Statement of Purpose for MSc in Data Science (Marketing Analysis)

SOP FOR STUDY AT Jacobs School of Engineering

Hello Everyone,

I would like to have a review on my statement of purpose. I would be very thankful if anyone of you consider to evaluate my essay.

(revised)

I am applying to the Data Science & Engineering program for the opportunity to earn a Master of Science degree in (insert what specialty the Master's degree is for). I am interested in conducting research and specializing in any of the following spheres: recommendation algorithms, social network analysis, sentiment analysis, content personalization using NLP, customer churn prediction models, or data visualization.

Throughout my career as a marketing analyst, I gained a hands-on introduction to studying data trends while developing software applications intended to understand and anticipate customer behavior. As a co-founder of (insert name of company), an influencer marketing agency, I collaborated with a team of data scientists to develop a Python-based data application which, using data mining techniques, leverages web data to optimize the performance of influencer campaigns. I explored and implemented content analysis techniques, including random forest classifier for online content popularity prediction, TF IDF vectorizer for scoring and ranking channels' relevance given a user query, and NLP toolkit for sentiment analysis of users' comments. The video game giants Sony Entertainment and Freejam Games both utilized (insert company name)'s application and successfully increased their conversion rates by (insert percentage increase for Sony Entertainment)% and (insert percentage increase for Freejam Games)%, respectively. The radical results of learning and employing data analysis convinced me that I needed to continue my study of data science in order to help my future clients market their products and messages competitively.

I pursued another opportunity to work in a variety of data-driven areas, from performance-based user acquisition to financial modeling to business intelligence, during my stint as a (insert job title) at My.com. My.com's mission was to accelerate its investments using internal and third-party audience data to advertise more effectively, so I designed and programmed applications that would allow the agency to take advantage of customer data. I helped optimize the company's reach by researching and using statistical analysis of semi-structured and unstructured data for micro-segmentation and micro-targeting, natural language processing for summarizing customer sentiment, and real-time analytics for measuring and optimizing the effectiveness of marketing programs in real time. The perspective I attained conducting data analysis for My.com further deepened my appreciation for the depth, complexity, and potential of applying data science to marketing & business analytics.

My experiences as a modern marketer prompted me to start acquiring relevant technical skills such as querying and managing data with SQL, manipulating data with Python, and communicating data analysis implications with data visualization software like Tableau. I realized, however, that I wanted to formally improve my business intelligence skills so that I could strengthen the data science solutions in my past and future projects. It would be a privilege to study at Jacobs School of Engineering because it is ranked among the top engineering schools in the United States and is located in a technology hub, where I will be surrounded by diligent and creative peers. What attracts me most to the Data Science & Engineering program is the curriculum's unique combination of machine learning and database management coursework, as well as the program's focus on practical applications of data science through the Case Studies and Capstone Projects. I believe that my extensive domain expertise in marketing technology and business intelligence will enable me to succeed academically and help train me so that I can advance the integration of data science into my field.

Pharyacha,

There are a couple of things I want you to take note of. Academic reviewers will appreciate that you have expounded on the details of why your professional background makes you a good candidate for the program. I do suggest, however, that you look into adding a personal flair to your essay. What this means is talk about your values, ambitions, and long-term goals. This can help the evaluators see the in-depth reason as to why you will have an inner drive. This is important for them to empathize with you as an applicant - to gain their attention. Remember, there are numerous applicants who may also have similar backgrounds as you. Let your personality shine through more in your essay to make a mark.

I also suggest that you look into tackling what makes you different from other people. If you believe that your extensive professional experience is what makes you stand out, discuss that through giving them an insight as to who you are as a person. Remember that these academicians who evaluate do not merely look at your track record; they also look into you as an individual.

Aside from that, your essay is already on the right track. Best of luck to you!