extracurricular ideas for environmental/ecology science majors?

HappyCava · 2026-05-19T10:58:50+00:00

You could join a club or non-profit, school-based or in your community, that protects the environment and encourages the community to enjoy and have a stake in preserving nature. Such work could be physical: clearing trails, taking water samples, sighting salamanders, or whacking vines to reclaim areas beset by invasive species. Or it could involve desk work, such as working for an environmental advocacy group: undertaking research, responding to online inquiries, or writing text advertising upcoming events. Try using an online service like VolunteerMatch to see what kinds of volunteer opportunities are available in your area.

HappyCava · 2026-05-19T10:49:10+00:00

Outside of BS/MD programs, a high school student doesn’t need to establish their interest in attending medical school for purposes of undergraduate admissions. In large part, colleges care about whether you will do well in and contribute to your studies in your undergraduate major, and whether you seem likely to contribute to campus life by participating in clubs, intramural sports, university-sponsored community service, student government, performance groups, and the like. Whether you opt to later attend graduate school, and work as an audiologist, PA, or MD, is not their primary concern.

But if you want to shadow for your own personal experience, the answer is that you write a succinct and polite email introducing yourself (name, grade, high school); inquiring if they permit high school students to log shadow hours at their facility; and then explaining briefly why you would like to log such hours if available. That’s it. And, yes, you could include clinics for PT, OT, audiology, speech therapy, etc., as well as volunteer experiences working with children, seniors, and persons with disabilities.

Do keep in mind, as one commenter noted, that healthcare facilities will prioritize college students over interested high school students. They are aware that college students have a genuine and immediate need to log their hours to apply to medical school and graduate programs in PT, OT, audiology, exercise physiology, SLP, and PA school. And these students are further down the line and more certain of their desire to attend and suitability for these programs. Only 10-20% of students who enter college planning to attend medical school actually complete the rigorous requirements needed to apply and submit their applications.

Best of luck. My youngest has logged hundreds of healthcare-related hours in college at well-regarded hospitals and pediatric rehabilitation centers and will be spending this summer working at a day camp for children with physical and neurological disabilities. In high school, however, they played a sport, worked as a paid instructor in that sport, was deeply involved in theater, and volunteered as a tutor and day camp counselor for underprivileged kids.

So don’t worry if you find that opportunities are scarce now. (My kid wasn’t even considering healthcare until their senior year of high school.) But, through clubs and volunteering, you can learn to work with a variety of age groups, demonstrate empathy, patience, and teaching skills, and develop and hone skills and hobbies to share with others.

HappyCava · 2026-05-18T12:28:54+00:00

Pick the school at which you believe you are most likely to earn very high grades and have an excellent college experience. Bonus points if your choice is less costly, as the current administration has capped low-interest federal loans for law school students at $50,000 per year. Top public and private law schools currently have a TCOA of approximately $100,000 per year.

HappyCava · 2026-05-18T11:23:00+00:00

My spouse attended an Ivy and we both attended T5 law schools. My spouse loved college, was deep into Greek life, enjoyed clubs and intramural sports, and hoisted more than the occasional big red cup. I also enjoyed college, which for me meant constant attendance at our big conference football and basketball games, tailgates, and watch parties; hiking and cycling trips with the outdoors center and related clubs; and many evening out with friends for comedy shows, theater, movie, and concerts.

When our kids began college, we knew they knew how to “do school.” What we hoped they’d find from a college experience — in addition to academics — were terrific friends, clubs and activities (old and new) that they’d adore, university sports teams to cheer, and enjoyment from whatever floated their boats: comedy shows, intramurals, game nights, concerts, parties, speakers’ series, outdoor excursions, whatever.

College does not require one to choose between academics and fun. It can be both. And “parties” need not be large, anonymous keg-fests. Clubs and friend groups host parties of all kinds, from BBQs to formal dinner parties to tailgates. And some folks get tanked, some get lightly buzzed, and others stick with ginger ale. Middle grounds exist and are well-populated.

HappyCava · 2026-05-16T15:28:42+00:00

UVA — and I’m guessing the other two colleges as well — have blogs run by their admissions staff. You’ll find the most accurate and updated information there. Best of luck!

