New Members paleoguy26 Posted January 14, 2015 New Members Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hello everyone, I am new here to the site and I joined to talk with other individuals on subject of paleontology. I am 26 yrs. old and considering starting an education in the field and I'm looking for advice. First things fist I did terrible in high school to say the least. I want to go to a local community college to start in their associates of science program with a focus in biology and geology. I am wondering if this is particle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Combining Geo and Bio will make you pretty marketable within the field. Do it 'cause you love it, though, not to make a ton of money. 1 "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleoworld-101 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hi there and welcome to the forum. Having an interest in palaeontology is great and i applaud you for looking into making a career out of it. If successful i can't think of many other jobs that are as interesting or rewarding as furthering our knowledge of life from the Earth's past. Having said that you need to be realistic and have a good look into how long it will take to get qualified, how much it might end up costing, whether you will end up with a job at the end and what area you want to specialise in. These are not easy things to figure out and it takes time. Palaeontology in my opinion likely isn't something that you can just decide to do one day out of the blue and instantly be on your way to success. Usually people that do end up taking this career path have had a lifelong passion and know the science well from a young age. That isn't to say you can't be successful starting from square one when you begin your degree because you can but it just makes things easier if you have that drive. Any serious research career in Palaeontology will most likely require a PhD so you'd be looking at around 10 years or more just to get qualified which is a big commitment. Then there's the issue of employment, which depends on where about's you are in the world. Generally employment prospects for palaeontologists anywhere is not good. If you go down the fuel exploration route there's big money to be made but if you want to stick to actual animals or plants and stuff like that (which is basically everyone haha) then the money is not too good but of course depends where you work. A lot of the time palaeontologists are chasing research grants or other funding just to get their work under way. As for the actual difficulty of the content, i think it depends if in high school you did badly because you didn't try or because you just genuinely didn't understand. If it was a lack of effort (we've all been there) then i think you'd be fine if you really put in the time and commitment. The hardest thing i think to grasp with a science career is the maths, which is not always needed but a lot of the time unavoidable. You might also need to be proficient in statistics as well. Not trying to put you off by any means, just letting you know how it is. Any other questions feel free to ask. I'm a palaeontology student myself (undergraduate) so i know the concerns you must have in mind and can relate to them. 2 "In Africa, one can't help becoming caught up in the spine-chilling excitement of the hunt. Perhaps, it has something to do with a memory of a time gone by, when we were the prey, and our nights were filled with darkness..." -Eternal Enemies: Lions And Hyenas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Man Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) Playing catch up is not fun and I know this from personal experience. My high school grades were definitely not the best nor did I complete any advanced courses. Some time later I had to catch up on my math and science. You have to believe that you can do this..and want it. You'll want to use the two college to catch up on your general education courses and four year schools can be costly. I looked at what was required from the four year and what majors were offered then went from there. But, You asked in a nutshell.."is it worth it?" Yes Edited January 14, 2015 by Raggedy Man 1 ...I'm back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I am a American Ph.D. student studying cetacean paleontology in New Zealand, and at the end of this month will be turning in my dissertation (so I'll keep this brief, since I gotta get to campus). My grades in high school were pretty terrible; math has always been a bit of a struggle for me, and I don't think I earned a B average until the middle of my undergraduate course of study. If you care about paleontology - especially if you come into it after taking a few years off from high school and allow yourself to mature and become more responsible in terms of studying - you'll go far as long as you have the passion and interest. You'll never know how far you can go until you try. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members paleoguy26 Posted January 14, 2015 Author New Members Share Posted January 14, 2015 Thank you for all so much your kind word and encouragement thus far. I have always had a passion for the field I just never thought as a kid that I could do it. I did poorly in school due to this fact. I had gotten down on myself by listening to other people. What really interest me are theropod dinosaur and the evolution of birds. also anything to do with their biology is fascinating to me. Going back to my main question here, do you guys think the community college route to start with would be a good idea to get me back in the habit of school? Any suggestion I would greatly appreciate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) Paleoguy26, I think the Community College route would be a good start for you. This way you can see, at minimal expense, if you have the aptitude and desire to really go back to school for 6 or more years. Like you said starting with an associates in science, focusing on biology and geology in a transfer program for a 4 year school would be great. If they do not have a transfer program at your local CC in those fields, just make sure the classes you take have credits that will transfer to a 4 year school. I applaud your desire to go back and get an education, I wish I had done it earlier than I did. I went back at age 46, through the community college route and now have an AS in electronics engineering and a BS in industrial engineering. Edit: and we all know what BS stands for ........................... Edited January 14, 2015 by sixgill pete 1 Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Edit: and we all know what BS stands for ........................... Ha.... BS = Bull S. MS = More S. PhD = Piled high and Deep And yes, it comes down to "Is it worth it?" For me, it also comes down to "Am I interested in it?" If I'm sufficiently interested, I'll get drawn in to the point of it being all-consuming. If I'm not interested, my eyes will just move over the words regardless of the importance of the subject matter. