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How hard is it to become a biologist what are the drawbacks and what makes it worth?
How hard is it to become a biologist what are the drawbacks and what makes it worth it? Also, what can I do in high school to help get into college?
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margaret mchenney
Research Scientist, molecular biology; veterinary technology
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Hi Tesla,
I hope that I can give you some helpful information related to becoming a biologist.
1. High school. Develop good study habits. I used to study 4 hours/day. Take as many science and math credits, and other college prep courses that are offered in your school. Advanced placement courses can be desirable too. Strive for the highest grades possible. Round out by participating in extracurricular activities. By doing these things your pathway should be less difficult, and you should be able to apply to highly rated colleges and universities, and gain entrance. I volunteered at an ambulance service after taking an abbreviated EMT course. I worked part time as a nurse's aide in a old folk's home to gain experience in the medical field. Find a volunteer or employment opportunity that might help you to align with your interest in marine biology. If there is a zoo you might be able to see if there are internships for high school students that you can apply for, or an opportunity to shadow a porpoise trainer or something else, maybe cleaning areas that house the sea life. Being close to these areas of interest can help to reinforce, or discourage your desire to pursue this area of study, and the experience can be used on your resume. Document all experiences and get letters of recommendation from all of your mentor experiences.
2. University. Continue using well developed study habits. You will be studying a lot. Start out taking the foundation courses and when you are sure that biology is your pathway, begin to take more specific courses. As an example, I knew that I wanted a science background so I took premed courses. I thought that I would like to be a doctor, but eventually accepted that my temperament was not suited to that profession. I thought about being a chemist, a medical illustrator, a nurse, and finally settled on becoming a microbiologist in a research setting. I took the following courses: biology, genetics, microbiology, biophysical chemistry, biochemistry, physics, astronomy, mycology, bacterial metabolism, calculus. The courses that you take will help you to decide what area of biology you want to pursue. My daughter is doing a masters in biology after getting a media and arts background. She has expressed an interest in ecology research. You might find that you are interested in medicine (pharmaceutical or academic research), or practical applications in biology (diagnostic or hospital laboratory; wastewater treatment; working in a zoo with animals, working as a marine biologist as I have noticed in your hashtag) rather than research, or teaching biology. Try to get practical experience in college through work study, or by volunteering in one of the academic laboratories at your institution. You can use this experience to transition into a post college career. Employers want employees with prior experience in their field or a related field. You will also at some point determine what level of higher education you are interested in: BS; MS; PhD.
I hope that I can give you some helpful information related to becoming a biologist.
1. High school. Develop good study habits. I used to study 4 hours/day. Take as many science and math credits, and other college prep courses that are offered in your school. Advanced placement courses can be desirable too. Strive for the highest grades possible. Round out by participating in extracurricular activities. By doing these things your pathway should be less difficult, and you should be able to apply to highly rated colleges and universities, and gain entrance. I volunteered at an ambulance service after taking an abbreviated EMT course. I worked part time as a nurse's aide in a old folk's home to gain experience in the medical field. Find a volunteer or employment opportunity that might help you to align with your interest in marine biology. If there is a zoo you might be able to see if there are internships for high school students that you can apply for, or an opportunity to shadow a porpoise trainer or something else, maybe cleaning areas that house the sea life. Being close to these areas of interest can help to reinforce, or discourage your desire to pursue this area of study, and the experience can be used on your resume. Document all experiences and get letters of recommendation from all of your mentor experiences.
2. University. Continue using well developed study habits. You will be studying a lot. Start out taking the foundation courses and when you are sure that biology is your pathway, begin to take more specific courses. As an example, I knew that I wanted a science background so I took premed courses. I thought that I would like to be a doctor, but eventually accepted that my temperament was not suited to that profession. I thought about being a chemist, a medical illustrator, a nurse, and finally settled on becoming a microbiologist in a research setting. I took the following courses: biology, genetics, microbiology, biophysical chemistry, biochemistry, physics, astronomy, mycology, bacterial metabolism, calculus. The courses that you take will help you to decide what area of biology you want to pursue. My daughter is doing a masters in biology after getting a media and arts background. She has expressed an interest in ecology research. You might find that you are interested in medicine (pharmaceutical or academic research), or practical applications in biology (diagnostic or hospital laboratory; wastewater treatment; working in a zoo with animals, working as a marine biologist as I have noticed in your hashtag) rather than research, or teaching biology. Try to get practical experience in college through work study, or by volunteering in one of the academic laboratories at your institution. You can use this experience to transition into a post college career. Employers want employees with prior experience in their field or a related field. You will also at some point determine what level of higher education you are interested in: BS; MS; PhD.