Profile Evaluation: MS Statistics/Data Science/IE (Fall 2021, Canada)

[paroisse]

Hi! I'll be applying for MS programs shortly and would like to have an idea of where I stand as a somewhat unconventional applicant. My career goals are to work as a data scientist in more of a tech/engineering settings rather than in a business intelligence setting (see: companies such as Urthecast, Urbanlogiq, Geotab...). I'm particularly interested in geospatial analysis, so I'm planning on applying for MS programs in statistics, industrial engineering, data science (maybe even geography?). 

Undergrad Institution: Mid-sized Canadian university

Undergrad Major: Civil Engineering 

GPA (Undergrad): 4.11 (out of 4.5) 

Type of Student: Domestic

Relevant Courses(Undergraduate): 

Calculus 1-4, Linear Algebra, Numerical Methods, Systems Analysis, Computer Programming 1, Statistics 1, and Statistical Methods (data analysis with R).

Relevant Research: Not super relevant, but I worked as a research assistant for a summer work term in a hydraulics lab - mostly doing menial tasks assisting grad students in their research. I will also be completing an undergraduate thesis in my senior year related to modelling a city-wide system of autonomous vehicles. 

Recs: None yet but there are a few professors and bosses who I believe would write strong letters. 

Relevant Work Experience: I will have completed three summer work terms by my graduation:

1. Research work term as described above.
2. Engineering Intern at a large energy utility which involved some basic data analysis and programming (mostly Excel/VBA).
3. (Current) Data Science Intern at a local start-up which is pretty much the job I'm aiming for long term. Lots of geospatial modelling, data cleaning/analysis, programming etc. The company is owned by two university professors and is currently in the R&D phase, so I'm also being exposed to research work (reading academic papers, etc.). I'm also continuing part-time here during the fall term. 

Programs Applying: Haven't quite decided yet, but programs I have tabbed are: UToronto MS Industrial Engineering (in particular the Data-Driven Decisions Lab), UWaterloo MMath Applied Math, UWaterloo MSc Statistics, UBC MSc Statistics, UBC MSDS Data Science etc.

Current status: On a summer work term with two semesters left in my undergrad. 

[Stat Assistant Professor]

If the Canadian programs you listed as unfunded, then I imagine you should be able to get into at least one of them. If they are fully funded even for MS students, then they might be more competitive.