Finding the perfect college in America can take a lot of time and research. This is why students are asked to think about college even when they're in their sophomore year of high school.
There are plenty of schools to consider if you dream of becoming a data scientist.
In this article, we will tell you exactly what you'll learn if you choose to major in data science, how to know a program is the adequate one for you, the top colleges for data science in the country, and the aptitudes of a data scientist.
Are you interested in a career in Data Science?
What will they teach you?
Science is constantly evolving and today, during the technological era, it evolves more rapidly than it did ever before. This means that data science is also evolving and the field needs new professionals with fresh knowledge they can contribute with.
Data science is an interdisciplinary field of study focused on gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information. Through the use of algorithms, the scientific method, computational programs, systems, and processes, data scientists extract insights from unstructured data.
The objective of data scientists is to apply the knowledge they extract from information to actual business decisions. Companies use data science to comprehend their customers and their needs.
Data science is related to data mining, machine learning, and big data. A data scientist is someone who creates programming code and combines it with statistical knowledge to create insights from data.
With the use of mathematics, statistics, data analysis, and informatics, data scientists can conclude different phenomena.
As a data scientist, you'll responsible for developing codes by combining your statistical knowledge and data recollection skills.
The objective of schools is to teach students who are getting a degree in data science to become data collectors (kind of like data collection engineering).
There are plenty of classes you'll be required to take and some of those are:
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Mathematics
- Computer programming
- Statistics
- Calculus
The classes previously mentioned will help you develop a foundation of knowledge and skills that will allow you con grow and become a data scientist or analyst.
Some of the most important skills you'll need to develop our attention to detail, visualization, ability to read numbers, analysis of data, and much more. As a data scientist, you'll need more than your intelligence. You'll need to have a fast and sharp mind, be able to work under pressure, manage hundreds of pages of information easily, have organization skills, and so on.
Learn about the jobs you could pursue with a major in data science.
How to know if a school is good enough for you?
Choosing a school can determine your professional career. That is why you need to make an informed decision and choose wisely.
Where you get your education is one of the most important factors you'll have to take into consideration. There are other factors like the amount of effort you put in or if you complete your degree.
However, finding the perfect school and program for you is very important. Students usually believe that it doesn't matter where they go to study. But paying attention to the faculty members, the curriculum, the course catalog, and the bootcamps matters.
During the pandemic, education changed and now students have access to different modalities, like in-person or online courses. You'll have to choose what program suits you best and why.
Imagine you like the online modality because you don't have to be on time for class but you have a hard time concentrating at home. If you can't concentrate, it doesn't matter how much in-person classes bother you, you shouldn't opt for online courses.
The perfect school for you'll help you develop your skills and achieve your goals. It'll be a place where you'll learn everything that needs learning.
Any student cant fit in in any school. That's why you need to come up with a list of important things for yourself and find an institution that offers most of it.
The list can include the experience you want your professors to have, the location of the campus you'd be interested in (whether you want to go to sunny California or busy New York), the level of certain courses like math or engineering, and so on.
If you come up with a specific list, you'll be able to narrow down your search and only apply to the schools of your dreams!
Is data science a stressful job?
Top universities in the USA for data science
Data science was first incorporated into college curriculums for graduate and master's programs. With time, the field has evolved and grown and schools have seen the potential these jobs have, which is why they've now developed bachelor's degrees for data science and data analysis.
Now students get to pick between getting a bachelor's degree or getting a master's degree in data science.
You're probably wondering what are the most complicated classes you'll be required to take and pass if you wish to get a bachelor's or master's degree to become a data scientist. Some of those are probability and statistics, data analytics, data exploration and analysis, database systems, data algorithms, data mining, big data, machine, learning, and more.
If you decide you want to pursue a bachelor's or master's degree in data science or data analytics you should look at the best colleges in the country that offer these degrees.
However, if you can't afford tuition you should at least use these schools as a frame of reference to see how a curriculum for this major looks like. Pay attention to the classes they offer, the experience of the faculty members, the computer labs on the campus, their computer engineering bootcamps, and more.
Below you'll find a list of the top 10 data science programs in the country:
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of California
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Duke University
- University of Michigan
- Northwestern University
These also happen to be some of the best-ranked universities in the United States. If you choose to apply to any of these schools, you'd be aspiring to obtain graduate from some of the best teachers at the best universities.
Although we know that not everyone can afford tuition at Harvard, you can always aim to get into an online program (which can be cheaper) or ask to get financial aid.
What is the salary of data scientists?
Choosing a career in data science
Choosing a career can be tricky for any student who struggles with their identity and doesn't know what they like, or someone who has too many hobbies. However, if you have a specific skill set and you know exactly what you like then you'll have an easier time picking a major.
If you dream of becoming a data scientist you probably like numbers and mathematics comes easy to you. You probably always do well in math class, tests, homework, and projects.
Another important trait of data scientists is that they like puzzles. They see all the data they collect like a puzzle they have to solve. If you are a curious person and like solving puzzles, you have an aptitude for data science.
As for the work, you have to know that it takes a lot of sitting around. If you are someone who likes to be outside and explore the world then probably journalism fits you better than data science.
However, if you enjoy informatics and computers, then a career in data analysis can suit you well because you'll spend a lot of time sitting in front of one.
Finally, as a data analyst, you'll need to be prone to technology. We all know someone clueless about technology. If that someone is you, then you probably should consider majoring in something else or working hard to develop technological skills.
On the other hand, if you grew up being curious about technology and enjoying computer class, then, after all, a professional career in data science could suit you perfectly.
If you do choose this major, you should know that the path won't be easy and you must take the challenge with every fiber of your being!
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