Ready to Go to Marine Biology College and Become the Next Jacques Cousteau?

After a car accident ended Jacque Cousteau’s dream to be a pilot, he found his true love . . . the ocean. After one swim in the ocean with goggles on, he discovered his new passion and began to think of a way to be in this new world as long as possible.

When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself. (Jacques Cousteau)

One of many of Cousteau’s accomplishments is the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (also known as the SCUBA) which he and Emile Gagnan invented. Thanks to this invention there are millions of scuba divers exploring the deep blue and all it has to offer. Will your passion still be affecting millions of people after you die?   

Swimming with dolphins at Sea World. Studying the mating patterns of a specific type of clam. Protecting the ocean and all its many inhabitants. If any of these situations sound like a great day at work to you, you may want to be a Marine Biologist.

Before you decide you want to commit to a lifetime of learning, ask yourself a few questions. How do I find the best marine biology college for me? How can I prepare to earn a marine biology degree? What is a marine biologist’s salary?

Marine Biology Colleges and Degrees

If the thought of studying all types of ocean life, from picoplankton to whales, excites you then you probably want to know “Where can I find colleges that offer marine biology?” To start with, it is recommended to major in a broad subject, like Biology, for your Bachelor’s degree. Then specialize in a field of Marine Biology for your graduate degree. 

Since a broad science major is recommended for a Bachelor’s degree there are many schools that may be a great fit for you. Make sure to find a school that has a strong science department and internship opportunities available in the marine biology field to begin gaining practical experience. EdSoup.com can help you start your search for marine biology colleges.   

Next, you will begin the search for top marine biology colleges to earn your Master’s and/or PhD. As you are nearing the completion of your undergraduate degree you should know what your specialization in marine biology will be. With this knowledge in hand, choose a school that has a strong program in your field of interest with researchers specializing in that field. 

To search for marine biology colleges in the United States, visit College Directory Network.

Are you looking for marine biology programs at international schools?  Find international marine biology universities and schools here.

How to Prepare to be a Marine Biologist

You are still reading so you must still think a marine biology degree is for you! So how can you prepare now? 

• Enroll in as many science, math, and physics classes as possible while in high school
• Explore marine biology on your own through science fairs and internships
• Become a certified SCUBA diver and get up close and personal with the ocean world
• Become best friends with your teachers and professors so you will have countless glowing recommendation letters

Marine Biologists Salaries

So after years of schooling, what can you expect to make?

The salaries for marine biologists vary widely from $45,000 to $110,000 per year, according to PayScale. This is a wide range with the number of years experience and type of work heavily influencing what the average salary will be. Many marine biologists emphasize that you should not enter the field of work for the pay, you should have a true passion for what you do.

Now that you are armed with information, get out there and find the right marine biology college, and begin your quest to become the next Jacques Cousteau! 

Want more? Here is an interview of a marine biologist with his thoughts and advice.

Can You Afford The College of Your Dreams?

This is the last post in our College search 101 series. We looked at everything from what you want to do for the rest of your life to whether or not the college of your dreams thinks you’re a good fit.

In this series, we discussed how earnings are affected by education level, the different types of educational programs available today, what kinds of colleges offer what types of programs, and even gave you a list of resources to help you find the right college.

Can you afford the college of your dreams?

It’s no secret that college costs are rising.

According to College Board’s Trends in College Pricing 2007, colleges in the United States increased their tuition and fees by an average of 4.2 – 6.3 percent for the 2007-08 school year.

Room, board, books, and supplies only add to the cost. Click here to calculate more complete college expenses.

Don’t let the expenses slow you down. Even though the numbers are daunting, there are many ways to get help paying for the college of your dreams.

What’s the best way to apply for financial aid?

According to a newsletter article from the National Association for College Admission Counseling called Focus on Financial Aid: How to Apply, the steps of the financial aid application process are:

1. A student applies for admission before the admission application deadline.

2. A student applies for financial aid in accordance with stated deadlines, but as soon as possible.

3. The admission committee meets and grants admission.

4. The college or university financial aid office reviews the application carefully, first to judge whether need does, in fact, exist, and second to determine how much aid should be offered.

5. The financial aid office, after determining how much aid in various forms is available for distribution, awards packages of aid to applicants according to need and within limits of the resources at hand.

