Actualize

I was looking for a challenge and found it. Actualize provided me with a strong foundation to build on. 

At every step along the way I was surrounded by supportive peer group. We learned with each other, as well as from each other. 

My instructor Josh was knowledgeable - both in the material he shared, as well as effective teaching strategies he utilized. He took a mindful approach to delivering an overwhelming (at times) amount of information in an accessible way. From observing other cohorts and infrastructures peripherally I'm confident the who staff shares many of these characteristics. 

The TAs were immensely knowledgeable. There were all successful alumni of the program, and provided expert helpalong the way. They also acted as mentors, helping prepare students for the world post-graduation. 

Day to day class is a good mix of instruction, individual instruction, and paring with peers.

Languages learned included: Ruby, Rails, JavaScript, VueJS, HTML, CSS, SQL, and Git.
I was exposed to back end development by utilizing and creating APIs, delving into database design, and working with Ruby on Rails.
I also explored front-end development using JavaScript and VueJS.

At the conclusion of this experience I feel as if I've learned how to learn, and I'm excited to start building.

Bootcamps obviously can't teach everything, but they can teach a few things very thoroughly and expose you to fundamentals that are applicable to any framework and language around. Here, those things are Ruby and Rails. They cover many other things, JS and Vuejs, CSS and the DOM, but it's mostly Ruby and Rails where the important concepts of algorithmic thinking and programming are introduced and drilled into. All that said, the instructors, TAs, and staff are really the lion's share of the benefit here. They're all incredibly top-notch. Highly recommended.

I have many associates that are coders.  So I  had a fair amount of resources to ask aobut which bootcamp to attend.  Even when I was in the self study phase of my path, Actualize was always among the top choices.  Now, many of the other "top choices" are no longer around.  Actualize continue to crank out good graduates, and I believe that reputation will help when going to the market place to seek a position.  

The experience was great.  My instructor constantly bafled me with his knowledge and ability to teach and convey subject matter.  They love to code, they love to teach code and it shows.   The TA's were fun and former graduates that provided assistance and information from the perspective of an employed former student.  

I'm a recent graduate, and I'm happy I chose to attend Actualize.  

I begin looking at bootcamps due to a need and drive for a career change. When I started looking at bootcamps, I was stuck between Actualize and another bootcamp that specifically offered a guaranteed job. 
Actualize was recommended to me by a friend in the industry who has helped out with the program directly, and personally vouched for their success, not only their education but their graduate hire rate. He told me that while Actualize does not guarentee a job, I would have no issues finding one based on their course content and passion for teaching.

Having completed the course I can whole heartedly agree. I came from a background of only minor HTML and have gained the knowledge to not only create a full stack web application, but to learn whatever it is I need to in order to advance my knowledge of programming. My instructor was able to connect and teach a wide range of students all from a different background and seeing them change from day one to the final day was truely amazing.

While Actualize does not offer a guarenteed job, the provide muliple services designed to help you get one. Next up for me is the Job Hacking as well as the graduate program that allows graduates to collaberate and bolster your experience and portfolio in order to offer a more impressive resume.

I feel confident that if I continue with the same drive as I applied to this course that the possibilities are endless for my future.

 

10/10 would do again. 

Coming from working a full time job and being a new parent I wanted to find something that would work well and actually get me the skills I needed to start a career in programming. Actualize is the place  you get the in class room setting and classmates which is needed to learn code trust me, I am so thankful for this bootcamp and cant believe how much the staff adn techers care about helping you to actually learn how to program and set you up for success in searching for a job. Dani was the day tiem Instructor I had and am so glad to have been a part of her class she works really well with all the students and finding the learning concepts that will click with them to move forawardand understand whats going on. So gratefull one of the best descions of my life!!!

I came to Actualize in Chicago as a recent college graduate from California. I had received my BA in psychology, but had since decided that I wanted to pursue a different career track, and I thought I'd try my hand at coding. I had originally planned to move to Chicago to attend Fullstack Academy, as per a suggestion I had received, but upon being accepted into and starting the beginning of their program, I didn't feel like the teaching style was right for me. In looking for other bootcamps in Chicago, I came across Actualize and was impressed by the description of their program and instruction techniques, particularly after they let me sit in on a class before finally making the decision to join.

As I am currently graduating from the program, I can say with confidence that this bootcamp was a LOT of fun. The pace was challenging, but not frantic, and all of the material we learned was taught in the perspective of its role in modern business practices, making lectures feel extremely relevant and keeping me motivated to attend closely to each new concept.

My instructor was Peter, and he was wonderful. He knows how to keep the tone in class light and friendly while also teaching efficiently and keeping students productive. He's very supportive, helpful, and responsive. I would highly recommend that interested parties attend this bootcamp, particularly if one is looking to attend a bootcamp with a less grueling pace than a full-time immersive program, but still learn a lot with the benefit of guided instruction and the company of one's cohort.

I chose Actualize because I wanted to attend a bootcamp that worked around my family's schedule.  I liked that Actualize was offered online but in a way that is like a regular classroom.  I could ask questions and get help as I was working.  

I learned so much.  It's amazing how much is covered in just a few months.  

I would recommend Actualize to anyone wanting to learn to code and needs to do it a way that is flexible but still wants the benefits of in-person course.  

I came into the online live boot camp with little experience in coding. The set up of the screen sharing from the instructor for demoing concepts followed by working on examples to practice the new concepts really helped me learn the material and retain the information.

I am extremely happy with my choice to make a career change and enroll in Actualize. The instructor and teaching assistant were very helpful promoted positive learning experiences. They tought not only the hard skills needed to code but also how to succeed in my future career.