Each year, data-savvy university students from around the world put their analytical intelligence to the test in the SAS Curiosity Cup. Here’s everything you need to know about it:    What do I need to do to enter?  Make a team. A collaborative environment is generally conducive to better data insight, so make a team of 2-4 students from the same university. Also, ask your favorite professor to be your advisor. (Seeing as the career they have chosen involves helping students learn, they’ll be happy to help.)  Find and analyze a publicly available data set with real-world significance. Ask it your best questions and use SAS software to get the answers. (As a student, you have access to SAS Viya for Learners and SAS OnDemand for Academics, but you can use another SAS software if you want!)  Tell us what you find! Write a 2-5 page paper explaining your questions, methods, and findings. Don’t be afraid to nerd out! We’re here for it!    What happens after I submit my paper?  Once you submit your paper, a team of judges will review the submissions and…well…judge them as if they were professional reports. These judges bring extensive SAS expertise from industries such as banking, energy, software, consulting and more! (Since SAS software has so many industrial applications, we know a lot of smart people with cool jobs.) Based on data preparation, data analysis, data presentation, and paper structure, they’ll decide which projects will move on to the final round.     What does the final round entail?  Once you’ve made the final round, you’ve already proved that you’re the expert on your data discoveries. Now we want to see you present it! Your team will record a video that clearly presents your data, your findings, and your methods.    What do I get for winning?  Well, first, there are actually three different “1st places” to win. A winner and a runner up will be declared in each of these categories: Data Preparation, Data Analysis, and Data Presentation. I’ll use a SAS software to check my work, but I’m pretty sure that increases your chances of becoming a Curiosity Cup Champion!   Besides a whole lot of analytical clout, winners receive:   A SAS badge acknowledging their status as a champion (similar to the one linked here)  Twelve-month access to SAS Academy for Data Science  A SAS certification exam voucher  A SAS training course voucher  A SAS-branded mug  I would do it just for the mug, but, wow, there are so many other prizes you can win! And, don’t discount the digital badges. These badges are real credentials that employers put a great deal of value in! Learn how badging can convey your professional aptitude!    **Runners up will also receive the certification voucher, course voucher, and mug**    If you are at all interested in growing your skills in data science and analytics, then the SAS Curiosity Cup will be a great all-around experience for you! Not only do you get to test and grow your skills, but you also get to see how other data-driven students use analytics to answer their questions! Learn more here!  ... View more

If you’ve interacted with SAS Skill Builder for Students at all, you may think of it as simply another virtual learning lab. And that’s true—it is a really good virtual learning lab! However, it’s also a lot more than that. With Skill Builder for students, you can:    Learn to Crunch Data with Robust SAS Software:  Analytics aren’t always intuitive. With Skill Builder, you have access to a myriad of courses ranging from broad statistical concepts to ultra-niche. With an engaging mix of videos, practice materials, quizzes, and demonstrations, you can ensure that you’ll learn the concepts before you move on!    Confidently Prepare to get SAS Certified:  With Skill Builder, you have access to Certification Pathways. These are custom-made sets of exercises, lessons, and practice tests that give you everything you need to ace your SAS certification exam the first time. You’ll also rack up quite a list of SAS Learn Badges, so Certification Pathways might be for you even if you don’t intend to take a certification exam.     Unlock Discounts on SAS Certification Exams:  If you decide to pursue a SAS Certification (good call), Skill Builder gives you access to some pretty serious discounts. I would know. I leverage student discounts more than anyone! Learn how to access them here.    Leverage Your Knowledge into a Career:  We know that if you’re taking our courses, preparing for certifications, and ultimately obtaining SAS credentials, you probably want to turn those skills into a career. There are more ways to do that than you think. Skill Builder is also a great place to find career resources! Learn about the various applications of data science and analytics and find ways to leverage your skills into a job. You can even learn about internships and early career opportunities at SAS! (As a current intern at SAS, you won’t want to let a job like this pass you by.)    SAS Skill Builder for Students is much more than just a learning platform. In fact, if you leverage it well, it can be a powerful asset in your development, credibility, and employability in a world that is increasingly centered on data. Don’t miss out!  ... View more

