Admit it. You love plants. You wouldn't have found your way to Nature Hills Nursery if you didn't. Of course, there are different levels of love. There is the "I want my yard to look nice" level. Or the "I want to know all of the plants native to my area" level. There is even the"I'd" like to learn the Latin names of all my neighbor's weeds level. But if you are at the "I" want to work with plants every day for the rest of my life and change the world while I do it level, then there is only one path for you. You need a degree in botany.The study of plant science is integral to keeping the plants we have in top form and in introducing new plants to the world. If you have a love for the leafy, then here are the top 10 colleges in the U.S for a degree in Botany. These were rated on academic excellence, admissions selectivity, career readiness, financial affordability and the expert opinions of the folks at US News and Forbes.
1. Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois Proximity to the Windy City is attractive at this school, as is the great partnership with the world-renowned Chicago Botanical Gardens that leads to a Masters in Botany.
2. University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, California Known for its cutting-edge research and global outreach, as well as its great Bay Area vibe.
3. Cornell University Ithaca, New York One of the oldest and most distinguished botany programs in the nation, Cornell has been teaching botany for over 150 years.
4. Washington University in St. Louis Saint Louis, Missouri Close ties to the massive Missouri Botanical Gardens and an emphasis on climate change studies keep this program in the forefront of botany schools.
5. University of Florida Gainesville, Florida The dedicated botany greenhouses here contain thousands of specimens used for research and teaching.
6. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois World-class research facilities and home to some of the world's most highly cited researchers.
7. University of California-Davis Davis, California Not only is this botany program world-renowned, the school was recently named the nations "Coolest School".
8. The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas A plant biology degree here includes studying under an integrated consortium of faculty from many disciplines.
9. University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, Wisconsin Access to a unique APGII-organized garden and over 1 million specimens at the Wisconsin State Herbarium.
10. University of California-Irvine Irvine, California A 12.5 acre arboretum anchors the school and provides hands-on learning. It's also only 10 minutes from the beach. Score!