Wyatt Schons

"Unlike other programs at bigger schools, M State doesn’t beat around the bush – they let you go straight into drafting, into what you want to do. They purposely put your generals in the second semester so you can do your architectural classes first, to see if you even like it. It’s a lot more affordable here, too. One of the big things that makes kids not want to go to college is the cost; M State is a cheaper option while still being of really good quality. I also like how small and personal it is here. It’s not like a big university where you never get time to talk to the instructors and you’re on your own with a lot of things; the teachers here really care about you and help you out. 

I took a PSEO course (post-secondary enrollment options) at M State in high school, in AutoCAD alternatives (computer-aided design software used for 2-D and 3-D drafting, design and modeling), where I learned how to use a bunch of different programs. I liked it enough that I came back after graduation. 

My junior year of high school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, and was thinking maybe I wouldn’t go to college and instead would go to culinary school, because I really like cooking. But then I took a field trip to M State and looked into the architectural program and found it was pretty interesting. I visited the campus again the next year and got more serious about it. My senior year, for my senior internship, I did some drafting and such for M State, job shadowing here, and I realized that M State was the place to go, for me. That’s how I got here. 

My plan for now is to get my associate’s degree and then work my way up in a business. I plan on going to Fargo right after school to find a job and save up some money, then I’d like to move out West for a bit, maybe to Oregon."