Shu Zhou
Alumnus Shu Zhou Values Advice from BU MET Faculty on Both Personal and Professional Matters
Shu Zhou
MS in Computer Science (MET’20)
Why did you choose MET for your graduate studies? What set MET apart from other programs you were considering?
Metropolitan College has started to grow a lot in recent years. The MS in Computer Science is a very handsome program. It is my honor to have been a graduate student here. The course structure was practical and useful, and provided me hands-on practice and professional knowledge. During my period of study, I learned everything I would need in the real world.
The faculty are highly reputed and almost all hold a PhD. The infrastructure of the college is shared with the BU College of Arts & Sciences, so you get the best all the time. One of the most attractive points is that most of the courses are held at night, which meant I could fully use the daytime to get an internship or be a Teaching Assistant (TA), both valuable training opportunities. Of all the schools I looked into, BU MET provided the best courses with a blend of technological concepts and practical applications.
Were you able to use faculty as a resource? Is there a particular faculty member who enhanced your experience at MET?
Yes, I was able to use faculty as a resource. First, I want to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Reza Rawassizadeh and Dr. Zlatko Vasilkoski. Professor Rawassizadeh taught my Web Analytics and Mining (MET CS 688) course. He gave me a lot of help in my academics, including my PhD application. Even though in the end I didn’t choose a PhD as my next step, the tips he gave me helped a lot in my daily life and career development. In addition, I was a grader for Dr. Vasilkoski in my last semester. He gave me various advice about job seeking and offered me a job opportunity. All in all, the faculty at BU MET always helped me, whether in daily life or professional development.
How were you able to adapt to some of the challenges of balancing work, home-life, and school? Were the flexible class delivery options helpful?
I really like the flexible class schedule that MET offers. For example, in the first semester, I was quite new to the United States, and MET class options gave me more time to adapt to the new environment. I spent my daytime exploring the city and college. For later semesters, once I got a part-time job at MET, I could work during the daytime and take a class at night. Thanks to that flexibility, I was able to experience more during my graduate studies.
Are there any specific skills or competencies you acquired during your studies that qualified you for a promotion, professional designation, title change or other benefit?
Through my program, I mastered the entire process for how to develop software, and gained a deeper understanding of coding logic. I also learned to produce a complete report for a project, which is really helpful to my career.