Best Colleges for Ice Climbers????

[sdizzle25]

I would say it has to be Bozeman. MSU has the best ice climbing access that I can think of, considering there are no colleges in Ouray. Maybe there is something in Norway I dont know about. If you cant handle the hippy populations in Bozeman, Montana than I am not sure what to tell you. Whoever said Washington or Oregon was hopefully joking, Ice Climbing here is a sad, distant dream that usually only occurs on N. Faces. University of Idaho will put you a couple hours from banks and about 6 from hyalite, but wont offer much for weekday/after class opportunities. That being said, if you hate hippies N Idaho is the place for you, unless you are a minority and/or pro wolf

Edited February 7, 2012 by sdizzle25

[keenwesh]

also if you hate black people, and jews, and gays, and gypsies, and hispanics, and slavs, and australians, then yeah north idaho is probably the place for you. Otherwise come to bozeman.

[PrincessWookie]

University of Alaska in Anchorage may also be an option since you can ice climb glaciers all summer, too, with 24 hours of light! Just a thought.... there are probably better areas though.

Edited February 7, 2012 by PrincessWookie

[ScaredSilly]

If you are going to go to grad school pick a top ranked school. At least one in the top 50. Unless the school offers something very unique.

 

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/chemistry-rankings.

 

Also go visit the schools and programs before making a decision.

 

BTW I left the PNW years ago for grad school in Ooootah - still here. Oh, and I did some ice this weekend and skied some pow as well as doing a bit of skate skiing after work. I make frequent trips back to the PNW to climb on the glaciers.

 

 

[John Frieh]

Rad and ScaredSilly nailed it: get into the best school you can.

 

One of my undergraduate degrees is in chemistry and I basically gave up everything minus daily exercise shortly after starting the third year of my undergrad and didnt return to climbing until after finishing my masters. I was truly fucking miserable but considering where I am today I dont regret it one bit.

 

And for what it's worth I honestly can't emphasize how competitive it is out here... I work for a fortune 100 company now and I am in the minority as a white, male educated in the United States. You think you want it bad? Wait till you see how hard foreigners are willing to work to get the same job you're thinking about after graduation. Work your ass off... your life depends on it.

 

[dougd]

Rad and ScaredSilly nailed it: get into the best school you can.

 

One of my undergraduate degrees is in chemistry and I basically gave up everything minus daily exercise shortly after starting the third year of my undergrad and didnt return to climbing until after finishing my masters. I was truly fucking miserable but considering where I am today I dont regret it one bit.

 

And for what it's worth I honestly can't emphasize how competitive it is out here... I work for a fortune 100 company now and I am in the minority as a white, male educated in the United States. You think you want it bad? Wait till you see how hard foreigners are willing to work to get the same job you're thinking about after graduation. Work your ass off... your life depends on it.

 

 

Great advice from a guy who has been there. Hope Rick heeds it.

 

d

[Rickpatbrown]

Rad and ScaredSilly nailed it: get into the best school you can.

 

One of my undergraduate degrees is in chemistry and I basically gave up everything minus daily exercise shortly after starting the third year of my undergrad and didnt return to climbing until after finishing my masters. I was truly fucking miserable but considering where I am today I dont regret it one bit.

 

And for what it's worth I honestly can't emphasize how competitive it is out here... I work for a fortune 100 company now and I am in the minority as a white, male educated in the United States. You think you want it bad? Wait till you see how hard foreigners are willing to work to get the same job you're thinking about after graduation. Work your ass off... your life depends on it.

 

I know this is true, but I really hate thinking about this. I'm not trying to make a 100K a year. I just want a solid job that I enjoy. My life is not going to be my career. I work so that I can do the things I love: climb, ride motorcycles, fish, run etc.

 

If I'm unable to do this at a school like Montana or Wyoming, than I'll have to rethink.

 

BTW, I received my bachelor's from UMBC in 2010.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Rickpatbrown

[Water]

Your life may not be your career but your career can/will have a huge influence on your life. You want to aim as high as you can, not for just good enough. Consider life has a way of making it that aiming for your best puts you somewhere good enough for you and aiming for just good enough gets you somewhere short of that. Even if you maintain some 'big' salary is not your goal, having the best degree may be able to help you dictate better where you work/live in order to maintain happiness from those other life items you love.

 

 

 

spoken from someone who is a case study in not making decisions career-wise yields decisions being made for you.

[Pete_H]

Just curious, what kind of job does one get with masters in chemistry?

[BootsandPants]

I'm a lot like you, I don't want my career to rule my life. I also wrestled with the same decisions you're making with grad school, and from my experience these other comments ring true.

 

Really, don't make a decision on extracurricular things, especially for grad school. Those are just that, extra. "Get into the best school you can" is sage advice. Your degree is an investment in your future, don't invest in "adequate" just for the short term payoff when you could be getting more.

 

If it happens to work out in your favor, awesome! If not, you'll find some new, fun hobbies to keep you occupied. That's how I picked up hockey, curling, and tournament paintball

[DPS]

The guys I know who went to Dartmouth had awesome things to say about the ice in NH and Lake willoughby, VT. Dartmouth is a pretty kick ass school too. Colorado School of Mines is quite good too.

