A better depiction of college applications in the media would be showing a sincere reason for the character’s choice of school and a more personalized college search. If producers lead with characters’ genuine motivations rather than sticking with the tried and true big-name school, it will give way to a diversity of acceptances and more realistic representations on what college is truly like.
As a consequence of being more open and understanding of students’ workloads — and perhaps in the future, being able to pay them — school newspapers can outgrow the journalism industry by being more inclusive and equitable.
Our newsrooms are as elitist as any other industry in the country, but if we are to deliver all the compelling stories we aim to tell, we must shift our focus when determining who gets to hold the pen.
