Talking B1G Ten with Campus Insiders’ resident football analyst Doug Chapman. Journalism MA Danielle M. Dwyer December 2014

‘Tis the season to apply…

…because you never know unless you try.

What do you have to lose?

With Columbia College Chicago you have so many options to choose.

There’s no wrong decision when it’s where you want to be.

So take the step to “live what you love,” and be free.

Free from the wonder, the past life, the past job, the past choice that left you wanting more.

Free from the lack of experience or education that is holding you back from landing that first job and breaking into the industry.

Free from the debate of making a career change or the questions of whether this is the right choice and the right place.

Doing a college hoops segment with Campus Insiders’ resident basketball analyst Jordan Cornette. Journalism MA Danielle M. Dwyer December 2014

In my last blog I wrote about my one regret being I didn’t start this program sooner—and it’s true. This is the career I’ve always wanted to pursue and instead of letting those employer rejections get to me, I took their advice: I got more education at a place that provided me with the hands-on experience I was missing.

Since my last blog, I finished reading one of our professor’s, books—“Tell Them I Didn’t Cry: A Young Journalist’s Story of Joy, Loss, and Survival in Iraq” by Jackie Spinner.

In her book she talked about a speech she gave to aspiring journalists at her alma mater. She said, “There is only one way to get where you want to go, and it really is quite simple. Start walking.”

Spinner said it, and I’m backing it up and repeating it to all of you who are on the fence, in the process of applying, or still debating about grad school.

Why not? What’s holding you back?

In so many of my blogs I shared the inner thoughts I had about leaving a career I had begun, my hometown, family and everything I had known behind to pursue my dream career.

It’s a tough decision, but deep down if you know it’s the right decision, then what are you waiting for?

I often get questions from prospective students about the application process—“What should I include for my writing samples?” “What should I say in my personal essay?” “Why did you choose Columbia?” “What have you gotten to experience?”

Calling Campus Insiders’ resident basketball analyst Jordan Cornette out on one of his Cinderella teams during our college hoops segment. Journalism MA Danielle M. Dwyer December 2014

Well, my response for the latter of the two has been thoroughly discussed in previous blogs, but as for the writing samples and the personal essay, I say this:

You’re writing samples can be anything that showcases your journalistic writing style—an article, a blog or a research paper. There is no right or wrong work to turn in as long as it’s yours and something that will give the faculty an idea of how you write.

Your personal essay, well, they want it to be just that—personal. They want your honesty in why you’re choosing this program, what is it about journalism that makes you want to pursue it as a career, where do you think you want to take your career and more. They want it to come from the heart and be true to your story. Give them a background for how you came to the decision to apply and where you want to go and how Columbia will help you get there.

Again, there is no right or wrong answer, but the committee wants your answer, not something cookie-cutter that sounds right. For me, I came from a job I did not see myself being in long-term and wanted to make a career change back to the career I always wanted. Maybe your undergrad experience wasn’t hands-on enough, you feel you have more room to grow or you want a city setting experience.

Whatever the reason, tell them that.

It’s been two years (nearly to the day) that I applied to Columbia, and now here I am, finished with the program.

I feel like it was just yesterday I was applying and asking the same questions you all are. I remember getting my materials together, reaching out to my references and picking the brain of the ambassador. And now here I am, at the end of my journey and looking towards the next chapter.

It’s a scary and nerve-racking experience at times, but like I said before, if it’s what you want to do, you have nothing to lose.

So what are you waiting for?

‘Tis the season to apply, so get on it.

Doing a college football segment on the B1G Ten with Campus Insiders’ resident football analyst Doug Chapman. Journalism MA Danielle M. Dwyer December 2014