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Grand Circus

Detroit, Grand Rapids

About Grand Circus

Location: Detroit, Grand Rapids

Grand Circus is a learning institute that teaches high-demand technology skills and connects the region’s employers to exceptional talent. Our 12-and 26-week software developer bootcamps produce graduates with the latest technical knowledge and soft skills... Read More

Since launching in 2013, Grand Circus has maintained strong partnerships with big tech and local government entities to ensure that our students are receiving the latest and most advanced training. To date, more than 1,600 bootcamp graduates now work at over 350 companies across the region.

We also champion a variety of initiatives to advance our mission of making a tech career universally accessible. Grand Circus is one of ten Google for Startup North America tech hubs and partners with Facebook, Detroit at Work, TekSystems, the Grand Rapids SmartZone and Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation to provide a mix of funding and high-impact programming.

Courses

C# .NET After-Hours Bootcamp

Cost: $11,750
Duration: 26 weeks
Locations: Detroit, Grand Rapids
In-person Only
Course Description:

This programming bootcamp will introduce you to the fundamentals of enterprise development (.NET), the use of Visual Studio, SQL databases, and how to design and deploy object-oriented applications.

Some of the concepts we’ll cover include:

- A thorough hands-on understanding of .NET development
- The lifecycle of a .NET project
- C# language syntax
- The mechanics of developing for .NET using Visual Studio
- Debugging and testing of .NET projects
- How to program web applications with ASP.NET
- How to access databases with ADO.NET

THE BOOTCAMP SCHEDULE

Before you start the programming bootcamp classroom sessions, you’ll complete two weeks of mandatory at-home learning. This work provides the foundation for the bootcamp lessons and covers fundamentals that all successful developers need to know.

The bootcamp is 26 weeks long, including 2 weeks of at-home Unit 1 work that's done before the program starts. Once you start classroom sessions, you’ll be on-site at Grand Circus in Detroit or Grand Rapids, Monday, Wednesday & Thursday, 6:30pm – 10pm. We love to start on time, so please plan to get here a few minutes early.

Subjects:
C#, A/B Testing, .NET

C# .NET Bootcamp

Cost: $11,750
Duration: 12 weeks
Locations: Detroit, Grand Rapids
In-person Only
Course Description:

This programming bootcamp will introduce you to the fundamentals of enterprise development (.NET), the use of Visual Studio, SQL databases, and how to design and deploy object-oriented applications.

Some of the concepts we’ll cover include:

A thorough hands-on understanding of .NET development
The lifecycle of a .NET project
C# language syntax
The mechanics of developing for .NET using Visual Studio
Debugging and testing of .NET projects
How to program web applications with ASP.NET
How to access databases with ADO.NET
THE BOOTCAMP SCHEDULE
Before you start the programming bootcamp classroom sessions, you’ll complete two weeks of mandatory at-home learning. This work provides the foundation for the bootcamp lessons and covers fundamentals that all successful developers need to know.

Once you start classroom sessions, you’ll be on site at Grand Circus in Detroit or Grand Rapids Monday Friday, 9am – 5pm.

Subjects:
C#, A/B Testing

Front-End After-Hours Bootcamp

Cost: $11,750
Duration: 26 weeks
Locations: Detroit, Grand Rapids
In-person Only
Course Description:

During this Front-End web development course, you’ll train with a whole host of programming languages and skills – in addition to JavaScript – as you work your way through every level of a web application, from the front-end to the server-side code.

During this course, the concepts we cover include:

HTML5 / CSS3
JavaScript
jQuery
AngularJS
Node.js / Express
PostgreSQL
Pair Programming
SCHEDULE
Before you start the bootcamp classroom sessions, you’ll complete mandatory at-home pre-work. This work provides the foundation for the bootcamp lessons and covers fundamentals that all successful developers need to know.

Once you start classroom sessions, you’ll be on-site at Grand Circus in Detroit, Monday, Wednesday & Thursday, 6:30pm – 10pm. We love to start on time, so please plan to get here a few minutes early.

Subjects:
CSS, HTML, jQuery, AngularJS, JavaScript

Front-End Bootcamp

Cost: $11,750
Duration: 12 weeks
Locations: Detroit, Grand Rapids
In-person Only
Course Description:

Throughout the bootcamp, you will gain skills needed to become an entry-level Front-End developer. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to create websites using three core languages: HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript. HTML5 and CSS3 will be used for the structure and layout of the websites, including mobile-friendly websites, and JavaScript will be used for leveraging behavioral and interactive magic.

