I enjoyed the article in the latest Rensselaer magazine about the co-terminal program (“Fast-Track to a Master’s Degree,” Fall 2017). I particularly found it interesting that it stated the program’s inception was in 2008 seeing as I graduated with both a B.S. and M.S. in computer science on the same day in 2000 after only eight semesters. Mind you, I had 17 semester hours of AP credit when I arrived at RPI and I took a class over one summer, but my senior year was tough balancing my remaining undergrad courses with my master’s project on top of my Air Force ROTC commitments. I recall the program I was accepted to that allowed me to earn both degrees simultaneously being called the “professional student” plan, or something like that.

Also note that I was required to take the GRE but was told that it was just a formality because of my undergrad GPA. Needless to say, I didn’t study very hard for it. I challenge every student to consider the co-terminal program. The experience I gained has helped me tremendously during my career. More specifically it was instrumental in landing an assignment as a professor of computer science at the Air Force Academy just four years after I graduated.

Gordon MacMillan ’00
Stuttgart, Germany