The reason I chose UNC Charlotte for graduate school was because I was offered the Early Entry Program when I was an undergraduate student. I first heard about Early Entry around my junior year of college, and the benefits were amazing! Not only did I get to save money on tuition by double-counting courses, but another great advantage was being able to graduate in just one year instead of two. The Early Entry Program is fantastic, and I’ve been recommending it to other undergraduate students who know that graduate school is the path they want to take in the future.
The location of UNC Charlotte is also a big plus. All my friends and family live in Charlotte, so the support I receive from them while in school helps me stay motivated and do my best moving forward.
This transition was so smooth, thanks to Katie Watson and the Early Entry Program. Because I did Early Entry at UNC Charlotte, there were no additional requirements, such as taking the GRE. All the necessary information for graduate school was already in the hands of UNC Charlotte. The most I had to do on my end was provide three letters of recommendation, meet the GPA requirement, and write a letter explaining why I should be admitted into the graduate program.
When I graduated in May 2024 and started graduate school in the fall of 2024, the only thing I needed to do was register for my graduate courses.
How I find a work-life balance is by recognizing my limits early and finding ways to navigate around them. For example, if I know work might be demanding one week, I try to get my schoolwork done early. In addition, my job is really supportive when it comes to me earning my master’s, so I’m lucky enough to have a modified schedule that allows me to attend classes.
I also make it a rule not to stay up doing homework past midnight—if I’m not well-rested, my whole day and schedule get thrown off. On top of that, I make it a point to go out with friends at least once a week to take my mind off school and work. This helps me remember that while both are important, they don’t have total control over my life. Ultimately, it helps me feel refreshed and ready to take on the next week.
One memorable experience was staying up late with a fellow student and friend to finish a huge project for our Rapid Prototyping class. We really enjoyed the class, but the final project for graduate students was intense—it required a lot of research and truly tested the skills we developed throughout the semester.
We stayed up until 3:00 a.m. working on the assignment. We complained about how long it was and questioned why we signed up for something so challenging, but deep down, we knew it was our own fault for procrastinating, especially since we had the entire semester to complete it.
Despite the stress, it was actually nice to stay on the phone with a friend, venting, making jokes, practicing our presentation, and proofreading our reports together. It made the process more bearable—and even kind of fun.
Explore the stories of our Graduate Niners and Faculty who are making a meaningful impact at Charlotte.
