Graduate School Begins Today

I have mulled over my graduate school options for years: researched various programs, met with program coordinators, and taken grad-level standardized tests. Well, after 10 years, I’m finally starting my Masters of Science in Information Technology Management today at Western Governers University (WGU) Nevada!

In the end, only WGU was able to meet all of my requirements:

1. I had to have a good experience with the admissions representatives.
2. Coordinators needed to be able answer all of my questions and concerns before I was admitted into the program.
3. The degree program had to be flexible so that I could still give prioritize my family and existing job.
4. The degree and university had to be fully accredited.
5. This had to be affordable.
6. I needed a guarantee that my courses would be available vs. dealing them not being offered from the catalog or being too overcrowded.
7. I wanted reasonable assurance that I could graduate in 18 months or less.
8. I wanted a highly-online experience, as that had served me well during my undergraduate degree.

Leading up to today, I have gone through the entire WGU admissions process and it was very easy. My coordinator, Thad, was great. He checked in with me bi-weekly to keep me apprised of the onboarding process.

After being formally admitted and accepted into my degree program, I picked today as my start date, so that I could be more aligned with the traditional semester. At WGU, students can select to start their first semester on the first day of any month. Semesters at WGU last 6 months and have a flexible pace.

Orientation was intense and afterwards I had my first meeting with Steve, my program mentor. He was very focused and responsive to my questions. I got the immediate impression that he enjoys what he does and will hold me accountable to the rigor that an accelerated program demands.

Today, I formally enrolled and the goal of graduating by Summer 2019 is now up to me. I promise to keep you posted.