Actualize

This was my second "transition" in my life in terms of a career change, and I was struggling to find a bootcamp that would fit my needs regarding what I wanted to learn, what kind of structure there was, and if I was able to continue working throughout the process. I wasn't in a position to quit my job and focus solely on the bootcamp, and I was lucky enough to find something that was during free time (the nature of my job is early mornings and afternoons/evenings). 

The second thing I loved about this bootcamp is that it was live. It wasn't just a "watch this recording and do this assignment" type of course. Being able to ask questions on the spot and interact with the instructor and TA's was helpful, as when you are learning something new and need to reinforce a concept, it is extremely beneficial to have that available. This is especially helpful for individuals who have limited to no prior experience with coding.

Lastly, I mainly chose this because of the career services and "job hacking" that is associated with the program. There are plenty of resources available to help guide the process of finding a job in a new industry within the program. We go over many aspects of the application and interview process and how to handle the difficulties that may arise. We are able to schedule 1-on-1's and create a sound plan moving forward post-bootcamp and adjust, as needed.

If you are looking to change careers and get a sound structure when it comes to learning how to code, definitely choose Actualize!

I was a little hesitant to apply to Actualize at first, i didn't know anything about coding or what a good coding bootcamp looked like. But my experience at Actualize, with Katherine as my instructor and her two TAs Hwieun and Caitlynn, could not have been topped anywhere else. Over the span of 3 months, plus pre work to ease you into the course, my cohort and I were taught the fundamentals of Coding through languages such as; Ruby, HTML, CSS, JavaScript.  Then taught how to apply those skills on something more tangible on Frameworks such as; Rails, React, JQuery. I can truly say at the end of this Bootcamp, I get to walk away with enough knowledge/skills to apply that to transition to a career in Software Development, ...thanks to Katherine <3

If you're interested in investing time and money into learning coding and making a career change I would 100% recommend this bootcamp to anyone. Our instructor, Katherine, was not only knowledgeable and a great teacher and that's one of the reasons I chose Actualize over other bootcamps: their assertion that they focus on things holistically and have instructors who understand education, which was completely delivered on. This was a really good way to gain some confidence, make connections, and get up to speed on foundations that might seem insurmountable or overwhelming to get started on. They are both realistic and motivating in their support to help you change careers and we grew a really nice little community in our class. I felt before signing up that it might be strange doing something like this virtually or might not be worth it but those fears never became a reality in any sense. It's tough to do while working full time but just do it, you'll get through it and thank yourself later. Apply for a scholarship and ask to sit in on a class!

This Bootcamp is designed to teach students to learn coding basics and fundamental skills, and its project-oriented hands-on approach is highly effective at enabling students to continue to learn afterward. I came from almost zero coding experience and now have the ability to build full-stack web apps and code in four different languages, with experience in two frameworks. Still, more importantly, I have the ability to dive into new technologies and languages and continue to broaden my skills.The job-hacking portion of the curriculum has also been invaluable. It's interwoven in the curriculum from day one, and by the end of the Bootcamp there are numerous resources to use for networking and mentorship, and students are empowered with a guide to help map out a job search plan, with access to the same career counselor that's been working with you throughout the Bootcamp as you search for jobs afterward.The small cohort size creates a learning environment that is engaging and promotes community and truly allows interaction with instructors to ensure that potentially difficult material is understood.I could not recommend this Bootcamp enough to anyone that is truly interested in learning to code and wants to dive into software development as a career!

It's tough to decide where to start. This is easily the best, most fulfilling academic experience I've had. My professor, Joey, was extremely knowledgeable, thorough, helpful, and personable. Learning to code can seem like it's going to be a mundane experience but he (and my peers, TA's) made it something I looked forward to each day. My cohort was 10 people, all dedicated to learning, which made the environment a bit more intimate and made it easy to not just be another face in the room. Actualize emphasizes progress over perfection. You will hit walls, you will get frustrated, but it's about understanding how to deal with those challenges. The curriculum, mainly designed by Peter Jang,  is meticulously thought out and updated. I feel confident in my skills and ability to keep learning as I move forward. What exceeded my expectations most wast the career portion of this boot camp. Many programs will offer a job-guarantee, income share agreement, or boast about high employment percentages. Actualize doesn't market itself that way, which can be deterring when you're shopping for boot camps. But I am so grateful for the resources I've been given. Our career advisor was Sarah. She's experienced and understands that we are all searching for something slightly different from one another. The resources you have for your job search are introduced right when you start, and only become more plentiful as the boot camp goes on. I feel more confident in my career potential that I would based off a percentage or a guarantee (most guarantees are with partners, where you might not want to work anyways). Overall, I would recommend this over any other program. I spent weeks meticulously learning about boot camps, reading reviews. If this program looks like something you'd like - do it. 

My first bootcamp i signed up for was extremely shady and failed to deliver on the majority of the promises they made during enrollment. I ultimately left that program to try to dodge what remained of that bullet and my experience left a bad taste in my mouth regarding bootcamps as a whole as this was through a reputable university. A family friend eventually reached out with extremely high praise for Actualize and convinced me to give it a shot. I'm so thankful for that decision, this program is genuinely amazing. They're very transparent and make very realistic promises that they always meet. With small class sizes you receive lots of individualized support both in the camp and out, as you keep receiving their career support services for life after graduation (seemed too good to be true but they've delivered so far). I truly feel like i have been set up for success by this organization, easily the best and most fulfilling academic experience i've had in 10 years.

I started my Actualize boot camp with no prior coding knowledge. In 12 weeks, Brian Rice, my cohort instructor has amazed me with his teaching. He is clear and thorough. He is patient and explains complex ideas in simple terms. He explains the why instead of simply the what.

I can tell that a lot of thought has gone into creating the curriculum. The flow of content was very logical and engaging. I feel that the only difference between me and a seasoned developer, is the amount of time and practice given to this skill. That is a crazy thought being that 3 months ago I knew nothing.

The bootcamp is also set up with a great job search curriculum. The hours of job training and the ongoing support from the career advisors has given me confidence now that I am entering the job search.

I'm writing this on my final day, something I had wanted to do having found it on course report, and it was something they asked. I was scared to go into a bootcamp, I had failed a Software Engineering Degree as a freshman fresh out of high-school, so that added a big stigma in my mind of going back into coding. I searched around for two big things, teachers who were all about interacting with the students, working alongside them, and how their job placement program operated. After a few weeks of researching price, reviews, and each courses goals, I went with Actualize. I don't regret it, in around 4 months I feel so much more confident in my coding then when I had two full semesters of C# and Java. My teacher was always happy to help, explain further, giver demonstrations, and pretty much idea pong at any time, and would get back to me when he couldn't. The job program during class has been amazing, really educating me and how job searches work, and hiring managers are looking for, and how to build my resume correctly! I'm excited to see where it continues to take me, as not only do I receive the programs help during class, I also have access to my counselors till Actualize stop's business.