I'm Going Back To School

[highlander]

I've decided to go back to school to get a Master’s degree in Data Science because I already have two computer science degrees and why not get three? Actually, this is something I've been interested in doing for a long time but I have been so busy with work that I didn’t have time for it. I found myself researching these programs again last week and then I just started applying for one. I've got two other applications that are almost done. I’m trying to find the best programs in the country that I can do online but it is hard to find objective and sensible ratings that compare the different programs. I've always been a numbers person and the idea of analyzing data and obtaining insights from it has always fascinated me. As an example, one day I randomly wondered if there was a correlation between Enneagram and MBTI type and then I spent the next week doing this, making things up as I was going along in terms of how I was approaching it. It may sound strange but it is a form of creative self- expression in a way. I'd like to run some analysis on the forum's personality test data to see how well the different questions work but I've got no idea how to do it. I'd be able to after learning some of the stuff in this program.

These college applications are more work than I thought with all the essays and stuff. I’m shying away from schools that require a GRE because I don’t feel like spending 120 hours preparing for an exam that has little to no practical real-world value. I mean is Carnegie Mellon really that much better than Berkeley? It seems doubtful.
There seem to be a few fundamental things that it would be good to know before doing one of these programs – statistics, linear algebra, calculus and object-oriented programming using Python. Though I was a computer programmer for five years at the start of my career, I have been in management and leadership positions for so long that my programming skills are sorely out of date. I took two years of calculus and two statistics classes but remember little of either. I've never taken linear algebra. I guess I'll need to spend some time preparing, taking a Python and Linear Algebra class and brushing up on the other things.

It should be fun. I'm looking forward to learning about things like machine learning, text data mining, visualization and so forth.

 

[Abcdenfp]

I’ve decided to go back to school to get a Master’s degree in Data Science because I already have two computer science degrees and why not get three? Actually, this is something I’ve been interested in doing for a long time but I’ve been so busy with work that I didn’t have time for it. I found myself researching these programs again last week and then I just started applying for one. I’ve got two other applications that are almost done. I’m trying to find the best programs in the country that I can do online but it’s hard to find objective and sensible ratings that compare the different programs. I’ve always been a numbers person and the idea of analyzing data and obtaining insights from it has always fascinated me. As an example, one day I randomly wondered if there was a correlation between Enneagram and MBTI type and then I spent the next week doing this, making things up as I was going along in terms of how I was approaching it. It may sound strange but it’s a form of creative self- expression in a way. I'd like to run some analysis on the forum's personality test data to see how well the different questions work but I've got no idea how to do it. I'd be able to after learning some of the stuff in this program.

These college applications are more work than I thought with all the essays and stuff. I’m shying away from schools that require a GRE because I don’t feel like spending 120 hours preparing for an exam that has little to no practical real-world value. I mean is Carnegie Mellon really that much better than Berkeley? It seems doubtful.
There seem to be a few fundamental things that it would be good to know before doing one of these programs – statistics, linear algebra, calculus and object-oriented programming using Python. Though I was a computer programmer for five years at the start of my career, I have been in management and leadership positions for so long that my programming skills are sorely out of date. I took two years of calculus and two statistics classes but remember little of either. I’ve never taken linear algebra. I guess I’ll need to spend some time preparing, taking a Python and Linear Algebra class and brushing up on the other things.

It should be fun. I’m looking forward to learning about things like machine learning, text data mining, visualization and so forth.

This is so exciting Highlander, I have a big grin on my face for you.

I cant wait to see what comes next for you. It doesn't sound strange at all, I can absolutely envision this as a creative endeavor for you.


I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

 

[Vendrah]

I’ve decided to go back to school to get a Master’s degree in Data Science because I already have two computer science degrees and why not get three? Actually, this is something I’ve been interested in doing for a long time but I’ve been so busy with work that I didn’t have time for it. I found myself researching these programs again last week and then I just started applying for one. I’ve got two other applications that are almost done. I’m trying to find the best programs in the country that I can do online but it’s hard to find objective and sensible ratings that compare the different programs. I’ve always been a numbers person and the idea of analyzing data and obtaining insights from it has always fascinated me. As an example, one day I randomly wondered if there was a correlation between Enneagram and MBTI type and then I spent the next week doing this, making things up as I was going along in terms of how I was approaching it. It may sound strange but it’s a form of creative self- expression in a way. I'd like to run some analysis on the forum's personality test data to see how well the different questions work but I've got no idea how to do it. I'd be able to after learning some of the stuff in this program.