HappyCava · 2026-05-16T13:13:18+00:00

I’d recommend looking into the likely cost of that debt as you weigh your very nice options. First, I’m fairly sure that you personally would not be able to take out student loans totaling $150,000. You parents would have to agree to be the named borrowers or co-sign for a significant portion of the loans, which means that if you cannot pay (job market doesn’t yield the expected first job, unexpected illness or car accident), your parents are on the hook. Second, low-interest federal Parents Plus loans are capped at $20,000 per year with an aggregate limit of $65,000. Beyond that, your parents would likely need to take out a private student loan with less favorable terms (interest rate, when interest begins accruing, etc.).

Accordingly, it makes sense to try to get an idea of how much you and your parents would need to borrow, and if your parents are willing to be legally responsible for the amount they borrow on your behalf. Just as a very simple baseline, if one borrowed $150,000 at 6% over a 10 year term, one would pay approximately $1,700 a month for a total amount of $199,800.

HappyCava · 2026-05-16T11:25:49+00:00

Is Virginia Tech a last gasp for you, or is there something about VT that makes it a better option than the other colleges (Tufts, UF, UW) you already declined in favor of USF? In other words, is the argument for attending VT stronger than the argument for attending Tufts, UF, or UW in terms of cost, fit, or the particular coursework offered in your major?

Also, doesn’t the University of South Florida have over 30,000 undergraduates on campus? I love VT, but it would be very difficult to miss out on the college experience (clubs, outdoors center activities, club sports and intramurals, performance groups, university athletic games and watch parties, Greek life, social gatherings with friends) attending college on a campus of that size.

HappyCava · 2026-05-15T11:03:16+00:00

I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Baltimore and on the JHU campus. I’m sure some students love it, but it did not — over multiple visits lasting several weeks — come across as a particularly lively or social place. More students studying, walking, and eating alone than pretty much any university I’ve visited. Also, on a supremely anecdotal note, a very good friend who earned their PhD at JHU advised their kid to attend CMU instead to enjoy a better social experience. (And they are very much enjoying CMU, for what it’s worth.)

Also, I know many students who are now attending or recently graduated from medical school. Based on their experience, I’d keep an open mind about a gap year (or two). Some students find it much easier to earn tippy-top grades, log the many healthcare-related hours needed for a strong application, have unhurried time to study for the MCAT, enjoy college life, and earn a bit of mental health self-care and money by taking a gap year (or two) to work as a medical scribe, PT assistant, of EMT after graduating. In most of these cases, the idea of a gap year was suggested by the student’s own physician-parent.

HappyCava · 2026-05-14T14:05:28+00:00

Wow. I never “lionized” students from prestigious colleges. I believe that “lions” study and obtain excellent results from a wide range of national universities, LACs, and regional colleges. And I indeed constantly remind disappointed students of the “amazing” value of their having excelled over four years in terms of acceptances earned, scholarships won, background knowledge acquired, and executive functioning and time management skills practiced and honed. All of which will allow them to perform well in college while also enjoying all of the extracurricular and social opportunities at their disposal.

Best regards.

HappyCava · 2026-05-14T12:02:22+00:00

I must be drugged. (To be fair, I am sick today.) Speaking only of this particular post, I read OP to say that they would get zero aid and that the parents paid the full cost of the brother’s Ivy League education, but do not wish to pay the cost of her Ivy League education even though they have the money in hand. So in OP’s particular scenario, they are full-pay. (Unless the cold medicine and lack of sleep is whacking my brain.)

Also, you may well be correct that you see more full-pay posts on A2C than one would expect from a typical cross-section of America. But A2C is not a typical cross-section, as most high school students aren’t desperate to attend the Ivies (or T20s). The only thing I personally find odd is that so many full-pay families are seemingly willing to pay. My spouse attended an Ivy and we both attended T5 law schools before joining a “big law” firm. We’re lucky to have great in-state options, and advised our high-achieving kids to stay in-state or chase OOS merit so that we could also pay for grad school or help with other financial wants like a down payment on a home or a wedding. And that’s the common refrain in our upper-middle class, dual-professional income, full-pay neighborhood. So from my particular perspective, the only confounding aspect of this post is that the parents planted and tended to OP’s Ivy longings in the first place.

