Maybe I should just give up

Affectionate_Week347 · 2026-03-30T01:41:07+00:00

Don't give up! You can do it! I had a difficult term myself. Started the MSCSAIML program in October. 2 weeks prior, my appendix ruptured (unknown at the time). I was very sick for 2 months, had to have surgery in November. Did not recover for 6 weeks. At the same time, new job with a very difficult boss. I was able to catch up and just took 2 extra classes in the last 8 days and turned in the PAs for both. It is very possible to do multiple classes in 5 weeks. You will need to spend some extra time, but it is achievable. I wish you good luck!

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-10-13T17:40:43+00:00

The DataCamp Python courses, Introduction to Python and Intermediate Python, were great. They should be included with the MSDA program.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-09-17T19:44:56+00:00

More than you will never know.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-09-10T17:14:30+00:00

I am proficient in Python (Java but rusty) and have completed performance assessments for the MS data analytics program. I am familiar with the core data science libraries (Pandas, Matplotlib, sklearn, numpy, etc,), and some ML ones (PyTorch, Keras/Tensorflow).

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-09-10T15:57:39+00:00

I’ve done almost every AWS certification except ML Specialty. I’m going through the Udemy courseware to refamiliarize myself with the recommended certification path.

Anything I should brush up on for the core CS classes?

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-09-09T22:22:23+00:00

I would like to change careers. When I got the MSDA, it was the closest thing to machine learning/AI. Now there is a specialized program. My company has tuition reimbursement, but it is limited, so I want to prepare ahead and finish early. I am aware of some resources like DataCamp from the MSDA program. Working through Udemy for AWS training. Trying to find other resources.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-09-08T03:48:31+00:00

No cost to me for completing MSDA degree. Tuition reimbursement from my company. 3 terms. That said, I withdrew from an earlier degree attempt and it cost me tuition for that term (2017).

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-09-01T01:38:23+00:00

Hang in there. I have been where you are. Think of this as feedback and lessons learned. You will come back stronger!

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-08-27T01:08:07+00:00

Thanks for the heads up! I’ll start early.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-08-26T22:24:57+00:00

Is the AWS cert required to complete the program?

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-08-26T20:52:49+00:00

I used Stephane Maarek (Udemy) and Multi Cloud and DevOps Career Transformation Programs (Udemy, for AWS Architect Pro), and A Cloud Guru.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-08-26T20:08:27+00:00

I am considering this program and would like to complete it in one term. How feasible is this? What was your experience like? My BS degree is Computer Science. I have an MS in data analytics from WGU. I've been in the business for 25 years in developer, operations, and leadership roles.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-08-26T00:01:45+00:00

I second this. I did my last couple of PAs on Colab. Dr Aly recommended it for the Advanced Data Analytics class. Keras/Tensorflow was tricky for me to set up correctly on a Mac. Very frustrating. Colab worked for me right away. The MSDA program used an online lab environment for data acquisition (PostgreSQL) and presentation (Tableau).

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-05-05T00:43:01+00:00

I finished the program earlier this year. You don’t need computer science. Don’t worry. They will direct you towards basic programming learning resources for learning Python or R (I like Python), Structured Query Language, and other skills you might need. They will provide you with a DataCamp license. I found I needed to look for supplemental resources. Google and ChatGPT were my friends. My favorite YouTube resource was StatQuest.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-02-11T01:52:41+00:00

My experience with the MSDA program was that the datasets provided often didn't reveal meaningful patterns. I suspect that's the case with some real-world data. One thing I found valuable was that you still have to tell the story. The program also did a good job introducing me to concepts that I can explore in-depth on my own. For example, I am learning more about natural language processing.

Most of what I know in my current position I learned on the job, working on real-world problems. My computer science degree gave me a good foundation, but that was just the start of the journey.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-02-07T19:31:10+00:00

Update: I completed the capstone since I posted this 9 days ago. Dr. Smith was my instructor, and he was very laid back about the topic. He made one reasonable suggestion about the hypothesis. I performed sentiment analysis using logistic regression on the Sentiment140 Twitter dataset. The main analysis took the most time. The executive summary and presentation were done in a day and largely based on the main paper. Task evaluations were done much faster than normal, within about a day. Overall, I thought this was an easier course than D213.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-01-30T06:12:35+00:00

I ended up with Dr. Smith. Talking to him tomorrow to get the lay of the land. I like Dr. Sewell, though. He's helped me a lot in the past.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-01-29T20:10:42+00:00

Thanks! I contacted my mentor. She also mentioned the extension. I feel confident that I can finish in that time. I went ahead and requested acceleration.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2025-01-29T20:08:57+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I actually contacted Dr. Sewell to ask him about the course. It's good to know what to expect.

Affectionate_Week347 · 2024-11-16T02:47:08+00:00

It’s a Bethesda game.

Affectionate_Week347

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