Entry 8 – How would you spend $1M?

Total Amount of Money to Spend - $1,000,000

This is a list of how I spent that money.

1. Secret Island - Belize: $350,000

2. 24-foot Solaris Boat: $60,000
3. Quadski ATV/Jetski: $40,000

4. Top of the line Tesla Model S: $109,070

5. I adopted an Elephant, a Fennec Fox, Panda, Snow Leopard, Tiger, Polar Bear, Red Panda, an Emperor Penguin, a Sea Turtle, Giraffe, Dolphin, Arctic Fox, Pygmy Elephant, an African Black Footed Penguin, African Rhino, Orca Whale, a Whale Shark, Sumatran Rhino, Komodo Dragon, Macaw, Blue Whale, Giant Tortoise, Przewalski’s Horse, Koala, River Otter, Toucan, Tenrec, Hippopotamus, Ring-Tailed Lemur, Beluga Whale, and Sea horse.

6. Lenovo A740 All In One Desktop Computer: $1921.97

7. Lenovo Y50 Touch Laptop: $1,327.32

8. 2015 Ferrari 458 Spider: $328,194

9. Life Size Tyrannosaurus Rex Skeleton Replica: $100,000

10. Jurassic Park: The Lost World Video Arcade Game: $900

11. Jurassic Park 3 Arcade Game: $3,295

12. Nintendo New 3DS XL + protective gear: $ 305.89

13. 5 Disneyland Tickets: $890

14. Deposit into my savings account: $95.80

Entry 9 – Career Research

1. Who hires entry level professionals for your career?
1. Museums that have exhibits about natural history.
2. Oil Companies
3. Colleges/Universities
4. State and Federal Geological Surveys
2. What does one need to know and be able to do for this career? (i.e. skills, training, etc.)
1. An in depth understanding of statistics and calculus
2. The ability to listen to the ideas of his/her peers
3. Be able to think critically
4. Be an effective communicator through writing
5. Display competence with modern technology
6. Have effective materials management skills
7. Must be able to work effectively within a group
8. Know business and management techniques
9. Know biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and geography thoroughly
10. Must be able to educate and train someone effectively
3. What type of work does one do in this career?
1. Paleontologists work in the field by searching and uncovering fossils of various extinct groups of living organisms and work in the laboratory by finely cleaning the fossils of these organisms.
2. They also form hypotheses about how these creatures behaved and lived using the fossils that they have found and they may apply this knowledge to understand the precursors of evolution and extinction in today’s life forms.
3. Also, Paleontologists use fossils to study ancient climates, or other related subjects, so that the knowledge that these fossils give them can be used in comparison to today’s climate.
4. What are typical starting salaries?
1. Assistant Professor with a Ph.D - $40,000 to $60,000 for a nine month school year
2. In industry or government with a Dr. - $50,000 to $80,000
3. Geoscientists, paleontologists included, working for oil companies or gas extraction earn an average of $139,390 a year.
5. What type of benefits package can one expect?  (Medical, dental, vision, retirement, etc.)
1. Paid leaves, and Medical and life insurance
2. Various types of allowances such as travel, housing, and stipends
6. How many entry level jobs are available each year?
1. 26,090 on average for Geoscientists, including paleontologist, but excluding hydrologists and geographers
7. What is the projected outlook for job openings in this career for the next ten years?
1. Growth of 16% for Geoscientists in general
8. Where are these jobs located?
1. Most growth is going to be present in oil and gas extraction industry
9. What sort of advancements are available in this career?
1. Paleontology is known as a gateway science meaning that most students who become passionate in science usually have Paleontology to thank.
2. Paleontologists have the intriguing goal of uncovering our planets history, and so they have keen insight as to the conditions that lead to very rare events that humanity may experience in the future.
3. Also, as a Paleontologist, you understand the magnitude of the changes to the biosphere that are happening constantly.
4. In addition, Paleontology imparts huge amounts of critical thinking skills onto those who study it and it gives them the power to predict the possible rare events of the past that might happen in the future.
10. What is the average salary?
1. $91,920 on average according to shmoop.com
11. What is a high salary?  How many people make this salary?
1. $130,330 annually
2. Only 25% of all paleontologists make this much money.
3. There are about 1920 to 3200 paleontologists in the US.
4. Globally there are around 30,000 to 50,000 paleontologists
12. What professional organizations will you need to join?
1. The Palaeontological Society in Britain
1. While membership is not mandatory, it is essential for a paleontologist to communicate his findings and this society releases of the more distinguished Paleontological journals.
13. Is additional education required?  If so, what is required?
1. Yes, most paleontologists are going to need to work for a Ph.D or Doctrate degree from a Paleontology graduate program.
2. However, most consultant, museum, and industry jobs only require a Masters degree.
14. After 15 years, what second career(s) could you pursue with the same degree and/or other education?
1. Business and Administration
2. Teaching
3. Land Management consultant
4. Ecologist
5. Marine Biologist
6. Technology and Programming
7. Technical Design
15. What other relevant information did you find?
1. A career in Paleontology is very hard to achieve as well as being very expensive to earn the required degrees and risky due to a small job market.
2. Paleontologists commonly work in other fields if they plan to do so as a backup to stay out of unemployment.
3. Paleontologists have to be ready to meet a large deal of public misunderstanding, as well as dissent from other professional scientists.

