The volume and diversity of data being captured by companies today is staggering. The abundance of data, coupled with the unavailability of powerful data analysis tools, has given rise to a “data rich but information poor” phenomenon. The widening gap between data and information has generated an urgent need for new techniques which will turn these vast amounts of data into “golden nuggets” of knowledge. This realization, spawned from four years of undergraduate studies, has motivated me to work towards becoming a veteran in the field of Information Technology. To this end, I look forward to pursuing a Master in Information Systems Management (MIS) at the Texas A&M University.

A successful Systems Analyst, has a perfect blend of analytical and communication skills, creativity and spirit of teamwork. My undergraduate education at _______, one of the foremost institutes affiliated to Mumbai University, has played a key role in developing these skills. It has given me a comprehensive exposure to courses like Database Management Systems, Data Warehousing, and Mining, Web Engineering, E-Commerce.

My proficiency in languages such as Java, C, C++, and SQL has laid a strong foundation towards achieving my goal. Through various challenging projects, I gained an insight to how the IT industry works. From developing a store management system to a Sports Merchandise portal, I realized that while planning at the outset is essential, teamwork is the means to the successful implementation of a project. These projects involved the application of what was followed in the classroom and gave a hands-on experience with programming languages like PHP, HTML, XML, ASP and MySQL. Courses like ‘Communication Skills’ and ‘Presentation and Communication Techniques’ sharpened my interpersonal skills which I had to employ to successfully implement my projects.

In partial fulfillment of my Bachelor’s degree, I worked on a project that aimed at developing a First Person Shooter game in 3D along with the game engine. In collaboration with two of my colleagues, I accomplished the goals of creating interactive objects using a specially designed 3D modeling software and simulating those using a graphics API such as DirectX 9.0. Implementation of a GUI created using Visual Studio made game integration seamless and efficient. Completing these herculean tasks strengthened my analytical and problem-solving skills. Watching months of hard work materialize in the form of a sophisticated, well-organized game was very satisfying. The most striking feature of this project was the surprisingly short duration of time in which it was completed owing to extreme time constraints. This has not only incorporated in me the ability to work in a flexible way that allows for changes in the needs of the project but also injected in me the organizational skills sufficient to prioritize work and manage time effectively in order to meet impending deadlines without compensating the quality of the output.

My internship at __________was an exhilarating experience. I was part of the team, involved in building the Data warehouse to support the Reporting solutions critical to the Business Operations. For the first two weeks of the internship, I was assigned the task of Quality Assurance testing of the reports developed by the development team. This involved validating the report design against the user requirements document and validating the data displayed in the reports. I was also responsible for monitoring the performance of the implemented BI solutions and communication functional and technical issues. Thereafter as I became acquainted with the processes, I was given the responsibility of developing additional reports, use cases, functional diagrams as well as business flow diagrams.  This internship allowed me to gain valuable exposure to the corporate environment and also gave me a chance to apply my classroom knowledge in a real-world setting. It made me realize the importance of building relationships with professionals and also acquire relevant job skills. Moreover, this internship has cemented my desire to pursue a career as a Systems Analyst at the onset and work my way towards finally becoming an independent consultant after specializing in a particular business sector and gaining relevant experience.

The mounting abuse of computers and increasing threat to personal privacy has aroused much interest in the field of Data Security. To protect vital information from getting compromised, a sound security system is of utmost importance for any organization. Thus, to strengthen my foothold on Data Security, I completed a certification course on Information Security Consultancy offered by the highly reputed Network Intelligence of India. This course has provided me the advanced skills needed to secure electronic assets, prevent attacks and build a secure network. It has also given me hands-on training on live projects and a profound knowledge about compliance standards, Computer Forensics, and Cyber Crime Investigations.

Apart from the technical acumen I have gathered over the four years, I have learned equally valuable lessons outside the classroom, participating in extracurricular activities. Presentations, seminars and organizing events gave me a platform to interact with people from varied backgrounds. While I was in the marketing team of the Computer Society of India, I got an opportunity to interact with business professionals and learned how to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. What truly helped mold my character was being elected as the ‘Sports Secretary’ of my college for the year 2010-11. In this capacity, I organized TSEC’s first National Level Sports event. The concept of Cage Soccer, which no other college had seen before, was my brainchild and it received massive participation culminating into a great success. I headed a team of 200 people and was responsible for organizing the team’s composition, structure, and hierarchy. I had to lead the teams through various discussions, one-on-one meetings, and brainstorming sessions. Meticulous planning, communicating with all the team leaders and proper motivation helped in propelling the team forward. We gained record participation from over 100 engineering colleges which is reflective of how successful the event was. This experience has been instrumental in giving me an insight into the realities of planning which includes financial planning, ideating and strong teamwork. Being the Captain of the Soccer Team instilled in me a sense of responsibility and leadership. This responsibility helped me grow as an individual and in the subsequent year, I was bestowed with the prestigious TSEC Leader award, in recognition of my contribution to the college and my well-rounded character. I believe that I can bring this diverse wealth of experiences and set up a strong sporting culture at TAMU by representing the university in athletics and soccer.

In this capricious world of information technology, there is a need to understand how things work and find out a way to manage the related information efficiently and effectively in order to get the most out of it.  It is here that the MIS program at Texas A&M University that stands out from the rest. A Masters degree will not only help me accomplish my career goals, but it will also keep me involved in a field I am so keenly interested in. After examining the list of courses at the university, I believe this course is absolutely tailor-made to my interests and my strengths. Also, the wide range of electives would give me the option of customizing my courses to perfectly match my career goals. The campus life also promises to be a very stimulating and enriching environment and it would be a great experience to be a part of such a lively community. I am confident that the education imparted to me at the MIS programme of Texas A&M University will not only help me become a distinguished Systems Analyst but also shape me into a well-balanced individual.

I hope the committee shares my confidence and enthusiasm and renders a favorable reply to my application.