It’s not exactly a newsflash that the planet is in great peril. While there have been tremendous strides toward curbing carbon emissions, the U.S. and others still have a long way to go before the planet is back on track. That’s why many in the up-and-coming generation are opting for jobs that help solve the crisis of our lifetime. So for those interested in tackling the issue from a Policy Research perspective, check out the below schools with top-notch programs:
Impressive High School Internships in the Environment
There are few issues more pressing than climate change. As the world battles with unprecedented fires, storms, and drought due to man-made climate change, it’s going to take a Herculean effort to, not only cut carbon emissions, but also adapt human life. The good news is, there is a lot young people can do. In fact, a group of kids recently won a long-shot case in against the government in Montana for the harmful effects of climate on their home state. As always, we advise our students to seek out internships where they can actually work on projects and produce results. It’s far more impressive to be somewhere you can say you accomplished xy and z than it is to have a fancy company or organization on your resume where you obviously spent your internship getting coffee for executives.
Best Extracurriculars for Prospective Environmental Science Majors
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.
Best Colleges for Green Energy
The climate is changing, and how we power our planet is changing too. Environmental engineering and green energy will experience one of the highest growth rates for high-income jobs in the next few years, and current and rising college students are poised to take advantage of the opportunities this growth presents.
Best Colleges for Environmental Justice
If you’re interested in the combination of environmental studies, sciences, policy, and anthropology, you may want to pursue a course of study in environmental justice. Environmental justice is a lens applied to environmentalism that incorporates principles of social justice into the bigger question of sustainability.
Best Colleges for Environmental Policy
Environmental Policy is an uncommon major, minor, or concentration program that involves a foundation in the study of the environment and climate change layered with policy courses, economics courses, and natural resource management courses. Environmental Policy programs explore the connection between dollars and nature, and the economic and social forces that impact the environment. Students that pursue this program dig into the balance between environmental use and protection, and students with this major may go work for public or private agencies that are involved in the management or planning of natural resources.
Best Colleges for Environmental Studies
Environmental Studies is one of the most popular and widely available majors in America, especially at small and medium-sized liberal arts schools. It’s a science major, but it’s not. It’s a humanities major, but it’s not. It’s that perfect kind of in-between course of study that accommodates humanities students scared of calc and science students who also like literature. Even better: it’s on the cutting edge. The course lists for Environmental Studies majors include geology and the study of past environmental events and trends, but are typically heavily weighted towards courses that are dealing with the here and now — and the future.
Best Colleges for Environmental Science
If you’re considering a major in Environmental Science, finding a college that offers exactly what you’re looking for can be a little tough. Almost every college offers something that looks like Environmental Science — or at least sounds like it — and some people will say, “Isn’t that just biology?” Well, first, no, it’s not. Environmental Science is not the same as biology. It’s studying the environment in a way that overlays natural sciences, social sciences, and policy. Most Environmental Science programs approach this through the lens of problem-solving, hence the policy side.
How to Build Out Your Extracurriculars for Environmental Science
Environmental Science is becoming the sleeper hit among our clients. There seems to be no other issue that unites Gen Z more than our planet. Oceans, rivers, lakes, plains, and the status of our kids’ own backyards has dominated our client calls for months. It’s also becoming a wildly popular major across top colleges, with many creating in-depth programs aimed at alleviating climate change.