<p>I have had only one true and undying passion all my life: the mountains (trekking, caving etc)
and I must confess that a job confining me to a chair in front of a computer would also murder me in time.</p>
<p>Due to this ...problem, as most of those around me see it, I chose Geology as my major a long time ago. I was then advised to switch to Environmental Studies because it's less of a career that will lead you to ruin, they say. That's fine with me, as long as it involves field work and nature in general, it's ok but then I saw comments here on the forums that Environmental Engineering will bring along 15 000 dollars more a year that Environmental Studies. IS THIS REALLY TRUE? It cannot be impossible to combine a job with one's passion, especially if one is good at it.</p>
<p>Ah, and yes, Stanford would be among my first college choices so what do you guys know about Geology/Environmental Studies/Environmental Engineering at Stanford?</p>
<p>At one point in my life, I was in a similar position as you are. I still haven’t completely figured it out…
You’d probably be paid more as an environmental engineer, sure, but if that’s not what you want to do, you wouldn’t enjoy it. I’m sure that with enough ambition, you could find a job in the field of geology that you’d enjoy. At Stanford, (in my opinion) EnvE is also a tougher, more demanding major than GES (geological and environmental sciences) is, and it is a bit more techie than GES would be. Both have pros and cons though, it just depends on what your passions are. After trying classes from many departments, I think I’ve settled on majoring in EnvE because I find it more interesting. If you do come to Stanford, you might also look into a major like Earth Systems which is a bit more broad than GES and might possibly offer you a greater range of opportunities in the future.
If you want more info on my personal experience in the earth sciences or anything, feel free to message me, I’d be happy to help.</p>
<p>Thank you for your post, it really helped. If I am accepted at Stanford, I will surely want to know more about you and your experience but it is still nothing but a dream. I need a full scholarship and even though my achievements and SAT scores are quite impressive I fear that it is much more difficult to obtain financial aid in California and in the west in general, being an international student.</p>