Paleontology is the study of the fossil record throughout geological time. It is a recognised field of tertiary study alongside other geology majors in the discipline of science, and once studied to and beyond postgraduate level, it is an interesting, popular and exciting profession to be involved in.
To gain entry at university level in the field of palaeontology, one must recognise that any science degree requires firm grounding in mathematics, science and English at secondary education. Other areas which do not count as prerequisite subjects but may be viewed by university entrance examiners somewhat more favourably than less related subjects, may include history (particularly ancient), archaeology and geography.
In terms of subject level, mathematics is the only subject for high school students which is scrutinised by universities when seeking to enter the faculty of science. Entry into science is generally open to those high school graduates who have undertaken mathematics at virtually all but the base levels, although naturally those who score low marks at middle to lower level maths are less likely to be chosen than those with higher marks in the same level groups.
As with maths, science subjects at high school are equally important for tertiary study in science, and as with high-level maths , the two main science subjects of concern are physics and chemistry; both of these plus high level maths will give any secondary school student automatic entry into tertiary science upon successful completion of these subjects. In certain cases, one may only be studying one of these two subjects at high school but may still be accepted into university if they excel in that subject along with maths. Furthermore, neither subject may be in the high school study curriculum, but if there happened to be other related science subjects on offer at their school then these subjects may be an acceptable substitute (again, increasingly likely if the student scores well at the end). Geology and biology are two standout options in place of (or indeed, alongside) physics and chemistry, but other possibilities might include engineering and statistical science subjects. It is worth noting here that consultation with various sources of information assistance will steer the student in the right direction, particularly in terms of choice of science subjects to study.
Although not emphasised as strongly as those subjects mentioned above, the inclusion of english is mandatory for all high school students (certainly the case here in Australia). However, were a student successful in maths and science but unable to pass even the most basic level english at end of high school, there would be likely difficulty faced in attempting to enter tertiary science. In the rare situation where this happens, such students are generally required to sit bridging courses in english which will count toward core requisite entry into university.
For those who are seeking advice on which subjects to pursue at high school in order to gain a place at university to study palaeontology, this article should only serve as a rough guide to the key areas of study relevant to such future tertiary studies. It is otherwise entirely the responsibility of the interested student to seek professional advice from appropriate sources including school councillors and teachers, university academic staff in geology and palaeontology, and (of course) any professionals in the field of palaeontology and related Earth and biological sciences.
Good luck, happy hunting and be assured that such an interesting profession as palaeontology will come with rewards and challenges, including much time and effort being allocated to study!