Complaint Review: Conneticut School Of Broadcasting Rip Off - Nationwide

I also attended the CSB in Tampa (just assuming the original went to Tampa b/c of the sign off). I can agree with some of the poster's points, as I was just thinking that it essentially was a very expensive introductory course to basic media outlets. However I also have frequently re-visited the campus in Tampa to use their equipment for my own projects, and have always been accommodated with the same priority as the students presently enrolled. As far as job placement is concerned, the poster is correct in his assessment, but somewhat misled, apparently, in his/her original expectation. How many internships & $7/hr jobs did the kid who went to journalism school take while in college? It's safe to say at least a few, which means on top of 4 years of college in specific study, that applicant would have already also taken and performed "minimal" jobs within the field. The point is that yes, CSB will probably only be able to get you an entry level job within the field you desire (TV or Radio) but, honestly, after 2 months of study, what more did you really think you were qualified to do? Overall I would agree that the cost vs. information was not proportionate, and, at least in my case, I directly attribute it to the school's policy of basically accepting anyone who can pay the tuition, thereby pacing the class to the slowest students. However, I also believe most of it is what you get out of it. Put it to you this way- I paid the $11,000 and in the end decided I probably could have gleaned the information for about the cost of taking any one of my instructors out for a night of drinks (which is still quite high, considering we're talking about radio people). But instead of getting mad about it, I just decided that I still have about $9,500 worth of equipment usage to get out of the deal, which is why I'm going down there right now to borrow their camera (again).

I STARTED IN THE NOW NEARLY-DEFUNCT NEWSPAPER BUSINESS BACK IN 1963 AND I DIDN'T REALLY NEED A JOURNALISM DEGREE BUT I GOT ONE ANYWAY BECAUSE BY THE TIME I WAS OLD ENOUGH FOR COLLEGE, WE WERE IN A RECESSION, THERE JUST WEREN'T ANY JOBS. A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNEW WERE LEAVING TEXAS FOR NEW YORK AND IF I HAD HAD ANY JOB PROSPECTS THERE OR HAD KNOWN MY WAY AROUND, I WOULD HAVE GONE TO NEW YORK CITY TOO. JOURNALISM MAJORS WERE LEAVING THIS STATE BY THE HUNDREDS.MAYBE IF I HAD BEEN MORE ADVENTUROUS, I WOULD HAVE ENDED UP BETTER THAN I DID. THE PARTICULAR UNIVERSITY JUST DID NOT HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AND THEIR ACCREDITATION HAS BEEN THREATENED NUMEROUS TIMES BECAUSE THEY JUST DO NOT STAY UP WITH THE TIMES. EVEN AS RECENTLY AS THE EARLY 1990S, THEY WERE THREATENED WITH THE LOSS OF ACCREDITATION OF THEIR J SCHOOL. I TOOK SOME BROADCAST NEWS COURSES --IN THE AGE OF CASSETTE RECORDING, WE HAD GEAR FROM THE 1940S AND WERE USING HOT SPLICE FILM EDITING EQUIPMENT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WHEN I TRIED TO GET A JOB EDITING FILM FOR TV IN THE REAL WORLD, WHAT A SHOCK! WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD! MAYBE IN THE DAYS OF CHET HUNTLEY AND DAVID BRINKLEY AND EDWIN R. MURROW I WOULD HAVE FOUND WORK BUT THIS WAS THE LATER TWENTIETH CENTURY AND THE SCHOOL JUST WAS NOT KEEPING UP! THIS UNIVERSITY HAD A WORLD-CLASS FOOTBALL TEAM AND NOTHING IS TOO GOOD FOR THEM WHILE WE WERE USING EQUIPMENT THAT WAS LITERALLY FALLING APART! LIKE MAYBE IF I HAD WANTED TO WORK IN SOME BACKWATER RADIO STATION, AND I DID FOR A WHILE--TWO WEEKS TO BE EXACT AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE UNPAID -NEVER AGAIN. SO I ENDED UP WITH ABOUT FIVE YEARS IN FAMILY -OWNED WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS WITH NO PERKS AT ALL EXCEPT SOCIAL SECURITY AND THAT WAS JUST BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT MADE THEM PAY IT AND I HAD TO BE A SECURITY GUARD BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY WORK AVAILABLE AS THE NEWSPAPER BUSINESS BEGAN TO DIE DUE TO THE INTERNET AND INCREASING EVILS OF PAGINATION, AND ALL OF THE REST OF THE TECHNOLOGY THE PUBLISHING EMPIRES ADOPTED SO THEY COULD GET RID OF US AND AMASS MORE MONEY. YOU CAN'T BLAME THEM IN A WAY THEY RAN A BUSINESS, NOT A CHARITY BAZAAR. THE TECHNOLOGY THEY EMBRACED AS THEIR SAVIOR TO ELIMINATE ALL OF OUR JOBS IS GOING TO ELIMINATE THEM AS WE REMEMBER NEWSPAPERS... TAKES AWAY ALL OF THE LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS AND THE COMMUNITY'S RALLYING POINT AND MASIN SIURCE OF INFORMATION. I HOPE RADIO IS UP TO THE TASK AND WILL NOT AUTOMATE PEOPLE OUT OF EXISTENCE. FROM WHAT I READ ABOUT HOW YOU ALL WERE "TRAINED"--SOUNDS AS GOOD AS WE WERE TRAINED. NOW I AM USING A PUBLIC ACCESS COMPUTER, DAMNED NEAR HOMELESS WITH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF TRAINING I WILL NEVER USE AND CONSIDERING MY OPTIONS. THEY KEEP RAISING THE BAR ON ME REGARDING TRAINING, IT SEEMS I NEVER HAVE ENOUGH TO GET A JOB... AT LEAST A JOB THAT PAYS A LIVING WAge --maybe that is archaic as well... MY ADVICE TO YOU GUYS WHO WANT TO BE IN THE MEDIA, IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS EMPLOYED IN THE MEDIUM AND WHO CAN TEACH YOU AND HELP YOU GET REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE AND JOB REFERENCES, GO FOR IT! I THINK IT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY AND TIME IN THE LONG RUN. I CAN'T TELL THAT SCHOOL AND A FORMAL EDUCATION DID THAT MUCH FOR ME. NO, I DID NOT DRINK ALCOHOL OR SMOKE DOPE OR USE ANY ILLEGAL STUFF... OF ALL THE NEWSPAPERS I EVER WORKED FOR, ONLY TWO OR THREE OF THEM ARE STILL IN BUSINESS...