Some of the concepts you’ll learn include:

HTML5 / CSS3
JavaScript
jQuery
AngularJS
Node.js / Express
PostgreSQL
Soft Skills and Pair Programming

Subjects:
CSS, HTML, jQuery, AngularJS, JavaScript

Java Bootcamp

Cost: $11,750
Duration: 12 weeks
Locations: Detroit
In-person Only
Course Description:

This Java coding bootcamp will teach you the skills you need to become an entry-level developer. You’ll be ready to build a web application with potential for any number of purposes, like managing a medical condition or finding a nearby coffee shop.

Some of the concepts we’ll cover include:

Introduction to Java and Objects
Arrays, Classes and Methods
Packages, Interface, Soft Skills and Version Control
Exceptions, Structures, HTML and JSP page
Sessions, Cookies, JSTL and Streams

Subjects:
MySQL, Java

Grand Circus Reviews

Average Ratings (All Programs)

Grand Circus logo

4.55/5 (33 reviews)

Ryan O'Hagan
Unemployed | Graduated: 2020

8/21/2020

Course
C# .NET Bootcamp

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Not worth the money"

Yes, you can learn the basics of coding your selected language(s), but that is the only thing they advertise that they deliver. I think any intelligent person knows, when the overall rating is almost 5-5 stars someone is tampering with the vote. They... Read More

Reginald Richardson
Graduated: 2020

4/3/2020

Course
C# .NET Bootcamp

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"As a graduate from the c# bootcamp and a professional with experience in IT, I graduated bootcamp with a new technical skill why also building on my leadership abilities."

The only con I have is that the program is expensive, but honestly it is worth every penny!!! There is so much going on during the bootcamp that I truly believe if you make it through, you can be confident that you’ll make it at your tech job!! Everything... Read More

Holden Bruce
Graduated: 2019

9/20/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Wonderful educational experience"

Taking part in the Front-End After Hours bootcamp was one of the best decisions I have made for my personal growth. I had wanted to do a bootcamp like this to develop my programming skillset for quite some time and Grand Circus offered exactly what I... Read More

If you are looking at Grand Circus because you are interested in making a career change, GC will help you make that happen! But if you are like me and have an interest in the field (maybe you’re already at a technology company but don’t know how to code or you want to learn front-end after having learned back-end development) then Grand Circus is also the place for you! I knew that I would become a better developer by the end of this program but was unaware of how significantly I would improve my entire candidacy. I am truly thankful for how much I learned in Grand Circus’ holistic approach to education. Even if you have no interest in switching jobs, you will leave GC with an arsenal of useful and practical ways to improve your chances of success in navigating the job search process that will help you whenever you are ready to begin looking for a new job.

In summary, the educational environment is top-notch: the course is rigorous, the workload is demanding, the staff is capable, everyone is supportive, and the results are always tangible. It’s a great place to learn a lot in a short amount of time. As always, you get out of it what you put in, but this is a great place to be.

Cristian James
Graduated: 2018

9/17/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Supportive and Motivational Environment"

I had such a positive experience at Grand Circus last winter that I just had to write this review. First of all, great location in the heart of downtown Detroit. I loved the welcoming and modern setting. My Java Instructor, Antonella, was the best of... Read More

Anonymous
Graduated: 2018

9/11/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Short-Term Expense for a Long-Term Life Change"

If you're thinking about joining a coding bootcamp, it's important to be realistic about what this investment looks like for your time, wallet and career opportunities. No coding bootcamp is going to give you an easy path into tech. What Grand Circus... Read More

Grand Circus puts their students first. Even staff members that aren't in the classroom work to help students. They are always asking for feedback on how they can improve (maybe too much. We had a ton of required surveys to provide this feedback but I get it.) Everything builds up to a demo day. This is where students get to share what they've learned and built. There's a decent amount of coaching going into demo day to understand how to present yourself to visiting employers, which was really helpful. I like that Grand Circus does both the technical education piece and also the job hunt recommendations. The package deal is really what sold me on the program.

Students have to take this seriously, though. Some of my classmates started to fall behind early on their labs, assessments quickly followed. Once you're behind on the technical stuff, it becomes really hard to catch up or focus on the job hunt piece. I wouldn't recommend anyone come in without any experience with coding. You should spend time experimenting with resources to get familiar. Talk to alumni about expectations. Attend workshops. I hadn't been in school for nearly a decade, so it was a bit of a shock how fast everything flies at you.

Overall, I highly recommend Grand Circus. I went from a retail background to a career in tech within two months of graduating. It was some of the craziest months of my life, but I'm excited to be working in this industry now and consider my classmates friends to this day.

