by Steven Gomez

Created on: November 29, 2008

Being a Meteorologist isn't just about being the weatherman on your 11 o'clock news. Meteorologists research weather phenomena, air pollution and attempt to forecast the weather. The information and predictions you get from the weatherman was previously researched and determined by professional Meteorologists.

Like becoming a doctor, scientist or engineer, the path to a Meteorology career usually begins with a strong high school education in math and science. Most secondary schools don't specifically offer a course in Meteorology, but it remains important to develop a strong foundation in chemistry, biology, Earth science and other science courses, as well as advanced work with algebra, trigonometry and even calculus. If a student can take AP courses in math and science, even better.

But even if you didn't take a heavy math and science courseload, you can catch up with strong work in remedial college classes. However, your college may not have a Meteorology Program: fewer than two dozen schools in the nation offer a Bachelor's of Science in Meteorology with courses that the American Meteorological Society requires for certification.

If you aren't attending one but are attending another college, you will need to transfer after about 2-3 years of study, and you'll need strong grades to do so. As recommended with high school, make sure you take a lot of math and science courses, the most advanced ones you can, and perform well in them. Transfer requirements can be stringent, and if Meteorology schools see you have a strong math and science background, they will be much more likely to accept you.

Once you've begun study with such a program, you will need to minor or co-major in a field relevant to the work you plan to do. If you do wish to become a weatherperson, you'll at least need to minor in journalism or communications. If, for example, you want to study weather effects on sea life, you'll also want to study oceanography or marine biology. For a research intensive career, you may want to study computer science, as you'll need to work with a lot of sophisticated computer equipment, or mechanical engineering if you wish to develop or improve research equipment.

If you can take on internships, do it. These will allow you to make connections with professionals in the field as you learn on the job. Such professionals can write you letters of recommendation when you go to apply for work or for grad school to earn higher degrees. They can also directly reference you to entry-level career opportunities once you enter the workforce. Some may even take you on themselves as a full time entry level employee once you graduate!

Once you finish school and begin working in the field, it's highly recommended that you get certified with the American Meteorological Society through either the Certified Meteorologist Program, the Seal of Approval or the Certified Consulting Meteorologist program. Figure out what you need to accomplish to get certified, and go for it. All three certifications are distinctive in noting the recipient's contribution to publicly promoting meteorologic knowledge and improving the public's knowledge. While these aren't necessarily required to break into the Meteorology field, they are highly recommended if you wish to advance to advanced professions in the field.

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