Dilemma: experience vs. alumni status

[kirasaurus]

First off, my goal is to score a PI with the animal behavior program at AK either senior year or immediately following graduation.

The way it's looking with my academics, I can either take a semester off to do the college program or transfer to a university (of lower caliber, honestly) closer to a major zoo for one semester and volunteer/intern there.

What would the Disney team value more? There's no garuntee that I would end up anywhere near animal kingdom if i did the CP, much less in some kind of contact with animals. I wish I could do both, but it doesn't seem like an option right now

 

[TinkStitch]

Check if the PIs your interested in are open to everyone or if they're alumni only. That might help you make your decision. It's really tough to tell with that situation, they might like you to have some experience, but I feel like alumni are more likely to get a PI (I don't know if that's really how it is, but that's how I feel)

 

[beautybutafunnygirl]

Is there any way you could do both? Idk if either your college or zoos work like this but like instead of transferring for one semester, could you take a summer internship at a zoo, and do the CP one semester?

 

[slp1650]

If there are any zoos or even animal rescue groups around, you can try and volunteer there during school. A lot of people I go to school with volunteer/work/intern at the Santa Barbara zoo while they are still in classes and what not. I've interned at a marine mammal rescue since freshman year and have really enjoyed that.

In the zoological world it seems any experience you have can help. I would look up the requirements for animal behavior, look at your college schedule, and decide from there what you think is important and/or possible.