Actualize

I recently finished the Actualize online web development course. I looked long and hard at all the schools. Interviewed at several different programs as well. In the end I choose actualize because I felt the live online classes with an instructor, teaching assistants and other students gave me the best of both worlds. This turned out to be exactly the case! A bonus was all of the content is recorded and documented so you can use it as reference right after a lesson or after the program is over. I felt that the program was well thought out in terms of timing spent on all necessary aspects of learning development concepts, softwares, frameworks and even the basics on command line interaction. All of the content felt on point. There were some technologies I would have liked to have gone over but the rate at which technology moves I understand you can't touch on everything. This is a great course for someone with no previous knowledge in IT or development. I only put 4 stars on the job assistance just because I am starting to get into that aspect of the job search right now. Actualize does start grooming students for how to get prepared for the job market as soon as you start the program. It was good to have a gradual introduction to job assistance right away and throughout the program. I highly recommend this course! Another big take away is they teach you how to learn new concepts and software in the development field.

As a business professional (by trade I am MD, plastic surgeon, with extensive experience and involvement in RE investment industry as well) I do not make any decision lightly, without proper and diligent research on the subject.

When I decided it was time for me to get “literate” by the 21st century standards (meaning - it was time for me to learn to code), my first step was to indulge into deep, extensive search and research of all options.

Decision was placed on Actualize boot camp.  At that point I suspected they were probably good, but little did I know, that Actualize was the best. By far. And by all measures:

• Extremely well-planned curriculum;
• Founder, Jay Wengrow, not only expert in his filed, book author, educator, but also respected and thoughtful leader of his team;
• Peter Jang, my instructor, outstanding engineer, with exceptional ability to convey knowledge no matter what level of coding student might be at, super fun too;
• Lisa Tucker, patient and supportive guide for graduates on their path to get recognized by hiring companies as a signal, not a noise;
• TAs, Jennifer, Bret and Mark: knowledgeable and well mannered;
• Campus facilities modern, spacious, inviting, located at hip and convenient River North area of downtown Chicago. 

But there was one element where they impressed me, and where no competition will be able to come not even close, and that was a care for their alumni. So much sincere efforts, support and assistance for every graduate during their positioning to get a career and job of their dreams I haven't seen yet in my (long professional) career. And this human element is the final and the most critical reason why I think it will be almost impossible to beat them at the throne of being the best.

 

At first, I fell into the trap of, "I can do this by myself" - after all, I had taught myself HTML and CSS. However, when one decides on persuing programming as a vocation, it is important to due the proper due diligence and invest in the proper process in order to ensure success. Enter Actualize. During my time as an Actualize student, I have been able to go beyond my comfort zone in regard to my programming and "soft" (interpersonal) skills related to the job search process, allowing me to master new skills and confidently move forward with my goal of attain a job as a Software Developer. If you are feeling stuck in regard to mastering your programming skills, head to Actualize - you will be amazed at what you are abile to accomplish!

Starting even from before the pre-work I never felt like I was alone. From the moment you are enrolled at Actualize to the moment you graduate and beyond you have that sense that you are part of a family. I was in Peter's class during the night class and I never felt like I was being neglected or ignored when I was struggling or had a question. With being new to software engineering I learned more than I could ever imagine in the 12 weeks of being enrolled and know that I will feel the same way post-graduation and I continue my job search. The staff at Actualize is absolutely fantastic all the way from the teachers assistant all the way to the CEO who is very hands on and always willing to help out each and every student no matter the time of day. I recommend Actualize to everyone I talk to if they are between choosing bootcamps because they truly make you part of the Actualize family. 

I chose Actualize because it was one of the few online courses that fit with my schedule. I did my research by reaching out to former students and combed through reviews. After much hesitation, I signed up. My biggest fear was attending a course too fast paced and end up falling behind. This course was perfectly paced. The introduction to new material, the lectures, the practice, and the questions were all very nicely layered. There were times that I felt overwhelmed, but times like that were anticipated. The instructor is very supportive of any questions, even at odd hours of the day outside of the class. Resource materials and consolidated cheat sheets are in abundance. Having a responsive instructor and access to many resources reinforced my confidence in the course when I felt overwhelmed. I would highly recommend this course to anyone shopping around for a bootcamp. Upon leaving this course, I feel very confident in my programming abilities and am eager to start looking for job opportunities. 

I recently completed the Software Engineering bootcamp through Actualize and feel comfortable making a strong recommendation to others regarding this program. While I do not have any other software bootcamp experiences to serve as a comparison to my cohort through Actualize, nonetheless, I am comfortable stating, based on my progress and prospects (starting as an absolute beginner)  the course and program are well run and outstanding overall.

I attended the online program which utilizes live classroom meetings (utilizing video) giving me the benefit of attending a class from my home. In addition, there are significant off class support structures in place, including the availability of the lead instructor as well as teaching assistants and a robust career counseling segment that creates a well rounded matrix of opportunities.

 

There are a lot of bootcamps out there, so it was hard to decide on one, but I did narrow it down eventually to Actualize and two others. I decided to go with Actualize because the classes are live, either in Chicago, or the one I attended which was done via live video online. The learning is fast-paced and they teach a lot in 12 weeks (plus 4 weeks prework), and by the end, I had built mulitple apps, all from the ground up. The instructor and TAs really care about students and do everything they can to help students grow and succeed. The job assistance is fantastic as well, ranging from technical interview prep, to resume-building, networking and how to search for jobs. They have a dedicated career counselor who meets with us on a regular basis and provides us job assistance as needed. I would recommend this bootcamp to anyone who wants to learn a new skill and possibly open the door to a new job field. I would also add that anyone can succeed in this program, so long as they are willing to put in the work. 

This was a wonderful course and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to kickstart their programming careers.

I chose the daytime class because I knew if I wanted to become a developer, I would need to be fully committed and it would be to my benefit to have as much time as possible devoted to learning. If you have the opportunity, I can definitely recommend this timeslot. 

My lead instructor, Josh, is phenomenal and can answer most any question, or at least will problem-solve with you if it is not immediately clear to him. He is a natural teacher, so try to absorb as much of his knowledge as possible in this time. 

Good luck!

The online bootcamp was everything I wanted in a course that would provide me with the tools I need to start a new career in web development. My instructor Dani is always high energy, enthusiastic, and ready to teach us new concepts and coding skills every day, which made learning how to code more enjoyable. She truly is a great instructor and it would be a blessing for anyone to have her as a teacher. There is a lot of material to learn but completely manageable and the pacing is great. I have no complaints and the course was perfect and it was everything I could have asked for and more.