Salukigirl, do NOT go into a zoology MS or PhD program unless you like lab (or field) research. It is great you know NOW that you do not want to do that. Just compare yourself to the grad students you know who didn't realize that until they spent the time and effort applying to Zoo grad school, getting accepted, starting a program, and spending several years figuring out they didn't like it. You are way ahead of the game!

I have a PhD in a biological science (1991) and by now, many of my classmates are not involved in a research career. I'm not either. It really wasn't my cup of tea, but beyond that, the big secret they don't tell you is that there are very, very few jobs for PhD level scientists. The professors need grad students (and postdocs) to carry out the hands-on research in their labs, but beyond the postdoc level, jobs are few and far between. In many ways, a master's degree is MORE marketable than a PhD, because many companies like to hire at the MS level (whereas a PhD is required in academia, where the jobs are very sparse). One other comment, since you mentioned marriage: the few jobs in research makes it very hard if you are like me and were married when you finished grad school. I can't go taking some rare job in Podunkville, Florida or wherever if my husband can't get work there. Having a spouse to worry about is really limiting for low-demand careers.

So if you are concerned about being employable, taking a good look NOW at what you want to do with your life will save you money, not lose money.

How much longer do you have to go on your BS in Zoology?

NURSING: Nursing is a great career and there are many options for specialties. There is a nursing shortage now, but there is also a glut of applicants to nursing schools for a number of reasons. For example, the economy is bad right now, and many people are trying to retrain in a profession for which there is demand. In addition, nursing schools cannot meet the demand for nurses not because enough people don't want to become nurses but because there is a shortage of nursing faculty to teach and train nurses. Most people entering nursing want to be a nurse and get out there and work and help people. They do not want to get a PhD in Nursing so that they can teach nurses at the university level. I am currently preparing to go back to school myself in Nursing. I want to enter a Nurse Practitioner program, which will give me a MSN degree and a license as an NP and takes 2-3 years.

salukigirl, if you are close to finishing your BS, what you might be interested in is a fast-track, post-baccaulareate RN program, offered by a number of nursing schools at universities. Sometimes these are called "Accelerated Bachelor's" programs in nursing or "Second Degree BSN". This is a track (4-5 quarters) for people who already have the bachelor's. (A similar program is a Master's in nursing for people with a prior degree in another field. This takes longer but gets you the MSN.) One nice thing about having an undergrad degree in Zoology is you will be have a good science background and capability, and that gives you a leg up. There are a number of pre-requisite courses for nursing school, and you may already have taken some, or can try to take as many as possible before you get your B.S. Often these pre-reqs include Anatomy, Physiology, Nutrition, Psychology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Statistics. If you want to "be prepared", even if you end up not doing Nursing, look up the pre-reqs at a couple of nursing schools you might want to go to, and try to do those courses while you are still an undergrad. I am taking my nursing pre-reqs now, and I take courses with undergrads trying to get into nursing school and some of them are just not scientifically minded at all and have tremendous trouble understanding physiology, microbiology, etc. If you are good at these topics, it is a big plus for your application. Another thing that is very important in your application is your volunteer experience in a healthcare setting. Many unis expect/require 100 hrs of volunteer experience in a hospital or clinic. This is not bad, because it allows you to familiarize yourself with the job and see if you really want to do it. Here are just a few Accelerated Bachelors of Masters programs in my area of the country, the Pacific Northwest. You can see what they are like and require and look for similar programs in your area if this is what you want to do. Many of the accelerated Bachelor's programs result in the RN. Whereas the Master's programs result in either RN+MS+NP or RN+MS qualifications.
http://www.ohsu.edu/son/academic/bs-acc.shtml
http://www.ohsu.edu/son/academic/ms-gradentry.shtml
http://nursing.up.edu/default.aspx?cid=3688&pid=207
http://www.son.washington.edu/admissions/gepn/
http://www.plu.edu/~nurs/programs/elminfo.html

You can also get an RN through some junior colleges.

OTHER HEALTH FIELDS: Some of the students in my nursing pre-req classes are preparing for post-bacc programs in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Emergency Medicine Technician, etc.

NON-PROFIT ZOOLOGY: Have you considered working for a non-profit once you have graduated? This sort of job might help you "make a difference" in the world. Consider jobs at places like World Wildlife Federation, SPCA, etc. WWF is of course a huge international agency, but there are smaller non-profits closer to home with missions to promote conservation, environment, wildlife, etc. Also, Zoos have education and conservation missions and these functions require employees. If this sort of thing appeals to you, try to supplement your Zoology courses with some in business/non-profit management, writing, education, etc. Also, volunteer at a local non-profit that interests you. Zoos all seem to have volunteer programs.

FOR-PROFIT. Biotech firms, environmental firms, etc.

Salukigirl, one piece of advice I would give you is don't feel that you have wasted your time in Zoology. You've learned a lot and can do a lot with that degree, with the right supplementation and direction. How old are you? You're probably young and have time to discover your calling in life. If you take a year or two after college to work in various fields and "try them out" or to do some volunteering on the side, that is fine. A lot of post-bacc. programs prefer people with real-world experience.

Can you talk to the "right" faculty member in Zoology and get some wisdom on this? Don't talk to one of the gung-ho research people. Or there may be other resources available to you on campus, such as a career center, that advises undergrads on career options.

Who cares what they say? It's your career. Obviously, you didn't know you wanted to do Nursing when you began your degree, or you probably wouldn't have done the BS in Zoology. That seems pretty obvious to me. Very few freshmen know what they want to study or "be" in life when they begin down their degree path. Sure your parents may have co-signed on the loans, but they aren't the ones paying them back, are they? You will pay back the money you owe, so it's no skin off their back. Also, how you imagine they will react may not indeed be what will actually happen. They may be more understanding or intelligent than you give them credit for. I have a daughter in college and she is very aware of her student loans and her responsibility to pay them back. What more can I ask? She is certainly not beholden to me for her career choice. Above all, I want her to do something she is happy with. Salukigirl, you are an adult now and can make your own decisions and don't need to be so concerned with how your parents will feel and react.

PM me any time if you want to chat about careers.