Reaching a turning point in my career, I had to decide between upgrading my programming and data analytics skills or falling behind in an industry that is becoming increasingly data-driven. I wanted to adapt and evolve, rather than not adapt and perish. (Yes, I was influenced by Charles Darwin’s “The Theory of Evolution”!) I am currently enrolled in the MSQM: Business Analytics (MSQM: BA) program, which will be my third master’s degree.

Although I am from Kochi, which is the commercial capital of the state of Kerala in India, I grew up in different parts of India and the Middle East. I studied in 13 schools out of the 14 years of school-aged life! This exposed me to many cultures and enhanced my ability to perform at the highest level in any environment. That ability become very useful when I moved to Canada to study at York University and Simon Fraser University, and later, to Oman to work at the National Bank of Oman and then to India for a position at Ernst & Young (EY).

Aspiring to work for multilateral agencies and think tanks in the areas of economics, public policy, climate finance and developmental finance, I felt that I needed to take the next step.

Where It Started

While working at EY, I noticed a new emphasis on proficiency in and knowledge of data analytics. Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications were also being increasingly used across industries to reduce costs and increase efficiency. I knew that it would be naïve of me to think that I could ignore this trend toward a new normal.

Before applying to Fuqua, I was flooded with a multitude of thoughts and options. I had to think deeply about why I was doing what I was doing. Some of my considerations included:

1. Certificate course or master’s degree? With a plethora of affordable massive open online courses (MOOCs) available online, I mulled over the idea of taking a certificate course instead of a more expensive and time-consuming master’s degree. While MOOCs are effective and highly regarded, I personally felt the need to go through the academic rigor of a master’s degree. So, I opted for a master’s degree—one which was ‘value-for-money’ and not astronomically expensive.
2. U.S. business school or elsewhere? Data analytics programs are offered by universities around the world—I had to choose my place of study. I chose the U.S without the blink of an eye! Why, you may wonder—well, upon viewing business school rankings, I learned a majority of the top business schools were domiciled in the U.S.

Once I decided to pursue a master’s degree at a U.S. business school, Fuqua and the MSQM: BA program became the obvious choice. In my next blog, I explain how I came to that decision and offer my advice for completing an application.