These college applications are more work than I thought with all the essays and stuff. I’m shying away from schools that require a GRE because I don’t feel like spending 120 hours preparing for an exam that has little to no practical real-world value. I mean is Carnegie Mellon really that much better than Berkeley? It seems doubtful.
There seem to be a few fundamental things that it would be good to know before doing one of these programs – statistics, linear algebra, calculus and object-oriented programming using Python. Though I was a computer programmer for five years at the start of my career, I have been in management and leadership positions for so long that my programming skills are sorely out of date. I took two years of calculus and two statistics classes but remember little of either. I’ve never taken linear algebra. I guess I’ll need to spend some time preparing, taking a Python and Linear Algebra class and brushing up on the other things.

It should be fun. I’m looking forward to learning about things like machine learning, text data mining, visualization and so forth.

Wow, you really like to study, since you are already retired anyway...

In the future perhaps I would go to the same path, so I wish you well and wish to hear more about your journey in the future.

Data for me... Well, I used to not have much regards for it as a teenager, you know, it wasnt one of my first preferences. However some few years ago it has been proving a lot useful, and I have been slowly learning to like it. Data to me helps to understand the truth behind things more easily, it is very good to avoid media manipulation. I had started using more intensely a few years ago to play better Battlefield 1 (a game), by basically trying to understand my own flaws, try to understand who were very good at it and why, but it got way far than that and I had even learned and managed to predict several organized matches from good players - but there is no pro on the games - just by evaluating players. I had later learned that I was good at it for some odd - likely genetic - reason and a lot of people around me have trouble seeing beyond the numbers, which almost made me a magician. For example, I had predicted with success in two weeks in advance the worst defeat from my ex clan (it doesnt exist anymore), the clan administrator tried hard to change but.. Well, there was nothing that we could ever done anyway.
It did really helped me to see the game scenario on a very wide scale - understand small countries differences, who to look at it (could tell if player was good or not just by looking the stats without being mistaken). Cheaters were a problem, sometimes, though (hard to trace them).

Anyway, I hear that this area is recently threat by automation too, is that correct and what do you think? I am talking about GPT-3, thats the name I think, a program that can program programs, it can basically do a lot of the data work. Although, sometimes, data analysis can be some sort of art, as I had learned on the FPS game where very few people could get what I saw from it.

I like to use it to understand the world, too - although sometimes I have trouble reading data.
I already got sad because death and suffering numbers arent just numbers to me because I can 'visualize' them in my head, even sometimes getting myself imaging the screams, the suffering, the grief... Which made me avoid some data suffer related (except COVID, which I check one time per 1-2 weeks to be kept informed).

 

[highlander]

Wow, you really like to study, since you are already retired anyway... In the future perhaps I would go to the same path, so I wish you well and wish to hear more about your journey in the future. Data for me... Well, I used to not have much regards for it as a teenager, you know, it wasnt one of my first preferences. However some few years ago it has been proving a lot useful, and I have been slowly learning to like it. Data to me helps to understand the truth behind things more easily, it is very good to avoid media manipulation. I had started using more intensely a few years ago to play better Battlefield 1 (a game), by basically trying to understand my own flaws, try to understand who were very good at it and why, but it got way far than that and I had even learned and managed to predict several organized matches from good players - but there is no pro on the games - just by evaluating players. I had later learned that I was good at it for some odd - likely genetic - reason and a lot of people around me have trouble seeing beyond the numbers, which almost made me a magician. For example, I had predicted with success in two weeks in advance the worst defeat from my ex clan (it doesnt exist anymore), the clan administrator tried hard to change but.. Well, there was nothing that we could ever done anyway. It did really helped me to see the game scenario on a very wide scale - understand small countries differences, who to look at it (could tell if player was good or not just by looking the stats without being mistaken). Cheaters were a problem, sometimes, though (hard to trace them). Anyway, I hear that this area is recently threat by automation too, is that correct and what do you think? I am talking about GPT-3, thats the name I think, a program that can program programs, it can basically do a lot of the data work. Although, sometimes, data analysis can be some sort of art, as I had learned on the FPS game where very few people could get what I saw from it. I like to use it to understand the world, too - although sometimes I have trouble reading data. I already got sad because death and suffering numbers arent just numbers to me because I can 'visualize' them in my head, even sometimes getting myself imaging the screams, the suffering, the grief... Which made me avoid some data suffer related (except COVID, which I check one time per 1-2 weeks to be kept informed).

