Profile Evaluation for Fall 2021 MS Data Science / MBan Business Analytics applicant

[Ramen_Shop]

Hi guys. I was wondering if I could get a profile evaluation - what are my chances like for getting into the schools listed below and their respective programs. I was also wondering if I could get some opinions on whether I should submit my GRE scores and will there be any interviews for the schools I am applying to (a simple yes/no in list form for each school will suffice and a couple of words on what the interviews entailed will suffice). So here goes nothing (I feel I'm being a bit too ambitious with my choices and I am also gradually losing my mind over anxiety and stress from this application process hahaha).

Thanks for your time, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you all think!

Undergrad Institution: Imperial College London, UK

GPA: Dean's List Award for Academic Excellence so I think my GPA is something like 3.9 - 4? I am unsure about this because UK doesn't do GPA

Undergraduate Degree: MEng Civil and Environmental Engineering (4 Years integrated Masters - I have no Bachelors oddly enough) - Currently in my final year.

GRE General Test:
Q: 165
V: 152 (This score is really low which is why I am asking if I should submit these scores because most schools don't mandate them anymore due to COVID)
W: 5.0

* Won't have time to resit my GRE because of commitments to undergraduate program

Relevant Courses:

• Mathematics I & II (We went as far as Fourier Series, Vector Calculus, PDEs, Multivariate Calculus so I'm not sure how much that lines up with American college level Calculus I & II)
• Statistics
• Computational Engineering Analysis I, II & III (Programming in MATLAB for Engineering uses - Finite Element Analysis etc.)

* MATLAB is a bit of a useless language in industry, which is why I picked up Python and SQL during my internship and I'm quite comfortable with Python right now.

Type of Student:  International Student (Asian)

Programs Applying: Masters in Data Science mostly and Masters in Analytics/Business Analytics

Research Experience: By the time of graduation and due to start in January 2021 - Individual Research Project using Machine Learning to assess flood risks by forecasting storm cell movement and intensity in Birmingham, UK. Formally agreed to undertake this project with a supervisor/professor.

Extracurriculars:

• VP of largest national society in my high school
• Did a 3 week expedition to a rural area in my home country to build a kindergarten in 3 weeks for the villagers and children
• Represented university in inter-university football/soccer matches and performed in 2 annual events (2018 and 2019) as a dancer

Letters of Recommendation: 

• 1x from Internship
• 2x from academics (1x from high school and 1x from university)

Work Experience:

• AI and Advanced Analytics Intern (3 months) w/ largest Telecommunications company in my home country - Networks team. Used Machine Learning to forecast and identify which cell towers require an upgrade based on cellular throughput, traffic and capacity (not giving much details here because I'm sort of lazy to write everything out).

• Deals Advisory Intern (2 months) w/ Pricewaterhouse Coopers - Streamlined analysis of receipts and payments transactions with software/programming approach. Participated in liquidation exercise to cross examine and verify authenticity of creditors' claims. Helped assets and divestment team to realise a proportion of company assets during liquidation to stimulate cash flow.

My current list:

• Harvard – Masters in Data Science

• Stanford - Masters in Statistics, Data Science track

• UPenn - Masters in Data Science (Early Decision)

• University of Chicago - Masters in Analytics

• Brown – Masters in Data Science

• MIT – Masters in Business Analytics

• Columbia – Masters in Data Science

• Duke - MIDS 

• USC - Masters in Applied Data Science

I feel that I'm reaching quite high and that I don't stand an optimistic chance of getting accepted into these schools against other applicants because I'm applying straight from undergrad and most people it seems are applying with like 2-3 years of work experience. Should I submit my GRE scores since most schools do not mandate them anymore? Does submitting them regardless pose any benefits to my application over those that do not? Is GPA or GRE score more important?

Pointers on how my chances are with these schools and what I should do with my GRE scores are really all I'm looking for!

Thanks again!

Edited November 6, 2020 by Ramen_Shop

[RedBT]

Looking for answers for a similar profile with an additional 1.5 years of work experience in analytics. No papers/projects under supervisors though.

[mpdata]

You've probably already submitted some applications but good luck! Seems like you've got an impressive profile. I'm a current student at Harvard's MS in Data Science Program and I'm happy to answer any questions you have about it

[poopinmybed99]

mpdata, what was your profile/stats that got you admitted? Also, do you know if data science is roughly the same competitive as CSE? Thanks for your help