Prepping for college with the Data Science & AI Bootcamp
Published in partnership with Data Science 4 Everyone
By Shea Stripling (guest contributor)
Lucas Whitaker, a freshman at Texas A&M University majoring in engineering, spent the summer after high school preparing for his next big step: college. But instead of just relaxing, he took a proactive approach—enrolling in Skew The Script’s Data Science & AI Summer Bootcamp.
Lucas Whitaker
The program promised hands-on experience in handling large datasets, using the R programming language, building AI models, and multivariate statistical modeling—skills Lucas suspected would be valuable in his future studies. “I knew that statistics and coding were going to play a role in engineering, so I wanted to get ahead and make sure I had a good starting point,” he explained.
After applying and registering for one of the many flexible course timelines for the summer, Lucas was off to the races. He dove into small group sessions, collaborating with other students to use data analytics and AI models to answer real questions about public health, sports, civics, the environment, social media, business, and more.
“It’s not just theoretical—it’s real,” he emphasized. “You don’t just sit and listen. You actually get involved with a lot of hands-on stuff.”
Lucas had always been drawn to problem-solving. He had taken an AP Statistics course in high school - a great experience that allowed him to learn key principles for interpreting and working with data. Still, he wanted to learn more: especially about coding and building modern data science models.
That curiosity led him to explore different opportunities. He soon found out about Skew the Script’s Data Science & AI Bootcamp: a program specifically built for high school students and endorsed by University lecturers (from schools like Harvard, MIT, and Berkeley) and professional data scientists (from firms like Meta, Amazon, and Apple). He knew it was the right fit. The bootcamp not only helped Lucas learn how to use code to analyze bigger datasets, but it also introduced him to neural networks and AI - topics that he had never encountered before in his high school classes. “Seeing what an AI model is built on and how a neural network actually operates was honestly really interesting,” he said. “Going through the program helped me better grasp how these systems function and apply to my work.”
From Bootcamp to College
Now in his freshman year, Lucas is already seeing the benefits of what he learned. His engineering coursework frequently involves working with complex statistical models, and thanks to the bootcamp, he feels more confident in his ability to navigate those challenges.
“Even in my first semester, I’ve noticed that having that extra background in R and statistics gives me an advantage,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to understand certain concepts because I’ve already seen them before.”
Lucas is also considering incorporating data science into his academic path. “Honestly, it made me more interested in the field,” he admitted. “Even though I’m an engineering major, I do kind of want to add data science as a minor or go into a niche that involves data science somehow.”
Why Other Students Should Join
Beyond the technical skills he gained, Lucas believes the bootcamp provides a valuable opportunity for students to develop a data-driven mindset—something that will be useful no matter what field they enter. “Even if you don’t go into data science, the way you learn to think about data is super valuable,” he said. “It changes the way you approach problems.”
Skew The Script’s Data Science & AI Bootcamp isn’t just for future engineers like Lucas. Whether students are interested in business, healthcare, public policy, or any other field, data science skills are becoming increasingly essential. The bootcamp provides a unique opportunity to get a head start in learning these important skills - no matter a student’s planned field of study or profession.
Applications for the Summer 2025 bootcamp are now open, with the final deadline on May 30.