Data Science Academy
Are you a computer science junkie ready for a rigorous summer full of data science and machine learning? Consider this intensive program at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Wharton Data Science Academy will bring state-of-the-art machine learning and data science tools to high school students. We aim to stimulate curiosity in the fast-moving field of machine learning through this rigorous year approachable program. Building up statistical foundations together with empirical and critical thinking skills will be the main theme throughout. By the end of the program, students will not only be equipped with essential data science techniques such as data visualization and data wrangling but will also be exposed to modern machine learning methodologies, which are all building blocks for today’s AI field. Along the way, students will develop a working proficiency with the R language, which is among the most widely used by professional data scientists in both academia and industry.
How do I get started? Want to know more about this program? Click here.
How do I expand this narrative arc? This is an amazing program for computer science and data whizzes. Consider adding depth and texture to your skills through one of the following interesting opportunities:
Get involved with Gamers Gift, a non-profit organization created by high school students that aims to use video games and other electronic media to alleviate some of the psychological stress caused by prolonged hospital stays, loneliness, or poverty.
Are you a math pro too? Show your stuff in one of the American Mathematics Competitions or the Harvard-MIT Math Tournament.
Think about some of the practical elements of data science and then craft solutions at your school. Better yet, organize a hackathon where other teens with coding skills come together to hack solutions to common challenges.
Create real change in your community by building an easy-to-use app that tackles a local problem. For example, do people have trouble deciding what is recyclable (if you’re rolling your eyes, trust us, it’s more complicated than you realize)? There should be an app for that? Or do people want the community calendar at their fingertips? It would be simple for you to build a user-friendly app.
HOT TIP: Data science is big business these days, and this is an amazing program for a teen with some background in the area. Just keep in mind that there are lots of comp sci whizzes these days. Use what you learn at the Data Science Academy to do something really unique and different in your community once you get home.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SUMMER PROGRAMS: College admissions officers are very adept at identifying “resume padders”: expensive, one-off programs paid for by your parents which do not mesh with your narrative arc. Therefore, make sure any summer program or course you consider falls into one (or more) of these four buckets:
Highly selective/competitive
Totally unique + linked to your narrative arc
Evidence of adulthood (long hours, multi-year commitment or simply hard work)
A jumping off point or expansion for an authentic narrative arc.
If none of the above apply, a program could still have value to you if it allows you to test a potential interest. However, if it does not end up being a jumping off point for further interests, then you may not want to mention it in your high school resume