Entrance to Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication on Monday, Oct. 13.

By Nate Bristol

My name is Nate Bristol, and I am a third-year advertising major in Grady College. After having been through the Grady application process, I can confidently say that even though it was tough, it was worth it. I was initially denied, which wasn’t easy news to hear. However, I used that setback as motivation and was accepted to my major the second time. I hope to leave you with advice and assistance that I wish I had when I was going through the process.

Learn about Grady from multiple student organizations.

This seems simple, but it can be easy to avoid clubs and be afraid of having to start from square one if you don’t get accepted to your major. Even if you end up changing your major or decide to go a different route, you may still gain valuable connections from those clubs. Plus, being able to write about the student organizations you joined and your experiences is a great way to set you apart from other Grady applicants. At the very least, attend a few meetings to see what the organizations are about. You will be able to learn things that make you better at what you do, or do things you never could have imagined yourself liking.

Practice your craft.

Even if it’s just LinkedIn Learning or trying to record or make content for your family or friend’s local business, any experience for your resume that you can talk about will set you apart. Join club committees, ask people if they want help creating content, or learn about new areas of mass communication. Everything you do today is preparing you for your future, so think about how you can make the most of that time. 

Learn as much about the application process as you can.

There are many outlets to learn about the application to Grady. Grady’s website contains all of the information about deadlines and Grady itself. It’s also worth looking up their statement of interest guidelines to get an idea of how to format and plan your statement of interest. Ask people who have written their statement of interest what it was like, what they tried to include, and anything other helpful information. Networking is key for your career, so get to know as many people as you can. 

Practice your statement of interest and have a peer review it.

While you don’t need to memorize your statement of interest word for word, it definitely wouldn’t hurt to practice. I recommend making a list of key topics you want to cover in your statement. Regardless of your method, you should have an idea of what you want to say. Receive feedback from your friends, teachers, or anyone that can help prepare you. This was helpful when I wrote my statement of interest, and I would recommend it to others who intend to apply in the future.

Don’t shy away from failure.

As someone who was initially rejected from my major, it isn’t easy to read a rejection email. If you are truly passionate about Grady, don’t let a temporary setback stop you. Everything takes time, so give yourself grace. Grady can be competitive, but you’ve got this! 

I’m sure some of these points may feel redundant or obvious, but it’s easy to overlook these ideas in a hectic environment. If you are reading this and are applying to Grady, you can do it. Grady majors may be competitive, but getting into the University of Georgia is already a testament to how talented you are.  Stay true to yourself, and try your best. Go Dawgs!