How Can get a job as a photographer for National Geographic?

I am out of high school right now. I always wanted to get a job in nature photography and i felt my skills will best used working with National Geographic. Any tips you can give me? Do i really need a college degree in photography when I already know so much about photography?

We get this a couple of times a week … a search would have found quite a few answers or even going to NG’s website would have yeilded the following answer:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/faq/careers.html#photographer

How can I be a photographer for National Geographic?
We are often asked by aspiring photojournalists for advice about entering this highly competitive field.

National Geographic photographers have college degrees in a variety of disciplines. Most did not major in photography, but all took photo courses. The most common majors have been journalism, anthropology, sociology or psychology, fine arts, and sciences. Our editors and photographers agree that it is important to complete a degree in a discipline other than photography. Freelancers usually come to us with at least five years of photojournalism experience or with specializations such as wildlife, underwater, nature, or aerial photography. We seek balance and an eclectic blend of interests, abilities, and photographic styles in the freelancers we hire.

Our Photography website includes photo galleries, photographer bios, photo tips from our pros, wallpapers, screen savers, and more.

There’s more info there on what books to read and so on.
Again, this is STRAIGHT from NG’s website under jobs.

National Geographic Magazine’s Top Photos of 2008

National Geographic’s Land of the Tiger [VHS] $2.93 This 1985 National Geographic special takes the viewer through a year in the lives of tigers in India’s Kanha and Ranthamboor national parks. The video explores the delicately balanced ecosystem of each park, interweaving glimpses of monkeys, deer, cranes, and crocodiles (the tiger’s chief competitor for prey). The photography is often impressive and the musical score by Terry Oldfield adds to the…

Nova – The Miracle of Life [VHS] $13.50 Still startlingly beautiful after several years, Nova’s The Miracle of Life records human conception for the first time on film, and much more. Living, functioning reproductive systems are laid bare to the camera, and there is so much to explore and absorb that Nova’s expert guidance is much needed and appreciated. The viewer follows an egg from its follicular development in an ovary, through the…

The Sharks: National Geographic Video $69.98 One of the most famous programs from the National Geographic Society! “The Sharks” takes you on a special expedition to study these fish of fearful legend and challenge the myths surrounding them….

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens $12.72 In her portraits for Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, Annie Leibovitz has photographed a generation (and more) of rock stars, politicians, and supermodels. Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens, a documentary created by Leibovitz’s sister Barbara, suggests that she might be somewhat overqualified for the job. Not that Leibovitz reflects too much on the business of photographing movie stars for a livi…

NOVA – The Miracle of Life $9.87 Still startlingly beautiful after several years, Nova’s The Miracle of Life records human conception for the first time on film, and much more. Living, functioning reproductive systems are laid bare to the camera, and there is so much to explore and absorb that Nova’s expert guidance is much needed and appreciated. The viewer follows an egg from its follicular development in an ovary, through the…

The Bridges of Madison County (Full Screen Edition) $6.99 Some called it a snooze-fest, while others tearfully clutched their Kleenex. In any case, Clint Eastwood was an unusual and (as it turned out) perceptive choice to direct and costar in this lush adaptation of Robert James Waller’s phenomenally bestselling novel. Meryl Streep costars as Francesca, the lonely Iowa farmer’s wife who is instantly attracted to Robert (Eastwood), the photographer from N…