<p>I’m a physics major who’s done earth science research. I’d second some suggestions about majoring in physics, chemistry or mathematics - those skills seem to be really heavily recruited by graduate schools and are strong preparation for graduate studies. One of my geophysics professors told me that I’d be snapped up by graduate schools because I had a physics background. I’m not sure about how true that is, but that was this professor’s opinion. </p>
<p>At the undergraduate level, look for schools with good research opportunities and good field experience - with funding for the field trips! Field work can be super expensive, and often people are left very out of pocket. My university fully funds most field trips (and subsidizes a really long one very heavily) which is great.</p>
<p>My cousin went to South Dakota School of Mines and is some sort of hydrology engineer. His career looks great. He loves it. The school is nice. I just got back from visiting him. They have an amazing geology museum.</p>
<p>Williams has a small but excellent Geosciences department, an environmental geocscience track and an environmental studies concentration that encompasses many of the areas that your son is interested in. Like Cornell, the Williamstown/Berkshires environment offers unlimited access to nature. </p>
<p>D, a self proclaimed non science sort of student, fell in love with the geology program at Beloit College. It is part of the Keck Consortium, mentioned on a previous page. Between field camps, two week mini courses in amazing locals, and research in Mongolia facilitated by the Keck consortium she had an amazing undergraduate experience. It is a small department, dynamic, respected, yet very personal, and fun. They grant two degrees, BS in Geology, and BA in Environmental Geology. </p>
<p>I would think that in geology, you’d want to think about whether most are there to go into petroleum exploration, or whether it is a more broad based look at geology. Just a hunch. Though a number of the Beloit grads were headed for immediate, funded grad school in petroleum based areas.</p>
<p>South Dakota School of Mines is one of the best deals available… even for OOS. Grand total is $19K, or less with scholarships. It is a STEM school, not LAC. But for the right fit student it is worth investigation.</p>
<p>If someone could teach me how to quote I would really appreciate it–please type slowly,lol</p>
<p>schrodingerscat–good point about the field work. I notice that some schools require at least one summer and I have been wondering how that is paid for. An additional semester of tuition is NOT in the game plan, so that is something that definitely needs to be researched. I see you are at Yale-Nice!</p>
<p>momrath- Williams is definitely on the “reach” radar.</p>
<p>greatlakesmom–I know nothing about Beloit-I will check it out.</p>
<p>South Dakota- unless something changes in the next year S won’t consider fly in schools, although the savings at some schools could buy a LOT of plane tickets…</p>
<p>I have two friends studying geophysics at Berkeley. The Earth and Planetary Science department doesn’t have many majors, but it’s incredibly strong. This summer my friend worked for a geophysics professor investigating seismological activity. The same friend reports that virtually all of her major classes are small (one even had 3 people), and the professors are generally excellent. Her only complaint is how urban Berkeley is, which made going out for field work somewhat difficult.</p>
<p>From what I know, the hydrology program at Berkeley is also great. </p>
<p>UCD, UCSC, UCSD, UCLA, and UCSD all have outstanding earth science departments. UCR might as well, but I don’t know enough about the program to judge.</p>
<p>Although Penn State is a large school, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences is quite small. At Orientation in 2012 we were told that there were about 2000 students, including Grad students. Unlike most colleges, EMS students are taught by the top professors in the first semester for their First Year Seminar. They have a choice of about 8 or 9 topics and can pick which topic/professor they want. In my D’s case, the professor went to a restaurant for dinner with the kids in his class a couple of times. By the end of her first semester, my D had friends across all years and the upperclassmen would call her and some of her friends when they went to the library to study. Priceless!</p>