High School Preparation for Communications Majors

You spend four years of high school preparing to make your college applications look good. You may take advanced classes and join extracurricular activities, then maybe take up leadership roles in those groups. These are the things everyone must do, but for those that already know what they are going to major in, you must prepare to enter the program of your choice.

If you want to be a communications major, there are certain things you should be doing now to stand out once you get to college. Pay particular attention to these areas:

For classes, you should be taking as many English literature and writing classes as possible. Communications majors need to have knowledge of a wide variety of subjects and be able to discuss them. You will also improve your essay writing and learn to write different works such as reviews, research papers, and analyses.

You should be in one or more courses where you can gain experience in public speaking. You might have to give presentations by yourself or in a group. If you have a fear of public speaking, now is the time to start overcoming it. Sometimes your teachers or classmates may give you feedback about your presentation once you complete it. Make sure to carefully read their notes and improve in any areas as needed. Public speaking will also help you learn how to develop all parts of a speech, including an engaging introduction and putting your information in a logical order.

If you are interested in the media area, you should be a member of your school's newspaper staff, television station, radio station, and/or yearbook. You will be able to start preparing your portfolio of writing and photography clips and have tapes for potential employers in the broadcasting field. Don't just limit yourself to one aspect of production either. Make sure to spend some time both getting your name out and behind the scenes in putting the paper or broadcast together.

Another good activity is the forensics team if your school has one. You will gain more experience public speaking and can practice presenting a variety of speech forms, including dramatization and impromptu speaking. Your team may even travel to national competitions and if you place high enough, you will be eligible for certain awards or scholarships. You will receive a wider range of feedback as well, from forensics coaches, tournament judges, and more experienced members of the team.

When you are not in school, take time to keep up with current events. You should read both local and national newspapers and watch the evening news. Journalists may get their story ideas from news wires, and you should be prepared should you want to pitch a story to whatever media form you are working for. Look for the facts, but find other media outlets who may have reported the same story. Compare the reporting styles and see if anything was in one story that other reporters may not have added in.

Try to get a part time job at your local newspaper or television station. You may be writing minor blurbs or running errands, but this is a good way to start in the industry from the bottom. While you're at work, ask other people about what they do for a living and how they got started out. This is also a great way to start networking for future opportunities.

If you're certain about what you want to do before college, career preparation can never start too early. Enroll in the necessary classes, join beneficial activites, and get any work experience you possibly can. It can only benefit you when it comes time for college applications and entry level opportunities.