Entry 10 – My Budget

Click here to view the four tables that make up my budget.

Entry 11 – Taxes

Due to issues with transporting my assignment onto the blog, please use the following link to see my tax taxes.

Entry 12 – Surprise 1

Before I explain my results, I must explain how the annual raise was determined by finding the average of the values, which were the distances of between different salaries for one year. I found my numbers in the following website. From this website I found that the average paleontologist starting salary is $59,000 and that in five years this value could raise to $67,000. Then, with ten year’s experience, the salary raises to $76,000 and that in fifthteen years this value is $84,000. Once your experience reaches at least 20 years you could achieve a salary of $98,000. To determine my annual raise I did the following calculations - ($67,000-$59,000)/5 years = $1600/year; ($76,000-$59,000)/10 years = $1700/year; ($84,000-$59,000)/15 years = roughly $1667/year; ($98,000-$59,000)/20 years = $1560. Following the calculations that got me these different yearly changes in salary I took their average: (1600+1700+1667+1560)/4 = 1631.75, which gives me my annual wage increase of $1,631.75.

One thing I am assuming with these calculations is that I am actually starting off with a salary of $59,000; in my previous research entry, I found that entry jobs for Paleontologists can pay anywhere between $40,000-$80,000 a year depending on the type of work you are doing. Also, I am assuming that I am going to be raised to these specific wages. In addition, I found two different rates from the Wells Fargo website savings accounts section, .03% and .05%, to use as a pessimistic and optimistic, respectively. With these rates I am assuming that they would stay the same for every year.

Now moving on to my actual life time earnings, with these calculations I am assuming that I will be working for only 40 years, will not be unemployed, and that I will be getting a salary raise of $1,631.75 every year.

To access the excel document please click here.

Pessimistic Future Value of Lifetime Earnings:

With my first part of the spreadsheet I am basically using the simple future value formula, PV*(i^N), to find my total earnings in 40 years. To try to get the most accurate results possible, I decided that it would be best if I calculated the future value of my base annual salary of $50,000 and my annual raise of $1,631.75 separately using the following excel equation: (A2*1.0003^C2)+(B2*1.0003^C2). The first part of the equation that starts with the cell A2 represents the future value of $50,000, while in the second part the cell called B2 is the future value of the annual raise. This equation then adds those two future values to get a total future value for that year, which is represented by cell C2 in the equation. The reason for making separate calculations as one could see on the spreadsheet is because the equation itself works for both values but since I want to calculate the future value of my lifetime earnings, I need to find a sum of all the values. The final total of these calculations came out to be $2,078,021.09, which represents the least amount of money I’ll have within 40 years.

Optimistic Future Value of Lifetime Earnings:

To find the optimistic future value of my lifetime earnings, I used the same equation and reasoning to find the pessimistic value. Except, for the optimistic value I used the interest rate of .05%, which translates the equation into: (A2*1.0005^C2)+(B2*1.0005^C2). And the cells H2, J2, and I2 took the places of the cells A2, C2, and B2 respectively. The number yielded then came out to be $2,086,577.27, which is the most amount of money I’ll make within 40 years according to the future value formula. Also, with both values yielded, I am accounting for inflation.

