Graduate School

Here are some tips and resources for increasing your chances for grad school acceptance.

First of all, below is a list of some classes to take that will increases your chance to get into graduate school:  Organic Chemistry  Statistics  Genetics  Anatomy and/or Physiology  Evolution and Extinction  Next, you're ready to start asking yourself questions about Graduate Programs:  1.  Choose what kind of program you'd like- do you want to continue with science, or maybe go into environmental law or medicine?  Perhaps you'll find graduate study in museum curation combining anthropological and zoological studies more interesting.  Or perhaps you'll want to join two majors which are seemingly unrelated, like political science in the ecological field; (for example a foreign relations major with emphasis on international treaties for the ocean or regarding ecological laws.)  2.  Should you choose to continue on with science, which division do you like best?  More zoology (physiology, biophysiochemistry, ecology?) Microbiology?  Ecology? Which kind: population, disaster recovery, edge, successional, ... Which ecosystem:  terra, marine, freshwater, desert, mountain, rainforest, plains wetland, glacial drift, forest, arctic, savannah, river, lake intertidal, reef, openwater, shoreline? Which climate: tropical, maritime, temperate, arctic, desert? Specific to one group of animals (ornithology, herpetology, icthyology, mammology, entomology, primatology, plankton)?  Medicine? 3.   Which aspect of zoology is most appealing and would make you wish to explore further?  Behavior  Keystone species and species/environmental interaction Ecosystem degradation and indicator species Evolutionary zoology Biophysics Environmental Protection and Social Issues (Peace Corps) 4.  Read up on your chosen favorites- Go to the biology libraries on campus, find some journals that interest you, and read some articles about what you find most interesting; notice which of them have acknowledgements.  This is an indication of whether this school is receiving any extra funding.  Once you have an idea of what you want,  5.  Explore the different universities that you notice being mentioned most often- or ask around and find out which colleges have the best programs for what you like to study.  6.  Call these universities or set up visitations.  Prepare a list of questions relevant or important to you and your interests.

While you're thinking about what you want to study...  Check out the University of Wisconsin's Prospective Grad Students page.  Check our university's information for Current Grad Students.  Check out the University of Wisconsin's Grad School Information:  Consider the other issues, like:  Financial Issues  Admissions  After grad school  Applying  Minority Programs  People to Contact  When Things Happen    When you are thinking about getting to graduation and beyond, this is where your advisor can be very helpful.  When you signed up for your major, you were assigned (or chose) an advisor.  Talk to him/her about your future.  Make your appointment with Shannon Schoolmeesters, the Undergraduate Advisor.  Take advantage of the Career Resource Center on the 1st floor of Inghraham Hall.

This "grocery list" is to help you decide where you want to be, and therefore enhance your chances for finding exactly what you want.  Zoology is an incredibly diverse field.  You're better off narrowing down your interests and then seeking your options.