<p>What school would be best for a student striving to become a marine biologist. I want to know which school would provide me with the most opportunities, best education, and most chances to be out in the field as in research and collection.</p>
<p>UCSD, UCSB, UCLA, Washington, South Carolina, College of Charleston, Miami, UNC Wilmington, Brown and URI.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/753451-best-school-marine-biology.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/753451-best-school-marine-biology.html</a></p>
<p>I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve written about this before. Basically, choose colleges that are strong in the basic sciences - you’ll need a good background in biology, obviously, but you’ll also need quite a bit of chemistry, at least basic physics and geology, as much computer science as you can fit in, and stats. You’ll need at least a MS for marine science, and a PhD is preferable for decent employment options. You could probably get by with a BS or (better) a MS for fisheries management. </p>
<p>Look for colleges that encourage undergraduate research, and don’t just take their word for it (every college claims to have an amazing record of undergraduate research :rolleyes: ). How much funding is available, and how difficult is it to get? How difficult is it to get research funding in biology as opposed to, say, history or physics? Is research funding available for underclassmen? Check out the undergraduates in relevant biology labs - are they working on their own projects or working as glorified bottle washers? What’s the rate of publications or poster presentations like? (Focus on juniors/seniors; even freshmen at LACs start out as lab grunts.) </p>
<p>You actually don’t need that much exposure to the ocean as an undergrad. It’s helpful, of course, but a good many of the marine science grad students I’m familiar with attended colleges that lacked marine biology programs and were located far from the ocean. Remember that you can always do summer research either at a marine lab (Duke, Shoals, Hopkins, etc.) or at a university or research institute (e.g. REU programs).</p>
<p>If you insist on an undergraduate marine science program, however…
[ul][<em>]Top private programs: Brown, Stanford, Cornell, Duke, U Miami
[</em>]Other private programs: Northeastern, Boston U</p>
<p>[<em>]Top public programs: UNC Chapel Hill, UNCW, Hawaii, the UCs, Texas A&M, URI, Florida State, U Washington
[</em>]Other public programs: Richard Stockton College, College of Charleston, Auburn, USF, U Alaska-Fairbanks, Alabama, U Maine, UNH, Oregon State, WWU, Old Dominion, UT Austin, CSU Monterey, CSULB, U West Florida</p>
<p>[*]Top LAC programs: Bowdoin, the College of the Atlantic, Eckerd, Swarthmore, Hood, Rollins, Occidental, 5 college consortium[/ul]</p>
<p>Wow! Thanks a ton! I’m looking at UCSB UCSC Brown, U Miami, and Roger Williams University</p>
<p>Hello:</p>
<p>Can anyone put this in order of preference for Marine Science (broader education), not specifics. Specifics do not matter till you hit Masters.</p>
<ol>
<li>Duke</li>
<li>Coastal carolina</li>
<li>U Miami</li>
<li>Univ of Alabama</li>
<li>Jacksonville University</li>
<li>Univ South Carolina</li>
<li>Univ of Maine</li>
<li>Boston Univ</li>
</ol>
<p>in terms of best program with undergrad research and best prep for masters in whatever (any component of Marine Science, most probably not biology)</p>
<p>Of course, I also would look at money, bang for buck etc. later on.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>