Pessimistic Future Value of Annuity:

The future value of annuity formula like the simple future value formula tells you how much money you would make within a certain amount of years and also accounts for inflation. To find my annuity’s, or cash flow’s, future value I used the following excel equation: O2*((((1+0.0003)^P2)-1)/0.0003). This equation was used to find my annual salary’s, my annuity’s, future value. Cell 02 is used to represent my annual income and P2 represents the amount of years I am accounting for. In addition to the value yielded by this equation, I used the equation: O5*((((1+0.0003)^P5)-1)/0.0003) to find out the future value of my annual raise, annuity, and I added both yielded values to determine my total pessimistic estimation of my annuity’s future value. The reasoning for separating my annual salary and annual raise would be to account for the fact that the future value of annuity equation assumes your present value is constant and so separating them makes sure that these two values aren’t assumed to be constant.

Optimistic Future Value of Annuity:

To find this value I used the same equation format as the pessimistic future value of annuity, except I replaced the interest rate with .05% and the cells 02 and P2 were replaced by 09 and P9 when I calculated the future value of my annual salary. Also, the equation yielding the future value of my annual raise had cells 05 and P5 changed to cells 012 and P12. The sum of both yields then gave the most amount of money I will make in 40 years.

Entry 13 - Surprise 2

For my lifetime expenses, I calculated the amount of money I would spend in 40 years for entertainment, apparel and services, food, and personal care products and services and I found my inflation rate .

Entertainment	Equation	Future Value of Annuity
$3,327	3327*((((1+0.022)^40)-1)/0.022)	$209,904.71

Apparel and Services	Equation	Future Value of Annuity
$1,817	1817*((((1+0.022)^40)-1)/0.022)	$114,636.87

Personal Care Products and Services	Equation	Future Value of Annuity
$606	606*((((1+0.022)^40)-1)/0.022)	$38,233.32

Food	Equation	Future Value of Annuity
$6,462	6462*((((1+0.022)^40)-1)/0.022)	$407,695.89

Assumptions:

For all of my calculations I used the future value of annuity equation and for the present value I used the average amount of money Americans spend on food, personal care products and services, apparel and services, and entertainment from visualeconomics.com. For the interest rate of the equation, I took the average of the inflation rate averages from 1999 to January 2015 provided by usinflationcalculator.com, which turned out to be 2.2%. Then for the amount of time I am accounting for, I used 40 years.

Entry 14 - Final Analysis and Reflection

Throughout all of the entries for life stage two, the most important thing that I learned was that life is very expensive if you want to have nice things and that I must take care of where I go for education and of how necessary financial aid and a job will be in taking care of my expenses. For example, the fact that the almost $500,000 I made over the ten years of the budget wasn’t nearly enough to cover all of my expenses for those ten years really caught me by surprise. The reason for my surprise would be that with my budget I am assuming that prices won’t rise, or that my income would drop and that there are probably some expenses that I am not accounting for. Moving on to my entry 12, the total that I calculated for my minimal lifetime earnings wasn’t expected, because most of the descriptors that I come across while researching paleontology always include some variation of the sentence, “You shouldn’t expect to make too much money,” yet I made almost 2.1 million dollars by myself over a period of 40 years. Entry 13’s total expenses, however, were expected because the prices that I used were relatively small and even with future value and inflation being accounted for, the rate at which those prices rose was miniscule, and so the relatively small expenses for the 40 years didn’t come unexpectedly compared to what I spent on in entry 8. However, not accounting for my other possible expenses  really does underestimate how much money I would really be spending over a 40 year period, and so this fact would change my answer to entry 8 because I think that free 1 million dollars would come more handy if I would spend it to pay for a house, since my parent’s home equity funds were really what got me out of dodge for life stage 1’s budget, and with this extra income I’d be better able to save up money for my retirement. Conversely, if I only had 1 million dollars to spend, my answer would be that it is important to look for the smart buys and the great bargains that businesses offer and that if I’m only going to earn 1 million dollars, I wouldn’t get a higher education, because it is evident that either way I’d only have that million dollars to spend so at that point a college education is just a needless expense.

Entry 1 – I am an ENFJ

My personality type is ENFJ, which is commonly associated with politicians and teachers.

I agree with the fact that I am a natural-born leader because in many occasions I have been quick and diligent to take a leadership role. One example of this is my founding of the Nintendo Gamer’s Club of I-Poly and assuming authority over the club and making sure that all of my club members come in to meetings and have fun. So far, I have been very successful in doing this.  

