<p>I'm a high school and senior and a girl and I've been interested in the petroleum field for the longest time. I have a few questions pertaining to this.</p>
<p>How exactly should I work my way into this field? Which schools are generally good for business in the oil industry? Must I also look into petroleum engineering if I'm interested in this field? How many years does it take to be professionally successful in this industry?Lastly, is this field worth pursuing for females? (over 80% of people in the oil/petroleum industry are males) </p>
<p>They're a lot of questions but the answers to them will greatly help me decide on which colleges I should apply to. Thanks!</p>
<p>There are many aspects to this field. “Downstream” (the exploration and discovery side) you can get into oil & gas via a degree in geology, geophysics or petroleum engineering. For “Upstream” careers (the production and marketing side) a degree in chemical engineering or even marketing is useful. So the first step is to think about what appeals to you. Do you like science? Does learning about the earth and its history appeal to you? If so, a B.S. in geology at any good university or LAC is a great start. If you want to take more specialized petroleum courses as an undergraduate, quite a few universities offer them, from Stanford to Texas A & M to the University of Wyoming and many more. </p>
<p>The field is absolutely worth pursuing as a female. Whether you are male or female, however, know that this career will require that you live where the resource is. If you are a geologist, geophysicist, or petroleum engineer you may travel quite a bit, especially early in your career. </p>
<p>The future of this industry in the U.S. is currently looking bright. Good luck to you!</p>