Are there colleges or places that can help me to become a Genealogist after high school?

Question

Are there colleges or places that can help me to become a Genealogist after high school?

Answer 1

Genevieve's answer is excellent. (Though I majored in History in college, and have actually learned more about history through my genealogical research.)

I'll simply add that library science and document forensics would also be helpful.

After that, you can compile a vast array of certifications in genealogy. Here's two good links for this: http://genealogy.suite101.com/article.cf...

and http://www.bcgcertification.org/certific...

Best of luck to you in your endeavors....

Answer 2

Go to college and get a degree in History. Nothing will help you more in genealogy than to understand the history of both individual countries but also entire regions. To be a valuable genealogist who is in frequent demand, you need to specialize in a couple of regions and show your prowess in researching those areas several centuries deep. I specialize in French-Canadian, German-Polish and Midwestern US research. It's what I know well and I can network with colleagues in those regions to pull records that will never be on the Internet. It comes from being experienced in research methods in archives, churches, libraries and obscure little towns around the world.

The other important thing is to do an internship in college with a research facility. The National Archives, historical societies, libraries, local and regional archives and private research centers like the DAR all hire interns. It gives you practical experience looking for records and building a dossier of credible work. That becomes important when you go to get your genealogy credentials because you have to learn the documentation styles required and the methods of research that are required. You'll have to submit proof of your work with your application for credentials, so having built a dossier before graduation puts you ahead of the competition.