<p>So I want to go to a school that offers a program where I will be able to get a job as an environmental scientist. I like any setting that is not a city, and I would also like a place with lots of cool hiking trails nearby. Also, I don't particularly like the severe cold. I have a 2050 SAT (620 Reading, 680 Writing, 750 Math). Any suggestions?</p>
<p>There is no such thing as an environmental scientist although there are scientists who study different aspects of the environment. These range from ecologists to hydro geologists to climatologists. The common thread between them is that virtually all have at least a masters and for research scientists working in an academic environment, typically a phD. As an undergrad, GIS certification will open many doors. Also remember that environmental science is an incredibly broad field which encompasses everything from urban planning to mining economics to forest ecology. Because it’s such a wide field of study, a huge number of schools have excellent programs in at least a couple subfields. </p>
<p>Would you consider an environmental chemist a real job title?
I don’t mean to be rude or anything but of there’s no such thing as an environmental scientist than what would you call this type of job?:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/mobile/environmental-scientists-and-specialists.htm”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/mobile/environmental-scientists-and-specialists.htm</a></p>
<p>Or this as a specific example:
<a href=“http://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=89da7a833590ebc9&from=serp”>http://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=89da7a833590ebc9&from=serp</a></p>
<p>What’s your GPA? Where do you live, and are you limiting your search to one part of the country? Do you have financial needs? Going by your SAT scores solely, I’d suggest Whitman College, UC Santa Cruz, and Pitzer, on the West Coast. I don’t know how you define “city”: Eckerd, in Saint Petersburg, FL, has good Environmental Science programs (especially in Marine Science). It is in a city, but its campus is on the waterfront and doesn’t feel urban. New College of Florida is quite strong in those areas, and might be a fit - would Sarasota be too urban for you? It’s a medium-sized city. You should probably look at some of the “Colleges That Change Lives”: they are a consortium of small, liberal arts colleges from all regions of the country, with a broad range of admissions criteria. CTCL includes some highly selective colleges like Reed, and some non-selective colleges like Evergreen State College; it includes colleges with extremely liberal cultures and some conservative colleges like Hillsdale. It has religious-affiliated schools. It has schools where students design their own curricula, and it also has very structured schools like St. John’s. Many of its colleges have holistic admissions and are dedicated to sustainability. I would also suggest considering Berea and Warren Wilson. Finally, if you have a weighted GPA of 3.4 (or 3.0, if you live in CA), maybe UC Merced could be a safety college - they are located within a comfortable driving distance from some of the coolest hiking in the world (ie. Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks). Maybe UNC Asheville (near Great Smoky Mountains)? West Virginia might also be a safety.</p>
<p>I know many colleges now offer Environmental Science as a major, but I don’t think the job prospects are good, especially with only an undergrad degree. The students I know who have that degree are working in other fields. Have you considered Environmental Engineering? </p>
<p>Those are all examples of being a specialist in other fields with a concentration in ES. An environmental chemist will have extensive training in isotopic chemistry. I’ve done the sort of things that the job description called for. However we had to send these samples off to a separate lab because none of us were skilled enough to to isotopic analyses. We let a phD with actual training in geochemistry figure out the true discrepancies. </p>
<p>Additionally on the restoration/ conservation projects I’ve worked on the team leads all had at least a bachelors in ecology, biology, or another similar field. I can’t remember ever seeing someone with just a bachelors in ES. </p>
<p>To the OP, please read this and answer UCB’s questions <a href=“Before you ask which colleges to apply to, please consider - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1621234-before-you-ask-which-colleges-to-apply-to-please-consider-p1.html</a> </p>
<p>Remember there are so many schools with strong ES programs that simply asking which schools would be a good for your major is futile at best. Suggestions can range from SUNY ESF (outstanding partnership with Syracuse as well) to the tiny College of the Atlantic to University of Colorado (likely unaffordable if you’re not in the top 5% of wealth) to Allegheny College. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that good schools for ES require extensive field work for the major courses. Ideally you should also look for schools which supplement a good ES program with related humanities or social science classes as this will give you a broader perspective into the social aspects of the course. </p>
<p>1.) I have like a 3.9ish GPA (1-B, with the max honors/ AP courses availible).
2.) I would like to have a family contribution of less than 20,000 dollars a year.
3.) I am from Pennsylvania</p>