How can a high school student prepare to be an astronomer?
The most important thing someone can do in high school if she hopes to be an astronomer is to make sure she keeps on taking her math and science courses in high school. Computer skills are also critical in today’s world. She should also devote a strong effort to communication skills (English, writing, perhaps some kind of performance field like music or drama). Scientists are a dime a dozen today; scientists who can actually communicate effectively are much rarer. And to be completely frank, the sciences in general are a tough field to survive in in today’s post-cold-war budget-cutting world, so having excellent communication skills on top of good scientific qualifications is a real plus.
