With climate change becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, studying environmental science in college has never been more popular among students who want to make a difference in the world. If you’re interested in becoming the next great environmental scientist, or even saving us from global warming, you’ll need to think carefully about how you present yourself in your college applications.
Colleges can only accept so many students for each major. So, when you apply, they aren’t just thinking about you as a student in general, but through the specific lens of what you want to study (and no, saying undecided doesn’t fix it — it really hurts an application). If you want to study Environmental Science, which would make sense given that you’re reading this post, that means calibrating your whole application towards your area of focus to show that you know what you want, and you’ve been working towards it for a while.
This isn’t to say that you should only do major-oriented things ever. Most colleges, especially those with broad distribution requirements or an intensive “core” curriculum, want students who are well-rounded with evidence of success across academic fields, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t also looking for a passionate fire in your belly that you’re excited to focus in on environmental studies.
If you’re a prospective environmental studies major, these are the four activities we recommend you invest time and energy in well before it comes time to press submit. They shouldn’t be the only four activities you do, but they should be priorities in your life not just because they look good on your application, but because they are a ton of fun if the environment is your thing.
Knowing your major is a great step towards a strong application, but it is the beginning of the race, not the end. If you want to know how we can help you finish the race in front, send us an email. We’re champions at this.
Join an Environmental Advocacy Club
First, you need to join whatever environmental advocacy club currently exists at your high school. If they’re not doing exactly what you want to be doing, that’s fine — work your way to the top. This club is an in-road to a community of people who care about the things you do, and will help you build relationships (and friendships) that will help you get ahead while having fun. If your school does not have a club focused on environmental advocacy or environmental issues, you need to start one. If that sounds overwhelming, send us an email. We help students every step of the way.
Volunteer with an Environmental Organization
Volunteering is an important part of any college application and any life. We encourage all of our students to volunteer with a local or national organization at least every other week. Volunteering can look different, too, based on what your school schedule looks like. Some students have opportunities to volunteer during the school day, others need to do it on the weekends, while many have successfully found virtual volunteering opportunities that allow them to slot giving back into slivers of time. Ideally, you should volunteer for an organization for at least one year, as this shows long-term vision and commitment. You should also be creative in how you think about where to volunteer. It could be with an awareness-raising or advocacy organization, a local green energy initiative, a zoo with a conservation focus, or even your town or city parks department.
Join a National Movement
Once you’ve dialed in your volunteer opportunity — or even parallel to it — you should join a national movement like 350.org or Roots & Shoots. If you love marches, protests, and making your voice heard, 350.org may be a perfect fit. If you’re a gentler leader who cares deeply about people, animals, and the environment, you should join Roots & Shoots, a global youth organization founded by famed conservationist and scientist Jane Goodall.
Zoom In on An Interest
You’ve got a lot going on, but there’s one more thing we’d like you to do. You need to do one summer internship or summer course that zooms in on a specific interest you have under the umbrella of environmental sciences. For example, we’ve had students assist doctoral students in counting sharks off the coast of California, while others have worked in labs studying algae as a potential source of green energy. Whether it’s close to home or an opportunity you have to travel for, take this as a chance to follow a dream.
Environmental science is a big umbrella of a subject with so much that falls under it. What you do outside of the classroom will help those who read your application (“application readers”) understand exactly what it is you are passionate about, and how you’ll be able to use their program to become an expert in what you love.
If you’re looking at your activities list and thinking “wow, I messed up,” send us an email. We help go from confused and frustrated to conquering the admissions process.