SOP Sample for MS in Computer Science in USA - Early Career

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

[NAME] - Fall 2022

The world around us can be interpreted as data. They say that on average the human being creates data of a few megabytes every second. "One day, in the future I believe that data will be the costliest commodity priced on the market". I was fascinated, and still am with the latter statement, which was delivered by one of the professors in my freshman year at college. I was eager to know how data science and analysis form an integral part in guiding business processes across any given domain today, and still ponder about how data can be put together to solve the puzzle in today's problems.

I completed my bachelor's in Computer Science and Engineering in 2020 from [UNIVERSITY], [CITY]. I could never argue more that in these four years, I learned a lot, not only concerning academia but also about myself and my abilities. The bachelor program's austere schedules and curriculum challenged me and threw light upon my potential to deliver results. I touched upon core subjects like Data Structures, Design and Analysis of Algorithms, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, and Big Data Architecture which truly enthused me to start showing a great deal of interest in the world of Data Science. After reconciling myself with the fundamental concepts of data, I yearned for an internship in the field with the motive of gaining hands-on experience.

I interned at [COMPANY] as a Machine Learning intern where I worked in developing machine learning models which performed predictive and prescriptive analysis and also proposed several pragmatic solutions to the business level problems that revolved around their product. I wasn't quite done and proceeded to extend my learning curve by fathoming deep into the concept of Neural Networks which inspired me to choose this as a platform for my Capstone Project in my final year. I developed a machine learning model with the help of Neural Networks, Deep Learning, and Computer Vision, which enabled systems equipped with digital cameras to perform facial recognition.

As my interest in the subject peaked, I was offered an opportunity to work under my professor as an author of a comprehensive book about the applications of Data Science and Fuzzy logic in the field of agriculture. The research I carried forward only forced me to think bigger and deeper into the influence modern-day concepts such as the Internet of Things and Real Time Data Analytics have on us in real life. With the help of new formed concrete understanding of Machine Learning and having advocated strong opinions about Big Data, I took part in many extracurricular events such as hackathons and regularly propounded seminars to my fellow batchmates. The staff at my institution endorsed my endeavors and encouraged me to do more. My active engagement in these events and contributions to the community highlighted my profile which led me to be recruited by [COMPANY] towards the end of my senior year.

I was hired as a full-stack developer at [COMPANY], where I spent my probation period and the first few months designing databases, developing backend infrastructure through microservices, and integrating APIs using Hybrid Cloud Architectures. [COMPANY], known for its flexibility in letting its employees choose their career path, allowed me to change my primary skillset to Modern Data, following which I was immediately resourced for a project where I ran ETL jobs, performed data mining techniques, and produced visualizations for a Canadian postal operator. Having found the domain I really enjoyed working in, I put in my best efforts and was recognized as a Distinct Achiever by the end of the project. As my career in Data Engineering took a steady pace, I picked up a certification or two to show promise in the skills that I portray at work. However, I strongly believe that knowledge is not really quantifiable, and a master's degree in the Data domain would give me a comprehensive learning opportunity as well as enhance my career growth.

At present, I look forward to building strong knowledge and concepts that will elevate my career in Big Data Analytics, which can be strenuous but will bear fruit shortly. I truly believe that my capabilities and intellect paired with a great amount of zeal will help me sail over this challenging path that I choose to take. My short-term goals include exploiting the plethora of experiential learning opportunities in [UNIVERSITY] to innovate and give back to the community. I also plan to make weighty contributions to the research community in Data Science by working on projects and diving deep into concepts that can aid in providing solutions to the current problems that we face. In the long term, I aspire to step into entrepreneurship, specifically directed towards solving problems in distributed computing and empowering organizations to leverage gold standard data.

Knowing that the master's degree is something I can architect and customize, after ample research, I am confident that the [SCHOOL] at [UNIVERSITY] will be a strong fit for me to pursue my higher education. I strongly believe that the curriculum, resources, and values offered by the Master's program in Computer Science with Big Data Systems concentration will place me among the best-skilled graduates in the domain and will help me leverage great career opportunities. The student organizations that deal with innovation and solving real-world problems endorsed by the institution will certainly bridge the gap between my learning and the application of concepts in the real world. In addition to this, the [INSTITUTE] will encourage me to learn and engage with communities that are driven to solve the problems of today and tomorrow.