Actualize

I never thought I would pursue a job in coding, but seeing that Actualize doesn't mind if you haven't coded much before applying was really encouraging. They are totally right that anyone can learn to code! I used to work with children and very little tech but now I am already planning post-graduation projects. The instructor Dani was amazing, and even though it is a lot of information in a short period of time there was review, time after class to get help from TAs, she answered questions well, and the assignments were so helpful to review. Highly recommend!

Great Program. If you are brand new to the world of coding this is the program to select. The team is incredibly patient, attentive, and flexible regarding the learning process. My teacher (Peter Jang) is an extremely high qualified instructor who takes a more out of the box approach with his teaching style. Most my life, regarding education, I was in the position of "a fish being told to climb a tree", this experience has been far away from the float or swim mentality. If your looking for a bootcamp, I would highly recommend this one. 

I was deciding between a bunch of bootcamps and had interviews with almost every bootcamp out there. However, when I interviewed for Actualize I knew it was the one. Their staff was so friendly and warm and their curriculum really made sense. I was definitely hesitant leaving all of the other bootcamp options behind but this one was definitely the right choice. The pace was perfect, and I learned so much. The instructor (I had Peter Jang) was the greatest teacher I've ever had. He was so good at explaining complex topics in a clear and simple way and always had a good joke to tell. He was with us every step of the way and made sure we understood the material. He also always made it so fun and enjoyable and gave us good tips to deal with the stresses that come with coding as well. I not only learned the fundamentals of coding, but also how to learn new coding skills and languages and grow in the tech field in general. The job hacking was also amazing as they helped us build our resume, make connections, network, build a personal website, and do mock interviews. Overall, the bootcamp taught me more than I ever thought and made me ready and excited for my first step in the coding world!

I learned fullstack: a good backend and a couple different frontends and feel very confident about the job world before the last day of school. I chose Actualize in Chicago, IL, because they were the first Software Engineering school to be fully online (also covid-19 was happening). It ended up being very fun because it was like we were at a tech company with a team of like 16. I would recommend people to take an Immersion Class at Actualize if they wanted to get job opportunities in the tech field for website stuff. 5* Actualize.

I really enjoyed the experience of this coding bootcamp.  It was initially supposed to be in person but was moved online due to the pandemic.  The teacher was great, there was a good sense of community with other members and you learn a LOT. I chose Actualize because someone I know went here and landed a job after and I would love to do the same.  I think the job search portion is one of the most valuable portions of the course (hopefully I can land a job soon).  The one thing I thought might be helpful is if they taught a more common programming language for the backend like Python or Java.  A lot of the class is about teaching you how to teach yourself so this isn't a big deal, but Python is very user friendly, popular and I think it would be a good beginner language.  I loved learning Ruby, I just don't see it in the job market as much.  The teacher was very cool and everything is very professional.  Overall I would give it a 5/5.  I really enjoyed my experience.  I would recommend Actualize to whoever is serious about getting a job as a software engineer.

I'm just wrapping up my bootcamp at Actualize. I chose this program because I know a few people who went through the program in the past several years and they spoke highly of the curriculum and the teachers. I would say it did not disappoint. The instructor presented the lessons in a well though out, and concise manner. We covered lots of ground very quickly, but we were given many tools to review the information down the road to help solidify the ideas. I've also appreciated the job search support. While they don't hand you a job when you graduate, they help you feel prepared and give you intentional steps to take to be effective.

To whoever is reading this doing the same thing I was doing roughly a year ago, follow through with this thought and commit. I made the leap and never looked back. I came from working in another industry for 13+ years and was terrified to learn something new knowing I wouldn't be the best at it. Actualize gives you the comfort of knowing your not along in the process and you have support. Brian was our teacher and he couldn't have made the experience any better. Great company, great values, great results. 

I researched a bunch of different coding bootcamps in Chicago and I didn’t feel comfortable committing to one until Is spoke with the team at Actualize.  It just seemed natural. The team was so supportive from the very beginning and the pre-work helped me feel more confident actually starting a course. The online live portion in particular, fit my lifestyle and allowed me to continue to work and support myself.  This was especially important in the middle of this pandemic!  My experience was truly amazing. While some things were extremely challenging, it was nicely balanced out by an excellent teaching style that provided help but also enough freedom to make mistakes and learn.  I would recommend Actualize to any adult that’s ready to make a major change in their career. Although the road is still ahead of me, I feel confident in the skills I’ve learned and the things that I feel empowered to teach myself as I move forward!