How I Accidentally Got a Master’s Degree
I accidentally got a master’s degree.
“No, don’t ask me again,” is what I told my mom when she asked me for the umpteenth time if I was going to go back to school for my master’s degree. It just wasn’t happening. I was done with school and I wanted a break but somehow, some way I ended up with an accidental graduate degree. Let me explain…
It’s 2010 and I have literally a month left of school. I’m on a high and ready to start adulting. Any college senior or recent graduate will tell you the number one question everyone’s asking them is, “Are you going to get your master’s degree?” If they don’t ask that then it’s almost always about post-graduate employment. After the multiple questions on graduate school and work life after college, I was still settled on not attending grad school.
One day on my way home on the subway, a cute little school in the middle of Philadelphia named Drexel University decided to stalk me through marketing initiatives. Everywhere I went, there were advertisements for continuing education. I couldn’t escape it so naturally I decided to take a look at the website and boom, I fell into the trap!
No application fee?
My GPA is high enough not to take the GRE?
The admissions essay is easy too?
Come on now; I have to do this just for funsies! I can at least say that if I was accepted that I had the honor of being considered for such a prestigious school.
Alright, the application was complete and off to the admissions office. I can’t remember the time frame but it wasn’t long before Drexel contacted me and told me that I had been accepted. “Oh crap, they like me! They really like me!” So, what if I explore this a little more and maybe apply for financial aid? It’s free so again, why not for funsies?
You can guess what happens next. Financial aid decisions come back and it’s going to cover the costs of grad school through loans and grants. Well, for funsies let’s try out a semester. It was a great decision because I enjoyed every minute of the first semester and decided this was the right decision after all.
Since completing the program, my master’s degree has allowed me to take management positions and earn higher salaries in my young career. I was able to meet classmates from all over the country and build my first “real network.” The degree has its benefits and I’m not upset about taking the journey. I had no intention of going to grad school but what I realized is life has a way of pushing us into the right direction even if it is just for funsies…. And that’s how I accidentally got a master’s degree!
Read the original article on The Confused Millennial. Copyright 2016. The Confused Millennial is a Lifestyle blog for the multi-passionate millennial feeling totally confused by this whole “adult” thing. Follow The Confused Millennial on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Accidentaly? I believe it’s all your hard work that pays off.. Anyhow.. Congrats on getting master degree!
Life has a funny way of putting us in the right direction. Hard work is what makes us succeed of course but the traditional route isn’t the be all and end all!
Not gunna lie…this sounds a lot like my journey to grad school. It was never part of the plan but now here I am just a little over 50 hours away from having my MPH!
This sounds like something I’d do. I’ve been for grapgic/web design, pastry chef, & medical billing & coding. I don’t do any of these things though, I work at a BMW dealership. I’ve been thinking about putting 1 of them into a part time job on top of my full time though.
I have always believed that you do.what you have to do and what follows is destiny.
You obviously knew that a masters can give you more options to choose and your subconscious guided you in the right path.☺
Your college degrees will pay you back some time in future ! It also opens more job options .
Well for funnies! LOL
If only I had the time and of course the financial aid did help! Glad that you have it now, and onto bigger & better! 🙂
For funnies for real? lol I am glad you accidentally did it, I have been getting the when are you doing your masters since before my results for undergrad came out 4 years ago. I have now decided on my own to do it this september now that I have over 4years worth of experience