SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                   -------

                                  FORM 8-K

                               CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


      Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):  October 20, 1998
                                                         ----------------


                              META GROUP, INC.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


           DELAWARE                   0-27280             06-0971675
           --------                   -------             ----------
 (State or other jurisdiction    (Commission file      (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation or              number)        Identification No.)
        organization)


208 Harbor Drive, Stamford, CT                                 06912
------------------------------                                 -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number including area code:  (203) 973-6700

                          No change since last report
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Former name or address, if changed since last report)



<PAGE>


Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
----------------------------------------------

      On October 20,  1998,  META  Group,  Inc.  ("META  Group")  acquired  (the
"Acquisition")  all of the capital  stock of The Sentry Group,  Inc.  ("Sentry")
through  a  merger  of  MG  Acquisition   Corporation   ("Acquisition  Sub"),  a
wholly-owned subsidiary of META Group, with and into Sentry. The Acquisition was
consummated pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among META Group,
Acquisition  Sub  and  Sentry  dated  as of  September  23,  1998  (the  "Merger
Agreement").

      Sentry's  assets consist  primarily of its information  technology  ("IT")
business  value  consulting  practice.  This practice  consists  primarily of IT
consultants.  Sentry helps companies  resolve the critical problem of widespread
inefficiency  often  found in  outsourcing  and the  lost  business  value  from
unrealized IT investments.  META Group currently  intends to operate Sentry as a
separate  business unit which will expand and complement  META Group's  existing
META Group Consulting division.

      The following  summary of the  Acquisition is qualified in its entirety by
the more  detailed  information  contained  in the copy of the Merger  Agreement
included as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

      As  consideration  for the  capital  stock of Sentry,  META Group paid the
holders of Sentry's  common stock 195,066  shares in the aggregate of META Group
common stock,  par value $.01 per share ("META Group Common Stock"),  as initial
consideration.  If  certain  financial  targets  for Sentry are met for the 1999
fiscal  year,  META Group will pay up to $7.0  million in the  aggregate in META
Group Common  Stock or cash,  at META Group's  option.  In addition,  META Group
issued to the holders of Sentry common stock as additional initial consideration
warrants  to  purchase  up to 200,000  shares of META Group  Common  Stock at an
exercise price of $30.00 per share.  Warrants to purchase 125,000 shares of META
Group Common Stock are  currently  exercisable  and warrants to purchase  75,000
shares of META Group  Common  Stock are  exercisable  only if certain  financial
targets  are  met by  Sentry  for  the  1999  fiscal  year.  The  source  of the
consideration  was from the  authorized  common  stock of META Group and, to the
extent contingent consideration, if any, is paid in cash, from META Group's cash
on hand. It is anticipated that 150,101 shares of the initial payment of 195,066
shares will be registered by META Group  pursuant to the terms of a Registration
Rights  Agreement  (attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1). The remainder of the shares
will be  placed  into  escrow  pursuant  to the  terms  of an  Escrow  Agreement
(attached hereto as Exhibit 4.2).

      The  purchase  price for  shares of Sentry  capital  stock was  determined
through arms' length  negotiations  between  management of META Group on the one
hand and  Sentry  and  Sentry's  stockholders  on the  other  hand.  The  Merger
Agreement was approved by the Boards of META Group,  Acquisition  Sub and Sentry
and, at a special meeting of the Sentry stockholders,  by Sentry's stockholders.
Sentry's  stockholders  consist  of  32  persons  and  entities.  Prior  to  the
Acquisition,  the following persons or entities  beneficially owned five or more
percent of Sentry common stock: Safeguard Scientifics (Delaware),  Inc., William
A.  Gannon,  Sr.,  Robert H.  Cawly and Kirk K.  Reiss.  Neither  Sentry nor its
stockholders  had any material  relationship  prior to the Acquisition with META
Group,  Acquisition  Sub, any  affiliate of META Group or  Acquisition  Sub, any
officer or director of META Group or  Acquisition  Sub or any  associate  of any
such officer or director.

      META Group  intends to use  Sentry's  assets to  complement  META  Group's
existing META Group Consulting  business.  The Acquisition will be accounted for
as a purchase.

      In partial response to this item, META Group's press release dated October
21, 1998 is incorporated  herein by reference (and is attached hereto as Exhibit
99.1).

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
------------------------------------------

      (c)   Exhibits.

            2.1 Agreement  and Plan of Merger by and among META Group,  Inc., MG
                Acquisition  Corporation  and The Sentry Group,  Inc.  dated as
                of September 23,1998 ("Agreement and Plan of Merger")(with 
                certain confidential information deleted).

            2.2 Amendment No. 1 to Agreement and Plan of Merger.

            4.1 Registration Rights Agreement dated as of October 20, 1998 by
                and among META Group,  Inc. and the  stockholders of The Sentry
                Group,  Inc. listed on the signature pages thereto.

            4.2 Escrow  Agreement dated as of October 20, 1998 among META Group,
                Inc., Peter A. Naber and State Street Bank and Trust Company.

            99.1 Press release dated October 21, 1998.



<PAGE>


                                    SIGNATURE


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                  META GROUP, INC.



