Interview with Nhi Tran

July 2022

Why did you choose the MSBA program at Cal Poly Pomona? I have a friend studying at Cal Poly and she recommended me the program. When I read about the courses, I knew that this project is what I needed to move to another chapter in my career. 

We are in the digital era now so coding has become a powerful tool to transform data to derive essential insights. With the skills accumulated in the program, I am more confident to compete with other candidates. If you want to be a Data Scientist, you should focus on AI and ML. If you want to be a Data Analyst, being able to use SQL and Excel proficiently can get you to start the game easier.

Advice

My advice for the school project is to choose good partners and the topic that you’re interested in. As a Data Scientist or Analyst, you have to be patient and get dirty with data. The more you play with it, the better your skills can get. Chegg, Stackforoverflow, and Geekforgeek are also helping me be able to graduate. As a student far away from home, I have to be independent and disciplined in any decision. However, my classmates and professors created a great environment where I felt like family and I know that I can reach out for help at any time.  My advice for the students in the program is to form a group of classmates where you can chat and learn from each other. Studying has to be fun. Create a group where you can learn from each other. Be responsible in any project you work on with your teammate(s). Learn by doing. Any professor will be happy to answer your questions so I always bother them during their office hours