Why do you want to attend the SMU REU in Data Science? (100-200 words)
I’m applying to the SMU REU in Data Science to learn how to harness data science and analytics methods to develop interdisciplinary solutions to economic insecurity. While I have a background in both government and research, I don’t have the training to extract insights from big data. This summer, I hope to advance my coding skills and learn how to use Python for analyzing surveys, clustering and prediction analyses, and data visualization. I’m especially excited about the opportunity to learn these technical skills in a multidisciplinary environment. I look forward to collaborating and learning with peers from different backgrounds who share my interest in using data science tools for social good. I’m also excited to learn from faculty in fields like data science, law, and education to whom I otherwise would not be exposed. Moreover, I hope this summer fosters lasting relationships and plants the seeds for future partnerships. I plan to pursue a graduate degree in public policy before working in policy analysis or program evaluation. The skills and experience from this program will position me to succeed in graduate school and beyond as I seek to apply data science to public policy, helping overlooked communities worldwide with data.
Why this works
From the first sentence of this response, we get a precise and focused answer to the question being asked in the prompt. The rest of the response then goes on to elaborate on the points raised in that first line. The essay was able to speak to specific future goals and show the reader how the skills gained from the REU experience will fit into those goals. Most essays have a limited word count. It is important to be as specific as possible in how the experience (and their funding) is directly connected to what you want to do in the future.