If you’ve read anything about this year’s Curiosity Cup, you’ve probably seen the words “Industry Professionals” used to describe the judges. It begs the question: What industries are they from?     Great question.    If you took your best guess, you’d probably be right. That’s because our team of judges has representation from the world's largest and most lucrative industries. There are data scientists and analysts in software, insurance, banking, energy, telecom, consulting, and lots more! Despite their diverse backgrounds, they all have one thing in common: Each is a SAS expert who knows their way around a data set.    This may sound daunting. Fear not!     While they may be experts in their field, these judges have all agreed to participate because they are passionate about setting up the next generation of data scientists and analysts for success. So, think of The Curiosity Cup as a proving ground—a chance to test your data skills against the industry standard and against dozens of other young analytics enthusiasts across the world.     The SAS Curiosity Cup only has an upside! Congratulations on finishing your papers. As you wait to hear about the next round, be hopeful and, as always, stay curious. Your judges will follow suit!    ... View more

SAS’s biggest competition for students is coming, and we want YOU to be there for it. Whether you live and breathe SAS code (a bona fide “PROC FREQ,” if you will) or are new to the world of data analytics (or an “Enterprise Minor”—sorry, I’ll stop), the 2023 SAS Curiosity Cup is a terrific opportunity to learn, grow, and compete with other college and university students.     Before the January 31st registration deadline:   Gather your favorite stats study buddies. Teams must consist of 2-4 students from the same institution.   Ask a professor to be your faculty advisor. They will be excited that someone is coming to office hours and isn’t asking for an extension or disputing a grade!  Register here!    After you register:  Find an interesting data set that you can work from. Just be sure it’s publicly available, it’s anonymous, and it carries real-world significance.  Develop a research question and use your data to answer it. The analysis is the fun part! Use any SAS software you wish. Your academic email address will get you free access to SAS Viya for Learners and SAS OnDemand for Academics, but you may use a different SAS software if you wish.   With your team, write and submit a 2–5-page paper on your findings. Maybe your data supports your hypothesis. Maybe it totally rejects your presuppositions. Either way, we want you to tell us about it! You’ll be judged on data preparation, data analysis, data presentation, and the paper’s structure and clarity.   Why you should register:  This competition asks a lot of you, so regardless of how far you make it, it’s a chance to show your professors and prospective employers that you’re passionate about analytics and data science. Your work will be judged by professionals across the globe who use data in a breadth of applications, so they’ll hold you to an industry standard. If you win, it’s even more impressive! Plus, you have a chance to win badges, subscriptions, and merch!   Don’t wait! There’s no time to! Sign up for the 2023 SAS Curiosity Cup today!  ... View more

Students: The 2023 SAS Curiosity Cup is here, and it’s the perfect chance to test your analytical know-how on a global stage! By now, many of you are working diligently on your papers, and some have even submitted them already. (Reminder that the deadline for submission is Feb. 15, 2023.)  So, you may be wondering, “What happens after I submit that paper?” That’s an excellent question, and I’m excited to answer it!     The judging: Once the paper submission deadline has passed, the judging will begin! The team of judges is not solely made up of SAS data scientists (though we do have a wealth of them here). This is a team of analytics experts in many industries across the globe! (Look out for a more detailed article about the judges later on.) These qualified individuals will collectively decide on the top teams based on their data preparation, data analysis, data presentation, and paper structure. There can be up to 15 teams that make the final round, and they will be notified by Feb. 24, 2023.    If you make the final round: If yours is one of the teams to be sent onto the next round, you will be considered a “SAS Curiosity Cup Finalist.” A SAS digital badge acknowledging this huge accomplishment will be given to each finalist team. You will have about a month (Feb. 24-March 27) to record a video presentation that clearly describes your data analysis as if it were being given to real stakeholders.     After the final round: The judges will choose a winner and a runner-up in each of these categories: Data Preparation, Data Analysis, and Data Presentation. These awards will come with their own digital badges, a SAS certification voucher, a SAS training course voucher, and a SAS branded mug. Winners will also receive one year of access to the SAS Academy for Data Science.    When awards are given, go brag! Post your achievements and your research on your professional networks. You can feel confident that your work has been vetted by people who do the work for a living!  ... View more

