This is a review of the website Super Data Science. It is a fantastic service that lives up to its title. One thing is certain: If you want to learn data science, you must sign up for this service right now!
Website: Super Data Science
Creators: Kirill Eremenko, Hadelin de Ponteves
Cost: $35 per month - ($23/mo. with yearly purchase)
** Prices subject to change...
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Overview
Data science is a complicated field. The subject matter itself requires good mathematical and analytical abilities. However, the field is still forming which causes confusion to those trying to get in.
Super Data Science (SDS) can help you learn what you need to know and keep you up to date on the developments within the field. Simply put, Kirill Eremenko and Hadelin de Ponteves are two leaders in this industry and you are gleaning insight from these leaders when you join.
This alone should be enough to convince you to sign up.
Review
You get more than training when you join Super Data Science. You get the knowledge transfer from two of the greats in the data science field. These guys not only know their stuff, but they also know how to present it. For instance, if you have struggled with statistical concepts such as hypothesis testing in the past, take the course on statistics on you will discover your A-Ha! moment.
SDS teaches several aspects of data science including Python and R, statistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. You will also learn how to present data using tools such as Tableau and Power BI.
Pros vs. Cons
Pros
- Top notch training that's hard to find elsewhere
- Podcasts that further enhance the service with interviews and industry insight
- Workshops with solutions that help you apply what you learn
Cons
- Customer service could use improvements. Not the quality but the timeliness
- Needs improvement in structure of curriculum. Too haphazard
Free Sign Up
You can sign up for free with Super Data Science. When you do, you'll receive great information and some free training. If you are on the fence about signing up for a paid subscription, you can test drive the service by signing up.
NOTE: You should be aware that the service is transitioning and the new service is BetaSuperDataScience.com (as opposed to SuperDataScience.com). I don't know what the schedule is for the transition, but you may want to contact the company to see which service to sign up for. I don't represent the company so I cannot answer this question. I am signed up to the new service and still have access to the old one as a result. But, that may not last as it appears they are going to merge the two services.
What You'll Love About Super Data Science
You have likely discovered that I am a big fan of this service. It has helped many people (including yours truly) who are looking to break into the data science field. It's taught by experienced people. The teaching is only part of the reason why I love the service. It is no doubt high-quality training. But, the podcasts and the workshops are a valuable addition.
As you can see from the image above, you'll learn about artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and database concepts. These are all cutting-edge technologies that you'll need to learn at some point. It's all here for you to learn.
You can also learn the foundation topics such as Python and R, Tableau, and Power BI. They have the basics for you to explore. I have gone through several of these modules and they are complete training with homework assignments and challenges.
I also mentioned podcasts as being a part of the service. They add these on a weekly basis and include interviews, tips, techniques, and industry information that will help you become better prepared for a data science career. Honestly, if you aren't listening to these, you are missing out on golden gems that could propel your career. These are well worth the value of the subscription on their own.
After you finish your training modules, you have the opportunity to practice what you learn by trying out the workshops. You are given a set of problems to solve, some data to use for the workshop, hints in case you get stuck. After you try to solve the problems, you are given the solution, usually via video and the corresponding code. These are added frequently to the membership area.
It's important to take advantage of these workshops as you'll need to learn how to solve problems in data science. Most of the workshops use real datasets and real-world scenarios. Part of your success stems not just from running algorithms but cleaning data and interpreting model results. Businesses need insight from their data, and you'll need practice knowing how to obtain that insight. Workshops are a great way to put your training into action!
Some Needed Improvements...
Obviously, no service is going to be without some needed improvements. SDS could strengthen the timeliness of its responses from customer service. I had one inquiry where they answered the same day whereas another took a week to respond and that's after I reminded them that I had submitted an inquiry. The quality of the responses were fine.
Another improvement should be a more structured layout of the website. The training modules aren't in as logical an order as they could be. It would be nice to have tracking that shows your progress based on a certain curriculum. For instance, if you are looking to concentrate on machine learning using Python, there should be a set of courses that you can take and track your progress and perhaps even include a certificate for posting on LinkedIn and other social media channels within that leg of training.
While I get that you should learn as much as you can, I believe it's helpful to have a better road map than what is provided on the website. I do realize the service is going through a transition period and I believe that should be a consideration.
Bottom Line
You can learn much of what you need to know to start a data science career using SDS. If this is something you are looking to pursue, then the next step is to sign up to SDS and start learning from the masters themselves. It is a solid program that will set your foundation for your career.
Sign up to Super Data Science here.