Anonymous
Graduated: 2018

9/11/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Short-Term Expense for a Long-Term Life Change"

If you're thinking about joining a coding bootcamp, it's important to be realistic about what this investment looks like for your time, wallet and career opportunities. No coding bootcamp is going to give you an easy path into tech. What Grand Circus... Read More

Zackery Finn
Graduated: 2018

9/11/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Best way to jump-start your career in tech"

I will admit freely that I was skeptical of coding boot camps before attending Grand Circus. I did not believe their claims, that not only could you get a software development job after completing a boot camp but that job would be a good paying, career... Read More

As I stated the work was hard, and there was a lot of it. I took the after-hours C#.NET boot camp, and was working full-time during this process. Life was pretty difficult during this time, with long days and weekends dedicate to homework (and sometimes even longer nights). This made things challenging, but class was always super enjoyable -- I had a great group of classmates and a highly-skilled and experienced instructor that together always made things super enjoyable and very informative. And thanks to Grand Circus I received a job offer right before graduation and am now employed as a back-end C# developer for a metro-Detroit base company, making a good salary and have a very promising road ahead of me.

All in all, in my case the cost of the boot camp pales in comparison to my current and future earnings potential. If you are thinking about attending a boot camp at Grand Circus, I definitely recommend reaching out to them to arrange a tour and to speak with a representative in person. And if you do decide to enroll, practice as much as you can. Fingers to keyboard is the best way to learn the material, and there are many free resources out there with which you can supplement your lessons, such as Hackerrank. You instructors and the school will have many more recommendations. Also, do not blow off the soft skill portions of the course! I at first thought this classes a distraction from learning the technology, but when it comes to actually finding a job after graduation the information they present there is invaluable.

In short, if you have some facility with computers, are genuinely interested in technology, and willing do some hard work for a few months, Grand Circus will change your life for the better.

Amanda Elliott
Graduated: 2019

8/20/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"An amazing and challenging learning experience!"

Grand Circus is a great choice for anyone looking to completely change careers like I did, or even to upskill in your current career. After plenty of research and attending some of their workshops and the Info Session, I decided to join the program. The... Read More

Anonymous
Java Student-April-2019-BootCamp | Graduated: 2019

7/8/2019

Course
Java Bootcamp

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Experience in GC as one of their Students"

All in all, you're able to learn a lot of basics if you have no prior coding experience but as well as you will be struggling a lot. The truth is without previous coding experience, there is no way you will be as close to a professional in Java in just... Read More

Pros:
1. They provide a great learning environment in terms of learning how to work in a group(kinda), provide resources to help you understand, and a great place to make friends.
2. TA and Instructor have always had enough patience to repeatedly explain anything you don't understand which is pretty amazing.
3. Super fast-paced learning process(Of course, it is a boot camp!), especially if you have no coding experience. But you will learn a lot of basics.
4. Provides Soft skill training and how to be more professional on a job(any job).
5. Free coffee, tea, and sometimes free food and desert!!!!

Cons:
1. GC is a business based company, like most schools, its set up is to let students pass as long as you have a right attitude and pass their assessments with minimum requirements(the tests are not hard as long as you review what they taught in class). However, I am very disappointed with their graduate bar is setting up way too low. It may sounds they are just been nice, but it presents low-quality developers trained by them (it is a bad sign from the employers' perspective).
2. Group-work really sucks! They put different technical level students in one group to work on one project. It is good for the ones don't know what they are doing, but limited the ones who know what they are doing. Instead of putting all good ones together to potentially make an amazing project, somehow they prefer all at an average level.
3. Demo day!!! It sounded it is a day to be a pro, to be proud of yourself, and might the only day to get a job. I hate to break you that Demo day is more like a day for GC to advertising themselves to new students or potential future students. What you will notice in Demo day is that you spend most time explain your project to non-employers, and very rare that people get hired on that day. There were unusual cases though, but it is UNUSUAL.
4. Lastly, they don't really provide a lot of resources to help you find a job. Be ready to be disappointed for that.

Kristy Currier
Software Developer | Graduated: 2018

5/7/2019

Course
After-Hours C# .NET Bootcamp

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Worth the time and money"

Going to Grand Circus was one of the best choices I have made in my adult life. I went from staying at home with my kids to working as a software developer. I attended the after hours .Net/C# program.

The classes were excellent and prepared me for my first... Read More

The biggest positive about GC is the career network. There are a ton of alumni who want to help and career services actively goes out and talks to employers about the program and students. I actually got my first position through a connection I made there.

I'd highly recommend going to check out the school or talking to alumni, it was a great move for me.

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