<p>Thanks to everyone who spent time reading this/answering!</p>
<p>I'm a junior and I just started looking at colleges but I need help finding where to start.</p>
<p>Based off my grades and interests, it would be great to get some college recommendations!</p>
<p>I'm interested in going into environmental earth science or marine biology.
- Would this be a good choice for me if I'm not strong in math or physics/chem? (I'm taking AP Environmental)
- Career options if I choose to pursue this?
- I'm also looking for good environmental programs
- Does anyone know anything about the Nicholas School of Environment?</p>
<p>I'd also like to minor in something related to English such as creative writing.</p>
<p>Weighted GPA: 4.4
ACT: Planning on getting around 30</p>
<p>Some extracurriculars:
- President of my school's environmental club
- Volunteer at the Botanic Gardens
- Volunteered at a new community garden made of junior high students
- 4 years varsity tennis
- 3 years student newspaper</p>
<p>I also like less urban places. Somewhere with mountains, lakes, scenic views... somewhere like colorado maybe! I'd also like smaller sized campus.</p>
<p>I'm not really focusing on distance or price yet.</p>
<p>^^^well, you ought to be focusing on price, too. It should be at the front of your considerations because there’s no point in going thru a lot of colleges only to find out that, oops, you cannot afford them. </p>
<p>Most students have no idea how much money their parents can afford to provide them each year, and most parents have no idea how much colleges will expect them to pay. Sit down with your parents with the “net price calculators” from UMiami, University of Colorado, and Smith College and your parents’ 2012 federal tax returns. Figure out with them there just what it’s likely to cost, the Expected Family Contribution or EFC, and what they can support. You’re not going to college without their support, at least not the way most students think they’ll go to college.</p>
<p>This cannot wait, unless you like wasting yours and everyone else’s time.</p>
<p>Earth science generally requires math up to differential equations, a year of physics, and a year of chemistry which the actual geology courses then build upon. Some subfields of environmental science require much less hard science/math courses although virtually all schools require that students take calculus, chemistry, and maybe one or two other fundamental STEM courses before graduating. </p>
<p>There are a number of outstanding environmental programs. If you’re interested in Colorado, Colorado College offers a block plan which seems ideal for field work intensive classes. Duke dominates in many of the subfields of environmental science and even offers a marine laboratory. I believe one of the mods on this forum was in the Nicholas School, and he seems to have done well for himself. </p>
<p>Out of the USNWR’s top 100 national universities, here are the smaller schools which I feel have a strong environmental science program and are located in less populated areas:
-Duke
-Dartmouth
-University of Rochester (not in the heart of the city)
-Lehigh
-Syracuse (shares a campus with SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry)
-University of Vermont
-Miami University - Ohio</p>
<p>Here are the USNWR top 60 LACs with good environmental science in less urban areas (there may be some omissions, I’m much less familiar with the ES offerings at LACs):
-Williams
-Bowdoin
-Middlebury
-Pomona (near the edge of LA’s urban sprawl)
-Carleton College
-Wesleyan University
-Colgate University
-Smith College
-Bates College
-Bryn Mawr College
-Colorado College
-Sewanee - University of the South
-Whitman College
-Franklin& Marshall College
-St. Lawrence University
-Beloit College</p>
<p>Environmental Science is very “hot” right now, many colleges offer a pretty good program. You might want to look at Hampshire, Syracuse for Forestry (state school, forget the official name). For Marine Biology look at the schools near the ocean - Florida, California, there’s a public school in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands with an excellent program. </p>
<p>Do a little research on your own, plug your interests into any one of the numerous college search websites (College Confidential has one) and see what comes up or look at one of the huge reference books like Fiske’s Guide and check the index for schools with your interested major. You’ll find it a better route than just asking for people’s generic suggestions here.</p>