Zoologists

High School

To prepare for a career in zoology, make sure to get a well-rounded high school education. A solid grounding in biology and chemistry is an absolute necessity, but facility in English will also be invaluable. Writing monographs and articles, communicating with colleagues both orally and in writing, and writing persuasive fund-raising proposals are all activities at which scientists need to excel. Also be sure to read widely, not merely relying on books on science or other subjects that are required by the school. The scientist-in-training should search the library for magazines and journals dealing with areas that are of personal interest. Developing the habit of reading will help to prepare you for the massive amounts of reading involved in research and keeping up with the latest developments in the field. Computer skills are also essential, since most zoologists not only use the computer for writing, communication, and research, but they also use various software programs to perform statistical analyses.