My D is interested in pursuing the biological sciences with an end goal of doing research in the life sciences(not interested in medical school). She is aware that a graduate degree is required to secure viable employment. I have seen statistics that point to a glut of biology grads on the market and a commensurate impact on average income What undergrad programs offer the best springboard to meaningful research career paths? Does it make sense to seek out niche undergrad programs in bioinformatics or biochemistry, cell, and molecular biology to help differentiate oneself for grad school admission and employment?
Consider smaller schools, and LACs with a tradition of engaging undergraduates in research. Consider schools with co-op programs and a big tradition of internships, something she should start seeking out as early as her freshman year. Encourage your daughter to be proactive in college, to seek out professors and paid/volunteer opportunities in labs.
My daughter is currently in a PhD program in a biology branch of translational science. She picked this field – and likewise her colleagues picked this field – because she was interested in it, not because she thought it would be a better springboard to a job. Passion for your subject is a must if you’re going to be devoting a decade or so to your schooling!
While doing her Master’s, she spoke to a lot of professional research scientists who told her that if they had to do it again, they’d get an MBA instead of going for a PhD following their Master’s. Apparently, there is a shortage of scientists who can also deal with budgets, funding allocation and management. And these positions pay better and don’t require publish-or-perish.
Daughter ultimately decided she wanted to be more of a lab scientist and less of a bean counter, but it was good food for thought.
Do not discourage your D from pursuing subjects that interest her most. btw- some fields with bio- in their titles are highly mathematical. Consider Computational Biology- math and as one professor stated he took no biology to get there.
btw- it will be your D’s decision, not yours. As an entering freshman she will have plenty of time to refine her goals. She needs to like what she does, not attempt to do something just because there are jobs available. She may ultimately engage in the business end of things but that can come later. Encourage her to explore the facets of the world that interest her. Practicality will come. We were pleasantly surprised when our son, who preferred theoretical math, added the computer science major and now has an intellectually satisfying job with that. Many paths to one’s ultimate employment.
Problem is, there are a ton of pre-meds that take biology as their course of study and then don’t get into med school. So that leaves a ton of biology majors on the market. Good news is that the med schools usually take the cream of the crop of biology majors (for those who want to go), so they aren’t in “the pool” of true biology majors.
katliamom - any suggestions for smaller schools and LAC’s with a tradition of undergrad research and internships? We live in the Boston area with a plethora of high priced choices in our backyard, but we are entertaining schools further afield - University of Delaware, University of Maryland - Baltimore County, University of Scranton, Union, and Dickinson. D is only entering junior year of high school, but she’s starting to develop her list. We don’t want to break the bank; indeed, we would welcome schools that grant some merit aid or are affordable out of state options (her older sister just graduated from a Virginia state school - in 4 years and she is gainfully employed in the DC area.) She’s passionate about the life sciences, and I am sure she’ll find her niche (she has attended summer stem programs at WPI and Brown). I’m merely trying to give her some direction. Forgive my emphasis on practical job outcomes - I just don’t want to see her as a barista at Starbuck’s with a biology degree. Thank you for sharing your daughter’s path and insights.
I would consider schools where your daughter could participate in undergraduate research, get to know her professors, and obtain relevant internships. I agree that this should begin during her freshman year and your daughter should be proactive.
Your daughter may decide she loves lab work and research… or she may change her mind and realize that it is not for her. That is the beauty of the experience. My daughter has had three research positions so far as an undergraduate- the two that were on campus could have lasted until graduation if she wanted. She does not want research as a career path, but each position has given her more and more insight into what she may want to do following graduation.
She just called me with the news that she has another research position- this one is not in a lab and she is thrilled.
Let your daughter be the guide here- it will work out.
twogirls -
Where did your daughter apply to school? What school does she currently attend?
Your daughter will not work at Starbucks with a biology degree… unless of course she wants to.
My daughter spent the summer in a research facility with many who graduated with degrees in biology. She became very close with her immediate group… they were happily employed and self supporting. Like I mentioned… Let your daughter be the guide here.
Chilldad, I totally understand about busting the budget! Check out how much research is being done at the public campuses you’re targeting: are they true research institutions or mostly teaching ones?
Do the schools have a good relationship with the local business/research community? Other schools? This can be crucial. For example, a local private near me isn’t known for its science research, but it has great industry connections. My daughter went to Northeastern, but interned for 3 years at a Harvard lab. So a well connected school should offer opportunities beyond its campus. And if you’re in the Boston area, there will be plenty of opportunities!
This is where an on-campus visit - and a FRANK talk with a faculty member may be invaluable. Be honest in what you’re looking for, and ask if the school has it.
Will your daughter qualify for work-study? If so, I’d encourage her to look for an on-campus lab job. That’s how my daughter stared: working in a laboratory doing research that my daughter had very little, if that, interest in! But it gave her lab experience and contacts that in turn gave her the edge when it came time for internships.
Chilldad,
I think your concern is valid. I have seen a lot of people with biology degrees and with out a high enough paying job to really pay back loans and support themselves and so they went back to school to become an RN, or get a teaching certificate. One person with graduate schooling, did post doc work for years. Another somehow was able to get into a computer company as a software engineer to get a salary to support a family. That being said, like others have mentioned it is her life BUT if you are contributing financially you do have a say. What about a bio undergrad and then bio tech as grad program and then work in one of the industries such as pharma?
Ah… one of my D1’s HS classmates has been managing a Caribou coffee shop (like Starbucks, but in the Midwest) since graduating from a decently ranked LAC in Bio a few years ago. She has not been able to find a bio related job, and her MCATs & GPA weren’t quite good enough for med school. She is applying to PA (Physician’s Assistant) schools for this fall.
