Best Part of the Program
The best part of the Applied Data Science program was the hands-on projects. The program provided many opportunities for practical experience in working with real-world data, building models, and communicating results. The projects were challenging, but also rewarding as they allowed me to apply the skills and knowledge I gained from the program in a practical setting.
The program also had a supportive community of students, professors, and mentors. The community was always available to offer guidance and support, and this helped me stay motivated throughout the program.
Biggest Surprises
One of the biggest surprises was the importance of data cleaning and preprocessing. Before starting the program, I had assumed that building a model involved feeding data into an algorithm and getting results. However, I quickly realized that data cleaning and preprocessing were critical steps in building an accurate and robust model. I learned that data scientists spend a significant amount of time cleaning and preprocessing data before building models.
One more revelation was the significance of having proficient communication abilities. Effective communication is essential in data science as the results of analyses need to be communicated to non-technical stakeholders. My understanding is that data scientists should possess the capability to articulate intricate technical information in a lucid and succinct manner. The program helped me develop my communication skills by providing opportunities to present my work and receive feedback.
Overall, the Applied Data Science program exceeded my expectations. The program provided a solid foundation in data science principles and techniques and practical experience in working with real-world data. The supportive community and hands-on projects were the highlights of the program. I am assured that the proficiencies and expertise acquired from the program will prove to be advantageous in my prospective career endeavors.