My name is Stephen Nelson; I am currently in my second year at Chapman University which is located in Orange, California. I am majoring in Television and Broadcast Journalism at Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Television. I am also thinking about adding a minor in PR & Advertising. My ultimate career aspirations are to be involved in the Sports-Television industry as I am a sports fanatic!
My journey to Chapman was a long one that started in my sophomore year at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. The college application process is tedious, strenuous, and tiring; but at the same time, it is fun. When I first started looking at colleges, I thought about whether or not I could play golf there, as I had played for a number of years and had dreams of playing at the collegiate level. By my junior year though, my attention and focus when it came to prospective colleges turned to the academic side. I knew that I wanted to major in something that gave me a chance to work with sports. I also knew that I wanted to stay somewhat close to home. So I had a list of around ten schools that I thought of applying to that fit those criteria. Interestingly enough, Chapman was not on my list until the last minute, when Stephen recommended it to me.
A few years later, I’m here in Orange as a Chapman Panther. And I’m happy to say that I can’t see myself anywhere else. I absolutely love the school. It’s a small, private campus with an undergraduate population of about 3,900; so the class sizes are small, which allows you to create bonds and relationships with each of your professors; the campus is beautiful - it’s close to home (about 25 minutes from Huntington Beach) right in the middle of Orange County, which means great weather year round; and it has Division III athletics which has allowed to me to continue playing golf.
Chapman has been a perfect fit for me in every sense. The Dodge College is among the Top 3 film schools in the nation along with USC and NYU. What separates us from a school like USC though is the fact that here at Chapman, they give you a camera your first week in class, whereas at Southern California, you can’t touch equipment until your junior year! For me personally, I’m a sophomore, and I’m already working on television shoots and have made contacts with professors who also work “in the business.” I have also gotten involved in Chapman Radio, where I am currently the Sports Director and liason to the Sports Information Department. I host a weekly radio show and also broadcast Chapman Athletics.
Chapman’s General Education catalog was also changed in 2007 to benefit students and keep them interested in the classes they were taking; the school has their curriculum tailor made for the students to get involved in subjects they like and they have every resource to pursue their passions.
The one thing I recommend to high-schoolers who are starting to look at colleges is to go see the campuses. Take weekend trips to go visit and tour schools that you think you may be interested in. Because for me, there were a number of schools I thought I would love until I actually walked around the campus. This allows you to narrow the list down (saves your parents some application money). My list of ten or twelve schools was ultimately narrowed down to five. So make sure that you gather all the information you can in order to find the best fit for you because this is your life and your future.
For me, I am happy. I am LOVING Chapman and can’t wait to go to class everyday. This is all because Stephen gave me the best tutoring and advice, and because my family supported me and helped me find the best fit. And I’m thankful to say that I made the right choice. GO PANTHERS!
Stephen Nelson is a Get Smarter Prep alumnus and is part of the Chapman University Class of 2010
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