Brianna Estrada

Global Issues
1/25/16
Going To College
1. CHOICE
Although I dont currently have a concrete idea of what I want to do after high school, in
terms of where I want to relocate to or study, know that I want to go to college. I love learning
and deepening my understanding of the world through reading, listening, and experiencing which
I will all be able to do away at college. Coming from a family who previously didnt have access
to higher education I have been seen first hand how much more difficult life can be without a
degree. This isnt to say that a person without a college education is any less happy or fulfilled,
just that things can come a lot more easily with that sheet of paper.
Once I get into college I have two possible majors I would plan on studying. A few
months ago I was highly considering going into psychology, but recently I have been thinking
about studying journalism. I will do my project based off me studying and going into this field
even though I dont fully know if thats the course I will take.
I really like the idea of becoming a journalist because I love writing and I have many
strong passions. Over the last four or five years I have developed very strong morals and ideas to
what's right and wrong. I believe that we all have a duty to treat people (animals, the earth, etc.)
with respect and when it comes to social issues I usually agree with the underdog or group that
wants whats right. I know that Im a confident person, someone who wont be shushed, and I I
would love to give my contribution to the world through my writing.
2. EDUCATION
Dropping into this field it is expected that you at least have a bachelor's degree.
The majority of people pursuing this career stop after 4 years of college, and it is very
possible to be a successful journalist with that education. Some chose to further their
education by getting a masters degree as well, but this is not common. Anything after a
masters is only done with the intention of teaching the subject in a college classroom.
There isnt any short course or certification class that can be taken to become a
journalist, so going to a proper college (university) is needed. Taking the needed classes
and finishing all credits is necessary for graduating with a journalism degree.
After scoring myself on the Costs and Benefits of Going to College chart I came to the
conclusion that I see the benefits of going to college worth the costs or missed opportunities of
going straight into the work field. I scored much higher on the Benefits side of the chart which
means I value the things gained from college far more than staying on island or going
somewhere else without a college education.

3. JOB/PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Written in my class notebook :)

4. INCOME/EXPENSE PREDICTION
Cost of Bachelors degree in journalism in states I would be interested in
attending college in.
Average cost in California: $46,815
Average cost in Oregon: $42,857
Average cost in Massachusetts: $44,719
Average cost in New York: $45,415
I intend to be somewhat of an investigative journalist, but preferably not for a
broadcasting company or strictly print paper because the job demand for those positions
is dwindling. The future of journalism is in online media and papers that are managed
through technology. Due to this being such a new field of writing, there isnt much in
terms of average pay or average job rates, because these numbers are being made as we
speak. However, I took the median numbers (in pay and # of jobs) from media
communications, investigative journalists, and BA in writing/journalism students for the
data I list below.
Average salary straight out of college: $22,468- $56,141
Top %15 salary: $87,104
As stated above, the field of 21st century journalists (new media) is changing
rapidly, so I have found many different numbers for the expected growth rate in the field.
With broadcasting journalists there is an expected decrease because television news is
becoming outdated. Most people get news from websites online and apps on their phone.
I will take my education in more of the writing field so I will be able to adapt to whatever
format journalism evolves to.
That being said, the expected growth rate of writers with a
journalism degree is 3%. After getting into the field for a few years the pay
usually jumps from 22K to $58,850 (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
With these estimated salaries and cost of getting the degree, it can be concluded
that after 2 or 3 years in the work field the cost of attending college could be paid off (not
taking into consideration cost of living and other expenses within those 2-3 years).
A more realistic projection of how long it would take to pay off college debt is 3-5
years. However, after the first 2 years in the field salary can almost triple so that time
frame could possibly be cut down.