<p>I am very interested in biology. Not so much microbiology, but more from the zoological standpoint. I have completed an internship and lots of volunteer hours in zoo-like settings. If I go this route, I'd likely major in biology and minor in psychology. Which schools have strong biology programs with good opportunities in this kind of field? I have an unweighted GPA of 4.0, a 33 ACT, a 2130 SAT, and am a likely NMSF, so I think I have the stats for a pretty decent school. Thank you very much!</p>
<p>Rhodes is a match, has a great bio program, and has a strong relationship with the Memphis Zoo. The Zoo, which is directly across the street, has hosted quite a number of Rhodes undergraduates as interns and researchers.</p>
<p>In trying to find schools with programs that match your interests, you may find such programs in departments of biology. At many schools, however, the name of the department will be “ecology & evolutionary biology” or some similar name. Some schools retain the traditional “department of zoology” designation.</p>
<p>Since many schools have strong biology programs, you might narrow it down by looking for schools located in cities that have good zoos, e.g., San Diego, Atlanta, Washington, DC, et al.</p>
<p>You also can check the faculty rosters for the schools that interest you. Look at the research interests for faculty in the biology and psychology departments. Faculty with interests in this area might be scattered among a wide range of
schools, e,g.,
[Psychology</a> at Brown University: People - Faculty](<a href=“http://www.psych.brown.edu/people/facultypage.php?id=10368]Psychology”>http://www.psych.brown.edu/people/facultypage.php?id=10368)
[USD:</a> CAS: Daniel Moriarty](<a href=“http://www.sandiego.edu/cas/psy/faculty/biography.php?ID=253]USD:”>http://www.sandiego.edu/cas/psy/faculty/biography.php?ID=253)</p>
<p>For animal behavior programs, check my post in this thread:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/other-college-majors/1249990-animal-behavior-zoology.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/other-college-majors/1249990-animal-behavior-zoology.html</a></p>
<p>Also see these links:
[ZOOLOGICAL</a> PARK CAREERS - School & University Programs](<a href=“http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources/info-books/zoo-careers/school-&-university-programs.htm]ZOOLOGICAL”>http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources/info-books/zoo-careers/school-&-university-programs.htm)</p>
<p>[Other</a> Animal Programs in the USA - Teaching Zoo - Current Students - Moorpark College](<a href=“http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_students/teaching_zoo/other_programs.shtml]Other”>http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_students/teaching_zoo/other_programs.shtml)</p>
<p>I disagree that the OP should focus on urban colleges or those near zoos. Zookeeping is a dead-end career with low pay and poor job prospects and usually requires no more than an associate’s degree. It is not a route I recommend to those with a good grasp of the sciences. </p>
<p>If the OP is serious about zoology, I recommend selecting a college strong in zoology or organismal biology and aiming for a good PhD program. With a PhD in hand, one is qualified for research or curator positions at zoos as well as a variety of other things in other fields. For example, one of my best friends just finished her PhD in mammalogy and is now working for the CDC as a bat expert. For this route, many, many colleges are viable options, and they provide plenty of relevant research opportunities. </p>
<p>Most public flagships or land-grant colleges have good programs (e.g. Auburn, Arizona, Michigan State, Oklahoma, OSU, NC State, UF, Wisconsin, UGA, etc.). </p>
<p>Good zoology programs are a bit harder to find among private universities, and Cornell shines here. Ecology programs provide good preparation for graduate school, and they’re easier to find, but check to make sure they offer a wide range of courses. (Many colleges have “ecology & evolution” tracks that offer very little in the way of ecology or macrobiology.) With the exception of MIT, Hopkins, Brandeis, CMU, and a few other colleges, however, most universities have decent ecology programs.</p>
<p>Among LACs, Ohio Wesleyan, Bowdoin, Colgate, Allegheny, Wesleyan, the College of the Atlantic, Denison, Whitman, Eckerd, Juniata, Middlebury, Oberlin, Conn College, Swarthmore, Davidson, and Warren Wilson especially come to mind, but there are MANY others (such as Rhodes, per lynx’s suggestion) that would be excellent options.</p>
<p>I recommend that you first figure out exactly what it is you want in a college.
[ul][<em>]How big of a college do you want?
[</em>]What can you afford?
[<em>]Urban, suburban, or rural?
[</em>]Which region(s) of the country?
[li]Athletics? Greek life? Particular clubs/organizations? Religious affiliation?[/ul][/li]Once you’ve figured that out, you can draw up a tentative list and then (and only then!) start narrowing down based on biology programs.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in liberal arts colleges, also consider Colorado College. Its one-course-at-a-time “block plan”, and its Rocky Mountain location, facilitate field work in the life sciences. For your qualifications it could be a good “match” college (a bit more selective than Rhodes but less so than Bowdoin or Middlebury). Merit aid is available (maybe around $5K-$10K for those stats).</p>
<p>[The</a> Block Plan ? Biology ? Colorado College](<a href=“http://www.coloradocollege.edu/academics/dept/biology/prospective-students/the-block-plan.dot]The”>http://www.coloradocollege.edu/academics/dept/biology/prospective-students/the-block-plan.dot)</p>
<p>Have you estimated your Expected Family Contribution? If so, can your family actually afford it?</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice!</p>