What to Expect

Terms like cartography, remote sensing, spatial thinking, algorithms and computational geometry will become a regular part of your vocabulary as you learn the ins and outs, ups and downs and topical ways of mapping data the GIS way.

Dana Davison took a GIS program offered at a technical college. She says that to enter her program, you need a degree or diploma in a related field. "If someone is seriously interested in GIS, they should pursue geography or something in that field," she says. "I had a BA in archeology."

Don't worry too much if your computer or math skills aren't what they should be. You'll develop those skills as you go through the program, says Peter Anthamatten. He took graduate studies in the departments of geography and public health at the University of Minnesota.

"Almost anyone who gets involved with GIS must spend some time 'digitizing,'" says Anthamatten. "Digitizing is the process of turning printed maps into a computer version for the GIS, which ultimately involves lots of tracing and clicking on a digitizing pad."

He adds that universities should offer plenty of opportunities to get work experience in this area. "If you have experience digitizing, you will really have an advantage in terms of the application components of GIS," he says. "It's usually not terribly highly paid work, but the experience is important if you are interested in a career in GIS."

How to Prepare

Davison recommends high school students take anything in computer technology. "This GIS program involves intense computer work and requires a strong working knowledge of computer systems," she says. "Computer programming has been my biggest struggle, so anything in that area would be an asset."

Karl Ryavec attended the University of Minnesota. He recommends that high school students take courses in math, computer science, geography and ecology. "Anything to do with surveying and mapping would be good too," he says.