SAS Skill Builder for Students is a powerful, intuitive e-learning environment that helps students increase their analytics know-how. You knew that. What you might not know is that Skill Builder also helps you apply that savvy to a career. Keep reading to see how you can leverage your expertise to begin a rewarding career in Data Science!     When you log into Skill Builder with your academic email, click the tab on the right labeled “Career Resources.” You will find yourself on a valuable page full of links. Since it might be daunting on your first time, I’ll break it down for you:   Explore Resources: The first thing you’ll see is a box labeled “Explore Resources.” That will take you to the Who, What, Why, and How of careers in data science. This is a great place to start if you’re not clear on what a job in data science would even look like. (Beware that it is very persuasive!) It will also give you pro tips on ways to set yourself apart from other job applicants.   Explore SAS Internships: This is likely the next box you’ll see. This will take you to our informational page about internships at SAS. From there, you can apply to work for the leader in analytics. As a SAS intern myself, I strongly encourage you to check it out! In my humble opinion, a job at SAS is the best job in data. (No, my boss did not tell me to say that, but I’m sure she’d agree!)   Connect with Community: This box will take you to the SAS Communities page—where people can ask and answer questions regarding SAS, analytics, and things of the like. This is a great resource for your entire SAS journey, but it can also give you a great window into the breadth of data science’s applications. browsing through questions that people ask will give insight into the types of problems real industry professionals are solving with SAS!   Career Connections: This page is all about ways to begin and advance your career. Depending on where you are in the world, you will see different content. This makes sense, because different parts of the world have different hiring practices and job opportunities. So, you might see useful tips on leveraging your SAS certifications to get the job you want. You might get networking opportunities that could act as a catalyst for your career. You may even learn where to find job openings in your area! Regardless of what’s in store for you, you can rest assured that this is valuable content. Don’t miss out on it!   Data for Good: The very last link you’ll see will give you more information on the #Data4Good movement. Data science—more specifically, skilled data scientists—can play a key role in solving the world’s most pressing problems. See how data scientists have leveraged their skills to track endangered species, respond to natural disasters, and so much more!   SAS Skill Builder for Students is the easiest way for students to learn SAS, prepare for certifications, AND prepare for a career! What are you waiting for? Sign up and sign into SAS Skill Builder today!  ... View more

Students: The 2023 SAS Curiosity Cup is here, and it’s the perfect chance to test your analytical know-how on a global stage! By now, many of you are working diligently on your papers, and some have even submitted them already. (Reminder that the registration deadline is Jan. 31, 2023. The deadline for paper submissions is Feb. 15, 2023.)  So, you may be wondering, “What happens after I submit that paper?” That’s an excellent question, and I’m excited to answer it!     The judging: Once the paper submission deadline has passed, the judging will begin! The team of judges is not solely made up of SAS data scientists (though we do have a wealth of them here). This is a team of analytics experts in many industries across the globe! (Look out for a more detailed article about the judges later on.) These qualified individuals will collectively decide on the top teams based on their data preparation, data analysis, data presentation, and paper structure. There can be up to 15 teams that make the final round, and they will be notified by Feb. 24, 2023.    If you make the final round: If yours is one of the teams to be sent onto the next round, you will be considered a “SAS Curiosity Cup Finalist.” A SAS digital badge acknowledging this huge accomplishment will be given to each finalist team. You will have about a month (Feb. 24-March 27) to record a video presentation that clearly describes your data analysis as if it were being given to real stakeholders.     After the final round: The judges will choose a winner and a runner-up in each of these categories: Data Preparation, Data Analysis, and Data Presentation. These awards will come with their own digital badges, a SAS certification voucher, a SAS training course voucher, and a SAS branded mug. Winners will also receive one year of access to the SAS Academy for Data Science.    When awards are given, go brag! Post your achievements and your research on your professional networks. You can feel confident that your work has been vetted by people who do the work for a living!    Click here to register  ... View more

The 2023 SAS Curiosity Cup is approaching quickly!   Are you a savvy data cruncher? Does your TikTok algorithm only show you coding content? Do your statistics professors use your exam as the answer key? Then the annual SAS Curiosity Cup is for you.   The Curiosity Cup is an annual competition in which the brightest college students in the world—yes, the world—show off their analytics skills. The teams will write and submit an analysis paper to be judged by professional data scientists from multiple industries worldwide. The best will move on to the next round—where they will create a video presentation of their findings!    Here’s what you need to do: Assemble your team: Each team must be a group of 2-4 students at the same university. Round up your pals, pick someone to be the team lead, and ask a professor to be your faculty advisor . Finally, a group project you’ll enjoy! Pick your data: You may use any data set you want as long as it’s publicly available, anonymous, and has real-world significance. Question your data: What interesting questions could your data help you answer? You get to decide. You may analyze your data on any SAS Software you wish! Since you're a student, you have free access to SAS Viya for Learners and SAS OnDemand for Academics! Both are more than powerful enough for this competition, but if your university licenses a different SAS software for you, you can use that. Share your discovery: Data tells the best stories, but it’s up to you and your team to interpret it. Write a 2-5 page paper that clearly explains your question, your methods, and your findings. Remember that you are being judged on four criteria: Data Preparation, Data Analysis, Data Presentation, and the general structure of the paper. What's in it for you?  The winners and runners-up in each category will receive: - A SAS certification exam voucher: A valuable credential can add to your credibility as a data scientist. - A SAS training course voucher: Maybe you'll discover an application of data science that you'll want to learn more about. SAS likely has a course for it! - A SAS branded mug. You can never have enough mugs, and this one will quickly become your daily driver.    The winners will also receive: - Twelve months of access to the SAS Academy for Data Science. This gives you access to a wealth of data analytics training and resources.  - A special SAS digital badge that validates your winner status. Post it on your LinkedIn profile and there will be a good chance that you have something no one else you are interviewing against has!   *All finalists will receive a SAS digital badge that acknowledges their status as a finalist, a runner up, or a champion. Even participating judges will receive badges! *   Click Here to Register!   The registration deadline is January 31st, 2023, and the first-round paper submissions are due on February 15th, 2023.  ... View more

