Actualize

I chose Actualize based on the night program that allowed me to keep my job during the day. Also the location was great as I already worked downtown. The experience was great I learned a TON. I really needed a classroom setting with an instructor to take the next step in my development and Actualize provided just that. I would recommend this Bootcamp to anyone interested in web development or looking to sharpen their skills as a web developer. It is a great place to learn no matter what your background is. The instructors and everyone involved were awesome. 

I chose Actualize among all the other bootcamp alternatives because they seemed to focus a lot on pedagogy, the process of teaching and learning. I knew that technical expertise wouldn't mean much if the instructors didn't know how to convey that expertise in a way that helped students grow. And boy, did Actualize deliver. Every step of the way, I felt challenged but always supported. I was given the gift of learning *how to be a programmer*, not how to memorize a specific syntax. I know, going forward, that I can fill in the gaps of what I don't know, and continue to grow as a developer becuase of the skills I learned here. It's the best decision I've ever made from a professional/education standpoint, and I would enthusiastically recommend it to anyone who is seeking to become a programmer.

Let's see... to start I was a bit skeptical as I'm sure you will be also starting something new. I knew what it was I wanted to do (learn to develop my own websites so I could stop paying thousands of dollars for a finished project nothing as I wanted) but wasn't sure which would be the best avenue to pursue. I thought about attending a JC and obtaining a CS degree but quickly found out how much I can't stand an instructor who is as dry (no pun intended) as boiled sand and speaks like Bill Stein.
 I needed something that was in line with my character and learning style. I checked out a few bootcamps, which all claimed to be the best (marketing tool), yet the only beacon in the dark was Actualize. The emphasized teaching over learning to code and how their instructors were educators of some form or another so I gave it a shot. The pre-work was pretty easy as I had just completed a pre-bootcamp course prior. Also, it gave me a chance to compare the teaching styles of the two different bootcamps. Actualize immediately stood out as the place I wanted to be. Although my cohort mates were from all walks of life and backgrounds, we seemed to mesh almost instantly like a family. It could have been the common desire of wanting to learn code, but whatever it was, it made life so much easier. My experience learning with another bootcamp also yielded high learning in a short amount of time, but the stress factor was through the roof. Knowing if I failed a few tests I'd be kicked out of the bootcamp is something I did not want looming over my head while trying to learn something completely new. 
All in all, my experience with Actualize is one I will always remember and can look back on in a few years and say that's where I got my start at and that's the reason this great site I built exists today.

I can't stress enough how much one-on-one access you have with your instructor and ta's. It is a bootcamp and things come at you hard and fast. You'll get some things, not get others, and that one-on-one time will be invaluable. This will be the basis from where you'll begin your journey to learn other languages and decide where to focus as you move forward. You'll get out as much as you put in, and you'll be amazed at what you can build.

Start practicing your algorithms now..you'll thank me!

Good luck!

Really amazing course that covers everything you'll need to know to form a foundation for software engineering. Almost all of the prework and the first half of the course is spent doing backend work, which I think is the best way to learn coding and train yourself how to solve problems like a programmer. The course covers multiple languages and frameworks, but it doesn't overload you by trying to have you learn too many at once. The instructor and the TAs are extremely knowledgeable as well as flexible with their time. Definitely recommend - it's worth the cost!

My expectations were high and Actualize still managed to exceed them by a long shot.

When I was originally doing research to find a bootcamp that met my needs, Actualize stood out compared to other cohorts such as Fullstack. The only thing that was kind of spooky to me was how unanimously positive almost all of the reviews for Actualize were. An average of 4.1 out of 5 almost always feels more genuine than a 5 out of 5. Actualize is a massive exception to that rule. I'm not sure what it's average rating is, but it must be close to a perfect 5/5. Until I went through this, I really didn't believe it could be THAT good.  
What can I say that hasn't been said in any of the previous reviews? I was part of the first full-time cohort (as opposed to the part-time night cohorts that were previously the only option) and as a result, got to pour my entire life into it. 5 weeks of remote prework followed by 12 weeks of intense, non-stop learning and application. I won't sugar coat it, it's hard as hell, if you don't cry at least once, you're either already way too advanced to be considering the program or you're not paying attention. In spite of how difficult it can be, there is so much support here from all the staff. There's a palpable sense of emotional intelligence that takes into consideration the stress one goes through when learning as much as you do in such a short amount of time while unemployed and living off of savings for 4 months. It's scary, but so incredibly gratifying by the time you make it through. Out of the 14 members of my cohort, every single one of us finished even when almost all of us, at one point or another, felt like quitting from the pressure. If there is another bootcamp out there that does what Actualize does, I've yet to hear about it. 
I hope my review helps to sway anyone on the fence or currently in the process of doing research towards a bootcamp experience. 

 Five stars all the way -- this program is intense but worth every moment. Actualize supports and encourages each one of their students, regardless of experience level. This coding bootcamp gently nudges you to push yourself and surpasses all expecations of what you knew (or didn't know) about coding and the tech industry.

Coming from a place of little knowledge about code, I dived head first into this program, unsure of what to expect. But after 12 intense and life changing weeks, I've learned more than what I could have taught myself, built webapps from scratch with other my other fellow developer classmates, and completed a capstone project on my own using the skills taught by Actualize.

The course is intense, but can be done. You must be fully committed to the cause in order to make this work. The instructors were always available to answer your questions, not matter how many times you asked them, or if you repeatedly asked the same question. The job assitance that comes with the course is also great!  Lisa Tucker does a phenomenal job of making time to see you and assist you. I did the fulltime cohort, so I can only speak on behald of that. I have no regrets, I am glad I did this. 

I did my rounds on the review sites, talked with admissions people from other fulllstack bootcamps, and networked with other bootcamp grads before deciding on Actualize. What drew me in was the flexibility of taking the class remotely in the evening hours (I have a day job), and getting a full stack education in only 16 weeks. How did they do this? Not by cutting corners, or by hiring unskilled instructors! It is in their teaching methodology and philosophy. What I learned was not just how to build a fullstack app/site. I did learn that, but what I also learned was far more valuable. I learned how to learn to code. Yes, the teach how to learn to code. That makes the skills you learn at Actualize applicable to any language and framework from HTML to JS, and SQL that you want or need to learn. Oh and the kicker...due to their efficient teaching methodology, they do this at half the price of other bootcamps. 

What an experience. I am a recent grad of Actualize and I have nothing but good words to say. I was apart of the online evening/weekend course with six other students. The level of support I received from the instructor, TA and classmates were unbelievable. Everyone wants to see you win and start a career as a web developer. 

My background is in social work and I never thought I could become a web developer. It takes a lot of patience and determination to finish this course, but if you're truely passionate about learning how to build web apps and challenging yourself, then I say go for it. I have no regrets whatsoever.