Main image courtesy of Grunge.
"We don't own the planet Earth, we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife." - Steve Irwin
To determine what the best college for Zoology is you first have to understand that one college might be the best for one person and be not the best for someone else. Zoology is the scientific study of the behavior, structure, physiology, classification, and distribution of animals. There are a lot of factors that go into determining what the best college for you is. You will also have to consider whether or not the program itself is good for this major. However, here are the top 10 best colleges for Zoology in America:
- University of Florida
- University of California-Davis
- University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh
- Colorado State University-Fort Collins
- Michigan State University
- Ohio State University-Main Campus
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Berry College
- Cornell University
Remember it is all about finding the right college for you. Even though this list considers University of Florida to be the top college for Zoology, that does not mean that if you plan to study Zoology in college that you have to apply to and attend University of Florida. Pick the college that will best suit your needs and make you the most comfortable attending. You will still get a good college education and experience even if you do not attend one of these top 10 colleges for Zoology.
Why is Zoology Important?
Studying Zoology is a valuable first step for undergraduates who want to pursue a career in zoology research, environmental zoology, or as an animal caregiver. Since there are not a lot of universities/colleges that offer zoology as a major, you will have a smaller number of colleges to view if you plan to be a zoology major.
Now why would you want to choose Zoology as a major? Well for one it is super important because it makes a huge impact on our world. By being able to study animals it helps us be better able to understand ourselves and how we function and interact with the world around us. A Zoology degree can help you put your curiosity and creativity to work so you can help the world solve current problems and plan better futures. There are many career options with a Zoology degree which include helping with animals on the verge of extinction and in need of medical care. It can go from things that seem small to ones that seem large, either way a career in Zoology can help you make a difference in this world.
Why Would You Like Zoology?
If you are someone who wonders why or how animal bodies work the way they do, then you will like Zoology. You would be a good fit for a Zoology major if you have a desire to understand human and animal interactions with their environments, and working with DNA in a lab sounds intriguing. You could like Zoology if you enjoy learning about cell biology, physiology, and ecology. This major would also be a good fit for you if you want to pursue medical school, dental school, or another pre-medical professional program. You may also like a career in Zoology if you enjoy helping animals and care about protecting them.
Why is the University of Florida considered the best college for Zoology?
If you decide to pursue your Zoology degree at University of Florida, there are a few things to consider. For one, make sure you are not just choosing this college only because it is the top Zoology program. Pick the college that will best meet your needs and make sure you go on a college tour around the campus to get a feel for it before you officially decide to attend schooling here. This goes for any other college as well, make sure to go on tours of the campus to ensure you feel comfortable on campus and that you’re not just picking that school by looking at pictures of the campus online. Choose the college that you are most excited to attend since you will spend a lot of your time there. It is all about choosing the right college for you, in the location you want and has the program that is right for you. Whether that be at the University of Florida or not, either way going to college will offer you amazing opportunities to help the world around you.
At University of Florida if you decide to pursue a Zoology major you will take courses that will introduce you to a wide variety of topics while you pursue your interests. Of course the experience will be shaped by the courses you take, your laboratory experience throughout, your field work, and the professors you encounter.
At University of Florida, Zoology majors are all strongly encouraged to participate in research. This major also focuses on the study of individual organisms and populations, and their relationships with each other and the environment. This research is very important on multiple levels since it helps diversify your college experience and teaches you how to apply the knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world situations.
It also gives you (the Zoology major) the opportunity to work with and get to know the researchers who are best in their field, as well as introducing you to cutting-edge scientific questions and techniques. At the University of Florida, the Zoology degree is under the Department of Biology, which studies life at all levels from molecules to the biosphere in order to understand the evolution, structure, maintenance, and dynamics of biological systems.
No matter what major you are, you’ll need to decide how to pay for college
If you are someone who wants to pay for college on your own without the help of your parents there are a few things you can do to help you pay off your debt. The ways you can pay off your debt include:
- Filing for the FAFSA
- Take out Private Loans
- Start out at a Community College
- Work before and during college
- Apply for grants and scholarships
These are just some helpful tips when deciding to pay off your debt yourself. There are lots of ways you can pay for college yourself. One thing for sure is that college is going to be expensive no matter what, but going to college will enable you to pick a good career and make a difference in the world. Having a college degree can help you boost your career to where you want it to go. This does not mean that if you have your parents help pay for your college that it makes you any less independent. Having your parents help pay for your college should not be seen as something that makes you look spoiled, since a lot of the time some parents will start saving up for their kids’ colleges when their children are born.
Other students may have to figure out how to pay for college all on their own. Either way, deciding to attend college can be stressful, but there are many ways to pay for college.
What Careers Can You Do With A Zoology Degree
There is a wide variety of careers that you can do with a degree in Zoology. If you really want to help animals, a degree in Zoology is the way to go. You can still contribute to the well-being of animals even if you do not work directly with them. Some of the job options if you get a zoology degree include:
- Environmental consultant
- Animal nutritionist
- Science writer
- Environmental education officer
- Toxicologist
- Veterinary nurse
- Research scientist
- Biomedical scientist
- Animal physiotherapist
- Marine biologist
There are some college majors and careers that will be popular for a long time while others will eventually become unpopular. This however, does not mean that certain careers are not important. Remember that you can also always go back to school if you do get unemployed or if you just want to go back to college. There is nothing stopping you from having multiple degrees. In the end you want to pick a career in something that will last for years as well as picking something that you enjoy. There are multiple job opportunities for each field, with some having more than others.
There is this stigma in the United States that you have to live to work and should spend all your time working. This is a bad thing, and your life should not be all about work. You should work to give yourself a better living. Finding a job in a career that you enjoy will make it easier for you to go to work each day since you will be doing something you love. Even if you end up having some aspect of your job that you do not particularly like, it will at least be in a field you enjoy and have interest in. It is so important to not devote your life to your job and allow yourself to enjoy what life has to offer.
Always keep in mind that choosing the best college for you may not be the best college for someone else. There are multiple factors that go into deciding which college is best for you. The college you decide to attend does not have to be one of these top 10 places. Choose the one that will be the right fit for you!