6. Candidates are notified by the admission office of acceptance and, either at the same time or shortly thereafter, by the aid office of its award.

So, according to the NACAC, prospective students should apply for financial aid before they even know if they’ve been accepted to the college of their choice.

Ask the colleges you research to send you information on financial aid at the same time you request a college catalog and admissions information.

If you have unanswered questions about financial aid from the college of your choice, contact their financial aid office. There’s no charge for their services – they exist to help you pay for your education – take advantage of their help.

Need help finding the right college? Click to get started now!

Are you a good fit for the college of your choice?

Have you been following our College search 101 series? So far we’ve looked at what you want to do with the rest of your life, how education affects earnings, the best types of programs, different types of colleges, and resources to help you find the right college.

Now that you’ve found a college you’d like to attend, we’ll explore whether or not you’re a good fit for it.

Why wouldn’t they want me?

Let’s see, how can I put this delicately . . .?

Certain colleges would only accept someone like you me if a $1-million donation was sent along with your my application.

Seriously. Not every school is for every student.

I, for example, graduated from high school in the top 2% of my class, had great test scores, and could write a mean essay.

All of those things, however, didn’t mean that my first-choice college should have been Harvard (with Princeton and Yale as fallbacks).

Instead, I applied to three non-profit schools, was accepted to all of them, and ultimately chose the one that was furthest away from my parents.

If you’re going to go to the effort of finding a school you think is perfect for you, you ought to take a minute to consider whether you’re right for it.

What do colleges care about?

Some colleges only care about whether or not you’ll be able to pay your tuition. Others look at things like test scores, previous grades, class rank, or work experience.

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s State of College Admission Report 2006, grades and test scores are the top factor considered by colleges during the admissions decision making process.

The report breaks everything down into the following order of importance:

Factors in the Admission Decision:

• Grades
• Standard admission test scores
• High school class rank
• Application essay or writing sample
• Teacher or counselor recommendations
• A students “demonstrated interest” in attending the school

Public schools are five times more likely to use class rank than private schools.

While there are some similarities in what colleges want, each one places varying importance on the items above.

You need to understand what the college of your choice is looking for.

How can I find out what a college wants?

Look in the admissions section of the college’s Web site for any posted guidelines. Often, the site will detail the admissions office’s idea of an ideal student.

If you match up with their description of the ideal student, you can apply with confidence that you have a high probability of acceptance.

If you are sub-standard, it wouldn’t hurt to call or write to the admissions team. Introduce yourself and let them know that you’re interested in attending the college but that you’re concerned about an item or two.

Mention your concerns and ask for their recommendation about whether you should apply or not.

Most admissions officers are interested in finding a win-win situation where the student and the college are happy to be together. Talk to them – they’re around to help.

If you’re not a good match for the college, move on to your next choice. With a little work, you’ll be able to find a good fit.

The next post in this series will help you evaluate whether or not you’ll be able to afford this new relationship with the college of your dreams.

Need help finding the right college? Click to get started now!

11 tools to help you find the right college

This is the fifth post in our series: College search 101

By now you’ve figured out:

1. What you want to do with the rest of your life
2. How much your education influences your earnings
3. The best type of educational program for you
4. The type of college you want to attend

Now that all that’s out of the way, it’s time to give you the tools you need to make the best possible decision. It’s time we got to what you’ve been waiting for:

How in the world do you choose the right college?

I’m glad you asked. Here’s our list of resources and tools.

Our Web sites

Tell me you didn’t expect shameless self-promotion at some point . . .

EdSoup.com: Exists to help students find the best college for their needs. Our college search advisors provide a free service to help you find the right college.

CollegeDirectoryNetwork.com: Another one of our Web sites. College Directory Network is the largest online directory of post-secondary educational opportunities. Search on your own, or use EdSoup.com to get help.

Careers and career training

Career Voyages: A government Web site to help you plan your career and see how education can be a part of it.

Career Colleges and Technical Schools: Questions to ask before enrolling. 

High school-related resources

MyCollegeOptions.org: This resource is primarily for college-bound high school students. 

GED Testing Service: A service provided by the American Council on Education.

Other Resources

Non-Traditional Student Resources: Resources from the Department of Education.

CollegeNavigator: A tool provided by the National Center for Education Statistics.

CollegeFinder: A tool provided by the Department of Education.