SAS Viya For Learners delivers free access to advanced analytics software for teaching and learning. All you need to get started is an academic email address! Watch as @DomWeatherspoon gives you a tour of the interface as well as some pro tips.    To view the video on YouTube, click "Watch on YouTube" in the lower left corner of the window. Once there, you'll be able to see additional content in the video description.   Early in the video, Dominique also mentions a help tutorial for SAS OnDemand for Academics. If you're interested in that video, click here!   Click the button below for documentation and other resources.   Learn More       Video Highlights 0:00 – Intro 1:03 – Two ways to access SAS Viya for Learners 2:36 – Tour of SAS Viya for Learners interface 4:38 – How to create your own report in SAS Visual Analytics 5:41 – Other applications: SAS Data Studio, SAS Model Studio, SAS Studio, Jupyter Lab ... View more

Have you ever had a professor that wouldn’t give you a clear answer regarding what would be on their exams? I have. Every time I had a test in his class, I just had to show up hoping I had studied the correct material. It was so stressful!    It makes a huge difference when you can adequately prepare for an exam—especially when it’s something you’re paying good money for. When it comes to SAS Certification Exams, we want to make sure we have equipped you as much as possible. That’s why our team of instructors—the very same ones who create our exams—created SAS Certification Pathways:     Certification Pathways are a curated sequence of courses, hands-on training, and practice tests that ensure you’ll ace that exam! Log onto your SAS Skill Builder for Students account (learn how to make an account here), click “I want to build analytics skills” in the Learn SAS tab, and embark on one of our nine pathways! Along the way, you’ll rack up plenty of SAS Learn badges, so, even if you don’t plan to pursue any SAS Certifications, you’ll still gain marketable skills that can benefit you in any career you might pursue! If you do plan to take a SAS Certification Exam, you can easily request your discount voucher and schedule your exam from within the pathway.      At SAS, we want you to be ready for your exam the first time. Log onto SAS Skill Builder for Students and get all the tools you need for success.  ... View more

As a college student, I take advantage of every student discount I can find. I save on everything from the Spotify Premium and Hulu bundle, Amazon Prime, and even haircuts! Don’t even get me started on the ones that involve something edible. All of these are game changers, but there is a particular student discount that, in my opinion, rises above the rest...    You may have guessed it already, but the best student discount is the one we offer on SAS Certification Exams! When you request a discount on SAS Skill Builder for Students, you can get access to any of our certification exams for just $75 USD*! Not only do you save big on your exams, but you also gain marketable skills that can lead to significant increases in earnings!  Now that I’ve convinced you, I feel I should tell you where you can find this stupendous deal. It’s really quite easy:    1. Just log onto your SAS Skill Builder for Students account. (Find out how to set up your account here.)     2. Click the “Get SAS Certified” tab.    3. Click “Request an exam discount”    4. Choose the Certification Exam you would like a discount for, and press submit! If you do not have a promo code, you may leave that box blank. (Pro tip: Be sure to keep an eye out for even deeper student discounts throughout the year!)         Once you submit your student discount request, your unique discount code will pop up! No worries if you accidentally close it since the code will also be sent to your inbox. From there, you have 90 days to use the code before it expires, so make sure you give yourself ample time to study and practice for your certification or you may miss out on the savings. Once you are ready to ace the exam, use your code while registering for the exam to receive the academic discount. (Learn about the easiest way to ensure you’re ready for a SAS Certification Exam here.)  Get a valuable credential at a fraction of the cost! Request your SAS Certification Exam discount today!    Educators, if you are reading this, we have not forgotten about you! Follow these same steps in your SAS Educator Portal!    *This discount is not available in China or India at this time. Students in Japan, please contact your local SAS office to inquire about discounted certification exams.  ... View more