Expert: Bruce - 9/10/2009

Question
QUESTION: I'm only a freshman but i want to get my future figured out and everything before its too late. and i don't really know how the whole college thing works. I'm not sure if id go to a four year college or just go straight to veterinary  college after high school. i don't even know what colleges are out there let alone which one i want to go to. so could you please help me??? all i know is that i want to do something with animals because they are my life.

ANSWER: Hi Nicole,

You have lots of time to make these kinds of choices. Please don't feel needlessly rushed.

To be a vet, you'd need to get a regular college degree (usally in the sciences) and then go to Vet school for another 3 years or so. Vet school is very tough to get in to, so you'll want to develop good study habits now and earn good marks.

I encourage you to go to your guidance office and read up on careers, and also to take whatever interest inventories are available there. These can help you think about careers.

If you identify a particular part of the country I can suggest colleges to check out when that time comes.

Best wishes,

BC

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: would it be the same process if i wanted to become a zookeeper? because I'm not exactly sure if i want to be a vet yet. it just seems too routine. and i thought that maybe a zookeeper would be more exciting. but other than those two career choices i can't really think of anything else to do with animals. any ideas?

Answer
Hi Nicole,
Sorry for the delay, I thought i'd answered this already.

Go to the web site for Jefferson Community College in Watertown, NY and check out the curriculum they have for training zookeepers. This will give you an idea of how tp prepare for this kind of career.

BC