Hi,
What are some schools with some top marine biology programs? Preferably on the East coast 
I do not believe I could get into Duke or anything like that. My SAT is 1390 and my GPA is 4.36 so please only recommend realistic schools.
Dalhousie in Halifax, Nova Scotia has a superb Marine Biology program. It is also very affordable for international students.
You could look at URI. They also have a Bay Campus which has the Graduate School of Oceanography. Dr. Ballard works there. I started at URI in marine biology and branched into aquaculture. I was able to get a summer internship as a marine biologist. It’s a very beachy place. A good scuba diving community. I learned to sail at URI.
What is your unweighted GPA.
@gearmom That’s cool! Thank you. I’ll look into it! my unweighted is 3.96
Your stats are a little bit higher than my son’s. I’d predict the Centennial scholarship. Likely 15-18k OOS with an easy 2.7 GPA requirement but you’d have to check. It’s the Ocean State and with the Narragansett Bay which is a wonderful resource, life really revolves around the water. The kids at college spend a lot of time surfing. There is a bike path to the ocean. Scuba off of Jamestown (which is near Newport) You’d be a bus ride from Newport, Providence. A train ride to Boston. A bus or train to NYC.
I raised salmon when I branched off into aquaculture but of course with Dr. Ballard courses expand into marine archaeology. And the engineering department has Ocean Engineering which works on submersibles/underwater robotics. All things Ocean at URI.
Wow. That sounds like an awesome experience. I will definitely look into it! Thank you so much for your help! @gearmom
New College of Florida and Eckerd if you’d like a smaller college. They are both very strong in the field. I think Eckerd would be a safety for you (it was for my son), and would probably give you a decent merit scholarship. NCF is more of a match/high-match. They have great internship and independent research opportunities.
I believe UMiami has a strong program.
If you want to pursue marine biology as a career, you’ll need a PhD. Most colleges with strong science programs are perfectly good stepping stones to a PhD in marine biology. Keep in mind that “marine biology” is a very vague and ill-defined discipline. There are people doing “marine biology” in PhD programs in zoology, ecology, oceanography, microbiology, botany, genetics, biomedicine, environmental science…etc. A solid grounding in biology and the other basic sciences will serve you in good stead for whichever route you decide to pursue. This is exactly the advice MIT-WHOI gives applicants, noting that “The specialized, yet multidisciplinary, outlook that such a background provides is necessary to unravel the complex biological processes that occur in the marine environment. Familiarity with marine systems is not required.”
The main problem with focusing on finding marine biology programs is that it leads one to overlook some very, very strong undergraduate science programs, including many colleges more rigorous than some of the less selective coastal universities or those with slipshod marine biology offerings. For example, none of the 5 LACs that have produced the most PhDs in oceanography – Carleton, Pomona, Middlebury, Oberlin, and Wesleyan – have marine science programs, and several are nowhere near an ocean. (Eckerd comes in a respectable #6, tied with Williams.)
I recommend beginning by figuring out whether you prefer a small or large college, rural or urban college, how much financial and/or merit aid you’ll need, etc.
@warblersrule Aren’t those some of the most difficult colleges to get into? OP seemed to be requesting higher admittance suggestions.
@senior2018xx But @warblersrule has an excellent point. If you are looking forward to post grad work (which you probably need to be), make sure that you try to limit debt. One things @warblersrule 's list could be measuring (in addition to a very solid program) is wealth. The families who have the resources to send children to these more elite privates, may also have the funds to pay for advanced education. You’re looking at advanced degrees with marine bio. Gone are the days you could get by with less. Don’t know your family situation but @DadTwoGirls and I were trying to give you a good value options. There are probably more in the SE. Florida, Georgia.
I was merely using the PhD production list as an example of my point that the schools with marine biology majors aren’t necessarily always the best choice for undergrad studies and that to focus exclusively on marine biology programs can lead to missing out on other great fits. I personally would like more info before making suggestions – would anyone be equally happy at Texas A&M, Boston U, and the College of the Atlantic, regardless of their strengths in marine biology?
Additionally, it should be noted that the majority of students change their majors at least once. Focusing on overall criteria like size and cost and then narrowing down based on academic interests helps a student avoid being stuck at a poor fit if (s)he decides to switch majors.
PhD programs typically provide full funding (tuition/fees, health insurance, and a stipend of at least $20-25K per year).
Elite privates are certainly expensive, but nonelite privates and out-of-state publics are not cheap, and the former are typically far more generous with financial aid.
EDIT: Based on past posts, the OP is from Georgia. In that case, one could hardly go wrong with UGA, which has a very solid program. OP would likely have much (all?) of his/her tuition covered by the Hope/Zell Miller based on GPA and test scores.
@warblersrule ^all excellent points. The need for a Phd for meaningful work. That students often change majors so look for a school that meets if that happens. And maybe include a few elite reaches that would provide great aid. (not having any idea of OPs EFC).
And isn’t the current trend to suggest interdisciplinary study if you major in marine biology? Choose a second marketable major?
And great luck to be instate for Georgia.
Very good advice and a nice selection of colleges listed above. My daughter graduated with a degree in marine bio. from Eckerd College. She was accepted to University of San Diego, and University of Miami. She looked at but did not apply to Duke, URI and New College. She based her decision on the strengths of the program at Eckerd, (honors program, largest number of NOAA Hollings scholarships in the US, winter term and spring break study abroad programs, student size, mentor/professor relationships, ability to do research as a freshman, ability to do research in the water year round, location on Boca Ciega Bay, taking marine science courses beginning freshman year, freshman research grant and large merit and financial aid package). All of the colleges listed in the previous posts have very good programs.
@ECmotherx2 What is she doing now?
She is in veterinary school, going for a DVM and MS.
@ECmotherx2 She must be a very good student to have made it into veterinary school. And I like your/her thoughtful criteria when selecting her UG school.
Thank you @gearmom. She is a good student, but had/has to work very hard. She knew exactly what she was looking for and has very good insight. Wishing you the best on the college search!
@senior2018xx You don’t need a marine biology undergrad degree to get an MS or PHD in it. I don’t think I could stress this enough. As long as you have a strong undergraduate science degree and do well, you will have the skills to get a graduate degree in marine biology. One other point that I think is important, is to try to get a Bachelor of Science if you plan to major in a science in grad school. Other than that, you can’t really go wrong if you make this choice.
That being said, if you would like to major in marine biology as an undergrad, I would strongly recommend you take a look at University of Miami. They have one of the best programs in the nations (and have their own college dedicated to ocean and atmospheric science). In addition, URI is also top notch. Best of luck and definitely let me know what you decide on!
While you don’t need an undergraduate degree in Marine Science to get an MS or PHD, the classes as an undergrat introduce you to marine bio, marine geo, marine geophysics. This gives you the opportunity to focus on what you would like to go on and study in grad school which will be finely focused, ex. oceanography, biology, fishery, coastal management, and countless other areas of study that you may not be aware of if not exposed to the information, research and networking in the undergrad years. The ability to work with professors/mentors and publish with them is invaluable.