Expert: Walter Hintz - 4/12/2008

Question
Dear Walter, I understand that you have been teaching biolgy for over 50 years so I ask, what is you advise for us who vision ourselves one day in involving ourselves in that field? I for one love biology and what it offer me. What should I do to prepare myself for college. What should I expect? What do you think that I should focus on? What do you believe that I should do to help me have an advantage when I go to college. I’m sorry for all the questions, I’m a senior in high school, so I’m a bit curious. I hope that you can help me out cause I’m a bit lost.

Answer
Hi pete;
 Good for you.  Since you are a senior I assume that you have taken your high school science courses. When you go to college you should enroll as a biology major.  If you want to be a teacher then you should also enroll in the education courses. Take all biology courses offered as well as freshman chemistry.  If you plan to work toward a Master's degree, and I recommend it, take biochemistry.  I If you take graduate work in biology you can specialize.  If you want to be an "outdoor' type biologist you can take entomology or ornithology and ecology.  If you are interested in lab studies you can study physiology and cellular and molecular biology.
There are many areas to choose from. When you start in college biology you will find your interest.  When I started in college I was only interested in animals but I eventually liked plant studies also.  I really concentrated on field biology which is still my first love. In later years however I got involved in anatomy and physiology and in microbiology.  I have been in the ocean and in the jungle and I learn something new everyday. When somebody asks me what I do however I do not tell them I am a biologist but I tell them I am a teacher.
The field is wide open Pete.