Is this for undergraduate or graduate education? If you went to an undergraduate institution, and then were serious about graduate school, it would be better if that was done at a different institution. If you want to use this education for a career, you should consider that you would be going to two different Universities.
Do you have a specific area of zoology? My suggestion is to get to the journals of the area your are interested in. Look at who is writing the articles and their academic affiliations. Go online and look at their institutions in terms of their programs and catalogues. Do they offer the ability to have undergraduates work in faculty research labs, do independent studies, encourage students to go to scientific meetings and present their research? Do they have an internship program? What sort of courses do they offer, and are they offered on a regular basis? Catalogues are often filled with courses that are rarely offered. For an undergraduate education I think the above is more important than any rating...but the rating may indeed be based on the above. Where do the students who complete their education at this looked at University go to get jobs, how many continue to graduate school?
For graduate school..... look at the graduate faculty which may be separate than the undergraduates. How many advanced students do they have? Write to the people in the field at those Universities asking them about working in their lab.... chances for.......
Do your homework. And two things. The realtor's adage.... Now that you told me what you want, what can you afford? And the carpenter's adage.... Measure twice, cut once.
Good luck
I would like the top three best schools for zoology major in america and the top three for mycology. Then also 3 good in or close to colorado for each like with two states.
