I’m a rising junior looking to start making a list of colleges to apply to. I want to major in environmental science or something similar.
I have a 3.94UW GPA and a 32 ACT score (I will be retaking this year along with taking the SAT).
What are colleges with good environmental science programs? Thanks!
u of vermont and middlebury college both have really good programs
Home state? How much can you and your parents afford? Are you leaning toward Policy vs. Ecology/Resource Management/Climate Change?
@Gumbymom I live in Indiana. We can afford any tuition. I was thinking ecology.
The University of Minnesota is known to be extremely strong in these mentioned fields and features multiple top professors. I personally know someone who is an Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB) major there and is loving their experience. They have had the opportunity to receive ample research opportunities (even as a freshman) and has created strong connections with their professors.
UC Berkeley is great for ecology, although your ACT is on the low end. Anything Midwest will have less costal-related ecological studies and more geology programs
Whitman if you like LACs.
Here’s an interesting perspective:
http://www.environmentalscience.org/top-schools
IMO its list of factors to consider (such as location) may be more valuable than the ranked list of colleges.
Some LACs you might want to check out:
College of the Atlantic
Colorado College
Connecticut College
Eckherd College
Middlebury College
Whitman College
Each of these offers an attractive location/setting for students who want a lot of hands-on field work.
Some of them may offer greater strength in a specific sub-field(s) of environmental studies/science (e.g,. Connecticut College in botany, Colorado College in earth science, Ekherd in marine biology) but look over the entire program in the context of what the whole school has to offer (since you may not be ready to settle into a focus area for a few years).
https://www.ecologyproject.org/about/blog/colleges-with-recommended-programs-in-ecology-and-environmental-studies
https://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/stories/10-of-the-best-college-environmental-programs-in-the-us
http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/small-colleges/environmental-science/ (interesting list, but your own net price may differ significantly from their numbers. Use each school’s online Net Price Calculator to get a better estimate for your own situation.)
Middlebury has the oldest Environmental Studies program in the country. It is also where Bill McKibben teaches. Google him if you don’t already know who he is - you should.
Colby also has a strong environmental program as does SUNY ESF
Here’s a list of some LACs one of my kids considered after research:
Bates
Bowdoin
Carleton
Colorado College
Colby
Dickinson
Middlebury
Whitman
St. Lawrence
Duke and University of Vermont are good for larger schools.
Allegheny
College of the Atlantic
Bowdoin
Colby
Eckerd
Hamilton
Hobart & William Smith
Middlebury
St. Lawrence
For significant exposure to autochthonous ecosystems, consider colleges with proximity to the Adirondacks, particularly Middlebury, St. Lawrence and Hamilton:
@ObiWanLeBroni, marine ecology may be of interest. Bowdoin offers a phenomenal program.
Hands on field work and cutting edge laboratory science are a central component of the BMSS.
http://www.bowdoin.edu/coastal-studies-center/courses/index.shtml
University of Vermont
College of the Atlantic
Colorodo College
Warren Wilson College