I am originally from India where I completed my undergraduate degree in Information Technology. I came directly from my undergraduate studies to the Columbia University School of Professional Studies for a Master’s degree in Applied Analytics. When I started the program, I was both nervous and excited. I always dreamt about studying at an Ivy League institution. Pride and prestige comes with studying at such a reputable university, but what most attracted me to the program was well-tailored courses, professors from industry and academia and a campus with a rich history.
Applied Analytics is a well-thought-out program. I have seen students like me with zero years of professional experience before joining, as well as some students with several years of experience who were looking to change career paths or to learn more about data analytics and its real-world applications.
During my time at Columbia I met students from around the world. I know it is a clichéd statement, but Columbia University and New York City in general are very diverse. As a student here, one can have a traditional campus experience in a city. The libraries and buildings have such rich history and significance.
For two semesters I also worked as an Admissions Intern in SPS’s admission office where part of my job was to give tours to our potential applicants. It was a fun and great experience.
The compulsory and elective courses offered at SPS act as a base for my professional career. It is not only the knowledge that I gained through this course that helped, but the assignments, presentations, group discussions, projects, and classmates from different educational and professional backgrounds played an equally important role. I have gained technical, soft and social skills through this program.
I currently work at Microsoft Corporation as Program Manager in the Azure Machine Learning team. In this role I interact with customers and stakeholders, gather data to drive product decisions, and collaborate with different teams such as engineering, design, and marketing. I gained the skills to carry out this work though a wide variety of experiences while studying at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies – from serving as an admissions intern, to taking elective courses that I was passionate about, to interacting with my fellow classmates and taking advice from professors. I advise all the students to make most of your time at Columbia SPS.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any other person or entity.
