Thinkful

I am currently in Thinkful's Full Stack Flex program, and I'm very happy with my decision. I was initially planning on doing a local in-person bootcamp. I wanted the face to face mentorship and the opportunity to have an immediate network of local partners.... Read More I decided to go with Thinkful primarily for two reasons (aside from being able to keep my day job while I learn...):

1) Mentorship. I have learned a ton by meeting with my mentor twice a week. And since it is a self-paced program (unlike a structured local bootcamp) I'm not held back by the class when I easily understand a concept, and I'm not rushed past a concept when I am slower to understand it. Also, I have a regional advocate, a project manager, that helps with bigger picture things, and helps support a local community of learners.

2) Job guarantee. Although I feel confident that if I put in the work that Thinkful is preparing me to enter the industry, I don't need blind faith. Thinkful is transparent about its outcomes, and reports are released by a third party (CIRR). Basically, if you can graduate, you are extremely likely to find a job. The caveat seems to be that because the barrier to entry is low for Thinkful, a lot of people don't make it through the program (roughly half). I am committed to taking it seriously and putting in the hours, and I am on pace to graduate on time. Even if I can't find work upon graduation (which I don't think will be the case), I am guaranteed my money back.

This program is not easy, especially while working a full-time job and being a father of two young children. For background context, I have a B.S. degree in Science, and have been putting in pretty close to the 25 hours a week to keep nicely on pace for the 6-month graduation.

I started the Bloc program in October of 2018. This has been one of the most rewarding and challenging seasons of my life. I am working full time while doing the boot camp in the early mornings and late evenings. The one thing I can tell you is that it’s... Read More on YOU to make it happen. You have to get disciplined and set up routines and systems especially if you’re doing this on top of another job. What I love about the program is that it’s set up for you to succeed even if you don’t have design experience or design background. I also love that it covers all things UX/UI and some front-end stuff. It’s an all-encompassing boot camp! By allowing myself to get my feet wet in all aspects of design, I’ve been able to identify which path I want to pursue. Another great thing is the once a week 30 minute one on one mentor sessions. SO worth it. I’ve been able to dive deep and cover so many topics with my mentors and they are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. They also do a great job of assisting you in marketing yourself for when you’re applying for jobs. Overall, it's been a really awesome experience!

I thought I was doomed to punch a clock at some sales job I hate for the rest of my working days. Taking a chance on Bloc's Designer Track is without a doubt the best decision I've ever made. I'm learning skills that are in high demand in preparation... Read More for a new career in creative problem solving as a UX/UI Designer. My future is bright and I couldn't be happier about it. If you're on the fence I highly recommend you go for it. The Student Success team is amazingly helpful and thoughtful, my Mentor and Technical Coaches are all top-level industry pro's, and the resources the program gives you alone are worth the price of tuition. This review is real. Go for it!

An amazing time. The way I think through problems and designed solutions has changed dramatically for good. While I am not a pure UX/UI Designer, having developed these skills has helped me get a dream job as Senior Product Manager in Munich. A core component... Read More of the program is the Daily Design Critique, where you can submit your work (no matter your level) and get very actionable feedback on how to improve it. You can also attend those sessions and see how other students are doing, what they had designed and what feedback they get. My only feedback right now has to do with job assistance: My plans where to get a job in Europe, but the service was only available for US & Canada. If you plan to rely on the institution to increase the likelihood of getting a job, please keep that in mind!

I’ve always been interested in data science, but with little to no background in CS and already having been out of college and working for several years, I found it a bit daunting to consider making a career change, start a bootcamp and still continue... Read More working at the start time. While it certainly hasn’t been easy, the support Thinkful provided to me through my mentor, the community and the endless number of resources has been wonderful. It’s definitely a lot of work and time management is key to stay on track, but the flexibility of the program has allowed me to adjust my schedule to allow of everything else I have to do outside of the classwork. Meeting with my mentor twice a week helps keep me accountable, while the slack channels and Q&A/workshop sessions are incredible resources to tap into all throughout the week. This program is intense and definitely a big investment of your time and money, but so far for me I’m thrilled I decided to make the jump and am really looking forward to my development as a future data scientist as the program progresses. Would absolutely recommend!

Three years ago I knew I wanted to make a travel app that hadn't existed yet. I had it all planned out, but I had no way of implementing it without hiring designers and developers to do it. I had a desire to make something from nothing, but I didn't have... Read More the skills, education, or tools to do so. This realization paired with my yearning to flex my creative muscles led me to explore a career in UX Design. In the end, I chose Bloc because I felt that it provided me with the education, tools, resources, and mentorship that the other programs didn't seem to have or were too expensive for my budget. So I went for it. Fast forward to a year later – not only did I make that travel app, but I've now accepted a position as a UX Designer for a travel company, after receiving two other job offers in less than two months of searching. If you're willing to get serious about what it takes to completely change your life for the better, even with the obstacles in your way, this course is for you. I'll admit, before joining the course, I didn't even know if I was passionate about UX Design or even if I'd be good at it. But once I was exposed to the program and understood the impact of design in bettering our world, I was hooked. Bloc arms you with education and hands-on approach you need to make any app, website, or digital product out there. Finally, having mentors that genuinely cared about my success and who taught me the principles I needed to know along the way, was critical to my professional learning and development. I also really enjoyed participating in the online group-oriented classes and learning about other graduate success stories by utilizing the Slack groups. Bloc provides a holistic experience that takes into account all the facets that you'll need to know to get that first job. And after that, it's all up to you.

