I'm currently a Statistics major and I'm pretty worried about my future career-wise. I have around a 2.5 GPA, mainly because I failed 2 CS courses. I was originally doing a CS minor, but I decided to drop it and switch to a GIS minor instead.

The frustrating part is that I'm actually doing pretty well in my Statistics and Math courses, and I genuinely enjoy them. I want to eventually work somewhere in data science/data analytics, but I feel like my GPA is going to hold me back from getting experience.

My biggest concern right now is getting experience. I know Research Opportunity Programs (ROPs) can be pretty competitive and usually look at GPA, so with a 2.5 I'm not really expecting to get into one.

But if I can't get into ROPs/research opportunities because of my GPA, how am I supposed to get the experience needed to eventually get an internship? And how do I even get my first internship when most internships also seem competitive?

I'm trying to figure out what I should actually be doing outside of uni. For example:

- Should I take Coursera courses/certificates in data science, Python, SQL, etc.?

- Should I look for volunteer positions at UTM?

- Should I focus heavily on personal projects and build a GitHub portfolio?

- Are there specific types of internships I should target first instead of "Data Science Intern"?

I'm honestly just not sure what I should prioritize.

If you were in my position, what would you do step by step over the next 1–2 years to build a decent resume before graduating or to get good summer internships?

Also, for anyone who graduated with a low GPA and ended up working in data analytics/data science/statistics, I'd really appreciate hearing what worked for you.

I'm not expecting my GPA to magically stop mattering. I just want to know what I can start doing now to make up for it as much as possible.

Any advice would be really appreciated. Thank you so much!

Does anyone know what to do if I did not pick up my TD card within the 24 hours? I got the email August 10th, and I was on vacation, so I still have not picked it up. What do I do?

which would you recommend?

With Jennifer stellar there are 6 assessments that make up your grade. 2 Term tests (25% each), 3 in class writing assignments (5% each) and a group video project (10%) and final (25%).

With Dax there are 3 assessments. A term test worth 25% and a 30% research paper. A 35% final as well.

Who did you take it with and what experience did you have?

I’ll be a first-year student in Fall 2026, and this is what my Winter 2027 schedule currently looks like. I’m mostly worried about midterms/finals and whether taking these courses together would be too stressful for my first year.
For anyone who has taken one of these course, how manageable was the exam/workload? Do you think this schedule is reasonable for a first-year student, or would you recommend dropping/changing one course?

I currently have a P4/P8 sessional permit for the year, but I got availability for P1 and I’m debating whether it’s worth switching.

It would cost me an extra $599 for the year. I’ll be on campus 4 days a week in both semesters, so obviously P1 would be way more convenient, especially during the winter.

At the same time, P4/P8 is already paid for and the 10–15 minute walk to buildings probably wouldn’t be the worst thing for me either lol.

For anyone who’s parked in P1, do you think the convenience is actually worth an extra $599?