Questions to ask prospective schools are: how much practice will the student get at writing for a school paper or even better for a local paper? In larger schools the student may actually get less practice and have to compete for positions on the paper. Does your student want to be a journalist/reporter or more interested in writing books or magazine articles? If so you do not want to place your student in a program that only has a journalistic focus. Ask if the students attend national competitions or conferences. Are internships a part of the program? The best way to be a great writer is to write. Get your student connected with a local writer's group or visit a local newspaper/TV station. Find out how your student can volunteer. Use US News and Wordl Report to help find good schools then talk to the ones who teach the program and view their websites. Ask local reporters where they went to school. This should be a writing assignment that your student can do for herself. She could practice interviewing writers and reporters about their education and their best tips for learning to be a good reporter/writer.

I've been hearing great things about Ball State in Muncie, IN