I went into Bloc.io wanting to completely change careers and had no prior knowledge of software design. I have had the most amazing experience through Bloc's program. Not only is the mentorship aspect amazing but I've learned a brand new skill and about... Read More to start applying for jobs. I am beyond grateful for the experience I've had and would recommend this program to anyone. In fact, my brother is about to go through the program because of the awesome results Bloc.io produces.

My name is Holly, and I'm a career changer who is about 3/4 of the way through Bloc's Design program.  I came to the school with a background in the fine arts, and way too many years of dead-end administrative support jobs washed under the bridge.  I... Read More was definitely in need of a drastic change, and Bloc brings it without hesitation!  I was fortunate to be able to benefit from the Close The Gap scholarship - which supported female and female-identifying students interested in breaking into tech.
 When you sign up for Bloc, you are gradually introduced to a wide-ranging and constantly evolving discipline.  There is a vast, interconnected variety of topics to explore in the curriculum.  In addition to covering Experience Design, Visual Design, and Front End Development, there are also ample opportunities to get your hands dirty with branding and content strategy, UX writing, presentation skills, networking, crafting your own personal brand and drafting a solid plan for growing your career.  It is truly a comprehensive program in a way I did not anticipate, and I am so thankful for it.  Students learn extremely valuable skills, and then do the equally important work of learning to share these skills with the world.
 Don't get me wrong - it can feel daunting once it occurs to you exactly how much you're about to learn, and exactly how much work you'll need to do in order to make the most of the resources available at the school  - and pull off the career change you're aiming for.  Still, I've had the support of my mentor every week - whether I was crushing it or really struggling to find my footing with some challenging material.  He has always greeted me and whatever I'm going through with a huge knowledge base, real-life experience, honest and valuable feedback, an affable nature and an irreverent sense of humor.  This has been invaluable in helping me on my journey!
 Bloc also offers interesting and fun group sessions, and technical support is available on Slack whenever you may need it.  I'll miss studying at Bloc once I graduate, but until then I get more confident each day that I'll be able to do great work in my new field when it's all said and done.  Thanks for reading!

My name is Holly, and I'm a career changer who is about 3/4 of the way through Bloc's Design program.  I came to the school with a background in the fine arts, and way too many years of dead-end administrative support jobs washed under the bridge.  I... Read More was definitely in need of a drastic change, and Bloc brings it without hesitation!  I was fortunate to be able to benefit from the Close The Gap scholarship - which supported female and female-identifying students interested in breaking into tech.
 When you sign up for Bloc, you are gradually introduced to a wide-ranging and constantly evolving discipline.  There is a vast, interconnected variety of topics to explore in the curriculum.  In addition to covering Experience Design, Visual Design, and Front End Development, there are also ample opportunities to get your hands dirty with branding and content strategy, UX writing, presentation skills, networking, crafting your own personal brand and drafting a solid plan for growing your career.  It is truly a comprehensive program in a way I did not anticipate, and I am so thankful for it.  Students learn extremely valuable skills, and then do the equally important work of learning to share these skills with the world.
 Don't get me wrong - it can feel daunting once it occurs to you exactly how much you're about to learn, and exactly how much work you'll need to do in order to make the most of the resources available at the school  - and pull off the career change you're aiming for.  Still, I've had the support of my mentor every week - whether I was crushing it or really struggling to find my footing with some challenging material.  He has always greeted me and whatever I'm going through with a huge knowledge base, real-life experience, honest and valuable feedback, an affable nature and an irreverent sense of humor.  This has been invaluable in helping me on my journey!
 Bloc also offers interesting and fun group sessions, and technical support is available on Slack whenever you may need it.  I'll miss studying at Bloc once I graduate, but until then I get more confident each day that I'll be able to do great work in my new field when it's all said and done.  Thanks for reading!

Bloc is a great online platform with a strong curriculum that teaches you everything you need to know to be a UX designer. It covers three main topics - UX research/testing, visual design, and basic frontend development. The way the curriculum is designed... Read More is innovative as well. It starts with teaching you the fundamentals for each topic, then gives you a project to do where you have to repeat the steps with some guidance. Then another project where you repeat the cycle but you have more freedom to design as you want. That system has been strong as it allows you to learn the basics and then repeat to strengthen your skills. Besides the curriculum, there's an always-active Slack channel where students, mentors, and staff alike can interact! It's a great place to support other students by taking their surveys/tests, but also learn from the mentors and staff. Most importantly IMO, you have a mentor who you can meet with on a weekly basis for 30 mins! My mentor has been critical in getting me to the finish line. It's easy to get in your head and become discouraged with your work, but my mentor has always encouraged me to keep going and have confidence in myself. That's something a curriculum can't teach you, so having him was so key for me. Lastly, this program has everything you need but it's really up to YOU if you use it to its maximum potential. I had a lot of trouble getting started since I was working FT and in this program. Bloc is here to support you but you definitely need to put in the work. It takes a lot of self-discipline since you're not sitting in a classroom environment. If you can accomplish that, I believe Bloc can do great things for ya! *Even though Bloc has Job Support, I did not give any star ratings for it since I'm not at that point of the program yet.