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Thinkful

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 Ranked 2022 Best Bootcamp

About Thinkful

Location: Online

Thinkful teaches students how to become equipped for the world's next workforce with fast paced, job-ready programs in software engineering, data science, data analytics, and design. Students learn cutting-edge industry standards and work 1-on-1 with... Read More

Thinkful's Engineering and Data Science Immersion programs, Engineering Flex, Engineering Nights & Weekends, Data Science Flex, Product Design Flex, and Data Analytics Flex programs have unprecedented levels of support, with weekly 1-on-1 mentorship, 40+ hours of Q&A sessions, and a bustling Slack community of mentors and fellow students.

The Engineering and Data Science Immersion programs are among the most in-depth and rigorous available. With five full months of expert instruction, team project building, and career prep, the course sets the standard for immersive programs. If you graduate but are not hired as a developer or data scientist within six months, Thinkful refunds 100% of your tuition.

With Thinkful, you'll gain guidance from an active community, attend online office hours and offline local community meetups, while using various tools and resources to help you change your career.

Courses

Data Analytics Flex

Cost: $8,000
Duration: 24 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

The Data Analytics program combines an in-depth, project-based approach with two 1-on-1 sessions every week with a professional Data Analyst. This program is built to help those with no prior experience in data or technology land their first full time job as a data analyst - at a flexible pace and without having to quit your current job! You'll work side-by-side with a professional data analyst to learn statistics, analysis and experiment design, how to work with visualizations in Tableau, a thorough understanding of Excel, SQL and Python. You’ll also have the option to meet in person with fellow students and mentors to share ideas and work through problems.

Subjects:
MySQL, Python, Data Analytics, SQL, Data Visualization

Data Analytics Immersion

Cost: $12,250
Duration: 15 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

A rigorous and structured full-time program built to get you a job as a data analyst. Benefit from instructor-led learning, a virtual classroom environment, 1-on-1 mentorship, and a robust support team.

Data Science Flex

Cost: $9,500
Duration: 24 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

A flexible, online data science course aimed at helping you launch a career. One-on-one mentorship, professional guidance, and a robust community network are on hand to help you succeed in this highly advanced profession.

Subjects:
Data Science

Digital Marketing Flex

Cost: $4,900
Duration: 12 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

Learn the technical skills needed to build an audience, create a brand, and drive sales. Study with a flexible, online schedule, a personal mentor, and peer groups. Professional career coaches guide you with networking advice and personalized resume tips to help secure a high-income marketing role.

Subjects:
Digital Marketing

Engineering Flex Program

Cost: $9,500
Duration: 24 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

The Engineering Flex program was designed for students whose schedules vary week to week or for those who can’t commit to regular class times in the evening. The program is flexible, allowing you to set your own schedule to fit your life. By dedicating 20-30 hours a week, you can be ready for a new job and graduate in six months. The program is on your own time but you have to be committed to make it work.

The course teaches students web development fundamentals such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as well as advanced skills in Node.js, React, data structures and algorithms. Students will build full stack JavaScript applications and come out with strong portfolios. Before graduation, students will conduct mock interviews and polish their resumes, Linkedin and Github profiled with insight from career coaches. Thinkful programs are backed by a tuition reimbursement guarantee - if you don’t get a job within six months of graduating, we’ll refund your tuition.

Engineering Immersion

Cost: $16,000
Duration: 20 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

Thinkful’s Engineering Immersion program is designed for people to immerse themselves into web development and get hired as fast as possible. The pace pushes students to become hirable web developers in five months and requires 50-60 hours of effort per week. The fully online program features constant support, as students interact daily with their classmates, instructors, and mentors. Each student will have a dedicated mentor, who they’ll meet with 1-on-1 for half an hour multiple times per week.

The course teaches students web development fundamentals such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as well as advanced skills in Node.js, React, data structures and algorithms. Students will build full stack JavaScript applications, learn to collaborate in teams, and come out with strong portfolios. Before graduation, students will conduct 5 mock interviews and polish their resumes, Linkedin and Github profiled with insight from career coaches. This program offers an income shared agreement - you won't have to pay tuition until you're hired and earning an income above $40,000/year.

Technical Project Management Flex

Cost: $6,500
Duration: 20 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

Break into tech as a project manager. Learn how to plan, schedule, and budget in a business setting while developing the leadership skills for long-term career growth. A flexible format that works around your schedule, with industry mentors and career support until you’re hired.