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 There is a lot of good advice above. I don't have too much to add, but will say this... even if you go to the CC and give it the ole college try (forgive me), you will at least learn something, and that is not a bad thing. Even if what you learn is that you are not cut out for this. But maybe what you will learn is how much more interesting it all is when you are older and wiser, and that you can do it. But beware.. the job market in this field is slim. At the same time, if you focus on either bio or geo, you can, with the help of an adviser, direct your career in a more profitable direction, and still learn a lot about paleo and keep it on the side as n avocation. Have fun and good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members paleoguy26 Posted January 14, 2015 Author New Members Share Posted January 14, 2015 been interested since I was a kid....somewhere along the way I let the notion of you cant do this get in my way but since I gotten older and I guess a little bit wiser I've seen that was the wrong mindset. I have to agree with the above statement that learning in any capacity is a good thing and moves you forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 One thing I will say about learning geology and biology in college is that it gives you a foundational framework -- in a structured environment -- for your interest in paleontology. Better yet, you will learn more about how to learn, if you know what I mean. Plus, you may be introduced to concepts that you didn't even know you were interested in. Even if you happen to do nothing with it career-wise, knowing many of the fundamentals enriches the whole experience. 1 Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 As a college professor, I'd say that the CC route is a great option, particularly if you have been out of school for a while. You will get personal attention from someone who is just there to teach, and often class sizes are smaller than you would get as a freshman in university. While many people thrive as freshmen and sophomores at universities, many others feel lost in the crowd. Also the faculty have many responsibilities, such as research, graduate student training, grant writing, and serving on various committees, in addition to classroom teaching, so it may be hard for you to get personal attention if you need that. Just be sure to work with a good advisor and make sure your CC classes will transfer for university credit. As you progress through your education, keep in mind that there are various options for careers available. It is possible to end up as a museum or university specialist working on dinosaurs, as you indicated you would like, and if you want you can go for that. However you will learn that it's a very long haul when you add up undergrad, graduate school (perhaps MSc, definitely PhD), postdoctoral studies, etc. For example I was 39 when I started as a university faculty, having spent 4 years in undergrad, 3 years on a Masters, 5 years on a PhD, and over 5 years in postdoctoral positions. (None of those had anything to do with paleontology BTW). Also there are very few positions that come open; the competition is fierce for every opening, which is why it takes years to amass the "credentials" (publications, grants, etc). Of course if you don't try you'll never get there. That being said, I know people who have a great career teaching geology courses in middle and high school, and they have the summers to persue their interests. Some lead field courses in paleontology, taking students out West to dig for dinosaurs. Some collaborate with academic researchers. I know of one leading trilobite specialist who publishes prolifically, and has spent most of his "professional" career as a high school teacher. In my own case an interest in paleontology led to an interest in biology, and eventually to a career as a biology professor. So follow your dreams, work hard, do your best, and keep your eyes open. Don't succumb to tunnel vision; part of the beauty of higher education is that you get to encounter fields you never even knew existed, and you may find those directions even more appealing. Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Junior colleges are interesting places. It was stated earlier, and they are absolutely correct, make sure the JUCO classes will transfer. Make sure that the classes you take are the classes you need. There are levels to the classes offered. Introductory chemistry may be all you need, but will it transfer? Also, will it be enough for a four year school? Taking general chem may be best in the long run......if you can handle it. (You can never have enough chemistry.......ever). Same with math. Same with english. Etc. Good luck on your endeavor. I went back to school, and have not regreted it. Brent Ashcraft Adjunct, Chemistry and Biology BS chemistry 1986 mns biology, secondary emphasis in chemistry 2009 1 ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiggieCie Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Paleoguy26, Life is long! Do something you love. Ziggie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoscrawler Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I'm a 28 year old trim carpenter that has wanted to go back to school for years my advice do it just jump into it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 It it were me, I'd do a double major, the second one in a more lucrative, in demand, recession proof field. During times of economic downturn, non essential programs are the first to lose budget. The time value of money is unforgiving, and it is best to start investing for retirement in your 20s. Studying paleo would be fulfilling, but other fields, some related, like geology or hydrology, could better fund a lifetime of killer field excursions. 1 Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooth_claw Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I enrolled at University as a mature age student with the vague idea to work in palaeontology. Turns out that the hard science was not for me but through diligence, patience and luck I have managed to create a career as a fossil Preparator- all of the fossils come my way with none of the academic drudgery. It did take years before I had earned a paid position though, be prepared to hold down a regular job while you chase your dream. I always tell visitors/school kids that you do not have to be a scientist to be involved in Palaeo-you could try tech staff (preparator/field worker/moulding & casting), palaeo art (sculpture/painting/animation/photography), science communications (TV/radio/print/electronic media/reviewer) and any others that you can think of, Palaeontology is a 'jack of all trades' industry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 ... I always tell visitors/school kids that you do not have to be a scientist to be involved in Palaeo-you could try tech staff (preparator/field worker/moulding & casting), palaeo art (sculpture/painting/animation/photography), science communications (TV/radio/print/electronic media/reviewer) and any others that you can think of, Palaeontology is a 'jack of all trades' industry. You are so right! Never pass a chance to say "yes" to a volunteer opportunity. This is where many related skills can be learned (tuition free!), and how a network of contacts is built. 1 "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Ha.... BS = Bull S. MS = More S. PhD = Piled high and Deep And yes, it comes down to "Is it worth it?" For me, it also comes down to "Am I interested in it?" If I'm sufficiently interested, I'll get drawn in to the point of it being all-consuming. If I'm not interested, my eyes will just move over the words regardless of the importance of the subject matter. That was pretty much my experience with college! You have a way with words... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TyrannosaurusRex Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Whatever career you choose good luck. I too want to go for paleontology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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