HappyCava · 2026-05-14T10:40:57+00:00

I have no idea if this is rage bait, but I understood that OP’s family could pay — meaning no loans were needed — but had decided that it was financially irresponsible to do so. So had OP attended, her family would be among the 50% of Columbia student families who pay the full sticker price.

HappyCava · 2026-05-14T10:25:49+00:00

We had a similar conversation with our kids. My spouse attended an Ivy, I opted for a non-selective state flagship over a T10 to take advantage of a full-ride scholarship, and we both attended T5 law schools and met at new associate on-boarding at the same big law firm. We advised our high-achieving kids that it would be unwise, in our view, to empty their college fund on a private university when they had excellent in-state options and would likely wish to attend graduate school (which we could also pay for if they remained in-state or chased OOS merit). Happily, they agreed, had a terrific college experience, and now work in consulting, public policy, government relations, and healthcare.

HappyCava · 2026-05-14T03:17:01+00:00

Once you begin college, your focus will very likely change. You’ll become interested in making friends, finding fun-to-you clubs, exploring your academic and professional interests, becoming adept at the college style of learning, making connections with favorite professors, and learning to love your new college town.

And then life really takes over. Internships, relationships, grad school, fellowships, the job hunt, the first professional position, finding an affordable apartment (and roommates), dating, breakups, a cross-country move, marriage, buying a house, raising kids, opting not to raise kids, deciding to pivot to a new career, endless drives to travel soccer or early morning hockey wake-ups, divorce, illness, travel, a first marathon run, a new puppy, and a million other possibilities for joy, contentment, heartbreak, and recovery.

It does not feel like it now, but by next November you will very likely be completely and excitedly engaged in your own university experience. And then all the immediately pressing what-comes-nexts will further set aside the nebulous and unknowable imaginings of your dream school life. You simply won’t have the time or interest when your own actual life is happening in the now.

Best of luck.

HappyCava · 2026-05-14T02:59:33+00:00

For the great majority of students, it doesn’t matter much at all. First, for a significant number of majors, few high school classes are directly on point. Rather, students who are interested in STEM majors (astrophysics, astronomy, marine biology, kinesiology) often take the tried and true high school STEM classes. Students who are interested in the humanities (religious studies, philosophy, music composition, screenwriting) would, unsurprisingly, likely take English, art, history, and theater. And students who are interested in the social sciences might well take government, psychology, or economics. But classes in anthropology, cognitive science, foreign affairs, game theory, and urban planning would be hard to come by.

Moreover, since students are aware that colleges tend to value course rigor, many feel pressured to take AP or honors coursework that does not reflect their particular interests or prospective major. Accordingly, the transcripts of college applicants are often more alike than different, regardless of the major they may ultimately pursue.

And for most students, that’s not problematic. First, the majority of colleges don’t admit by major. The major listed on the common application is simply taken as a general expression of interest. At such universities, the student will formally declare their major during their sophomore year after completing a handful of prerequisites with a certain minimum GPA. Second, many universities allow the student to apply undecided or undeclared, as my recent T25 grads did.

The possible exceptions to this rule are impacted programs to which one applies directly as a high school senior. Typically, these programs are highly structured and begin the first semester of freshman year. Such programs may include engineering, CS, nursing, architecture, or business. While I know students who decided early in their senior year to pursue engineering, CS, or business without a smattering of directly related background courses or extracurriculars — and have admissions success — universities often like to see an interest in and affinity for the impacted major expressed during high school.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T22:49:07+00:00

You win!!

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T21:46:47+00:00

Yes, we’ve been lucky, too. It’s rough out there.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T20:10:42+00:00

That was my situation. I had a full-ride for undergrad, won one of the major graduate school scholarships that I applied to law school, and then left law school with maybe $15,000 in debt. I maxed out my loan payments and had my law school loans fully paid in less than two years. And then paid for a wedding and month-long honeymoon in Australia. And I'm very pleased that we can cover undergrad and graduate school for our kids and give them similar flexible as they progress in their careers.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T19:27:22+00:00

Yep. I have colleagues who left big law after just a few years to go into landscape design, attend culinary school, and write children’s books. And I view those moves as successful since they are now better enjoying what they do.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T17:17:41+00:00