UX/UI Design Immersion

Cost: $12,150
Duration: 20 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

Learn career-ready skills in research, web design, and teamwork on your path to a high-paying role in UX/UI. One-on-one mentorship, interview prep and community support take you from newbie to hired and beyond.

UX/UI Flex

Cost: $9,500
Duration: 26 weeks
Locations: Online
Course Description:

Thinkful's UX/UI Flex program is an online, flexible training program for busy, career-focused adults to become job-ready designers. UX/UI Flex is a holistic learning experience that includes mentorship from skilled designers, an industry-vetted curriculum, graded assignments, and a community of fellow designers to support you. Over 90% of senior designers say designers need to know how to code in today's market. You'll study the design process in depth, including UX research, visual design, AND frontend development. You'll also build a portfolio of real-life projects. These skills, combined with dedicated support from career services, will help you land your first job as a designer, or your money back.

Subjects:
UI Design, UX

Thinkful Reviews

Average Ratings (All Programs)

Thinkful logo

4.64/5 (663 reviews)

Charles George
Digital Marketing Analyst | Graduated: 2019

7/19/2019

Course
Data Science

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Data Science Experience"

For context... I am almost through the first phase of the course and getting ready to submit my first capstone project.

So far my experience has been fantastic and I don't expect that to change. The curriculum is challenging yet there is that flexibility... Read More

In my opinion, the way they have it set up is great. You get a mentor, program manager, career coach, and career services manager. So far I have only had the pleasure of interacting with my mentor and program manager, but if the career support team is anything like what I have experienced so far then I would expect 5 stars all day long.

For me, it all comes down to that mentorship. That is what really sold me.

Yes, I can sit there and read lessons and examples and comb through StackOverflow until my eyes fall out... but the fact that you have a mentor available to you that you can bounce ideas off of or just ask that one questions that helps you breakthrough with that thing you been struggling with, is invaluable.

Anonymous
Web Developer | Graduated: 2016

7/16/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Not worth the money"

I started in 2016 but not sure what month I started, I looked at my first Invoice and it was in November of 2016 so I know I started around that time most likely a couple months before. My review is really late and I decided today I want to write my experience... Read More

Official Response from Thinkful

We're sorry to hear you had a negative experience in our program. However, we are pleased to let you know our programs have come a long way since 2016. In addition to our revamped curriculum, every student is supported by a Program Manager and a personal... Read More

Thanks,
Lauren Jacobson
Associate Director of Program Management

Clinton Owen
Software Engineer | Graduated: 2018

7/14/2019

Course
Engineering Immersion

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Truly Life-Changing"

Apologies for the wall of text that's about to follow—apparently I had a lot to say, and I hope that some will find it useful.

Overview (TL/DR)
Enrolling at Thinkful is one of the best decisions I've ever made. They have a solid curriculum with staff who... Read More

Why Learn to Code?
I assume that if you're reading this, you've already thought about the answer to that question. For me, I started coding as a side-project when my former company asked me to redesign their website—I had no prior experience, but it was so rewarding to dive in, solve problems on-the-fly, and emerge with something I was really proud of. After taking some time to reflect, I decided that my interests and skills were more aligned with a career in programming.

I found it helpful to figure out my own, personal "why" and think about what I really wanted to get out of this journey. Defining a simple, reasonable, quantitative goal gave me something to aim for and helped me to stay motivated and focused. The goal I came up with for myself was to "obtain a growth-oriented software developer job in the Chicago area within 6 months of graduating from boot camp with a salary that would allow me to comfortably start a family."

One of the first major steps I took was to complete Udacity's "Intro to Computer Science" course, which validated my feelings that this is something I would really enjoy doing. There are many similar resources out there (freeCodeCamp is another good one) where you can get a taste of what being a programmer is all about and decide if it's right for you. Additionally, Thinkful has a mandatory Prep Course (which I'll discuss in more detail later) that also allow you to dip your toes in the water before taking the full plunge.

Why A Boot Camp?
One thing I know about myself is that when I’m trying to learn something on my own, I can spend hours just researching the "best" way to learn it, often to the point of paralysis by analysis. That's why the concept of a boot camp really resonated with me—allowing someone else to handle the "what" and "how" of my education by curating a solid curriculum would help me stay focused and moving forward. My next step was… research!

