What is the biology major like in college?

What is the best College to go to receive a BS in Pyschology and double major in Marine Biology?

• Its been a dream of mine to work at Sea world, and like many others ( im sure) i believe it could possibly be my calling, so im going for it! im planning to move in the San diego area to gather experience with the animals. I've been cast in 15 plays and have landed in big roles and was the selected five to go to Nationals on the Speech team. I am an active swimmer, and i believe i can do the swim test without even breaking a sweat. Now all i need to the animal experience, the college degree, and my smile :) The problem is, i dont know what college to choose! UCSD is a bad choice, unless i'd want to work in a zoo ( i don't). I've heard that pyschology was the best major for sea world because it lets you understand how to communicate with the animals ( and its the best option in case i need to fall back on my career choice). I just registered for my fall semester in my first year of community college to get my AA. But once my two years are over, where do i go from there?

• Answer:

  Why would UCSD be a bad choice? Me: UCSD 1992: B.S. Animal Physiology & Neuroscience, minor in Biological Anthropology. (The minor focused on animal intelligence). I spent plenty of academic time at SeaWorld, Stephen Birch Aquarium collecting specimens, and the Wild Animal Park studying animal behavior. What do you want to do at Sea World? You mention your plays and speaking experience - so do you want to narrate the shows? For that, you hardly need the science background. If you want to lead guided tours, e.x. docent, then some scientific expertise is required. For example, one of the Sea World docents is professor emeritus from UCSD, with a PhD from Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and a professor of Marine Biology. However, if you want to be an animal trainer, well...you need luck and connections on your side more than your education. The spots are very limited in number, so you would want to start volunteering at Sea World soon. Your other options in San Diego are to work at the Stephen Birch Aquarium (part of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography). If you consider graduate programs at SIO, realize that marine biology isn't the hot topic, but consider careers in population genetics, chemistry, physics, or atmospheric science.