There is a definite glut of bio majors who wanted to go to med school, but didn’t get in.
What about biology majors who want to do research? The OPs daughter doesn’t want medical school.
Right. But she will definitely need to go to grad school. I am saying your kid may work in a coffee shop unless they want to go in the grad school.
“any suggestions for smaller schools and LAC’s with a tradition of undergrad research and internships?”
I highly suggest considering some of the women’s colleges like Bryn Mawr and Smith which are very strong in the sciences and provide merit aid.
Many research positions in the natural sciences require at least a Masters or even a PhD.
Also, if one wants to pursue Pharma, a chemistry/chemistry related major is far better from what I’ve gathered from relatives/friends I know who work in that field.
Pharma used to employ armies of PhD medicinal chemists - now a lot of the synthetic chemistry is outsourced to companies in China and India. I’m in academia and we are ordering synthesis from overseas rather than collaborating with an academic lab since it is so much more cost-effective.
There are a lot of premeds who choose biology as a major because most of the premed requirements overlap with the biology major requirements. Those who don’t go on to medicine or other health professions are stuck with a degree that was chosen based on convenience/expediency rather than genuine interest - this often comes out in the interviews so they are not attractive applicants for stem positions.
I’ve had undergrads who were pre-med or who were pre-grad school in my lab, and there is typically a substantial difference in intellectual commitment to the project. I’ve had techs who didn’t get into med school; some embraced their change in career but others never made the commitment wholeheartedly. Now a candidate who is premed or “failed” premed has to really wow me in an interview before I will give him/her a chance.
I should add, I agree with the advice that your kid should follow her interests. Research technology moves too quickly to predict what will be fashionable years down the line. Stripped to basics, research is about identifying a good question, figuring out ways to answer it, trouble-shooting along the way, synthesizing data to arrive at possible conclusions, and then communicating it all effectively. These skills can be learned in any area of science that your daughter is interested in, and during the course of a long successful career she will need to learn to evolve her interests as methodologies and knowledge evolve. I am in a much different discipline now than I was in graduate school - very few of my colleagues are working in areas directly related to their graduate work, let alone their undergraduate focus.
Learning research skills in a major chosen for interest rather than in anticipation of marketability will make it easier for your daughter to learn to be good at research. It is hard to commit long hours of thoughtful effort if one isn’t excited by the topic. Getting a good start at developing strong research skills as an undergrad positions her well for grad school even if it’s in a very different area, and so on through a long research career.
In terms of majors, there are tons of choices relating to research in the life sciences. Which one she chooses and where will depend on her interests. For example, some of the majors available include plant biology and plant science, horticulture, forestry, entomology, biology, molecular biology, wildlife biology, environmental science, soil science, water science, snow science, computational biology, biostatistics, paleobotany, marine science, chemistry, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, biophysics, biochemistry, structural biology, animal science, food science, astrobiology and on and on.
Some science research involves a lot of field work, which could mean going to tropical forests around the world, visiting antarctica, tracking wildlife in the mountains or heading out into the ocean on research vessels. Other sciences involve intensive lab work known as “wet lab” work, which involves chemicals and expensive lab equipment. Other sciences involve “dry lab” work which is basically a reference to scientific research involving computing, especially high performance computing (using supercomputers). Other sciences involve agriculture and studying how to grow food that can withstand stresses like drought or pollution or disease. Other research can involve insects and birds as pollinators. Add to all of these the many areas of scientific research relating to human health and epidemiology. “Life sciences” is a huge topic.
My daughter is hoping to get a PhD in a life sciences field to have a research career, and I have looked at admissions requirements for many of the PhD programs out there. Here is what nearly all of them look for, that your daughter can pursue through a wide range of majors, minors, electives and activities:
- courses in biology, chemistry, physics and math – with specific courses including organic chemistry and biochemistry, calculus and ideally linear algebra and multivariable calculus
- courses in computer science and statistics (with Python and R being used most in life sciences research now)
- lots of research experience (can be on campus during academic year or done through summer research internships anywhere in the USA or world – options on campus can include working in a lab as a paid undergraduate research assistant, volunteering to help with research, getting credit for a directed study research project, etc., while summer research internships you can apply for typically starting around October for the following summer)
- 3 recommendations commenting on the research experience
- GPA 3.0 minimum, 3.5 preferred, 3.8 for major graduate school fellowships like NSF and better shot at admissions (if you have your own funding, you are more likely to get admitted)
- GRE scores above 85th percentile for top programs
- bonuses include presenting the research though posters and oral presentations and getting published, winning awards and honors, leadership, scientific outreach, and teaching/tutoring experience.
Yes, it’s ridiculously competitive, and many jobs are being outsourced, but I haven’t seen a career path yet that isn’t facing the same challenges. If she follows the above advice, she should know well before she is done with her bachelor’s degree whether she really wants a career in research or not, and what the options and target employers are for her particular niche within the life sciences. She should also have acquired many quantitative skills and other skills and knowledge that can translate well to other careers, including data analyst, science journalist or documentary film maker, museum educator, technical sales person, and many other positions, including many in the health care industry.
So to answer your questions – what to major in and where – she can really achieve all of the above objectives (PhD prerequisites and foundation for various careers) through a wide range of majors, and at all kinds of colleges, from LACs to very large research universities. The top research universities that get the most federal research funding are all members of the American Association of Universities (aau.edu). I have seen students from LACs do their summer research internships at the bigger universities that are members of AAU, while students at the research universities often stay on campus in the summer to conduct (or continue) research. Your daughter should follow what her own interests and preferences are for a major and university, as there are many paths to a research career in the life sciences.
The Association of American Universities (aau.edu) is what I was referring to above. Its members include 60 universities in the USA and two in Canada.