Why Thinkful?
Using sites like SwitchUp and CourseReport, I created a comparison spreadsheet of all the boot camps I was interested in. Thinkful's Engineering Immersion program checked all the right boxes—it combined the ideal qualities of a modern, comprehensive, project-based curriculum, high-quality teaching staff, regular 1-on-1 mentorship, daily peer collaboration, and outcome-oriented career services. From the glowing reviews of alumni, I got the impression that Thinkful is constantly striving to improve and update the program to the benefit of future student cohorts. So, I decided to take the leap and applied for the July 2018 cohort.

Prior to Starting
After applying to the Engineering Immersion program, I had a phone call with one of Thinkful's program coordinators to make sure that I was a good "culture fit." They mainly wanted to hear about my background and why I was learning to code, answer any questions I had, and go over the next steps.

Then I began the Prep Course, the cost of which went towards the full program tuition. It was 4 weeks long and required a 30 hours/week commitment. The course is designed to get you up to speed on the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This was mostly self-guided learning using the curriculum they provided, however I was assigned a Mentor during the Prep Course, who I met with twice a week to go over what I was learning and discuss anything I was struggling with or had questions about.

The Prep Course also included a few short lessons on communication and other soft skills which provided some tools and strategies to help you work well in a group environment. I loved that they provided this and it gave me the impression that they really wanted everyone to have a great experience collaborating in our cohort.

Towards the end of the Prep Course, my Mentor helped me prepare for the Technical Evaluation, which you need to pass in order to be admitted to the full-time program. They asked some general questions about the topics covered in the Prep Course and then I had to complete 5 coding challenges using JavaScript.

Once I passed the Technical Evaluation and was admitted into the full-time Engineering Immersion program, I had an orientation session where I got to meet all of the other students in my cohort and got an overview of the program.

The Curriculum
There were four main instructional "units" of the program, each led by a different instructor. After each unit ended, we would schedule a mock interview (similar to the Prep Course Technical Evaluation) which would focus on the material covered in that unit.

1. The first unit (2 weeks) covered JavaScript, jQuery, and how to architect and build asynchronous web applications, culminating in a 3-day solo project where I built my own web app.
2. The second unit (4 weeks) was all about server-side programming, using Node/Express to build RESTful APIs, PostgreSQL and Mongo to build databases. We also learned how to write tests and construct user authentication strategies.
3. The third unit (2 weeks) was dedicated to learning React and Redux, an extremely popular framework for building web apps.
4. The fourth unit (2 weeks) was on data structures and algorithms, a very useful topic to prepare you for programming interviews.

Interspersed between and around these core instructional units, we had about 7 total weeks dedicated to working on projects, both solo and in groups. In the final week of the program, we focused on completing our online portfolios and polishing up our projects in preparation for the job search.

Overall I was extremely impressed with the quality and freshness of the curriculum. One of the program coordinators told me that they try to make at least one substantial update to the program after each cohort of students, and it really shows in the quality and attention to detail of the curriculum. You can tell that Thinkful really cares about what their students think. There are many opportunities to provide feedback, both solicited and unsolicited.

There were a few scattered instances of an outdated or broken link, but that just comes with the territory of a curriculum which is constantly improving and evolving to keep up with the pace of the industry.

Thinkful was really, really good about teaching us to be independent developers. There was some necessary hand-holding in the beginning as we learned the basics, but they pretty quickly transitioned us to working both independently and on group projects where it was really up to us to come up with an idea, organize the projects, research different technologies that might be useful, study documentation, and work autonomously.

A Typical Day
Class started at 9am (Central) every morning with a lecture by the lead instructor for that unit of the curriculum. This was typically about an hour long and was held in a group chat room where we could watch the instructor and ask questions via text, voice, or video. I really enjoyed this format and thought that the instructors provided a lot of great insights. They were also very good at explaining things in a way that was easy to follow and understand.

Next, we would break into pairs (we had a different partner each day) and work on coding exercises using a technique called pair programming—this is where you take turns writing code ("driving") and providing direction ("navigating"). This definitely took some getting used to, but quickly started to feel more natural as we progressed. It's great practice for learning to work with different people and different personalities, and it helps us pull each other along—I noticed on some days that my partner was teaching me a lot, while on others I was doing the teaching. Most days it was a mix of both. If you ran into any trouble, you could always message the instructor/TA's, who would join your room and help you figure things out.

After a 45-minute lunch break, we'd have an afternoon lecture, which was usually a short review or small addition to the content we covered in the morning lecture.

