Question:
I'm a highschool junior, looking to decide on an english/writing career. I excel in my AP lang & comp class, and I can write a 7/8 essay on a 1-9 scale. any ideas?
Answer:
Communications. You could be a copywriter for an advertising agency, a public relations writer, a human resources specialist, and much more. A communications degree is quite broad so you'll learn to do more than just written communications or traditional English prose or academic writing. You could even become a professional blogger or some other kind of freelance writer.
English. Most people who take an English degree do something in Communications, or they may go on to a graduate degree to become a professor, or even become a published author! If you do an English degree, make sure you really love the language and love analysing it, dissecting it, and exploring it in all its forms. If you're looking to become an author, a playwright or a screenwriter, some universities have special Creative Writing programs for these areas.
Journalism (mentioned above). Journalism is much more than just writing. In fact, most of journalism is about research, research, research. So if research (including slogging through articles, calling people repeatedly, etc) isn't your thing, I wouldn't recommend journalism. If you just want to write special interest articles, that's more a freelance writer's job.
Last of all, I'll say that I wouldn't limit yourself to whatever you think you're good at right now. Maybe go into college with a communications degree and take a few classes in other disparate areas. Find out what other things pique your interest. Join the school newspaper or join the staff of a local indie magazine. Try some other creative interests, like photography, film, political science, etc. Post-secondary education is not just about being good at something. It is meant to expand your mind and your experiences and develop the way you think and view your world.
