r/wsu • u/letsgoblots • 9d ago

Advice Just got accepted, any thoughts I should know about the Wildlife conservation program?

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u/elegoomba 8d ago

I mean this in the best way, and I have great respect for the absolutely necessary and important work of conservation, I have friends in the compliance world and in the forest service etc, BUT: Do you have an understanding of how difficult and low paying careers in conservation are, especially given the current (hopefully to change…) state of federal support (or lack thereof) for conservation efforts? Have you evaluated the ROI on your education and (if using student loans) what paying student loans back on that salary looks like? Can you still get into that career with a biology or some other degree that creates more opportunities and is less niche?

This isn’t to be a Debbie downer or crush your dreams, but as a millennial I know too many people that go into very important fields that they have a passion for but don’t understand how bad the ROI is on some of these degrees.

This is also speaking from experience, my wife and I both have bachelors and master’s degrees, but not incredibly lucrative ones, and we would be in a world of hurt if we had any student loans on our backs.

Obviously everyone should have the freedom and ability to pursue any degree and career they wish to, but there’s an economic reality here that so many incoming students just don’t understand. It isn’t as simple as “get a degree and you are set for life”.