Then, we'd break into our pairs again and work on some more exercises until the end of the day (4:30pm Central).

In the evenings, we'd meet with our personal Mentors at an agreed-upon time for 30 minutes. Thinkful Mentors work regular jobs in the industry and provide mentorship on the side, so in addition to getting help with your coursework, they can provide valuable insight about life as a real Developer.

We'd also usually have an assigned reading each night to introduce the topic for the next day's class. Thinkful recommended that we dedicate at least 2 hours per night to studying outside of class. Obviously, the more time you put into it, the more you'll get out of the program, so it's important that your family/friends understand the time commitment you've made so that they allow you time to focus and study. I found that in order to keep up" at the level I wanted to be at, I had to devote more like 3-4 hours every night, plus an additional 3-4 hours per day on weekends.

Projects
The projects were a great way to really apply our knowledge in a practical setting and review and reinforce some of the lessons we had learned. They also provided great material for our portfolios.

The highlight of the program for me was our first Full-Stack Capstone project. We had finally reached the point where we had the knowledge to build a complete web application and then were given two weeks to brainstorm, plan, design, build, and deploy a full-stack project of our choice. While we still had regular progress check-ins with our instructor, it was so cool to have the freedom to flex our skills and creativity and dive deep into a project.

During the final Capstone project, I was on a team of five, where we came up with the concept for an app, decided on the features we wanted to implement, created user stories and wireframes, organized our tasks on a Trello board, and had daily morning stand-ups to discuss our progress and any hurdles we encountered. I think we all learned a lot about the importance of communication, organization, and version control when working in a collaborative environment. It was so cool to be put into an Agile development environment, simulating the type of tasks and interactions we might encounter in our professional work.

Pace/Difficulty
The pace of the program was very quick—it often felt like we were just starting to wrap our heads around one subject when another would get introduced. Some days were definitely more difficult than others, but the days seemed well-balanced so it never got too overwhelming.

I sometimes wished that I had time to read more about a few of the more complex topics we covered, but then you run the risk of going down a rabbit hole and losing focus, so overall I'm happy with the pace and structure. It did feel at times like I was literally just coding, eating, and sleeping, but I knew the program would be time-consuming, so it's hard to complain, especially when I look at how far I developed in such a short time.

Job Search
One of the key selling points for the program was the focus on giving me the skills required to land a Developer job, and that includes the soft skills. There was an entire section of the curriculum dedicated to crafting application materials, networking, and interviewing.

Upon graduating, I was also paired with a dedicated Career Coach, who would meet with me every 1-3 weeks (more frequently earlier on) to go over your application materials, talk about different job hunting techniques, and help you refine your strategy if things weren't working.

They definitely expect a lot from you during the job searching phase (see the specific requirements in their Tuition Refund Guarantee), but it's all designed with the goal of getting you a job as quickly as possible.

Thinkful is great about connecting with companies who are looking for Developers like you. Your mileage may vary depending on where you live, but Thinkful introduced me to quite a few companies in Chicago.

Outcome
I'm thrilled to say that, having recently been hired as a Software Engineer at Groupon's Chicago headquarters, I've surpassed my wildest expectations of what I'd be able to accomplish in only a year's time. Thinkful was absolutely instrumental in every step of the way. Not only did they provide me with the current, relevant skills I would need to impress during my interviews, but their incredibly hard-working Careers Team helped me get a foot in the door by making an introduction with Groupon and helping me cut through the high volume of applications they receive on a regular basis.

One of the highlights of my life will be the moment after I received the job offer and then immediately called my wife to deliver the good news and got to hear her cries of joy. This means so much to us and our aspirations of starting a life together. It's also incredibly significant to me, personally, to be doing something that I love in an environment where I'll be challenged and inspired to learn and grow. As I think about my future and start to set new goals for my life and career, I'm so grateful for the time I had with Thinkful and for their incredible team of instructors, mentors, managers, and coaches. I'll always look back fondly on Thinkful as the pivotal factor in propelling me along my desired career path.

Joseph
Graduated: 2018

7/4/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"UX Design at Bloc"

Beginning to detail my time with Bloc and all of the value this Program/Team has brought me - is itself already another blog post. As I was a community college dropout, moving around the States, no real direction or passion other than art and travel-... Read More

Chance Sharp
Graduated: 2019

6/18/2019

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Bloc Web Developer Course"

This was a great investment! This gave me an edge with my existing skillset and was such a great value when compared to other bootcamps. I had great help from the student success team and my mentor. This was a perfect fit because I was able to keep my... Read More

Preston Sharpe
Portfolio Accountant Team Lead | Graduated: 2019

6/18/2019

Course
Data Science

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"This has been an engaging and productive experience!"

