Mikey,
If you become interested in college with a degree in the ecology, fisheries, wildlife, or related fields, investigate but do not choose a college based on recommendations here. The recommendations are a starting point for you to investigate potential colleges or universities, but curriculum is what matters, including the amount of actual fieldwork conducted in the “lab” portions of courses. Additionally, curricula at colleges and universities change substantially from decade to decade and may be changing even more frequently now that enrollments are significantly declining.
I used to do a lot of hiring or working with fisheries seasonals from various in-state (Pa) and a lesser number of out-of-state schools. On a statewide basis, a number of them attended PSU, as I did as an undergrad. The most impressive college student’s resume’ list of fisheries related courses that I ever saw, however, came from a SE Pa student, who was attending the State University of NY (SUNY) Cobleskill Campus. That was in the early 2000’s, however, as I recall, and as I said, curricula can change, so critical investigation is important.
I would only use available fishing as a secondary tie-breaker and I wouldn’t base that on available trout fisheries. If you wish to be a better biologist, have personal knowledge of a variety of fisheries. And as a fisheries manager, if that was a direction that interested you in the future, biologically and ecologically speaking, trout fisheries would be about the least complex that you would ever manage.
Not mentioned here was California University of Pa, a state school. It may be worthwhile investigating too. Clarion had a good aquatic ecology program when I attended grad school back in the Dark Ages and Edinboro had a related program as well. Both schools enhanced their programs through being tied into the University of Pittsburgh’s Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. They are now part of PennWest and I now see that PennWest has a fisheries-wildlife program..
www.pennwest.edu
As I said, things change and investigation is critical when you’re going to spend that kind of money so early in life.
If you become interested in college with a degree in the ecology, fisheries, wildlife, or related fields, investigate but do not choose a college based on recommendations here. The recommendations are a starting point for you to investigate potential colleges or universities, but curriculum is what matters, including the amount of actual fieldwork conducted in the “lab” portions of courses. Additionally, curricula at colleges and universities change substantially from decade to decade and may be changing even more frequently now that enrollments are significantly declining.
I used to do a lot of hiring or working with fisheries seasonals from various in-state (Pa) and a lesser number of out-of-state schools. On a statewide basis, a number of them attended PSU, as I did as an undergrad. The most impressive college student’s resume’ list of fisheries related courses that I ever saw, however, came from a SE Pa student, who was attending the State University of NY (SUNY) Cobleskill Campus. That was in the early 2000’s, however, as I recall, and as I said, curricula can change, so critical investigation is important.
I would only use available fishing as a secondary tie-breaker and I wouldn’t base that on available trout fisheries. If you wish to be a better biologist, have personal knowledge of a variety of fisheries. And as a fisheries manager, if that was a direction that interested you in the future, biologically and ecologically speaking, trout fisheries would be about the least complex that you would ever manage.
Not mentioned here was California University of Pa, a state school. It may be worthwhile investigating too. Clarion had a good aquatic ecology program when I attended grad school back in the Dark Ages and Edinboro had a related program as well. Both schools enhanced their programs through being tied into the University of Pittsburgh’s Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. They are now part of PennWest and I now see that PennWest has a fisheries-wildlife program..
Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, BS | PennWest

As I said, things change and investigation is critical when you’re going to spend that kind of money so early in life.
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