Actualize

When i was a prospective student looking coding bootcamps, reading the reviews was a big help in the decision-making process. I just completed the Actualize program recently, so here are some thoughts and opinions based on my own experience:

Pros:
-i feel that the teachers, TAs, and career advisors have been really supportive. it's easy to get in touch with someone if you have questions. the cohorts are smaller and the career support team works with you to understand your personalized goals. My class was 14 students from a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. The lectures are held live and recorded in case you need to reference back to something later.
-our instructor did a really good job of creating an engaging and fun classroom environment. it made it easy to get to know the other people in the class. there's a lot of group collaboration and pair programming. of course the bootcamp was a grind at times, but going to class was always something i looked forward to.
-the online daytime class is 5 hours/day M-F with a few breaks. this is less classroom time than some other bootcamps. This ended up being a plus for me, since it helped me avoid the sense of burnout that can come with being in a classroom environment all day. I liked having the live class time, taking a break, then reinforcing concepts and diving into the homework at night.
-Ruby on Rails and Vue were good languages to learn and be introduced to first.

Cons:
-expensive. there are for sure cheaper ways you could go about learning web development fundamentals. For me personally though, the structure and the support of a group learning environment was really valuable and really helped me build on my skills.
-fast-paced: it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes to understand all the concepts coming at you rapid fire. i'd recommend you try to dive into some basic programming concepts if you can before you start the program.
-just know that you're not going to learn everything you need to know in the 12 weeks. you're going to have to keep learning and building on the foundation of knowledge that you gain in the class.


TLDR: recent student. would recommend. 5 ruby gems / 5.

Short version:  Balanced, well-paced curriculum with a HUGE focus on supporting students on their learning path AND beyond. 

If you're looking to learn programming languages remotely and aren't sure if you'd be missing out on some part of the in class experience, Actualize has figured it out. They had zoom classes pre-pandemic and it really shows,  it doesn't feel like a rushed transfer from in-person learning like some classes might. The classes are small (mine had 14 students for 1 instructor and 2 TAs), the exercises make use of the online component of the class (you are learning a computing language after all), and you will leave feeling a real comradery with a new community.

I have friends who went through other classes at the same time as I did and while they had problems feeling like they were lost in the sea of new material, Actualize never made me feel overwhelmed.  You do learn A LOT, but its not just thrown at you.  Our instructors and career supervisors were overwhelming supportive and provide plenty of tools to help students along their path. The class is 5 hours (with an hour of breaks throughout) and THERE IS homework but not so much as to eat up all your time. I can only speak for myself but most assignments took about 20-30 minutes to complete. Its well paced, with plenty of time to grasp the new subjects-- to the point I'm shocked at how much I actually learned.

The main reason I joined a bootcamp was that I kept getting stuck, bored, or frustrated with learning independently and I wanted to speak to an actual human person about it. Instead, I got to talk to qualified instructors AND a dozen new friends going through the same experience.  My class was about half women, including the teacher (something I was worried going in as a lady-in-tech) but obviously that will depend on the year. But the social aspect was everything it could be in a class, and that was a delight.

I wholeheartedly recommend Actualize!

If you are BRAND-NEW to programming, then this must be at the top of your list. 5hrs a day + hw is much more manageable than other bootcamps that have you going 8hrs a day + hw + projects. How can you truly learn while being overwhelmed for 4 straight months? With Actualize, it is undoubtedly very challenging, but it never felt overwhelming, and I felt I learned way more this way. 
The faculty, teachers and TA's are all genuine people that actually care about you. My cohort were also very kind and accepting people. As someone who actually has some programming experience going into it, I was blown away with how much I learned and the connections I made along the way. Plus the price is unbeatable for the quality of education you're getting. 
I JUST graduated, and I feel so much more confident now to enter the work force. Seriously, this is the one! Your mental health and wallet will thank you!

The bottom line: if every new experience, risk, and attempt to learn were this good … I'd probably go outside a lot more.  Seriously. I had all of (what I imagine are) the standards questions and fears: is coding too hard in general? Will this company take my money and run? What am I getting myself in to? I googled, read two articles on "what to know if you wanna do a bootcamp," found course report, and starting reading reviews. Actualize's reviewers said: 
1) they'd worried about these things too, BUT had read the reviewers before them and been assured, "It's definitely the right choice," 
2) they listened, took the bootcamp, and were back to confidently report, "Yes - it actually deserves its hype" … and why?3) This bootcamp cares about you. And more importantly, the amazing people that work here care about *teaching*. Honest, No kidding - "We're former M.A.'s and Dr.'s in education" teaching.  As a former teacher myself, I was definitely in "ok - prove it!" mode when I signed up. … that lasted ?two days? Everyone's kind, the staff are hilarious, and the lessons just make sense. My list is frankly too long - I can't say enough good things! But Seth D. (review: "Worth It!" from 5/7/2021) and Eric Lee ("Reviews don't lie" - also 5/7/2021) sum it up well.  Go ahead and enroll. Or keep reading a few more of these to see what we all think as alumnus. And, if you end up needing a final push like I did: get in touch with them. After I talked to a rep, a teacher, and a career advisor … the two days was excessive!

Choosing the right coding bootcamp can be very challenging as there are so many now. I watched, read, researched all the curriculums and reviews and Actualize did not disappoint. 
The most common reviews on typical coding bootcamps are that the instructors are recent graduates and cannot teach nor code. They basically just read the powerpoint slides and you have to do your own research.
The instructors at Actualize are highly skilled coders and they all have teaching backgrounds. It does come with a hefty price for an online bootcamp but you get what you pay for. Get loans just like I did. Actualize coding bootcamp had the best score overall and it lives up to it. 