However, one characteristic I don’t agree with is the fact that I find it easy to voice my opinions when needed, because I am somewhat of a timid person. An example of my shyness can be seen a lot when I attend social events where I tend to only speak with people I already know; another example would be the amount of difficulty I still have with talking in front of a lot of people, like in presentations. This was clearly visible when I performed my monologue last semester for English class, because of how much my hands were shaking from my anxiety; however, that wasn’t the only occasion where I was extremely anxious.

I believe that my altruistic personality will help me find happiness and fulfillment in my life, because my passion for science, especially biology and ecology, stems from my desire to contribute something great to human society. By definition someone who is altruistic genuinely wants to do something great for their communities and this is going to help me find fulfillment because participating in a scientific field, allows me to do something that I love and progress humanity’s perception of the beautiful life forms that we share our world with.

Entry 2 – My Life Path Options

1. (Reach Option) - The University of Chicago  -
1.  Student Reviews of the University.
2. University website’s cost and aid information section.
3. University Majors and Minors + Requirements.
4. Possible Student Job Opportunities.
5. Internship Page 
2. (Realistic Option) - The University of California Riverside
1. Student Reviews of the University.
2. Cost of attending UCR.
3. Financial aid information.
4. FAQ section with lots of financial aid information.
5. Academics section.
6. Admission requirements.
7. Student jobs information.
8. More on jobs and Internship.
3. (Safe Option) - San Jose State University
1. Student Reviews of the University.
2. Admission information.
3. Majors and minors + program details.
4. Student Career Center (Provides job information).
5. Internship resource.