I have no idea what you are talking about to be honest but hopefully I will learn more

 

[SearchingforPeace]

The GRE is a pretty easy test. I took it 3 decades when I first went to grad school without studying and got 99%. Took it again 15 years ago when I went back for my doctorate and didn't study much and got 99%. Never took the MCAT so I can't compare that, but the LSAT was alot harder than the GRE. Not even in the same zone.

Going back to school is very fun, though, if you are not going on campus, it isn't quite the same.

Anyway, good luck and have fun! I wouldn't shy away from a school that requires the GRE.... you can buy a cheap prep book and take a practice test and see how you do.

If there is a good school where you near where you live and can attend in person, you might enjoy it more.

 

[Coriolis]

It should be fun. I’m looking forward to learning about things like machine learning, text data mining, visualization and so forth.

Do you have plans to use such a degree, perhaps as a consultant, or are you learning just for fun?

 

[highlander]

Do you have plans to use such a degree, perhaps as a consultant, or are you learning just for fun?

I'm not entirely sure but I believe what I learn will be of strong practical value. I could end up inventing something or doing some analysis that will end up being important. I'm considering board positions as well and it would round out and extend my technology skills and knowledge.

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

congratulations. have you joined the swim team and meddled in your son's academic life yet? did you hook up with the hot literature professor yet?

 

[highlander]

congratulations. have you joined the swim team and meddled in your son's academic life yet? did you hook up with the hot literature professor yet?

Not yet. Kurt Vonnegut hasn't helped me with my homework yet either .

 

[Vendrah]

I have no idea what you are talking about to be honest but hopefully I will learn more

Well, I could really explain it on different words, although I think I would not get understood again..

EDIT: Also, [MENTION=8936]highlander[/MENTION], sorry for the stupid question... In what kind of places, company's and specific jobs this master degree would apply to?

 

[JocktheMotie]

What's the syllabus? Most "corporate" data science is just slapping regressions and classification algorithms on to datasets which you can learn to do in 3 months with one book.

The good stuff is in ML research.

 

[highlander]

What's the syllabus? Most "corporate" data science is just slapping regressions and classification algorithms on to datasets which you can learn to do in 3 months with one book.

The good stuff is in ML research.

I remember you said you did this stuff for a living. This is Berkeley's program.

Curriculum

 

[highlander]

Well, I could really explain it on different words, although I think I would not get understood again..

EDIT: Also, [MENTION=8936]highlander[/MENTION], sorry for the stupid question... In what kind of places, company's and specific jobs this master degree would apply to?

[MENTION=5639]JocktheMotie[/MENTION] might be able to answer it better than me, but things like Analytics work - some schools have a focus on Marketing or Healthcare as an example of areas you'd apply this. My profile is a bit different. I'm an expert in the cybersecurity and privacy fields and there are some very interesting synergies with that line of work as to how to do security better and how to do the cool big data stuff you want to do while maintaining privacy.

 

[Jaq]

Best of luck [MENTION=8936]highlander[/MENTION]!

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

What's the syllabus? Most "corporate" data science is just slapping regressions and classification algorithms on to datasets which you can learn to do in 3 months with one book.

The good stuff is in ML research.

Oooh, pandas.

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

Not yet. Kurt Vonnegut hasn't helped me with my homework yet either .

Just don’t let that asshole on the swim team who looks exactly like Johnny Lawrence give you any shit

 

[highlander]

OK I broke down and signed up for a GRE prep course this morning. 6 hours of studying today that hadn't been planned. I seem to have forgotten an amazing amount of grade and middle school math

 

[Coriolis]

OK I broke down and signed up for a GRE prep course this morning. 6 hours of studying today that hadn't been planned. I seem to have forgotten an amazing amount of grade and middle school math

I'm surprised you needed to do that. Those things are pretty easy, unless they have changed much since I took it. Good luck in any case.

 

[highlander]

I'm surprised you needed to do that. Those things are pretty easy, unless they have changed much since I took it. Good luck in any case.

They were probably pretty easy if I was 22 years old! I forget stuff. I remember studying for the CPA exam a year after graduating college and it was like I forgot everything in that short year. Besides my mind is not a steel trap like yours. I have always had to work at things

 

[anticlimatic]

Congrats buddy, I'm sure you'll have a blast. Share any major differences you notice since you were last there.