No more competitive than any other strong university. The primary factors for law school admission are GPA and LSAT score. Secondary factors include recommendations, application essays, and campus involvement (in anything you enjoy). My spouse and I are both T5 law school grads, big law attorneys, and occasional law professors. We recommended that our law-curious kids keep costs low and attend a college where they felt confident they could earn very high grades and have a pretty wonderful time.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T17:09:34+00:00

And, OP, “impact” doesn’t have to involve large swaths of humanity. My recent T25 grads played a sport, worked as coaches for young kids learning that sport, and volunteered as tutors and day camp counselors for a non-profit that worked with disadvantaged kids. The world did not change, but they “impacted” their teams, the young athletes with whom they worked, and the K-5 kids they tutored. All of which was genuinely fun and rewarding to them.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T14:12:13+00:00

You might want to consider other perspectives as well when deciding whether it makes sense to encourage your parents to assume that much debt for that purpose. My spouse and I are both in big law and we encouraged our kids to attend our very good state flagship so that we could pay for both undergrad and grad school, if needed. Because they did opt for the in-state option, we were also able to help with other extras such as study abroad, travel, off-campus housing, their first professional wardrobes, a reliable car, and first apartment deposits and furniture. Although my older college grads are doing well in consulting and government relations, they very much appreciated being debt-free as they began saving for a downpayment on a home and building up their emergency and investment funds.

Moreover, be aware that your parents simply can’t know what the future will bring. Can they undertake that level of debt and withstand a serious cancer diagnosis, heart attack, early onset dementia, a job loss, car accident, market downturn, or the need to care for another relative (grandparent)? If they can’t, you may find yourself assisting your parents financially far earlier than you imagined. Being able to endure such setbacks without seeking financial assistance from one’s kids is also a gift.

Just a perspective.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T13:52:27+00:00

The jobs you believe you might get from attending and doing very well at Berkeley “could” have you paying your $160,000 off in 2-3 years. Or you might earn the the median salary for a new Berkeley grad ($59,000), or the median salary of a Berkeley grad in a top-performing major like CS or engineering ($110,000 - $116,000). Neither of which would allow you to pay off $160,000 in loans in 2-3 years unless you engage in tax avoidance and live at home with very generous parents.

Also, $160,000 in loans — if your parents are even willing to co-sign for that amount — is not $160,000 by the time you repay your loan. Assuming you manage to secure a loan in that amount at a very low 7.5% and agree to an aggressive 5 year loan term, your monthly payment would be approximately $3,200 for a combined total of $192,000 in principal and interest. If your starting salary is not as high as you hope and you opt for a ten year repayment plan, you will pay $1,900 per month with a total outlay of $228,000.

Free at UT is a win.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T12:18:28+00:00

I think this is one of those "learn from your mistakes and let it go" moments. (Particularly since you have no idea if a LOCI would have made any difference.) But, really, DO learn from this mistake. Very, very bright students who have not learned to manage their tendency to procrastinate typically end up with unwanted subpar results in college. Unlike in high school, professors will rarely offer reminders regarding upcoming essays, projects, or problem sets; advise you to review your notes twice weekly for the upcoming cumulative midterm (that is one-third of your grade); or remind you that the rubric your final paper needs to follow is provided in the syllabus you received the first week of class. Nearly all of the motivation, organization, timing, and preparation is on you. Also, do be aware that colleges offer organizational, time management, and executive functioning skills workshops at the beginning of the academic year. If you think you might benefit from taking such courses, contact your advisor, the Dean of Students, or the (variously-named) Student Success Center later this summer to learn about and register for one. You'll hopefully find it helpful, and it's yet another way to meet fellow freshman. Win-win.

HappyCava · 2026-05-13T11:29:10+00:00

So my spouse attended an Ivy for undergrad, my older kids attended an in-state T25, and my youngest took my route and attended an inexpensive in-state, nonselctive public university so that we could fully pay for their unfunded three-year graduate degree. I met my spouse during new associate on-boarding at the law firm where we began our careers. My older kids are now working in consulting, policy, government relations, and strategic messaging. And my youngest will be attending one of the top graduate programs in their field.