[Pete_H]

Though, there's something to be said for going to school where you want to end up since you make connections, have internships, etc. there. But you have to be realistic that there's also jobs for people with a M.S. in chemistry there.

[jordansahls]

I'm waiting to hear back from MSU, UBC and UC Boulder about Grad school. I will be happy to attend any of those universities.

[jon]

And for what it's worth I honestly can't emphasize how competitive it is out here... I work for a fortune 100 company now and I am in the minority as a white, male educated in the United States. You think you want it bad? Wait till you see how hard foreigners are willing to work to get the same job you're thinking about after graduation. Work your ass off... your life depends on it.

 

I want to build on what John said. Everything he said is true. Ride the 545 from the Microsoft campus to downtown Seattle and you will start thinking differently about your professional future.

 

The other consideration you need to make is getting work experience. Two years ago when unemployment was at it's peak we hired 2 entry level positions (I work in science). We received 40 resumes that had been vetted by HR. 40. Of those I think we interviewed maybe 5. There were people with 20 years of experience, with Masters and PhDs, lots of industry experience for an entry level job paying nothing. There were also, and I have no problem revealing this, a lot of UW graduates with double degrees, great grades and deans list, even a few going straight to masters, but they had ZERO relevant work experience, just some labs. Those went into the garbage. Maybe I'm unconventional, but part of the educational process is actually getting work experience to apply your knowledge. So make sure you choose a program and a city that will accommodate that.

[lummox]

Um, yeah. Pat Callis is a chemistry professor at Montana State. Coincidence? Not.

[lummox]

Um, yeah. Pat Callis is a chemistry professor at Montana State. Coincidence? Not.

Fyi: chemists don't make much money regardless of which university they attended. (Money earned with my PhD in Physical Chemistry per year)×5=(Money earned with USCG captain license per year)

Good luck.

here's one for ya: a molecule tells his buddy he lost an electron.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. "

[DPS]

I have a master's degree. My first chemistry job after grad school paid $15.00 an hour, $2.50 less an hour than the carpentry job I left to take it. And this was at a government lab that paid much better than commerical labs. I wound up writing software for the last ten years. More lucrative, more jobs.

[Pete_H]

Good advice. I know lots of folks, including myself, who have advanced degrees but work in trades or occupations that only require high school education.

 

If you're looking for work-life balance maybe consider the health care field. With a bs in chem you would have lots of prerequ's done for nursing or other specialty field.

[Coldfinger]

THE WINNER IS:

 

UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX!!!!!

 

Hard to argue with being able to be anywhere, no?

[keenwesh]

In bozeman you could probably get a job at BioScience labs while you get your degree. they employ smart people both part and full time and probably pay decently well.

http://www.biosciencelabs.com/

 

they do studies for products and pay college students to be guinea pigs. I was going to do something for them last week but then I cut up my hands mixed climbing with no gloves on (idiot).

Look into the chem department here at MSU

http://www.chemistry.montana.edu/graduate/

check it out, I find I do better in school when I can get away for a day or two a weekend (or after class) and go play in the mountains. Of course you have to find a balance, but it's what keeps me sane. BTW my grades are good.

 

 

And the proximity of Phoenix is what kept me from going to northern arizona in flagstaff. that place isn't where you'd want to spend any amount of time.

[Coldfinger]

THE WINNER IS:

 

UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX!!!!!

 

Hard to argue with being able to be anywhere, no?

 

YOU CAN STUDY ONLINE........

[jon]

THE WINNER IS:

 

UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX!!!!!

 

Hard to argue with being able to be anywhere, no?

 

YOU CAN STUDY ONLINE........

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/collegeinc/

[keenwesh]

leave it to me to totally miss that, I think my dad did his masters in teaching through a online program with seattle U. A online degree in chemistry might be a little harder... BUT YES YOU COULD DO IT FROM ANYWHERE.

 

Speaking of chemistry I'm studying for a test tonight and kinda regretting putting that off until now. The math isn't hard, just a ton of memorization, this is second semester of gen chem though, the fun stuff doesn't start until next semester in organic. I'm curious, what makes you want a degree in chemistry?

[Rickpatbrown]

Nevermind everyone. I figured it out today. I just bought a lottery ticket -$250 million. I don't need to worry about a job.

 

I went with Chemistry because I love it and my mind works well with it. I was originally thinking med school, but as soon as I got into the lab, I knew that I wanted to do chem. Unfortunately, I burned out working full time while getting my undergrad and now I'm having trouble getting going again. My job (unrelated field) won't pay me anymore though, so I have to move on.

 

Everyone saying to get into a top 50 school- that sounds nice and all, but how many people can actually get into these schools?

[Rickpatbrown]

I have a master's degree. My first chemistry job after grad school paid $15.00 an hour, $2.50 less an hour than the carpentry job I left to take it. And this was at a government lab that paid much better than commerical labs. I wound up writing software for the last ten years. More lucrative, more jobs.

 

Entry level jobs definitely don't pay much. You surely have to put in the work to get experience.

 

I live in Maryland and we have plenty of jobs. I would expect to move back here after I do grad school. That's kind of why I want to go somewhere icy for 2 years.