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Resources to learn a bit of SQL and "warm up" my Excel

Hi everyone,

I'm going to work with data analytics this summer. However, while computer science wasn't compulsory for the application, it was recommended and and in the interview they mentioned using Microsoft Access (which I haven't used) as well as Excel.
Being a Maths and Econ students, I've been coding and analysing quite a bit over the years, but it sounded like they were expecting a bit more than I feel I can do at the moment.


I'm quite good at Excel, but my skills are a bit rusty, so if there was a site with some large data sets and some different analysis you had to do on them, it would be great!

Also, any good resources to learn some SQL or specifically Microsoft Access?
Wouldn't know which of the two would be more useful.

Time frame: I expect to have at least a couple of weeks off before I start, where I could spent a couple of hours practising every day.

Hope you guys can give me some help!
Original post by Andersen94
Hi everyone,

I'm going to work with data analytics this summer. However, while computer science wasn't compulsory for the application, it was recommended and and in the interview they mentioned using Microsoft Access (which I haven't used) as well as Excel.
Being a Maths and Econ students, I've been coding and analysing quite a bit over the years, but it sounded like they were expecting a bit more than I feel I can do at the moment.


I'm quite good at Excel, but my skills are a bit rusty, so if there was a site with some large data sets and some different analysis you had to do on them, it would be great!

Also, any good resources to learn some SQL or specifically Microsoft Access?
Wouldn't know which of the two would be more useful.

Time frame: I expect to have at least a couple of weeks off before I start, where I could spent a couple of hours practising every day.

Hope you guys can give me some help!


Does your university have a subscription with lynda.com? That's a pretty good place to start for picking up practical skills.

If you're looking for datasets then http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/ is useful for getting a feel for interesting/varied datasets and what can be done with them.
Reply 2
Original post by Andersen94
Hi everyone,

I'm going to work with data analytics this summer. However, while computer science wasn't compulsory for the application, it was recommended and and in the interview they mentioned using Microsoft Access (which I haven't used) as well as Excel.
Being a Maths and Econ students, I've been coding and analysing quite a bit over the years, but it sounded like they were expecting a bit more than I feel I can do at the moment.


I'm quite good at Excel, but my skills are a bit rusty, so if there was a site with some large data sets and some different analysis you had to do on them, it would be great!

Also, any good resources to learn some SQL or specifically Microsoft Access?
Wouldn't know which of the two would be more useful.

Time frame: I expect to have at least a couple of weeks off before I start, where I could spent a couple of hours practising every day.

Hope you guys can give me some help!


You could do an ECDL module in Access and Excel?
Reply 3
Original post by chikane
You could do an ECDL module in Access and Excel?


I looked it up and it looks cool - but I can't see where I find the actual modules? Would it be online or classroom based and is it for free?

Original post by PQ
Does your university have a subscription with lynda.com? That's a pretty good place to start for picking up practical skills.

If you're looking for datasets then http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/ is useful for getting a feel for interesting/varied datasets and what can be done with them.


This looks good :smile: Yes, my uni has a subscription to Lynda. I'll give that a try! Thanks

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