Having GIS certification can give you a huge leg up. A couple friends from college got their first jobs because of their GIS certification. It was one of the things that really made them stand out compared to other applicants.

If you’re interested in wildlife biology I would recommend looking into Unity College here in Maine. They have an excellent Wildlife Conservation program. Another school you can look into is the University of Maine at Machias which is UMaines coastal campus. They have one of the best GIS programs in the state and they have an excellent Marine Biology program. It’s also on the cheaper side if money is an issue.