Some of the best known programs include:
• National Student Leadership Conference’s Journalism, Film & Media Arts Summer Program
• International Summer Schools (ISSOS) Journalism Programs
• Cronkite Institute for High School Journalism
Many of these programs have need-based financial aid or scholarships, so if finances are a concern for you, be sure to research these options well before dismissing them.
You should also consider summer journalism programs available at colleges or universities. These programs can help you to network with faculty and students who might ultimately be able to help you with the application process.
Some popular college programs include:
Start Your Own Online Publication
This is an easy way to start publishing your own work. Use a blog platform and choose an angle to focus your writing on. Some examples might be local news, politics, or opinion pieces. Try to publish something on a regular basis by creating a content schedule in advance. Try mapping out one topic per week for the month ahead and stick to it.
This is a great way to share your writing on a public platform, and it can act as an informal portfolio of your work. It also helps to hold you accountable to a larger audience. You can start a blog for free on many different platforms, including WordPress, Blogger, LiveJournal, or Weebly.
Once your blog is up and running, send out a group email to let friends and family know about it. If you are on social media, share a link there as well. As with any other time that you add to your online presence, be sure to discuss your plans with a parent or guardian beforehand. It’s also a good idea to limit commenting on your posts in order to filter out spam or unwanted attention.