Advice for a young aspiring scientist?

College Majors Science Majors
1

<p>Hi!
Alright, basically I'm a 17 year old Floridian of very poor economic status. Right now I am attending community college on a full ride with assistance grants, but I am certainly loving it although I'm breezing through my classes...not really anything hard (English comp, Computer applications, Intro Psych, and Elementary Algebra) ...I am taking remedial math classes because I am pretty much learning algebra for the first time and I want to get it all down and know all the fundamentals since I plan to take calculus and physics once I'm at university level. The reason I am just learning algebra is because Florida education isn't too great and when I got into high school I went through the roughest and most depressing time in my life...dropped out, got my GED...but hey now I'm going to college full time and I'm still 17. I'm extremely dedicated and devoted to school and my education and I've recently rediscovered my love for science. My gpa right now is 4.0 but I'm still in my first fall semester (I started over the summer).</p>

<p>Anyway, to get to the point, I have been thinking quite a bit about which universities I want to transfer to once I have my AA. Getting into a Florida state college is pretty much guaranteed once I have it, but I am worried about the quality of education and opportunities I might have at such a gigantic college. I keep reading mixed notions about the college but nothing really having to do with its science education.</p>

<p>My prospective choices are UF, FSU, New College and Florida Institute of Technology (very expensive) </p>

<p>New College seems a little radical for me, I toured there and it seemed wonderful...but I'm not entirely sure that its the place for me. I like being anonymous.</p>

<p>UF and FSU...I hear so much negativity about them being party schools where nobody takes their academics seriously.</p>

<p>Florida Tech is outrageous pricing but I've been reading that their science courses are amazing. However, I'm not sure its worth the money. </p>

<p>I'm not entirely sure exactly which science is my "passion" but I have a hunch its Biology...I have always loved it and been good at it.</p>

<p>Basically I want to be able to dwell within all the sciences and math courses, and have a nice selection and good quality but I want to be able to get research opportunities also. </p>

<p>I will be finishing Biology 1 and 2, and General Chemistry 1 and 2 along with College Algebra and Precalculas within the next year and a half before I transfer to a university. That way I am able to take upper level Bio courses, Organic Chemistry, Calculus and Physics at the university.</p>

<p>Advice would be very appreciated, I'm really trying to figure out as much as I can.</p>

2

<p>Be aware that math, statistics, and physics graduates tend to have better job and career prospects than biology and chemistry graduates.</p>

3

<p>If your passion is biology or chemistry be sure you are going to med, pharm, PA, or PT school because a degree in just chem or biology will direct you into a life time of poverty, no benefits, frequent unemployment, and just plain misery.</p>

4

<p>Congratulations on turning your life around and doing so well in school! Keep that great attitude and determination to learn as much as you can and to do as well as you can. </p>

<p>Your college probably has some kind of academic/career advising office. Go there and ask if they have any kind of career assessment testing to help narrow down some of your choices. I also highly recommend the book, Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type. [Amazon.com:</a> Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type (9780316167260): Paul D. Tieger, Barbara Barron-Tieger: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Do-What-You-Are-Personality/dp/0316167266/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322141698&sr=8-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Do-What-You-Are-Personality/dp/0316167266/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322141698&sr=8-1) Your library might have it, and if they don’t, ask if they can get it through interlibrary loan. </p>

<p>Once you get more focused on what you want to do and to study, that will help you narrow down school choices. Even at “party schools”, you can find plenty of other students who are serious about their studies.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

5

<p>I can really only speak for biochemistry…but realize that the two keys to getting a good job in the sciences is RESEARCH AND NETWORKING. </p>

<p>Jump into undergraduate research as soon as you can. Get published…a lot. Try to find a lab that just cranks out papers so you can get your name on some of them. Go to the conventions, present a poster, meet professionals in the field, get numbers/email addresses. </p>

<p>Once you get your PhD it’s all about your publications, you’ll be competing for jobs against a bunch of other PhD’s and you need to set yourself apart…which is usually done by the number and (to a lesser extent) quality of your published works. It’s also pretty tough to snag a job in a pool with dozens of other applicants. Everyone from my graduating class obtained their job through someone they knew or a professor who hooked them up with a colleague. </p>

<p>If you don’t network and get published…expect to spend a long time in an underpaid postdoc position before anything good comes along.</p>

6

<p>Or perhaps you will love environmental studies/marine science? Check out the University of Southern California’s Environmental Studies program at <a href=“http://dornsife.usc.edu/environmental-studies/[/url]”>http://dornsife.usc.edu/environmental-studies/&lt;/a&gt;. You could be chosen for a full scholarship too! Best of luck.</p>