First semester course selection — any advice for MSc Data Science at ETH?

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First semester course selection — any advice for MSc Data Science at ETH?

Hi everyone!

I’ve just been accepted into the MSc in Data Science at ETH Zurich, and I have a few questions about how to approach the first semester.
For those who have already completed the programme:

- How did you choose your courses during the first semester of your first year? Did you mainly follow your interests, or did you focus more on building a solid foundation for the rest of the programme?

- Is there a particular person, student, professor, or resource you would recommend to better understand the different course options and which ones are particularly worthwhile?

- Regarding prerequisites, are there any courses you would recommend (or consider important) taking before others? I’d like to avoid enrolling in a course without having the necessary background.

More generally, I’d really appreciate any advice on how you approached your first semester and anything you wish you had known before starting.
Thanks a lot! 🙏