Anyone have a son or daughter currently in an environmental science or environmental studies program that they love?
I’ve only done a little research but it looks like environmental science is specifically science based and environmental studies encompasses science, sociology, history, political science…
I’d love to learn more about both majors. S19 definitely still undecided (which is fine with us, as it’s early) but came home yesterday and said he could maybe see himself focusing on the environment in college. He’s a strong student - good grades, honors/AP classes, should have good test scores. We are looking in Midwest, East Coast, Mid-Atlantic/North Carolina.
What is he doing this summer? Is there time to volunteer with local projects such as dune restoration, spent fishing line collection at lake boat ramps, prairie burns… These projects would get him interacting with people who care about the issues. I am also a big believer in field work experiences.
Check into the Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, your local state parks for opportunities.
It would be best he he could articulate what issues he cares deeply about and starts nerding out on it. Sea ice? Fisheries crashing? Mining run off? Biodiversity of prairies? Reintroduction of predators into Yellowstone?
My bias is for an environmental science degree. However the studies degree would work if internships were split between field work and policy.
@“Snowball City” Good suggestions. I think a program will have to wait until next summer (between junior and senior year). He’s got a busy summer this year with drivers ed, XC, and SAT studying. We should start investigating for sure. I don’t think we have too much local. We are in Chicago suburbs. I’ll check around. I think he may have to go away next summer to find an interesting program.
You took a different twist on my question (answering about summer programs instead of colleges where he can major in Environmental Science or Studies). Thanks for that.
Still interested, too, in colleges that do a good job with these majors. I’ve heard Middlebury particularly strong. Maybe UVM. Anywhere else stand out?
@warblersrule Wow. Thanks for the info. Haven’t considered Duke. It would be a reach for him (like anyone really) and I don’t know if it’s fits his personality. A few kids from our high school go to Duke each year and I understand it’s particularly intense. He’s looking for a more laid back and collaborative experience. Obviously, Duke is an amazing school but maybe just not a match for him.
We are leaning towards LACs. Carleton, Midd, Grinnell, Oberlin, Bowdoin, Davidson on our very-early list right now. Wisconsin and Wash U on there as well as non-LAC options. Good to know about the Geology major. We will keep that in mind for sure!
There should be one day opportunities in your area for things like river clean ups, speakers at a local wildlife center or zoo, creating rain gardens at a school, buffer zones at suburban ponds… In my opinion there are too many people who think that they can kick back, think deep thoughts, and their ideas should be implemented.
Narrowing does his interests areas will be important for the college search. Grassland incests vs ocean acidification, human impacts on coastal margins, moose population crash in Minnesota, connections between fracking and earthquakes…
Western Washington and Michigan Tech are strong as well.
Carleton has good geology for a small college.
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He can sit at the computer and help scientists get through photos of Steller Sea Lions
https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/sweenkl/steller-watch/about/research
The summer after 10th grade my daughter went here: http://www.sea.edu/high_school_programs financial aid is available. I highly recommend it.
Middlebury had the first Environmental Studies program in the country and remains one of, if not the best in the country. Bill McKibben is a scholar in residence there and 350.org was founded there.
I’m glad to see you have Bowdoin on your list. Their resources in this area are incredible and expanding. My son specialized in the sciences and his girlfriend focused more on the policy and economics side of what is a broad and important discussion. The Coastal Studies Center, Bowdoin Scientific Station on Kent Island, the new Roux Center for the Environment, and especially the faculty who walk the walk provided life changing experiences for both. You’ve got a great list and excellent suggestions, I just wanted to vouch for the fantastic opportunities, both scholarship and experience, offered by Bowdoin. Good luck to your son with his search!
Doesn’t get a lot of mention here on CC, but SUNY ESF has an excellent program.
These colleges should offer some of the country’s stronger programs for your son’s nascent interests:
Allegheny
Bowdoin
Colby
Hamilton
Hobart & William Smith
Middlebury
College of the Atlantic
Bates
Dickinson
Hampshire
Juniata
Oberlin
St. Lawrence
Williams
How does Whitman stack up?
I second @warblersrule advice on considering Furman if looking at LACs. It has a strong Earth and Environmental Science program as well as a nationally recognized sustainability program through the Shi Center for Sustainability.
Irrespective of which college your son develops a primary interest in, he may eventually want to consider Hamilton’s Adirondack program, which accepts students from other institutions:
https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/offcampusstudy/adk
Will be following with interest as D19 is also vaguely interested in “the environment, but space is also really cool.”
Sigh.
@Gatormama Ha. Space! Has your D19 read “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil DeGrass Tyson? S19 reading it now. He is also wildly undecided about major but I think that’s ok.
I’ve recently come upon Lafayette’s Environmental Engineering program. It looks interesting although S19 wasn’t necessarily thinking engineering…but he does like math so I think I’m going to mention the program to him. Maybe worth a look!
@homerdog - will check out the book. Yeah, I’m not worried at all about her disparate interests. I think it’s normal and healthy. She’s not math/science-adept, though - has to fight for every kernel of knowledge in those areas, while she can phone it in on English/history and get easy As - so I hesitate when she seems to gravitate toward the sciences. At the same time, I hate to be discouraging, what with the whole girls-can’t-do-science/math thing…
We live about an hour away from Lafayette and have a friend who teaches there. It’s a cool place, in a cool area. But not cheap. Let me know if you stop there for a gander; maybe we’ll meet up!
I know it is outside the geographic area you mentioned, but Whitman has a strong focus in this area. There are many ways to combine majors there that include environmental science or studies.
@Gatormama I hear you. The Marquis scholarship is a stretch but looks like the only merit option. S19 hasn’t taken standardized tests yet and it’s not super clear what other information they use for that scholarship. Academically, he might be towards the top of the pool but I don’t know if they would consider his ECs stellar enough for a scholarship like that.
btw, I always assumed you lived in Florida with the “gator” name! :))
@Gatormama If D isn’t too big on science and math, there seems to be so many programs where the degree is environmental studies and more likely to include sociology, anthropology, politics, etc. If I come across details, I’ll pm them to you.