<p>My youngest has started to express an interest in college (freshman in high school) and will likely want to be an ecology major. Right now his "love" is the rainforest areas, but he loves all "natural" areas of the planet, so any one specific could change over time. I don't think ecology (overall) will though.</p>
<p>Since we'll be visiting schools for middle son (a junior) over the spring/summer/fall, can anyone list any good schools for ecology so we might be able to stop by and look if we're reasonably nearby?</p>
<p>My three are all heading down different college paths, so research done for each of the older two won't help with the youngest at all... and I don't have a clue when it comes to ecology and college.</p>
<p>Should edit to add that his scores should be in the top 5% both at school (rank/GPA) and with standardized tests - maybe a tad lower for math, but might top out the English.</p>
<p>We’re in PA and will be visiting Case Western, U of Rochester, Franklin & Marshall, Furman, Pitt, Alabama, and possibly Baylor and Yale with middle son based on his current list.</p>
<p>Youngest won’t want to go where middle son attends, but anywhere more or less near these places are fair game. He’ll see all the above when we visit with middle.</p>
<p>He’s pretty sure he wants Ecology more specifically than just Bio, but he’ll definitely be in that realm somewhere. He’s been a Naturalist since he was in diapers. He’s the one that convinced me that Naturalists do deserve their own section in the Multiple Intelligence Theory (for those who believe in it since I know it’s controversial).</p>
<p>He may not need a “typical” top college. I want him to go to one that’s “top” or near it in his field. Hence the research I want to do.</p>
<p>Hawaii doesn’t have it as a major by itself (I just checked), but it’s one that came to mind as being in an area where he’d love to be studying (South Pacific). Normally we insist on eastern half of the US for our kids, but we might make a big exception for this guy if he finds the right school. (And here I was thinking Baylor might be an exception with middle son…)</p>
<p>University of Michigan School of Natural Resources. Fabulous. Also - look at the UMich Biological Station (google it). There might be some programs for H.S. kids.</p>
<p>I’m currently a Bio major at UD, but I almost went to Case. UD has a really great biology department (but no ecology major - environmental bio is the other option) and has an exchange program with Chaminade University in Hawaii, as well as sweet summer courses offered in Hawaii, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and the Republic of Palau.
–One thing that turns a lot of people off about UD is that it’s a catholic marianist school. Does your son have any issues attending a school with a religious affiliation?</p>
<p>The University of Minnesota has a very strong ecology department and offers an undergrad major in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior through its College of Biological Sciences. It’s also very reasonably priced at about $14,600/year tuition for OOS students.</p>
<p>S has similar interests. I think a focus on an environmental degree perhaps vs ecology will net you many schools who have excellent schools for this.</p>
<p>University of Georgia has a large Environmental program. Virginia Tech has an excellent one as well, particularly their forestry program. As “Green” projects and programs take more of a center stage, hopefully job opportunities will blossom for this field. The structure of these kinds of programs varies WIDELY from school to school. I’d say the thing to look for is a program that has lots of options as your son develops his interests.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions. Youngest and I will sit down together and take a look at them soon so he can start learning about his options. Va Tech has been on our radar as we know a prof there in the department.</p>
<p>As for religious, we’re Protestant, but I don’t think youngest would mind as long as the department provides what he is looking for.</p>
<p>He’s perfectly ok with the empirical and theoretical aspects. He’s been doing experiments in my garden and elsewhere around our place - complete with field notes - for several years (probably nothing science fair worthy, but it’s definitely in his nature). None of those were assignments or had any encouragement from adults. It’s just his passion.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, in our school district, all of the electives he would really love (eg Environmental Bio) are the lowest level classes designed for the non-college bound and often use 8th grade texts. That’s another of my concerns. We may take a look at summer programs elsewhere. Perhaps he can self study for the Environmental Science AP in a couple of years.</p>
<p>And yes, I’m aware that jobs tend to be few, far between, and lower income. However, I’m convinced that finding a niche in ones passion is priceless. He’s aware of the income/job aspect too. We’ll see what happens.</p>
<p>You might want to do a search on Collegeboard under “environmental studies”. I think that is the term that is used most often. My son and I just visited St Lawrence University in northern NY. It looks like a great school and they have an environmental studies major. It’s a little remote, but very interesting.</p>
<p>I grew up very near St Lawrence - near enough to ride at their riding school and announce for their intercollegiate shows sometimes. :)</p>
<p>I think youngest would prefer somewhere warmer though. He’s more into warm weather outdoors than cold weather. Right now (as a 9th grader, so take it for what it’s worth) he wants to work in Africa (peace corps style).</p>
<p>My daughter started out wanting environmental science, then changed her mind, then got interested in it again. Alas, by that time, it was too late for her to switch gears. So I don’t know too much about it, but I thought this looked interested. My daughter has loved Pitt and will graduate in May.</p>
<p>If he is willing to consider throwing a small LAC into the mix, Bowdoin offers an Environmental studies program - either as a straight up major, or paired with a minor in their co-curricular offerings: Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Oceanographic Science, Economics, etc. They commit to meeting 100% of a student’s demonstrated financial need…and having at lest one older sibling enrolled in college might make it worth exploring.</p>
<p>I think he’d love a small school, but we’ll know that more after he sees more colleges with middle son. Based on oldest son’s visits (current college freshman) he told us he’d prefer a smaller school. A lot can change in the high school years though. I don’t want to cross much off at this point - just give him lots of options to consider to get his brain thinking.</p>
<p>At many colleges “Environmental Studies” consists of some science classes paired with political science and even the humanities. It is often not really a science major at all, and it often contrasts with a major called “Environmental Science.”</p>
<p>When you check out college websites, you should definitely look into the department’s list of required classes to get a feel for whether it is “science-y” enough for your son.</p>
<p>I second College of the Atlantic. Particularly if he is not adverse to a small college, which may be a drawback for some people. </p>
<p>All students graduate with a degree in Human Ecology, which is about the connection between man and the environment, and the interconnectedness of all things. Students design their own major within that framework. Lots of opportunity for hands on study and research. Students travel all over the world doing research and independent study. And it’s in a gorgeous location (Bar Harbor, Maine) right next to Acadia National Park.</p>
<p>Take a look at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. It is the public honors college for Maryland, located in the town of St. Mary’s (hence the name). It is reputed to have a good ecology oriented biology program. About the size of a LAC.</p>
<p>North Carolina State University…College of Natural Resources
[The</a> College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University](<a href=“http://www.cnr.ncsu.edu%5DThe”>http://www.cnr.ncsu.edu)</p>
<p>S1 graduated with a Natural Resources degree from NCSU.<br>
NCSU is a large university but the CNR is a smaller dept. with small class sizes (within the major).<br>
Here’s a list of majors offered within the CNR.
[Department</a> of Forestry and Environmental Resources](<a href=“http://www.cnr.ncsu.edu/fer/]Department”>http://www.cnr.ncsu.edu/fer/)</p>