Actualize

When I made the decision to pursue a path in coding, I did extensive research on which program would be the best fit for me.  Actualize checked all the boxes in that it was part-time (I couldn't commit to a full-time program) and because the program focuses on teaching first - this was different than any other program I was considering.

From prework through the intensive 12-weeks of live class, I felt supported by my instructors throughout.  I can't say enough great things about Brian and how patient and supportive he was with me and my classmates when there were concepts we didn't fully understand.

This experience has taught me a lot about myself and I am amazed with how much I have learned and have achieved.  I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in tech. 

I chose to go to Actualize because I wanted to get a job as a programmer. My instructor (Peter Jang) was super knowledgable and actually has a background in teaching! I went from knowing nothing about code to being able to build my own working app from scratch! Everything taught during the course is highly applicable and is taught in a way that is easy to digest. It was also part-time, so I was able to keep working full-time to support myself. I would definitely recommend Actualize to anyone interested in trying to become a programmer. I really believe that programming is the future and this is a great way to break into the field. 

Joining Actualize was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had very limited experience with coding going into the bootcamp but still felt like I could keep up with the class. I had Peter Jang as my instructor, he was awesome! He was great at explaining difficult concepts and kept the classroom vibe fun and casual. Super patient and knowledgeable, all around a great teacher.

One thing I think is worth mentioning is the job hacking aspect of this bootcamp. I've talked to people that have done other bootcamps and none of them seem to have went through the same training in terms of preparing you for the job hunt. They had us practice whiteboarding and gave us great tips on how to network and spruce up our LinkedIn profiles. Very helpful and it shows that they actually care about your professional growth as a developer. 

I could not recommend Actualize enough. Great instructors, great people. It was very challenging, but the curriculum is well rounded and rewarding.

I took an AP computer science class back in high school and then an introductory programming class in community college but I never looked into coding as a career. I attempted every coding resource possible from Code Academy, FreeCodeCamp, Udacity, EDX and Udemy. Ultimately I knew that the only way that I would obtain the required skills for a junior web developer role would be to attend a bootcamp.

I definitely enjoyed the overall course. It's a very different experience to share the same frustrations with your peer classmates. The ciriculum is full-stack and covers Ruby on Rails, Javascript, Vue.js, CSS and HTML. 

Full disclosure: I just completed the first half of the program and currently do not have a job in the tech industry at this time. I have met plenty of past graduates from the program who are in developer or engineering roles. 

If you are attempting to compare coding bootcamps I suggest that you go to LinkedIn and then search for the name of the coding bootcamp that you are interested in attending. When I looked up Actualize I found dozens and dozens of profiles who were employed as software engineers or software developers.

I worked full time and attended Actualize bootcamp and it was hard but 100% worth the effort. Today's my last day of bootcamp and I can honestly say it's one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I am so happy with the instruction Actualize provided us with because the whole experience feels complete and well worth it. I was nervous because I came into this with no experience and mixed expectations but I feel like I'm coming out of this with soooo much more than I ever thought. Actualize stands out to from other bootcamps because of the quality of their instructors. My instructor was Peter Jang and he is porbably the best teacher I have ever had. To have an experienced developer know the thought processes of a newbie and anticipate questions you're going to ask is not the usual. The curriculum is intense but you get so much individual time with the instructors and TA's that it feels very involved and you don't feel like you're going at it alone. For anyone on the fence about a bootcamp and worried about joining, I really do recommend Actualize. 

There's a lot of noise in the Chicago bootcamp world right now, so when I went to look for a good one that fit my schedule, I had to take a really critical position on most. I'd had a friend go through a dev bootcamp horror story, where she got dropped into a class with a first time teacher, no real support, and was basically told to figure it out herself. The reason I chose Actualize is because all of their instructors have real world teaching experience, and I couldn't be happier with the results: they are dedicated to making sure their students understand what is going on, and will stick with you until you do. I seriously recommend this course to anyone trying pick up coding.

Actualize (formerly Anyone Can Learn To Code) is a part-time, 3-month web development bootcamp and apprenticeship with cohorts in Chicago, NYC, and San Francisco that costs $13,500. The program consists of three months of in-class training followed by placement in their web development agency, The Difference Engine. After the Sundays-and-weeknights training program, graduates spend up to four months as part-time developers with The Difference Engine building projects for clients, gaining real-world experience and creating portfolios that will be impressive to prospective employers. 

Program is great for people who either don't work, work part time, or have jobs that allow them to work on class material outside of class. Out of 14 people, the five people who really excelled in the class fell into one of the categories previoulsy mentioned. The people who work full time had a more difficult time because the class moves very quickly and takes place Sunday from 9:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Thursday 6:00pm - 9:30pm, with homework that is required on to be done either Friday or Saturday, and every day builds on concepts from the previous day. So if you have a bad day or two, have a busy week at work, need to travel, or any other conflicting priorities there is a good chance you may fall behind with limited opportunities to catch up. Also, do research on job placement because our class has talked with several students from previous classes who still haven't found jobs. The marketing materials claim it's in the 90-something percentile, online reviews state it's actually somewhere within the 60-something percetile, and having talked to previous classes indicates it's within the 50-something percentile so it is a bit of a risk to spend $13,500 with a 50%-65% chance of finding employment after.