I've seen a few reports for different campuses of the school then the one I'm writing from, and I'd just like to say that while a few campuses have been reported please remember there are 26 campuses to choose from. Granted they're not all in the same state, but what sense would that make if they were? Also I'd like to say that I am also a graduate as well as an employee of the same campus and I had the most fun as well as learned the best way I have ever since we were taught to finger-paint. At this campus there are mostly smiles and learning, everyone here is comfortable with each other and not afraid to ask for help. We have great teachers as well as great "administrators" who actually care and want to help our students. We've been doing this the right way for over forty years, but then again we are the originals. And for the "graduation", you never truly graduate. This is a LIFETIME program. The certificate of completion just shows that you completed your classes or training, no one can come right out of classes and be the producer of the next Oprah talk show. That's not how the business works, the alumni that we have placed will tell you the same thing, actually anyone you talk to in the business will tell you they had to work their butts off just to get where they are...that includes the "coffee person". Everyone starts as the "coffee person" then it's up to you where you go from there. The best though...We're ALWAYS there to help you. In this business as well as Life you get out what you put in, and for those people who are complaining I'd like you to take a look at your transcripts...If you have good grades and you're not in the business...what are you doing?

I'm the Operations Manager for a gigantic broadcasting corporation and I've got decades of experience in this field. Here's the real deal: I'm not going throw away a resume because it has CSB on it (or any other broadcasting school). It just doesn't matter to me. For yound people just getting started, the only thing that really matters to me is what they sound like. Attitude and aptitude go a long way as well. The 100% best way to get into the field of broadcasting is through an internship at a radio station. You will learn more than any other school will teach you, you will gain knowledge from old pros and meet and befriend young people who will (sooner than you think) be running clusters and corporations.

I just recently finished the school here in Houston, TX. I have no complaints, but then I did not rope myself into one of those stupid Sallie Mae loans. I was fortunate enough to have some savings and I turned to alternative financing since Sallie Mae is such a loan shark. Also, RADIO IS AN UNSTABLE BUSINESS! I worked in it 20 years ago in high school and in the last year had a drive to do it again. I had always wanted to attend broadcasting school anyway so I took the course. But I also have college credit, CEU Credits and a full time career in corporate inventory control. I only want to do this on the side for extra money and more so, personal fullfillment. So basically anyone who wants to work in this business should definately have a real money paying job, until your career in the business really takes off!!!!!!!