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 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!

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