Thinkful's data science program provides the flexibility to continue working full-time without losing the support I need to succeed. I have a mentor that I meet with 1-on-1 twice a week, technical coaching for any problems that I run into that I can't... Read More

The work is challenging and rigorous. I've learned so much already and can't wait to continue my journey into data science!

Marina
Graduated: 2019

6/13/2019

Course
Full Stack Flex

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Thinkful is a great bootcamp for full-time workers"

I am currently in Thinkful's Full Stack Flex program. I work full-time and I needed the flexibility. I had some experience going into it, and I honestly think you need to have at least some of the basics down (know some html, css, js). The program is... Read More

The course is layer out in modules and for each module you read the material and do the drills and projects. The material is very rigorous and provides tons of extra resources as well. If you get stuck solving a drill or need help understanding a concept, you can reach out to people on slack or you can go into office hours and ask your questions. You get a massive amount of support and there are always people around that can help. Plus, you get to meet twice a week for 45 min with your mentor.

The mentor sessions are super important because you use them as mini-interviews where the mentor give you coding challenges, or can help you when you need help building an app or understanding a concept.

They are 5 mock interviews that give you a taste of what a typical interview feels like. I failed my first attempt, and the feedback I received from that helped me improve my learning strategy.

So far I think Thinkful was a great decision for me, it gives me the structure and the safety net I need to learn to code.

Mo
Graduated: 2019

6/11/2019

Course
Data Science

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"They take a calculated approach to success"

Thinkful gives students a mix of 10% theory 90% application. They do not TEACH data science, instead they MAKE data scientists. They do this by assigning you a program manager, whose task is to be your accountability buddy and help you get to the right... Read More

On the career search side, I have not taken any of the 5 mock interviews yet but I look forward to. They guided me on starting to build and follow companies, job titles, and trend setters in data science. They also note in one of their lessons the inefficiency of online job search, which my history with career search confirms. They replace that with applicable ways to build your network, including a how-to on conducting interviews with leaders in your field.

They have many resources that students can use to learn anytime, including info sessions and slack channels. My mentor is open to emailing anytime and usually responds quickly. I believe I have made the right choice.

I have not completed my bootcamp yet, but I am happy with outcomes up until this moment. My mentor is professional, the payment team they use is professional, my PM is professional.

Charles Hebert
Graduated: 2019

6/6/2019

Course
Data Analytics Flex

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Thinkful is actually..."

...quite thoughtful, if you'll forgive the pun. In my experience with the program over the last few months, I've come to this conclusion on more than one occasion. From the screening process to the curriculum development to the mentoring, there's ample... Read More

Peter
Manager - Education | Graduated: 2019

6/5/2019

Course
Engineering Nights & Weekends

Overall

Curriculum

Job Support

"Support, Support, Support"

Thinkful understands the value of supporting their students and almost provides too much support to utilize. Weekly mentor sessions, q&a sessions, open slack channel, technical coaching for hardware/software issues, and peer support are just a few of... Read More

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Frequently Asked Questions

What financing options are offered by Thinkful?

Thinkful offers many financing options, such as Scholarships, Income Share Agreements, Loan Financing, Upfront Payments, and Monthly Payments.

What courses are offered at Thinkful?

There are many courses you can take at Thinkful. These include Data Analytics Flex, Data Analytics Immersion, Data Science Flex, Digital Marketing Flex, Engineering Flex Program, Engineering Immersion, Technical Project Management Flex, +2 more.

UX/UI Design Immersion, UX/UI Flex

What types of programs are offered at Thinkful?

Thinkful has Full-Time programs for students that can be taken online.

In these programs, students can learn from and take advantage of 1-on-1 mentoring sessions, personalized feedback on submitted assignments, live 1-1 assessments (usually structured as a mock interview), career services, and more.

What are the job outcomes for Thinkful?

The average salary after graduation is $64,417, and 80% of alumni find a job.

Thinkful alumni work at various tech companies, such as Google, IBM, Boeing, Walmart Labs, Amazon, and more.

What is the application process at Thinkful like?

Prospective students will need to submit an online form in order to apply to Thinkful.

Person thinking

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