Anay Patel

Science Ambassador

Links

Major & Minor
Major: Statistics & Data Science, Mathematics

Hometown
Kansas City, KS

What made you choose your science major at this school?

I chose Data Science at first because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do straight out of high school and it was a more applicable math degree in my perspective. I soon realized how great it was because you can use this major in any field, letting you work anywhere and in anything.

How hard were the intro science classes compared to high school?

They were definitely different from high school and even though I felt like I had good study tactics in high school it was harder at first. I think it takes time to get used to being in a new place and the expectations and you start to learn how to do good in these classes.

Do professors actually teach, or are most classes taught by TAs?

Teachers definitely do teach and sometimes you may get unlucky with some teachers but that is going to be everywhere you go. However TAs definitely do help make a course way easier because they can teach you from a similar perspective.

How easy is it to get help if you’re struggling in a science class?

I would say it is very easy to get help because there are a ton of resources from on-campus things like office hours to friends you make in your classes.

When can students start doing research (freshman year or later)?

I have personally not done any research through the university, however I know a lot of people can get involved as soon as freshman year.

How did you get involved in research or labs?

Are research opportunities competitive or fairly accessible?

I think there are more than enough opportunities in different fields that allow for students to have the opportunity to partake in research.

Do students get paid for research or is it mostly for credit?

What does a typical week look like for a science major?

Depends on the year, you can expect to spend a little bit more than average time on your classes but you have more than enough time for extracurriculars and free time.

How much time do you actually spend studying?

What’s the hardest science class you’ve taken—and why?

What do you wish you had known before coming here?

I wish I knew about all the different honoraries and clubs that I could have been a part of sooner.

What clubs and/or organizations are you involved with?

What are your future plans after graduation?