<p>In your opinion what is a good major for someone who loves science?I am currently a high school student going into their senior year. I want to have some sort of plan or goal. I love diseases and parasites especially in humans, and I think a career as a research scientist might be good for me.</p>
<p>I also want to be realistic and give myself as many opportunities as I can.<br>
I would greatly appreciate hearing some of your opinions. Thank you all.</p>
<p>It sounds like biology or a related major would be a good fit.</p>
<p>Bio + foreign language so you can do field research.
Maybe, Mandarin, Spanish or Arabic?</p>
<p>A science degree will require a graduate degree to do research. A bachelors degree only, will generally limit u to technician jobs.</p>
<p>Add geology to your list of possibilities. It might be the best paid of the science majors.</p>
<p>If you are interested in communicable diseases and parasites, biology will be more applicable than geology.
However - there are positions that don’t necessarily require a grad degree- they do get snapped up quickly, & if a post- doc comes banging down their door, they may drop you cold- but word of mouth operates faster than the internet .;)</p>
<p>It’s true that long term research positions often require a Phd & they are scarce.</p>
<p>But that is far down the road.
Pursue your interests and you can find a way to make it work, keeping in mind that even a tenured professor has parts of their job that they don’t like.</p>
<p>You don’t need a specific science major at this point. As a college freshman you will need various courses in math and sciences. Once you are in college you can choose among the many fields available. Look at your state flagship U’s website for a list of various majors and then go to various majors’ subsites for more information. Consider agriculture as well as liberal arts/arts and letters… schools within the U.</p>
<p>Next search for other colleges that offer various majors that interest you outside the typical ones offered everywhere. Consider your academic strengths and look for schools that fit your abilities. Discuss things with your HS guidance counselor. I strongly advise schools with good research programs over small liberal arts schools where you won’t find a large science peer group. Don’t worry at all about foreign languages- you can think about that once you are in college. Look at undergraduate research opportunities.</p>
<p>Consider the U of Wisconsin website as an example of a great school for sciences. Too many possibilities to list here.</p>
<p>bio, biochem, biophysics, chemistry, microbiology,entomology,medical technology,nursing, public health</p>
<p>I lean toward smaller schools, even down to the size of my oldest daughters college which was smaller than her sisters high school, yet has a high % of students attaining PhDs in the sciences.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1234361-science-major-liberal-arts-college.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1234361-science-major-liberal-arts-college.html</a></p>
<p>I know a parasitologist who worked with guinea worms in Africa. She studied biology undergrad.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in research, the best thing to do is get involved in research as early as possible. Find a lab that will take you on, and try to get involved in a specific project. It’ll give you a better idea of whether research is for you, what sorts of things you’re interested in, and will give you experience for graduate school, if you decide to go that route.</p>
<p>You need someone else to provide you a list of majors that involve science…?</p>
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<p>However, a college may offer different versions of math, physics, and chemistry for students majoring in those subjects versus biology, so if you are undecided between the various sciences, you may have to take the harder courses accepted by all majors, rather than the not as hard math, physics, and chemistry courses for biology majors (but note that the latter courses may be filled with grade-seeking pre-meds).</p>
<p>No, I do not need anyone to provide me a list of majors that involve science. Being that this is the parents forum, I figured that I could talk to someone older that already has ,or has considered obtaining one of the numerous science majors. They might be able to give a more unbiased opinion or idea than you would find on another website. Furthermore talking to someone with experience in said field is invaluable.</p>
<p>I see myself eventually obtaining at least a masters degree. I just am nervous about picking a bachelors that will be self limiting.</p>
<p>Biology then a MS or MPH in epidemiology or virology.</p>
<p>I think focusing on disease is a great idea with the caveat that you should try to take at least one course in a topic related to plant diseases and pests. Plant virology, entomology, plant pathology and Nematology are examples. Hoards of students flood the medical research pipeline from undergraduate majors in biology, biochemistry,chemistry, microbiology. Very few of these students choose to pursue advanced degrees in agricultural research because very few kids come from farming backgrounds anymore. Yet the microbial, insect and nematode threats to agriculture are greater than ever. So at least sample a course in agricultural research and see if it piques your interest.</p>