What are life’s origins? How has life evolved over time? How do we know? As a student of paleontology, you will unlock the secrets of plant and animal life and their preservation, and investigate how ancient life forms reflect patterns of environmental and evolutionary change.

As an undergraduate at Albion, you will have the opportunity to dig into the real samples and big questions of paleontology. As a paleontology minor, you will use our state-of-the-art research laboratories to analyze samples, learn first-hand from our extensive fossil collections, and collaborate with our faculty to undertake field and/or lab research. You will develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and data analysis skills that will set you up for success in any career.

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Challenge yourself to go further. Make Albion the next step in your journey.

As an international student at Albion, you’ll find supportive faculty, over one hundred clubs and organizations where you can build your community, and an active campus where you’ll feel you truly belong.

All international applications submitted after May 1, 2022, will be processed as timely as possible. Some may be subject to deferment for the Spring 2023 semester, due to the immigration process to acquire F-1 status.

Albion students strive for excellence and while we base admission primarily on academic performance, we are eager to learn about your other passions and areas of interest. In addition to your application, as an international student, you’ll need to submit:

Academic Records must be official and sent directly by a school counselor, university academic records office, or EducationUSA Advisor. Certified translations and original language documents are required if the originals are not in English.

As part of your application process, you must order an evaluation of your international education from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)*.

*Students from Nepal, Mongolia, Ghana, Nigeria, UK, Australia, and Canada are exempt.

Official test results from the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, or IELTS. Test results should either be sent directly to us from the testing agency or be certified and sent to us by a school counselor, university official, or EducationUSA officer:

SAT and TOEFL – institutional code 1007

English proficiency is required of all students. Your SAT, ACT, TOEFL, or IELTS test score may act as a demonstration of your English proficiency.

This allows you to share with us in more detail anything that you think we should consider when looking at you holistically for admission. It also provides us with insight into how you write and think.

We’re excited to hear what those who know you best have to say about you as a good fit for Albion.

Students over the age of 23 are not required to live on campus. If you plan to live off-campus for Fall Semester 2022 please submit a residency exemption request. The Office of Community Living will reach out once your request has been reviewed. Students that are interested in living on-campus should complete the Housing Request Form and can click here to learn more about our residential communities.

If there are more than four months between your high school graduation and your first term at Albion, you should also submit:

An explanation of your activities over this time: This can be in the Interruption of Studies section of the Common App, through your Briton Bound account, or in a short message to our admissions email address.

If you have attended any post-secondary institution since completing high school (secondary school), you should also submit:

Official transcripts, mark sheets, and exam results showing results for all courses attempted and completed: Students who attended post-secondary studies in India must send complete university mark sheets, not college mark sheets or consolidated mark sheets. Albion will accept certified or attested copies of post-secondary records. If you decide to enroll, you will only receive credit for previous work outside of the U.S. if we receive an official evaluation report directly from a NACES-approved service.

Admission Processes: Early Action and Rolling Admission

You can choose to apply either through Early Action or Rolling Admission.

As an Early Action candidate, you’ll receive priority consideration for admission and scholarships. You must submit your Early Action application and all supporting documents by December 1. You’ll be notified of the admission decision within two weeks of the completed submission.

If you prefer Rolling Admission, you may apply at any point during the year of high. All completed applications and supporting material will be processed within two weeks of a completed submission.

The enrollment deposit deadline for both Early Action and Rolling Admission is May 1. Deposits are $285 until April 16, increasing to $350 after. The enrollment deposit is refundable until May 1.

Application Deadlines for International Students

February 1: Recommended application submission (fall semester)

March 1: Application deadline for scholarship priority (fall semester)

May 1: Candidate reply date; deposit day for incoming first-years

August 18: International Student Move-In Day

October 1: Recommended application submission and application deadline for scholarship priority (spring semester)

We will communicate admission and scholarship decisions for the fall term beginning March 1.

Admissions Option 2

At Albion, you can pair a paleontology minor with any of our majors.

As a geology major with a paleontology minor, you will deepen your understanding of how the Earth developed by studying the life forms that have shaped, and been shaped by, our natural world.

Paleontology Minor (for non-Geology Majors)

As a paleontology minor, you will study the history of life on Earth. As such, this discipline adds context and richness to almost any field of study. Students frequently combine their minor in paleontology with majors in biology, history, and anthropology.

Curriculum

What Will You Learn as a Paleontology Minor?

You will study how changing environments and climates have impacted evolution and extinction, what these patterns mean for the future of life on Earth, and how we can utilize that data for work in conservation paleobiology today.

You will use our state-of-the-art laboratories to analyze fossils and sedimentary rocks from around the world under the microscope in order to understand the evolution and preservation of ancient life forms over time.

You will contextualize everything you learn through hands-on experience, by undertaking and presenting field and/or lab research, studying abroad, or participating in an internship. This experiential learning will allow you to put theory into practice.

Program Outcome

Bachelor

Master

Natural Sciences

Earth Science

Paleontology

Albion College is an undergraduate, liberal arts institution committed to academic excellence. We are learning-centered and recognize that valuable learning takes place in and outside the classroom, on and off-campus. We prepare students to translate critical thought into action.

Paleontology Minor

Key Information

Introduction

Why Study Paleontology at Albion?

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Admissions

Curriculum

Features

Program Outcome

What Will You Learn as a Paleontology Minor?

About the School

Questions