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A Week in the Life: Online MSDS Student Abner Casillas Colon
I am currently in my fifth and final semester of the Online M.S. in Data Science (MSDS) program at the University of Virginia's (UVA) School of Data Science. I will graduate in May 2025.
I am also a full-time Data Science Consultant at Accenture, where I apply data analytics to anti-money laundering, investigating financial crimes, and advising on other criminal activity and regulatory actions where data expertise is needed.
Weekly Schedule
The primary bulk of my time is dedicated to my full time job and for most of the online students balancing studies with working responsibilities is a major focus of how they interact with the program.
For me, the program roughly takes about 10-20 hours of my week which can be broken out into classwork, studying, and homework.
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Classes are during the middle of the week and take up a total time of about 2 and a half hours. To prepare for the following week's classes, I watch prerecorded videos that cover the class material. This usually amounts to about 1-2 hours of content depending on the lesson. Additionally, I spend about 1-2 hours also reading course material, either textbooks, whitepapers, or blogs related to coursework.
Once I’ve completed that, the bulk of my time is spent doing homework or project work. While I do have relevant technical experience that quickens the time it takes for me to code, most weeks usually require that I spend a healthy 6-12 hours addressing homework and project work. This still allows me time for personal hobbies, but I would say it's very helpful if you can plan more judiciously (and allow flexibility) when projects are assigned as they take more time.
Support Network
What has made the program so enjoyable and manageable for me is what initially made me apply to the program and that is the support network. It starts with the professors, tutors, and TAs who make themselves readily available to the students in case there are any questions with the material. This help also extends to the office hours that are timed later in the day for working students.
The other area that makes the program very engaging is your cohort classmates. There are a lot of other students who I have collaborated with on projects that I feel comfortable asking for advice on homework and projects. This also makes attending events either on Grounds in Charlottesville or locally (Northern Virginia) feel a lot more comfortable considering how much I have collaborated with other students. The cohort aspect of the program is what truly makes it feel worthwhile to me and helps in applying what I have learned in my coursework.
Personal Time
Outside of my school life I enjoy socializing with friends, and I am an avid reader and gamer. I participate in a monthly sci-fi fantasy book club (my most enjoyed recent book was A Memory Called Empire). I also enjoy motorcycling and going to the racetrack as either a spectator or driving my car and motorcycle.
When it comes to games, I enjoy just about anything but am competitive and enjoy games where I can play against others like Street Fighter. After more stressful days I also decompress by working out and lifting weights.