                                  By:   /s/Dale Kutnick
                                        -------------------------------------
                                        Dale Kutnick
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer



Date: November 3, 1998
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                   -------

                                  FORM 8-K

                               CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

      Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):  October 20, 1998
                                                         ----------------

                              META GROUP, INC.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

           DELAWARE                   0-27280             06-0971675
           --------                   -------             ----------
 (State or other jurisdiction    (Commission file      (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation or              number)        Identification No.)
        organization)

208 Harbor Drive, Stamford, CT                                 06912
------------------------------                                 -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number including area code:  (203) 973-6700

                          No change since last report
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Former name or address, if changed since last report)
Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
----------------------------------------------

      On October 20,  1998,  META  Group,  Inc.  ("META  Group")  acquired  (the
"Acquisition")  all of the capital  stock of The Sentry Group,  Inc.  ("Sentry")
through  a  merger  of  MG  Acquisition   Corporation   ("Acquisition  Sub"),  a
wholly-owned subsidiary of META Group, with and into Sentry. The Acquisition was
consummated pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among META Group,
Acquisition  Sub  and  Sentry  dated  as of  September  23,  1998  (the  "Merger
Agreement").

      Sentry's  assets consist  primarily of its information  technology  ("IT")
business  value  consulting  practice.  This practice  consists  primarily of IT
consultants.  Sentry helps companies  resolve the critical problem of widespread
inefficiency  often  found in  outsourcing  and the  lost  business  value  from
unrealized IT investments.  META Group currently  intends to operate Sentry as a
separate  business unit which will expand and complement  META Group's  existing
META Group Consulting division.

      The following  summary of the  Acquisition is qualified in its entirety by
the more  detailed  information  contained  in the copy of the Merger  Agreement
included as Exhibit 2.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

      As  consideration  for the  capital  stock of Sentry,  META Group paid the
holders of Sentry's  common stock 195,066  shares in the aggregate of META Group
common stock,  par value $.01 per share ("META Group Common Stock"),  as initial
consideration.  If  certain  financial  targets  for Sentry are met for the 1999
fiscal  year,  META Group will pay up to $7.0  million in the  aggregate in META
Group Common  Stock or cash,  at META Group's  option.  In addition,  META Group
issued to the holders of Sentry common stock as additional initial consideration
warrants  to  purchase  up to 200,000  shares of META Group  Common  Stock at an
exercise price of $30.00 per share.  Warrants to purchase 125,000 shares of META
Group Common Stock are  currently  exercisable  and warrants to purchase  75,000
shares of META Group  Common  Stock are  exercisable  only if certain  financial
targets  are  met by  Sentry  for  the  1999  fiscal  year.  The  source  of the
consideration  was from the  authorized  common  stock of META Group and, to the
extent contingent consideration, if any, is paid in cash, from META Group's cash
on hand. It is anticipated that 150,101 shares of the initial payment of 195,066
shares will be registered by META Group  pursuant to the terms of a Registration
Rights  Agreement  (attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1). The remainder of the shares
will be  placed  into  escrow  pursuant  to the  terms  of an  Escrow  Agreement
(attached hereto as Exhibit 4.2).

      The  purchase  price for  shares of Sentry  capital  stock was  determined
through arms' length  negotiations  between  management of META Group on the one
hand and  Sentry  and  Sentry's  stockholders  on the  other  hand.  The  Merger
Agreement was approved by the Boards of META Group,  Acquisition  Sub and Sentry
and, at a special meeting of the Sentry stockholders,  by Sentry's stockholders.
Sentry's  stockholders  consist  of  32  persons  and  entities.  Prior  to  the
Acquisition,  the following persons or entities  beneficially owned five or more
percent of Sentry common stock: Safeguard Scientifics (Delaware),  Inc., William
A.  Gannon,  Sr.,  Robert H.  Cawly and Kirk K.  Reiss.  Neither  Sentry nor its
stockholders  had any material  relationship  prior to the Acquisition with META
Group,  Acquisition  Sub, any  affiliate of META Group or  Acquisition  Sub, any
officer or director of META Group or  Acquisition  Sub or any  associate  of any
such officer or director.

      META Group  intends to use  Sentry's  assets to  complement  META  Group's
existing META Group Consulting  business.  The Acquisition will be accounted for
as a purchase.

      In partial response to this item, META Group's press release dated October
21, 1998 is incorporated  herein by reference (and is attached hereto as Exhibit
99.1).

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
------------------------------------------

      (c)   Exhibits.

            2.1 Agreement  and Plan of Merger by and among META Group,  Inc., MG
                Acquisition  Corporation  and The Sentry Group,  Inc.  dated as
                of September 23,1998 ("Agreement and Plan of Merger")(with 
                certain confidential information deleted).

            2.2 Amendment No. 1 to Agreement and Plan of Merger.

            4.1 Registration Rights Agreement dated as of October 20, 1998 by
                and among META Group,  Inc. and the  stockholders of The Sentry
                Group,  Inc. listed on the signature pages thereto.

            4.2 Escrow  Agreement dated as of October 20, 1998 among META Group,
                Inc., Peter A. Naber and State Street Bank and Trust Company.

            99.1 Press release dated October 21, 1998.
SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                  META GROUP, INC.

                                  By:   /s/Dale Kutnick
                                        -------------------------------------
                                        Dale Kutnick
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: November 3, 1998