Entry 3 – My Research

1. What type of institution is it (private, public, out-of-state, four-year, etc.)?
1. University of Chicago
1. Out-of-state, four year, private, urban, nondenominational, coeducational research university
2. UC Riverside
1. In-state, four year, urban, public university
3. San Jose State University
1. In-state, four year, public university
2. What is the enrollment (gender, ethnicity, religion, age, etc.)?
1. University of Chicago
1. Total Number of Applicants: 30,304 Number Accepted: 2,670 Number Enrolled: 1,426
2. 55% male, 45% female
3. Asian - 28.26%, Black or African American - 8.42%, Hispanic or latino - 12.13%, Other - 12.55%, International - 11.08%
4. School Type: 59% Public, 30% Private, 10% International
5. 8.8% accepted
2. UC Riverside
1. Admits: 19,797 Applicants: 34,912 CA Residents: 89.7%
2. Male admits: 8,587 Female admits: 10,256
3. Acceptance Rates: 62%
4. 6.3% African American, 35.4% Asian, 32.1% Latino and Chicano, .5% Native American, 17% White/Caucasian, 2.2% other ethnic/unknown, 6.5% international
3. San Jose State University
1. 16,226 - Female, 16,471 - Male
2. Admitted: 32,697
3. American Indian 0.45% African American 4.86% Asian 23.36% Filipino 6.98% Pacific Islander 0.88% Hispanic 15.49% White 7.39% Foreign 8.47% Other/Not stated 12.11%
4. 19 years and under: 16.97% 20-24: 45.12% 25-29: 19.53% 30-34: 7.53% 35-59: 10.40% 60 and over: 0.45%
3. Where is the institution located? (all times for driving)
1. How far from home?
1. University of Chicago
1. out-of-state, state of Illinois, 1,976 miles 29 hours
2. UC Riverside
1. in-state, one county away, 23.3 miles away from home or 24 min
3. San Jose State University
1. in-state, 381 miles or 5 Hours 38 min away from home
2. Is it urban/suburban/rural?
1. University of Chicago
1. already addressed - question #1
2. UC Riverside
1. already addressed - question #1
3. San Jose State University
1. urban campus, bay area
4. What are the admission requirements?
1. What tests do you need to take and pass to get into this institution?
1. University of Chicago
1. ACT or SAT Reasoning Test scores
2. UC Riverside
1. ACT with writing or SAT Reasoning Test
2. UC Analytical Writing Placement Exam
3. San Jose State University
1. eligibility index of 2900 using the SAT or 694 using the ACT
2. SAT (scores in mathematics and critical reading) + (800 x high school grade point average)
3. (10 x ACT composite score without the writing score) + (200 x high school grade point average)
4. English EPT and Math ELM
2. What is the average GPA requirement?
1. University of Chicago
1. no requirement
2. UC Riverside
1. GPA of 3.0 or higher in “a-g” courses taken during grades 10 and 11
3. San Jose State University
1. “not a set "cut-off" GPA for frosh applicants,” - FAQ page
3. What forms, letters, applications are necessary for this institution?
1. University of Chicago
1. Application for Admission
2. Application Fee (only required for students not applying for need-based financial aid)
3. Secondary School Report
4. Teacher’s Evaluation’s
5. Midyear Report
2. UC Riverside
1. Final Transcripts
2. Annual Income (your parents’ if you are dependent, your’s if you are independent) - only necessary if your are going to apply for an application fee waiver
3. SSN
4. Citizenship
5. CA Student ID
6. Personal Statement
7. General and Freshman essay
8. Application fee
9. University Application
3. San Jose State University
1. High School Diploma or equivalent
2. University Application
3. Application Fee or Fee Waiver
4. Intent to Enroll Application
5. Freshman Housing Requirement Priority Application
6. Final Transcripts
5. How much will it cost to attend this institution?
1. What other projected costs will attending this institution incur?
1. University of Chicago
1. $59,950 - includes annual tuition + books + supplies + fees + room and board
1. Over four-year period = $239,800
2. Including food = $262,420
2. UC Riverside
1. $14,762 - includes annual tuition + books + supplies + fees
1. Over four-year period = $59,048
2. I’m close enough to home to still live there and so my parents insist that I wouldn’t pay a rent to them for continuing to live at home.
3. San Jose State University
1. $22,699 - includes annual tuition + books + supplies + fees +room and board
1. Over four-year period = $90,796
2. Including meal-plan = $100,796
2. How do you plan to cover them?
1. FAFSA - $5,645
2. Pell Grant - $5,730
3. Cal Grant B Entitlement
1. 1st year - $1000 or more
2. 2nd year - 1st year’s amount + $12,00
4. Randomly Chosen Scholarships Simulation 50% of those found - maximum award
1. Unigo $10,000 Scholarship
2. $2,000 February “No Essay” Scholarship
3. Young Naturalist Awards - $2500 - maximum award
5. Federal Educational Opportunity Grant
6. Middle Class Scholarship
7. Federal Work Study
8. University of Chicago
1. National Hispanic Recognition Program - $4000 per year
6. What are the living arrangements necessary for you to attend this institution? (If this was addressed in #6, simply state “see above”.)
1. University of Chicago
1. College Freshmen are required to live in a kind of House system where they live with an average of 75 neighbor-like peers and partake in house activities that take place in one of 11 buildings. This rule is around to try helping college students adjust to university life.
2. UC Riverside
1. No specific living arrangements.
3. San Jose State University
1. Freshman, who graduated from high schools outside of a 30 mile radius of SJSU, are required to live on any of the University’s dorms.
