College Options

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Thanks guys. I've also considered Paul Smith's, but thats a little farther than I want to go.

Royce, thats the reason I'm considering Purdue is because that in the area I would like to settle down and work. I've been dead set on Stockbridge, but after realizing the contacts you build at college can help you out in the real world, I've been opening up other options.

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New England, especially around Boston, is one of the best places to be an Arborist. I think you should go to Stockbridge (I wish I did) and just become a New Englander. You'll love it here.
 
Nothing about Stock bridge, but I grew up in the Berkshires and it sucked nothing good has come of that place but the friends. It eats people up. There isn't much to do for a life. I never liked New England but that just me.
 
happy b day rGus.

I've hired and interviewed lots of people over these last 15 years for Arbor-X.

I thought the 4 years forestry school guys would be really good.

None of them have been all that great.

That is why I have the opinion that ACM's two year school is so good.

NOT because I went there.

The best employees I've ever had come from there.

I had a Purdue grad that worked for a little over a year too.

What he knew was of little use and didn't contribute much and was a poor climber.

But was big talker.

He knew lots of broad stuff that didn't matter, like the latin name for beaver and skunk from his wildlife classes.

I am not promoting ACM just because I went there, they put out some of the best arborist around.

Davey and Bartlett try very hard to snatch up these graduates too.

see my earlier link. Housing is cheap out there too and they have dorms too.
 
Mid State has an awesome program. And if you get through the first two years and decide you don't want to continue, your still on a great track with a great education. If you still want to continue, transferring to a university like Steven's Point, Purdue, or even South Dakota State (had to plug my alma), you'll get some different vantage points on Arboriculture and Urban Forestry plus the degree with can take you where you want to go.
Good luck!
 
Nothing against universities...some of my best friends work there...but this rang a familiar bell; sounds like several guys i have worked with:

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I had a Purdue grad that worked for a little over a year too.
What he knew was of little use and didn't contribute much and was a poor climber.
But was big talker.
He knew lots of broad stuff that didn't matter, like the latin name for beaver and skunk from his wildlife classes.


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Moral of story may be...book smarts do not trump field smarts.

we need both.
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rangerdanger will balance the two.
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A lot of the coolest, most attractive arborists go to UW-Stevens Point. Point grads generally attract the best-looking women who are excellent cooks.


THAT SAID... the 2-year program at MSTC rocks, those who wish to continue at Point get a good deal too.

The chip on your shoulder 4-year grads piss me off to no end. All that booklearnin' doesn't mean much if you're cocky and walk around with a sense of entitlement.
 
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The chip on your shoulder 4-year grads piss me off to no end. All that booklearnin' doesn't mean much if you're cocky and walk around with a sense of entitlement.

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haha this makes me laugh so much because its true...Pointers can tell you how to make the cut with a chainsaw, they just cant do it. For one someone has to show them how to start a saw. All jokes aside I am glad I am in the different boat because I will have my 2 year degree first
 
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Paul Smith is way out in the sticks, good program but geared a little more towards logging than arboriculture. I was originally going to go to Paul Smith, but decided on Stockbridge.

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Yes Paul Smiths is in the STICKS. Their Urban tree management program is geared directly to arboriculture, Randal Swanson does a really nice job with the help of a local buisness man. Ive been out for 10 years now but when I was there we climbed 2 days a week, 4 hours labs. They do have plenty of logging as well, if thats your thing.
 
I went the Purdue route and for the most part I'm glade I did. I ended up with a B.S. in Agr. and minor in Urban Forestry. I think with most higher education you learn WHY you do this or that but don't learn much of the HOW until you're on the job. Also, we all know certain things that work out in theory aren't worth a hoot in the real world. And yes all the gen ed classes to make us the "well rounded student" were a pain but looking back I wish I would have taken some other non-tree related classes because that "useless" knowledge is nice from time to time. Another reason I went with the bigger university is name recognition. I'm not knocking the small schools but having that name recognition has helped me time from time. All in all I'm happy the path I took. But I'm not going to lie now, there were days while I was there talking to buddies who took the smaller technical school route who had classes devoted mainly to Arboricutlure while I was studying calc. geared towards engineering or the mating rituals of some South American tribe. Yeah have yet to use that.
 
I went to Hocking College in Nelsonville, OH for forest management associates (2 year). Not as much related to arboriculture as I would have liked, but gave me a good background in dendro, ento, ecology, wildlife, forest measuring/mensuration, wildfire etc. The school is very close to Ohio University - Athens, OH.

I enjoyed it.
 
Looks like Hocking now offers a Landscape Management degree.
http://www.hocking.edu/academics/academicPrograms/landscape-management/default.aspx

The thing I liked about the school was it was over 50% hands on in the wood for the forestry program.
http://www.hocking.edu/academics/academicPrograms/forest_Management/default.aspx


In state tuition was VERY reasonable.

Probably not as elite as the other schools mentioned above, but I feel like they cut out the bull$#!!! and fed us with real life scenarios. At that time, experienced private and gov. sector foresters were the professors.

To me a degree is more helpful for someone trying to get a gov job or be an "office worker" where a BS or Masters would be best. But for younger guys with little experience,an associates is also very helpful. Higher education is definitely rewarding and pays off, even if just by personal satisfaction.

At that stage in life it helped keep me out of a trouble too.
 
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At that time, experienced private and gov. sector foresters were the professors.



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That is really good. Ours at Mid-State are ISA Certified Arborists and also are in progress of getting their masters...actually one has his and the other is currently working on it

Both of them also worked for companies before them came to teach
 
I wouldn't trade working with Dr. Green at Western Illinois University for any other urban forestry program. If you get in the program by next fall you will still get to experience one more semester with Dr. Green. The program is still going to continue once he retires, and they are currently interviewing applicants. Good Luck!!!
 
You will find climbing classes too basic for your skill level. It takes two weeks to learn a bowline. So either focus on the biology at a university OR make sure you can tutor your classmates. At our college if there was an experienced climber they would take out classmates for a rec. climb and get paid well by the school for climbing tutoring. They could also borrow school's equipment. Paid to play.

My college was Olds College in Olds, Alberta, Canada. Good program. The school has attracted American students in the past. I'm thinking the American the year ahead of me was from Kentucky as well, he was a good climber and my tutor.
 
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Nothing about Stock bridge, but I grew up in the Berkshires and it sucked nothing good has come of that place but the friends. It eats people up. There isn't much to do for a life. I never liked New England but that just me.

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Your post made it seem that The Stockbridge School is in Stockbridge, MA (Berkshire County). It is actually in Amherst, MA (Hampshire County) in the Pioneer Valley. I am just trying to clarify for non Baystaters in case of any confusion. Plenty to do in Amherst and surrounding towns.
 
hey, Berkshires are great for skiing!

I'm lovin this thread; never knew there were so many degree programs for arbo. Where was all this 40 years ago when i needed it?
 
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