What you'll get out of this camp:
-Capstone Project as your portfolio.
-A solid coding foundation.
-Knowing where to find answers and skills to teach yourself.

What you shouldn't expect:
-Guaranteed high paying first job.
-Become an expert coder when you finish the bootcamp.

At the end, you get what you put into it.

Trust what you've been reading. As an educator, I was looking for a place that knew what they were doing, not a training program, but a program that would teach. Brian, a former high school educator himself, did just that. The program is designed with a perfect balance of independent-based inquiry and direct instruction -- all of which is very intentional and proven to work. I've learned more, and have been given that challenge that I was seeking, in these 12 weeks than I have in a really really long time.

Mixed in with the excellent instruction are intentional moments of reflection designed to let you soak in the vast amount of skills you have attained in such a short period of time. This made the experience much more valuable and sustainable -- helping you realize that no matter how difficult development is, you're learning a ton along the way.

For those of you, like I was, looking at multiple camps and researching the perks and price of each -- pick this one. Seriously.

I felt the bootcamp was well-rounded, but more importantly challenged students in the right ways - from a skills level and a personal level. Looking back, there were definitely times that I can pinpoint where I would have given up if I were trying to learn on my own instead. Without the structure and support of the bootcamp and the instructors, I wouldn't have made it, and the best part now that I've completed the program is I feel like I want to, and most importantly CAN, keep going on my own - that's perhaps the most valuable part of all.

  I chose Actualize after reviewing many different bootcamps. Actualize enticed me most because they have had a remote program for years and the programs weren't 9-5pm, like most bootcamps. As someone who had little programming experience I knew I didn't want to spend all day in class and all evening reviewing the material I learned. 
  I attended Actualize's day time cohort which was Monday-Friday 9am-2pm pst. The pace of learning was quick. In class it switches from lecture to an exercise where you apply what you just learned. After class you have homework that you again apply what you learned that day. Homework ranged from 1-2 hours. Monday and Thursday Actualize has after hours where you can ask the TA questions about coursework.  
  Dani, my lead instructor, emphasized a growth mindset during the program. Adult learning can be challenging but remembering you CAN do it by thinking in a growth mindset is everything. Dani is such an incredible instructor and I am thankful for her during this process. She shows up everyday with an uplifting energy that helps you stay engaged and motivated. 
  The experience was more stressful than I thought it would be for me. There is so much to learn in the duration of the course I felt overwhelmed at times. So for those of you thinking of attending a bootcamp consider how you will handle stress and continue moving forward in your learning. For me this meant exercising more often, mindful meditation, and talking with my partner about my stress. With that being said I felt supported by Dani, the TA's, and the career advisor's. Everyone was there to help me succeed and there to talk to if I needed. I would 100% say Actualize cares about you as a human, not just another student that passes through their program. 
  The amount of resources you are provided with is incredible. You have access to all lectures, cheat sheets, and instructors indefinitely. Actualize does a fabulous job at setting you up for the job search. Job Hacking as they call it. I feel super prepared with my materials as I'm currently applying to jobs. 
  Upon finishing the program I feel confident in my skills as a developer. I have learned so much over the past months and it feels amazing to have these skills. I am making a career transition into tech from being a professional dancer. For those coming from an art background I encourage you to attend Actualize. It truly is an amazing program.

Actualize was by far the most in depth learning experience that I have ever had. I went into Actualize with zero coding experience and I am graduating knowing how to create a website (frontend and backend). I feel very comfortable entering the job market and am just thrilled to start my career in tech.

My instructor, Dani Zaghian was brilliant. She has an incredible understanding of everything she teaches and was very open to going over things again if someone didn't understand it at first. The TA's, Winston, James, and Katrina were also instrumental in helping me grasp the concepts and syntax being taught in the class. My cohort of 12 were all friendly people and I loved seeing their final Capstone projects after getting to know them throughout the whole process.

I typically don't write reviews, but Actualize really was the best learning experience I have ever had and I wanted to encourage others to look more into it.

I am incredibly grateful to Actualize, and my life has definitely been changed for the better. I went from various small side projects with no real direction to feeling like I understand my life path, with newfound confidence that I can work on larger projects and succeed as a developer. I have a strong sense of backend development, and arguably more importantly was taught how to effectively learn new skills, even outside the confines of a classroom. Structured job support through the Job Hacking part of the bootcamp was great, and really helped me find my footing entering into a new field. The one area I feel Actualize fell a little short was the frontend and design elements. There was enough focus that I can still call myself Full-Stack, but I definitely feel shakier with frontend work, and wish at least a few days had been allocated to focus a little more on design principles. However, I still 110% recommend this course, and can't begin to state how grateful I am to Actualize for providing me the skills I need to begin my career in a field I love (with post-bootcamp support for technical interviewing and working on projects with other alums to boost skills)

When I was comparing different coding bootcamps, I saw a lot of schools that focused on cramming a ton of languages into your resume. But knowing how quickly languages fall in and out of popularity, I cared more about learning the fundamentals of programming. That is definitely what you get at Actualize. We learned enough languages to build a full-stack application, but the focus was always on the concepts and knowing how something works no matter which language is used to build it. 

The classroom experience was great, and learning software development is definitely something that works well in an online environment. We had a small class of 12 students, with 3 TA's and a lead instructor. Dani is both a skilled developer and teacher, and all the lectures were clear and engaging. It was a joy to go to class and see my classmates every day, as everyone was friendly and came from different walks of life. I definitely feel like I've learned and accomplished what I set out to, and I know I have a good support system as I enter into the job hunting phase.