7. What does it mean to declare a major?
1. What steps must be taken prior to declaring a major at this institution?
1. University of Chicago
1. Well in advance, you must contact the department of your intended major so you could get the suggested or required deadline.
2. Log into the student portal.
3. Tell your college adviser.
2. UC Riverside
1. Complete an Undergraduate Major Change Petition. These forms are available in the departmental academic advising offices.
2. Arrange to meet with the departmental academic adviser in the department whose major you wish to declare. The optimum time to meet with a departmental adviser is during week three of the quarter.
3. Obtain the departmental academic adviser's signature for approval to declare the major and discuss your progress toward your degree.
3. San Jose State University
1. First register for and attend a Change of Major Workshop for the specific major you are interested in.
2. Register online to secure your spot using the College of Science Advising Center's appointment system.
3. First time users might have to create their own account.
2. What type of major might you pursue at this institution?
1. I am planning on majoring in Geology or Ecology and Evolution at everyone of these institutions.
3. What is a description of this major?
1. Geology
1. Geology is literally the study of the Earth and what composes it. It also delves into the Earth’s history and how it has changed over time.
2. Ecology and Evolution
1. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is the study of how living things evolve over time and how different species and their environment interact with each other to create a complex ecosystem.
4. What does this institution rank in relation to your chosen major?
1. University of Chicago
1. #33 in major quality - Geology
2. Biological Sciences department ranked at #14
2. UC Riverside
1. #66 in major quality - Geology
2. no ranking available for degree in Ecology and Evolution
3. San Jose State University
1. #105 in major quality - Geology
2. no ranking available for degree in Ecology and Evolution
8. What skills are necessary to be successful in this major?
1. Geology
1. Quick and effective observation skills
2. Effective analytical skills
3. Computer and Mechanical skills
4. Effective writing skills
5. Good diplomatic and interpersonal skills
6. Effective public speaking skills
2. Ecology and Evolution
1. Effective and creative problem solving skills
2. Research skills
3. Effective analytical skills
4. Quick and effective observation skills
5. Group/Collaborative skills
6. Effective writing skills
7. Ability to call upon learned knowledge
9. What high school courses are needed for this major?
1. Geology
1. Chemistry
2. Physics
3. PreCalculus or Calculus
4. Biology
5. English
6. Computer Science
2. Ecology and Evolution
1. One year of biology
2. One year of chemistry
3. Mathematics through trigonometry
4. One year of physics
10. What courses does one take to fulfill this major?
1. University of Chicago
1. Geology
1. Comprehensive General Chemistry I-II (or equivalent)
2. Elementary Functions and Calculus I-II (or higher)
3. Evolution and Ecology
4. Biodiversity
5. Comprehensive General Chemistry III (or equivalent)
6. General Physics I-II-III (or higher)
7. Physical Geology
8. Earth History
9. The Atmosphere
10. Elementary Functions and Calculus III (or higher)
11. 2 approved Mathematics or Statistics courses
12. 8 courses in 20000-level sciences (must be approved by counselor)
2. Ecology and Evolution
1. Introductory General Chemistry I
2. Introductory General Chemistry II (or equivalent)
3. Comprehensive General Chemistry I-II
4. Elementary Functions and Calculus I-II (or higher), Calculus I-II, or Honors Calculus I-II
5. A Serious Introduction to Biology for Majors: From LUCA to the University of Chicago
6. Introduction to Quantitative Modeling in Biology (basic)
7. Comprehensive General Chemistry III (or equivalent)
8. General Physics I-II (or higher)
9. Mathematical Methods for Biological Sciences I, General Physics III (or higher), or Statistical Methods and Applications
10. Ecology and Conservation
11. Evolution and Ecology
12. Biodiversity
13. 6 courses with a course number over 20236 in Biological Sciences
14. 3 more quantitative courses that are chosen in consultation with your Ecology and Evolution college adviser
2. UC Riverside
1. Geology
1. For my interests, I can take either of the following paths - General Geology or Geobiology.
2. Ecology and Evolution
1. BCH 100(4)
2. BIOL 102(4)
3. 3 from the following: BIOL 105(4)  BIOL 108(4) BIOL 116(4) BIOL 160(4) ENTM/ BIOL/ BPSC 112(4)
4. One of the following: BIOL 151(5), BIOL 157(4), ENTM/ BIOL 100(4), ENTM 114(3), PLPA/ BIOL 134(3), or PLPA/ BIOL 134L(1)
5. One of the following: BIOL 160(4), BIOL 160L*(1), BIOL 161A(5), BIOL 161B(5), BIOL 174(4), BIOL 175(4), BIOL 178(4), BPSC/ BIOL 138(4), or ENTM/ BIOL 162(4)
6. One of the following: BIOL 105(4), BIOL 108(4), BIOL 116(4), BIOL 119(4), BIOL 163(5), BIOL 166(3), BPSC 146(4), BPSC/ BIOL 148(4), BPSC/ BIOL 165(4), ENTM /BIOL/ BPSC 112(4), or ENTM/ BIOL 127(4)
7. At least one of the following: STAT 100A(5),  STAT 100B(5)
8. Any combination of classes from this link that will bring your amount of credits to 52
3. San Jose State University
1. Geology
1. Click here to go to the page with all the major course requirements.
2. Ecology and Evolution
1. Click here to go to the page with all the major course requirements.