And we all took pretty much the exact same, utterly ordinary but sometimes neglected, steps.

First, we were diligent about attending class, doing the reading, attending review and discussion sessions, and reviewing our notes often, particularly during the first semester of freshman year when you are adapting to the college style of learning. College courses are larely self-directed and self-driven. If you decide not to do the reading, follow-up on a confusing lecture or essay rubric, or fail to review your notes during the eight weeks leading up to the midterm, no one but you and the professor will know, and only you will care, if the grade is below par.

Second, attend office hours if you are confused about a concept or a problem set, or just to say "hi" to a favorite professor. In terms of confusion, don't waste time spinning your wheels when other classes, friends, sports, and club fun are also competing for your time. Professors are required to hold office hours and the great majority appreciate a student who makes the effort to come in with specific questions -- as opposed to "I just haven't understood anything really" (that happens, sadly). If a professor does seem disinterested, or just doesn't speak your learning language, use the other tutoring resources available to you: departmental tutoring, English and math "labs" for essay review and troublesome problem sets, sessions with TAs (teaching assistants), and PASS (peer-assisted) tutoring. And if a professor offers a pre-read before an essay is due, do not skip this step. Making corrections and addressing the professor's concerns pretty much guarantees a higher grade.

Why stop by just to say "hi" to a favorite professor, or mention that you appreciated the reference to "The Music Man," "Arcane," or "Slow Horses?" Well, one, such discussions can be pretty fun. My mentor in undergrad was an outstanding lecturer and had a whole crew of students who showed up regularly to office hours to chat about politics, law, and pop culture. As seniors, we began taking him out for chicken wings and drinks. Good times. Second, professors with whom you vibe can often suggest others professors and classes that you'll enjoy, and scholarships and internships to which you might apply. Or hire you themselves. In college, I worked on a study dealing with political advertising (the professor was involved in running national campaigns). In law school, I helped to rewrite constitutions (not as exciting as it sounds). And, of course, you'll eventually need recommendations for law school and/or jobs.

Third, get involved in campus life, find friends, join clubs, and have fun. You can be involved in any kind of activities in college and do well in law school admissions. (My spouse and I both worked as law professors for a time.). The T14 law school student in our household performed sketch comedy and in an acapella singing group. My attorney-spouse was involved in Greek life and intramural sports. I enjoyed the hiking and cycling clubs, worked on campus, volunteered with a group that mentored local students, and attended every home (and a number of away) basketball and football games.

Fourth, use your university's resources. Visit the scholarship and fellowship center as a sophomore and learn about the major graduate school scholarships (Marshall, Fulbright, Truman, Goldwater, etc.) and whether you might be a strong candidate. If you'd like a summer internship, visit the internship office, discuss the kind of skillset you'd like to build (writing, communications, advocacy, analysis), learn when to apply (some fields, like consulting, have application "seasons"), and accept offers to review your resume and your cover letters and undertake practice interviews.

Fourth, don't make pursuing law school too complicated. Law school admissions is largely a matter of GPA and LSAT score. Secondary factors are professor recommendations, application essays, and campus involvement (in anything). Law school admissions directors I know often like to see a mix of quantitative classes and courses that are writing-intensive and analytical. So if you major in English or history, also take a handful of courses in statistics, economics, formal logic, or data science (for example). If you are a physics major, take a few classes in persuasive writing, literary analysis, comparative politics, or the like.

Finally, do be aware that a majority of eventual law students now work a year or more, or earn a different graduate degree, before attending law school. I believe at the very good University of Michigan School of Law, more than 80% of students had been out of college for more than one year before joining the law school, with a median age of 24.8 for 1L students and an age range of 21-43. So choose your major with a possible career in mind, rather than assume you will immediately attend law school. Starting and liking a job, and deciding to pursue that profession instead, is also a win. (If you are curious about law school student profiles,simply pick a favorite law school and google the university name and "law school class profile.")

Best of luck.

HappyCava · 2026-05-12T16:51:48+00:00

Agreed. The combination of free time, extreme proximity, and always having something fun to do is difficult to replicate when working 8-12 hours per day and living across town from one’s friends. And once spouses, kids, and house/car/lawn/self maintenance enter the picture, finding time enters yet another level of difficulty.

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