Education · 1 of 5

The path

A long university route. The degree is the easy part; getting real lab hours is what counts.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Chemistry, biology and as much math as you can take. Ask a nearby university about summer lab programs for high school students.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   Biochemistry, chemistry, or molecular and cell biology. Get into a professor's lab by your second year. Undergraduate research is what graduate schools actually read.

3. 3

   Technician job or straight to graduate school

   0 to 2 years

   Many people spend a year or two as a paid research technician first. It makes a much stronger application.

4. 4

   Doctorate

   5 to 6 years

   You are paid a stipend to do original research, then write and defend a dissertation. Admission is competitive and does not depend on grades alone.

5. 5

   Postdoctoral research or an industry job

   0 to 4 years

   Academic careers need a postdoctoral stint. Company jobs often do not.