This week 86 candidates in the Class of 2015 begin a 10-month journey as the eighth cohort in the Institute’s innovative Master of Science in Analytics (MSA) degree program. The 2015 cohort is the result of the most selective admissions process in the history of the Institute. “It’s a very talented group,” said the Institute’s director, Dr. Michael Rappa, “I’m excited to have the opportunity to partner with them and look forward to the time we have together to launch their careers as analytics professionals.” The admissions committee reviewed 796 applications, up over 70-percent from last year, and three-times the number from just 24 months ago.
After interviewing 310 applicants, a total of 102 candidates were offered admission to enroll 86 students. The admissions process yielded an acceptance rate of 12.8-percent. Incoming students represent 18 countries of origin and hail from 19 states coast-to-coast. Ninety percent of the Class of 2015 are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. More than half have three or more years of prior work experience, and 22-percent hold advanced degrees.
The Institute for Advanced Analytics has been preparing data savvy professionals for leadership in a digital world since 2007. Our mission is to produce the world’s finest practitioners of analytics — individuals who have mastered complex methods and tools for large-scale data modeling, who have a passion for solving challenging problems through teamwork, who are guided by intellectual curiosity, honesty and integrity, and who strive to attain the highest level of professionalism through continuous self-improvement.
TABLE: Profile of the Master of Science in Analytics Class of 2015
| Number of students: |
86
|
| Percent who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents: |
90
|
| Percent who are North Carolina residents: |
51
|
| Number of countries of origin: |
18
|
| Percent who are women: |
41
|
| Average number of years since undergraduate degree: |
5
|
| Average undergraduate GPA: |
3.53
|
| Percent graduating with academic honors: |
60
|
| Percent with a prior graduate degree: |
22
|
| Percent employed full-time (3+ years): |
51
|
| Average age / Median age: |
27 / 25
|
| Range in age: |
21-45
|