Path Unbound

If you need a push to advance as a designer and are seeking a personalized and effective experience, I highly recommend Path Unbound! As a fashion designer transitioning her career to UI/UX design, this course was exactly what I needed to help complete the process. Having completed a Visual Design and Communications course prior to Path Unbound, I was left feeling like I needed extra guidance on re-designing & building my portfolio and my personal brand. This course covers all the essential elements needed to create a stand out portfolio from scratch, from the fundamentals of Webflow, to structuring your projects and organizing your website architecture, to identifying the unique qualities/niches that make you stand out as a designer and inevitably develop your personal brand. I was provided with an easy to follow curriculum, one-on-one sessions with an incredible mentor and industry expert, and even, offered interview and career advice. I am so proud of what I accomplished and can confidently hit the ground running in my new career!

I joined this program after completing a Designlab and a General Assembly course for UI and UX respectively. However, upon completion I realized that I needed more helped with forming a cohesive portfolio. Even though I had a few portfolio pieces I really had no idea what to do with them. You can't just slap them together and hope that someone will take interest! This course broke down what a case study is. It also helped me structure my project pieces, organize my website architecture and finally build my portfolio on Webflow. 

I would recommend this course for anyone who maybe has a foundation in UI/UX design, but hasn't yet figured out how to piece together a portfolio. However, even if you are just getting started in design there is another course for Visual Design and I recommend doing that one first. Stella was a great mentor that really helped me refine my design skills!

After completing 90% of my Designlab UX Design bootcamp, I realized I needed extra guidance creating a portfolio I'm proud of. I was specifically looking to build a portfolio of the quality I need to get the quality job I'm looking for. This course delivers, in a simple to follow (though not easy) process. It's a ton of work that results in an incredible creation that gives me the confidence to apply for those dream jobs! 

Stella is a superstar mentor and guide, striking the perfect balance between encouragement and pushing me to be better. 

As a self-taught designer, I wanted to invest in a professional program that would give me a solid foundation of knowledge. I was debating between PATH and Shillington but Shillington was just way too expensive, intensive, and a huge commitment. I'm very glad I chose PATH because I believe it offered everything I needed in terms of solid curriculum, interesting briefs and case studies, and one-on-one mentorship while still providing the affordability and flexibility I needed to complete the program. The one thing to note is that it is a Visual Design bootcamp, not a Graphic Design one. While we did cover print design and programs like Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, the bootcamp is still geared towards UI/UX and Digital Design (web, mobile, apps) and does not dive super deep into any of the design programs. I was able to complete this course because I had background knowledge and experience (like knowing how to use Figma) but I can imagine it being more challenging for someone completely new. I think that will be the case with any bootcamp though, as you are learning a lot of information in a short amount of time, so there will always be some extra learning outside the program required on your part. With that being said, Stella is a really great mentor and will give you great feedback through the whole process, and really matches the program to your specific needs and career goals. 

Enrolling in Path Unbound has been the smartest schooling & career decision I've ever made. I'm currently pursuing the visual design & branding + UX/UI tracks, and to my surprise, I've already landed a full junior design position at a multimedia company, even though I'm not even halfway through the program! 

Before PU, I was working a dead end merchandising job, I knew I wanted to do design but had no idea how to get started or where I would fit into the industry. Path Unbound helped me fine tune my technical graphic design skills, give me a more clear career path and build an amazing portfolio! The course work is both easy to approach and creatively inspiring & the mentorship is priceless.. My mentor Stella Guan been instrumental in fostering my personal growth and enabling me to navigate challenging situations with autonomy, while also enhancing my ability to work effectively and creatively. 

I could not be more excited to finish my program!

I was lucky to be the first cohort of pilot students to take the 6 weeks Portfolio Express course, that includes personal branding design and create portfolio website or polish your current site. It is a really GREAT experience and that was exactly what I want to learn. When you register the class, you can clear know your weekly curriculum and you go on your own pace and can go back to re-do the lessons. It also includes lots of good resources.  You can submit your progress/assignment and Stella will give you fast reply of feedback, and you can also book an appointment with her to live chat about your progress or questions. This is really helpful. Stella is a really good mentor and director that blends design skills and educator. She can help you with the course but also what you need to improve in your industry. If you wanna develop your design skills or polish your personal branding I strongly recommend Path Unbound.

I had learned the basics of UI Design from another program, but felt at a loss when it came to creating a portfolio without feeling like an imposter.  The Path Unbound Portfolio School turned out to be exactly what I needed to finally build a portfolio I could be proud of.  This course covers all the key elements needed to create a portfolio from scratch, from the fundamentals of Webflow, to identifying the unique qualities that make you stand out as a designer and developing your personal brand, to bringing everything together visually in a fully functional portfolio site.  Stella has a keen eye for design, and the one-on-one sessions with her were invaluable.  She offered very insightful feedback and guidance.  My background is a probably a bit different from most, and she encouraged me to showcase that side, rather than going with a more cookie-cutter approach.  That’s something I really appreciated, and demonstrates how much she cares about her students succeeding in a way that works for them.  I highly recommend Path Unbound for a personalized and effective learning experience.

Great organization with courses that are extremely valuable for designers. While the portfolio school is geared mostly towards people relatively new in their field, it is great for both people who are just starting out, and for people who have been in their industry for some time, but want to elevate the way they present their work. The course is demanding, but worth it! The live sessions are invaluable, since they push you forward when you are spinning your wheels and have been staring at your work for too long. Stella is the mentor every designer needs - the perfect blend of educator and graphic designer who knows her industry well, with a no-nonsense approach that will point out where you need to improve. If you need a push to advance as a designer, I definitely recommend Path Unbound. There are also scholarships available, which is great. 

I had tried for months to remake my portfolio website on my own - but I kept feeling lost, and unsure of myself, and my portfolio didn't feel like 'me'. Path Unbound was a perfect opportunity. I really enjoyed the buildup to the actual site building, which included identifying my best strengths, creating my own brand, and learning the skills needed to make something look polished. The weekly curriculum and set tasks held me accountable, and Stella had great feedback at every step. Learning Webflow was a great tool that I can add to my resume, and there were great resources at the end of the course. I also appreciated how open Stella was to feedback about the course and has changed certain steps to better help future students.

The only thing I will say is - it was a lot of work. For me, it was definitely more like 3-4 hours a day instead of the estimated 1-2. I'm sure some people would be able to put in the estimated 10 hrs/week and be fine, but I'm not sure I would have completed the course on time if I had a full-time job. That being said, it shouldn't deter you from the course. They were always very understanding with deadlines and if I needed extra time. I highly recommend this program.