Brooke Noble
What is the best meterology school to go to??
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Chris Allington
EF4
To be honest it really depends on what your looking for... have you researched any options? Are there other factors that play into your choice then just your degree? (Sports teams, campus, ect.) Additionally, different schools tend to specialize in different parts of meteorology... tropical, severe storms, winter weather, climatology, ect. You should probably do some digging there, though I'm sure some people will simply reply and say OU, ect.
Jason Boggs
OU is probably recognized as the best school to go to. What you think is the best school is a totally different story. It just depends on what you want to spend, what your goals are, etc...
rdale
EF5
For severe convective weather - yes. But if that's not what you are looking for, then OU is not the best school to go to.
Robert Dewey
EF5
I agree with Rob. It really depends on what field you're interested in as to which university is best. I wouldn't say OU is "the best" for every facet of meteorology; they have their strengths and weaknesses just like any other college or university.
Chris Nuttall
EF5
It also depends on what you want to do with your career. Do you want to go into research, operational meteorology, or media? Do you think more in terms of theory or in how it's applied?
Jason Foster
Just a few off the top of my head.
Penn State
University of Miami
Oklahoma University
Mississippi State
NC State
Florida State
I'll also mention Metro State College of Denver, since ST's very own Dann C. and Tony L. graduated from there.
The comments about OU being severe related is right. Just like Univ.of Miami is focused a lot on tropical weather. Mississippi State is know for broadcast meteorology.
Just whatever you do, you'd better be damn good at it. I've heard a little as 15% of met grades are find work in their field. I'd suggest also having a back-up plan.
Penn State
University of Miami
Oklahoma University
Mississippi State
NC State
Florida State
I'll also mention Metro State College of Denver, since ST's very own Dann C. and Tony L. graduated from there.
The comments about OU being severe related is right. Just like Univ.of Miami is focused a lot on tropical weather. Mississippi State is know for broadcast meteorology.
Just whatever you do, you'd better be damn good at it. I've heard a little as 15% of met grades are find work in their field. I'd suggest also having a back-up plan.
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rdale
EF5
http://stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=17942
http://stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=17421
Dr Doswell has a great essay he just wrote for people thinking of college. And his Weatherbrains interview earlier this month was perfect -- it's not the college you go to, it's the student that makes the difference. If you go to a college that doesn't have a strong hurricane program, you can make the best of your time and still be an excellent huricane researcher. "Taking a mulligan" because you don't have the best teacher is really your fault.
http://stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=17421
Dr Doswell has a great essay he just wrote for people thinking of college. And his Weatherbrains interview earlier this month was perfect -- it's not the college you go to, it's the student that makes the difference. If you go to a college that doesn't have a strong hurricane program, you can make the best of your time and still be an excellent huricane researcher. "Taking a mulligan" because you don't have the best teacher is really your fault.
Mike Smith
Because the question comes up so often, I offer my answer on my new blog:
http://meteorologicalmusings.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-pick-meteorology-school.html
http://meteorologicalmusings.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-pick-meteorology-school.html
Phillip Aubin
EF0
I do understand UNC Asheville has a nice Meteo program.
Kiel Ortega
EF4
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2004
- Messages
- 325
I think it's important to know what degree (B.S., M.S., PhD.) one is looking for. While, yes, you could summarize that OU is severe weather related, that's in the graduate student research topics (actual studies of severe weather would be from research-radar and data assimilation). I can tell as an OU alum, very few courses are offered in the undergrad career which focus specifically on severe weather. And osmosis doesn't work for a student when it comes to absorbing the severe weather knowledge around the NWC. For undergrads, you really need to have a look at degree sheets before entering a program (I'm sure this has been said before, but I really want to reiterate it). That'll give you the ONLY idea of what a program will be like. Don't be afraid to email a school and find out either. I emailed Fred Carr (Dir., OU SoM) and his advice helped shape the last year and a half of my high school schedule.
For OU (specifically the undergrad program), I would argue our dynamics sequence is very good (I've had friends graduate from OU and go to other schools and take a graduate level dynamics course and state that they already had all of it at OU). Another perk to OU (which is why I think people hold it in high regard) is the co-location with NSSL, CAPS, CIMMS, OCS and others which allow for the opportunity for undergrad research assistant opportunities.
I also 2nd Chuck's quote above about it being about the student. It's up to them...just because you go to the "best" school doesn't mean you're the best. I've mentored and met some highly talented students during the past couple of summers who come from small schools.
For OU (specifically the undergrad program), I would argue our dynamics sequence is very good (I've had friends graduate from OU and go to other schools and take a graduate level dynamics course and state that they already had all of it at OU). Another perk to OU (which is why I think people hold it in high regard) is the co-location with NSSL, CAPS, CIMMS, OCS and others which allow for the opportunity for undergrad research assistant opportunities.
I also 2nd Chuck's quote above about it being about the student. It's up to them...just because you go to the "best" school doesn't mean you're the best. I've mentored and met some highly talented students during the past couple of summers who come from small schools.
Andrew Ryan
EF3
Obviously I'm gonna be a little biased when it comes to this...but I'll offer my two cents anyway. For your undergrad, it really doesn't matter where you go honestly. The stuff you learn is just the foundations of meteorology. Several people have already mentioned that OU's specialty is severe weather. That is true but, for the most part, you won't be learning that in your classes.
So, I would suggest visiting campuses of school's that you are interested in. You want to spend 4 (maybe more since you're gonna be a meteorology major
) years somewhere you are going to be happy. If not, even the best meteorology school isn't going to help you.
So, I would suggest visiting campuses of school's that you are interested in. You want to spend 4 (maybe more since you're gonna be a meteorology major
) years somewhere you are going to be happy. If not, even the best meteorology school isn't going to help you.mikegeukes
EF5
Meteorology department links:
http://www.nwas.org/links/universities.php
Interested in University of Oklahoma:
Meteorology Course syllabus:
http://som.ou.edu/courseSchedule.php
Knowledge Expectations for Meteorology courses.
http://som.ou.edu/knowUnderGrad.php
Mike http://supercellweather.blogspot.com/
Add me as a friend to Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mikegeukes<cite>
</cite>
http://www.nwas.org/links/universities.php
ARE WE GRADUATING TOO MANY ATMOSPHERIC SCIENTISTS? AN UPDATE
http://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/130540.pdfInterested in University of Oklahoma:
Meteorology Course syllabus:
http://som.ou.edu/courseSchedule.php
Knowledge Expectations for Meteorology courses.
http://som.ou.edu/knowUnderGrad.php
Mike http://supercellweather.blogspot.com/
Add me as a friend to Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mikegeukes<cite>
</cite>
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James Weatherman
EF0
I don't have a degree in Meteorology but I have looked into a few schools. If you are interested in forecasting I know Penn State has a good program. It is online and is 4 classes (I am two down, two to go) it is a certification program. I have looked some at OU (hard to say being a KU fan lol). My big issue at this time is finding a job down in the Norman area so I could start going to school there. I am also wanting to finish my BS in web design and network administration before I get to working on anything else. I have also looked at the Metro State College of Denver but again finding a job to support a family is the big issue for me.
mikedeason
EF5
Nice avatar Weatherman. Looks a lot like one of Hollingshead's Katrina pictures (or at least the May 28, 2004 Sioux City supercell.)
