Geology students are happy

This article in the Guardian was good to see. Apparently, a survey of some 220,000 students in the UK suggested that 95% of the geologists were happy with their degrees, the highest percentage for any subject.

It was interesting to see the reasons given for this. According to Paul Nathanail of the University of Nottingham "geology...gives students, at an early stage in their studies, the chance to be part of cutting-edge science. If a student sees a new rock, they can begin to challenge the established way of thinking". While I'd like to think this is true, I suspect it's only really a factor for the brightest and most motivated students. I think that the chance to get out in the fresh air and study something with clear applications is perhaps a bigger factor. Whatever the reason, it's a good thing, and should help geology departments recruit more students.