December 5, 2019
Top Five MSDS Admissions Questions Answered by the Admissions Team
As the admissions team for the UW MSDS program, we speak to hundreds of prospective students throughout the year. Unsurprisingly, a large number of these conversations turn into a Q&A about the application process. Although our FAQ page answers the majority of these questions, prospective students are frequently looking for inside information on the admissions process.
Below are the top five questions we get related to admissions:
1. How much is my undergraduate GPA weighted in my application?
Your undergraduate GPA is just one of many factors that we review in our holistic admissions process. Holistic truly is the best word we can use to describe how your application will be reviewed after you click the submit button. It means that a brief glance at your undergraduate GPA will not lead to an admissions decision. It means that we read every page of your application – the essays you wrote, your resume, those letters of recommendation from your favorite professors – so that we can understand your background and future goals.
2. I don’t come from a STEM background. Will I be at a disadvantage?
Data scientists are employed across industries, so we think it is important to admit students with diverse academic and professional backgrounds. STEM fields are the most common undergraduate majors represented in our program. However, if you look at our Class Profile, you will notice that our students have degrees in a wide range of fields, including economics, international relations, psychology, business, and philosophy. The important thing to focus on in your application is why you feel an MSDS degree is right for you based on your experiences and future goals.
3. What is the most important part of the application?
As we mentioned previously, there are many factors that we take into consideration in our holistic admissions process, and the admissions committee does not favor one part of the application over another. We rely on every part of the application to give us a complete sketch of the applicant. To stand out, we recommend that you do your best to make sure every component of your application is polished and well-thought-out. The most compelling applications are consistently strong throughout.
4. Does it matter where I attended college?
Excellent students come from many different types of higher education institutions. Our students have undergraduate degrees from public flagship universities, private liberal arts colleges, regional universities, ivy league institutions, military academies, and institutes of technology. Our international students have undergraduate degrees from dozens of universities throughout the world. What you achieved during and after college is more important than the institution you attended.
5. Do I really have to complete all of the prerequisite requirements before applying to the program?
To be eligible for admission, applicants must complete all of the prerequisite requirements by the application deadline. We do not consider applications with missing or incomplete prerequisites. No exceptions. If you are missing some of the prerequisite requirements, you must complete them for a grade at any accredited two- or four-year college or university (or the international equivalent) before applying to the program. In the past, some of our strongest applicants took an additional year to complete their prerequisites before applying to the MSDS program.