KnowHow2Go.org: An informational site produced by the American Council on Education and the Lumina Foundation for Education.

College Access: Information on State-level resources.

The next post in this series will help you determine whether or not you’re a good fit for the college of your choice.

Need help finding the right college? Click to get started now!

What is the best type of college for you?

We’re halfway through our series: College search 101.

1. What do you want to do with the rest of your life?
2. Education and earnings
3. Choosing the right type of educational program

What type of college will help you achieve your educational goals?

Once you’ve settled on the type of program that will help you get a better job and make more money, it’s time to figure out what kind of school will best meet your needs.

Public colleges and universities

These traditional schools are run with the help of government funding and supervision. They are what most people think of when they hear the term “college” or “university.”

While they’re not for everyone, public colleges and universities offer a variety of program types – including many traditional academic programs, along with occasional career, trade, and licensure programs. They also offer professional programs like law and medical degrees.

These schools usually have strong continuing education programs.

Non-profit colleges

These colleges aren’t funded or directed by government officials. They usually report to a board of directors that assume responsibility for the ultimate success of the institution.

Non-profit colleges usually have similar program offerings as public schools, but claim to offer a higher quality of education than their state-run counterparts.

You’re probably familiar with the following examples of non-profit colleges:

• University of Southern California
• University of Notre Dame
• Stanford University

Career, trade and specialty colleges

Education means business for these private colleges. They’re in it to turn a profit – and that’s not a bad thing.

Many career, trade, licensure, and specialty programs can only be found at private colleges.

These schools place high value on practical knowledge and hands-on training. You won’t find most traditional academic programs here.

Interested in studying comparative literature or joining a sorority? Look somewhere else.

Want to get down to business with a specialized program focused on a specific skill set? You’ve found the right place.

Online Colleges

Many schools offer programs that can be taken over the Internet or through other forms of distance learning.

Private colleges have been a major force behind the development of online learning; but, the public schools, along with the non-profits, are following close behind.

Online colleges are a great fit for working professionals, stay-at-home parents, and many others.

The next post in this series will look at resources that exist to help you find the right program at the right college.

Need help finding the right college? Click to get started now!

What everyone ought to know about choosing an educational program

This is the third post in our 7-part series College search 101. The first two posts looked at how to figure out what to do with the rest of your life and the relationship between education and earnings.

Now, we’ll look at the different types of educational programs that exist.

What type of program is best . . .?

Choosing the wrong type of program can complicate your quest for a good job and more money.

Do you need education to help you figure out what to do with your life?

If so, a liberal arts program at a traditional college or university might be your best choice, but traditional academic programs don’t meet everyone’s needs.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m the proud product of some small state college in a beautiful little town in the middle of nowhere. I’m just saying that traditional academic programs aren’t for everyone.

Career and trade programs

Where academic programs are often broad in their scope, career and trade programs are more focused. Their primary goal is to help students master a set of skills required for competence in a very specific field.

These programs can often be completed quicker than traditional academic programs. They include subjects like:

• Healthcare
• Dental Assisting
• Massage Therapy
• Paralegal Studies
• Computer Technology
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts 

Career and trade programs are designed to help someone qualify for and secure a very specific type of job.

Licensure programs

Some fields require that their professionals have a specific type of license to perform their job functions:

• Pilots
• Truck drivers
• Real estate professionals
• Pharmacy technicians

These types of programs are often considered a subset of the career and trade group.

Specialty programs

Believe it or not, there is a school out there for just about every type of education. Specialty schools are the way to go for less-common career types.

Consider the following:

• R. I. Merrill Institute of Bootmaking, Vernal, Utah
• Barnett Bicycle Institute, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Aroma Apothecary Healing Arts Academy, Austin, Texas

If there’s something you want to learn, I guarantee that there’s someone willing to teach you.

Professional programs

Some professions require advanced types of degrees. Professionals in these fields, and others, are usually required to get education beyond a traditional 4-year degree:

• Medicine
• Law
• Optometry
• Pharmacy
• Accounting
• Religious Ministry
• Education 

Continuing education

Continuing education comes in all shapes and sizes.

Many professions, like teaching, require that their members continue their education throughout their career.

Other people turn to continuing education programs to supplement their professional knowledge or personal interests.

Non-degree seeking educational programs are very important to the ongoing education of society.

What’s best for you?

