Bhavya Dhiman

My Journey with Woolf: How a Hands-On Master’s Degree Helped Me Break Through

When I finished my undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Engineering at Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, I didn’t think I’d return to formal education. I had graduated with a 5.9 GPA, enough to get through, but I left feeling like something was missing. The program had been heavy on theory, light on application.

After graduating, I focused on sharpening my coding skills and prepping for technical interviews. I wanted to solve real-world problems, improve my logic, and write cleaner, more efficient code but I kept feeling stuck. That changed when someone introduced me to Woolf.

I hadn’t been actively looking for a Master’s program, but when I realized I could earn a globally accredited degree through Woolf, built on Scaler’s practical, skills-based approach, it felt like the kind of opportunity I hadn’t known I needed. What stood out immediately was how real everything felt. I had access to professional tools — JetBrains IDEs, Azure credits, GitHub Pro — and I was learning in an environment that mirrored the industry I wanted to work in. For the first time, my education was about building, experimenting, and solving meaningful problems.

One project I’ll never forget was creating a custom “search-as-a-service” platform using multiple APIs. It wasn’t a copy-paste tutorial, it was mine, built from the ground up. That moment gave me the confidence I had been missing.

Of course, there were setbacks too. I remember one problem on tree structures that took me nearly nine attempts to solve. But I stayed with it. I didn’t just aim to pass, I pushed myself to improve, reattempting exams to raise my scores. By the time I graduated with a 3.7 GPA, I had not only improved my academic record, I had redefined what I believed I was capable of.

Woolf also helped me grow professionally. The mock interviews were incredibly helpful, especially in areas like Data Structures, Algorithms, and System Design. I carried that preparation straight into my job interviews.

Today, I’m working as a Software Engineer at Turn out Now, a company focused on event tracking systems. And every day, I see how my education at Woolf shapes the way I think, build, and solve problems. More than anything, it gave me the confidence to approach challenges head-on.

If you’re considering a Woolf program, here’s my advice: be clear on why you’re doing it. For me, it wasn’t about getting another degree. It was about growth, building the skills, mindset, and confidence to thrive in the real world. And that’s exactly what Woolf helped me do.