Your answers will determine my decision

[Gerania]

"Your answers will determine my decision"

I feel so powerful.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by loose cannon

I have a Pell Grant form in my notebook. At the age of 42 should I even bother? I would pursue journalism-media related fields. In this economy and at my age should I just let it go, or finally do it?

As someone who writes for the student newspaper at school, journalism is a particular style of writing that mostly follows a code of ethics and is objective over any real style of formatting (although journalists do follow certain formatting styles). You do not need to get a college degree to become a journalist, but it helps. Without a degree, you would still need experience to land a decent job (blogging and submitting guest articles to newspapers/magazines is the easiest and best way to build experience. Those free weekly papers that you see in every city are a good place to contribute to, also).

It would be to your advantage to get a copy of the AP Stylebook, as that is pretty much the standard across the board.

With that, as long as you do not already have a four-year degree and can demonstrate need, you can still receive the Pell Grant at any age.

If you are insistent on obtaining a degree, I would suggest attending a community college. Most either offer a journalism program or what is now known as a New Media program (which is often a hybrid of journalism with a concentration of a particular 'new' media outlet such as Internet/web-focused, video, podcasting, etc.) or both.

As for the job market; traditional newspapers are folding and the market in that sense is dwindling fast, however, many newspapers and other media outlets are focusing online, so there is still a demand for quality journalism

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by MovedfromFL

(2) what jobs are available for someone with zero industry experience coming out of school with that degree?

You do not need industry experience to begin this field. Many journalist got their start simply by submitting one article that the newspaper liked and bought. But yes, you will start at the bottom.

Originally Posted by MovedfromFL

(3) how much is the pay for the job that you might be able to land?

Those who work in this field love what they do and are steadfast in their beliefs of truth and information. It is not so much about the money as it is about the 'cause'. With that, unless you are a senior writer at an established news agency, you're probably not going to make much money. However, many journalists are writers first and foremost, and they generally write (freelance) for as many venues as possible, making a decent living as a result.

Originally Posted by MovedfromFL

I would be very careful pursing a dream of mine if I had to go into major debt to do so and if the pay for that job was going to be low (you have to start at the bottom).

The funny thing is that in the end you still die. You can either pursue the dream, live the dream, or play it safe. Accrued debt or not, the joke is that in the end you wind up in the same position.

[zthatzmanz28]

I did it at 35...

It really will be a great experience watching all those 20 something folks running around on campus like they have life all figured out...