While, traditional academic programs make great learning environments for a large number of people, they’re not for everyone. 

Choosing the right type of program is the most important thing you can do to get a better job and make more money.

The next post in this series will look at how to choose the best type of college for the program you’ve selected.

Need help finding the right college? Click to get started now!

What would you do with $1,030.31 more each month?

This is the second post in our series College search 101. Earlier we looked at how to figure out what to do with the rest of your life. Now we’ll look at the secret to getting a better job and making more money. 

More know equals more dough

How would you respond if I told you there was a way for the average adult to increase their earnings by $1,030.31 a month?

Well, according to U.S. census data published in 2006, a single increase in level of education equals exactly that for the average American.

Take a look at this chart:

If the information from the U.S. Census Bureau is correct, someone who never finished high school stands to make another $802.83 a month just by getting their GED.

No wonder my high school counselor pushed me so hard to go to summer school.

What else is in it for me?

The College Board – the organization behind the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) – produces a great document each year called Education Pays that lists out dozens of other benefits from higher levels of education. Including:

Increased employer-provided health insurance and pension benefits.

More positive perceptions of personal health and healthier lifestyles.

Lower:

• Unemployment rates
• Poverty rates
• Smoking rates

Higher levels of:

• Civic participation
• Volunteer work
• Voting
• Blood donation

College education also correlates with greater levels of openness to the opinions of others.

While I certainly am motivated by a desire to have greater levels of openness to the opinions of others, these studies make me look at my little bachelor’s degree and wonder how much prettier a master’s would look sitting next to my extra $1,173.58 each month.

It makes sense to me.

The next post in this series will look at how to choose a program that will help you get a better job and make more money.

Need help finding the right college? Click to get started now!

Make a wish! What do you want to do with the rest of your life?

In this series, College search 101, we’ll look at some tips and tricks to help you find the right college.

Before we start digging into the meat of the series, let’s take a quick look at why education is so important.

What do I want to do with the rest of my life?

It’s a question we ask ourselves at regular intervals – during high school, during college, at our first real job, at our second, at our third . . . I think you get the picture.

Birthdays are especially bad for pushing us to reconsider – Jerry Seinfeld said it best:

“Well, birthdays are merely symbolic of how another year’s gone by and how little we’ve grown. No matter how desperate we are that someday a better self will emerge, each flicker of the candles on the cake, we know it’s not to be. That for the rest of our sad, wretched, pathetic lives, this is who we are to the bitter end. Inevitably, irrevocably. Happy birthday? No such thing.” (Episode no. 56)

Depressing, isn’t it?

Regardless of whether it’s a birthday or not, everyone has moments of dissatisfaction, and usually, it’s because some need isn’t being met.

What does everyone need?

Now, I’m not going to be all Abraham Maslow about the whole thing and discuss hierarchical needs, but the fact is that we become most dissatisfied when there are deficiencies in our lives.

The deficiencies that move us to take action are:

• Physiology (eating, drinking, sleeping, warmth)
• Safety (security from crime, unemployment, illness, accidents)
• Love (belonging, friendship, intimacy, family)
• Esteem (confidence, achievement, respect)
• Self-actualization (morality, problem solving, fulfillment)

Whenever one of these things is missing from someone’s life, they are driven to take some sort of action.

As much as I hate to say it, many of the stressors and deficiencies in our lives are related to our jobs and levels of income.

It all boils down to how much we like what we do each day, how much money we make, and what we do with the money once we have it.

Do you like what you do each day? Need more money?

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I physiologically well? Am I healthy? Do I have enough money to make healthy choices?
• Am I safe? Is my family? Would I benefit from making more money and moving my family to a safer place?
• Am I happy in my relationships? Do my finances place unnecessary strain on my family or the people I care about?
• Do I like what I do for a living? Would I make more money if I were better at my job or if I went down an entirely different career path?
• Does what I do every day bring fulfillment to my life?

When people are honest with themselves, they usually admit that a better job or more money will make them happier.

If you don’t believe me, answer this question – what would you change in your life if you had another $1,000 each month?

Would the change make you happier?

That’s what I thought.

For most people, the answer to the question “what do I want to do with the rest of my life?” is very, very simple.

I want to have a better job and make more money.

The next post in this series will look at how continuing your education will increase your earnings by an average of $1,030.31 each month.

Need help finding the right college? Click to get started now!