Applied Data Science Self-Assessment Test
In preparation for your program start, all students are encouraged to take the Self-Assessment Test in order to gauge program readiness. You will be able to get a good sense of your basic technical background and time management by completing this test.
- Take the following assessment (be sure to track the time) and then check your answers using the Answer Key. There is also a question in the test that requires you to work with a data set. Please click the links below to download each of the files.
- Then, complete the form on this page, sharing any feedback or thoughts that you experienced during the self-assessment process.
- Based on your assessment of your programmatic strengths and areas to refresh, please use the resources below to be best prepared for your program start.
Need a refresher?
- Khan Academy: Calculus
- Khan Academy: Statistics
- Math is Fun: Statistics
- Khan Academy: Linear Algebra
- Calculus eTextbook by Gilbert Strang
- Welcome to Excel Easy
- Excel Tutorial
- LearnPython.org: free interactive Python tutorial
- DataCamp.com: free interactive Introduction to Python
- DataCamp.com: free interactive R Introductory Course
- Introduction to R by Udemy
- learnsqlonline.org: free interactive SQL tutorial
- 15 MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) for Data Science
- MS-ADS GitHub Materials
- USD MS-ADS Blog
- Data Science Blog: Towards Data Science
- Data Science News, Datasets, Tutorials, and Blog: KDnuggets
Submit this form after testing
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the MADS Self-Assessment?
The self-assessment is a tool to gauge program readiness based on your familiarity and working knowledge of related subject areas such as calculus, statistics, and coding languages. While there is a strong correlation between subject knowledge and success in the MS-ADS program, the assessment is not a definitive assessment of your fit in the program. We recommend using your best judgment (considering time management, subject matter expertise, etc.) in determining if the program start term is right for you.
What should I do if I take more than 4 hours to complete the Assessment?
If your self-assessment completion exceeded the 4-hour timeframe by a substantial amount of time, we recommend using some of the refresher resources above to improve overall programmatic understanding and confidence in the subject area. Even if you completed within the 4-hour timeframe, revisiting some subject areas will only improve your knowledge in the respective area.
What should I do if I’m not familiar with one (or more) subject areas?
Fear not – the university setting is a great place to learn something new! It is highly recommended that you use the refresher resources to practice and develop a working knowledge in the unfamiliar subject so that you are best prepared for the start of the program. If you want to discuss further, we recommend reaching out to the Academic Director, Dr. Ebrahim Tarshizi, to develop an appropriate preparatory schedule for maximum student success.