11. What is the study/workload like for this major?
1. Geology
1. According to university.com, professors expect you to spend an average of 18 hours for studying and prep time. In addition, geology majors tend to take courses that are  very “brainy” and demanding.
2. Also ranks as #2 most demanding major under the broader category of Physical Sciences.
2. Ecology and Evolution
1. According to university.com, professors expect you to spend an average of 19 hours per week for studying and prep.
2. Also ranks as #3 most demanding major under Biological Sciences
12. Can you graduate in four years in your intended major? Is it common? If it’s not, is a five-year+ plan okay with you and/or your family?
1. Since I want a bachelors of science in either of my intended majors, I’m answering for both. It is possible to graduate in four-years, but it only happens around 36% of the time. Furthermore, in 6 years 57% of students complete their bachelors. If I do need to take more than 4 years to complete my degree, it would be fine with me and my family.
2. How many units do you need to graduate with your intended major?
1. University of Chicago
1. Geology: 2400 units
2. Ecology and Evolution: 1600 units
2. UC Riverside
1. Geology: 77-80 units for either concentration.
2. Ecology and Evolution: 52 units
3. San Jose State University
1. Geology: 120 units
2. Ecology and Evolution: 120 units
13. In college, you have a lot of free time. What clubs or groups are you interested in joining (research campus life)?
1. University of Chicago
1. Harris Food Policy Group
2. Harris Energy Association
3. Winston Churchill Gaming Society
2. UC Riverside
1. Gamers Guild at UCR
2. Geology Student Organization
3. Badminton Club
4. E-Sports at UCR
3. San Jose State University
1. Badminton Club
2. Biodiversity Club
3. Biology Student Association
4. Game Development Club
5. Geology Club
6. United Card Club
14. What career might one go into with this major?
1. Paleontology - Geology/ Evolution
2. Ecologist - Ecology and Evolution
3. Environmental Management - Geology/Ecology and Evolution
15. What are the viewpoints of current students in this major?
1. University of Chicago
1. Academics: Hard but So Worth It – I love being pushed, and UChicago definitely pushes me. Excellent profs, students really help each other (not much competition since everyone eventually will probably need help in a class). But, despite our reputation, the workload is totally manageable, and the core is really exciting. - College Sophomore
2. Campus Quality: Dubbed as the place "fun goes to die," UChicago can be a bit overwhelming at times. The student body is very friendly and welcoming and everyone is excited to meet each other. The workload can be heavy at times, but there are always exciting, fun classes and the school is meant for people who want to be challenged and engage in rigorous mental activity. The University is currently doing large expansions with the opening of Mansueto Library and the current construction of the Logan arts center. The biggest downside for me is how cold it is! - College Senior
2. UC Riverside
1. Majors: My major it's Spanish, but i will major in biochemistry to be able to go attend medical school. There are many programs that can lead you to medical school. To find a job it might be hard, but UCR has many programs that can help yoh find a job. - Recent Alumnus
2. Campus Quality: I love the school pride every one has. I have found that my advisers as well as other counselors are very supportive. I really enjoy my campus and the students are all so friendly. The professors seem to actually care about their students and go out of their way to assist as much as they can. - College Junior
3. San Jose State University
1. Academics: In my particular field of study I have the best teachers. They are passionate, helpful, and know what they are teaching about. We are in Silicon Valley so the job market is huge for practically all majors. There are many different clubs to get involved in that pertain to your major and that can help you a lot when it comes to courses and also picking courses for the upcoming semesters. - College Sophomore
2. Campus Quality: There are approximately more than 200 student organizations and clubs on campus. Most of these are active and help the student body connect with one another. Usually people connect through these clubs and build stronger connections over time. Students often hang out at the events, dorms, and at restaurants off campus. The student life is diverse and accepting in my opinion. - College Freshman
16. What other majors relate to this major?
1. Geology - Marine Biology, Soil Science, and Geography
2. Ecology and Evolution - Genetics, Statistics, and Evolutionary ecology
17. What questions would you ask a college admissions counselor?
1. University of Chicago
1. Is it possible for an undergraduate student to volunteer in a certain academic department?
2. Do undergraduate students get priority when the apply to be graduate students at UChicago?
3. Where can I go for the best off-campus living experience?
2. UC Riverside
1. Is it possible for an undergraduate student to volunteer in a certain academic department?
2. Are freshmen required to buy meal plans?
3. What events does UCR hold annually?
3. San Jose State University
1. Where can I find the best off-campus living experience?
2. Am I allowed to volunteer in certain academic departments?
3. Does SJSU have a partnership with a museum?