I graduated from the 12-week remote live boot camp in April 2021. I can't speak highly enough of this program. A bit about my background: BA&MA in social science (psychology), I had a lot of stats knowledge but very minimal programming experience. I had taken an introductory data science class and fell in love with the material. I chose NYCDSA over other boot camps because they teach both R and Python (this is a huge plus - I strongly believe both are necessary for most jobs). I had no industry experience and was a recent grad. Prior to starting the program, all students are assigned about a month of pre-work. This includes some introductory calc, linear algebra, statistics, and basic R and Python in Jupyter - this is mostly to make sure everyone is on the same page for day 1. In the 12 week program, mornings were lecture-heavy. After lunch, we would have either occasional extra learning, homework/material reviews, and dedicated time to work on projects. I found the pace to be completely fair - we moved through the intro material a little slower, which is to be expected. The curriculum is fantastic. There's an emphasis on the theoretical background behind ML algorithms, as opposed to just having the instructors provide use cases. The program covered R and Python, as well as SQL, some UNIX/console coding, Github, and (in my Big Data track) Hadoop and Spark. The projects students complete are really essential. They provide solid data science experience on your resume and really stand out. Having the practice to present to your cohort and write up your findings in a blog post really ensures that we know how to speak to our knowledge and explain it to those with a less technical background. The instructors and TAs are incredible. They come from a variety of backgrounds (some CS, some math, some other!) and really provide unique approaches to teaching. The staff was always available for questions and happy to help with homework or project-related questions. As far as the remote aspect: my program was the COVID online alternative to an in-person, 9-5 program. I was highly impressed with the quality of the online learning, and I genuinely feel that the remote program is just as good as any in-person offering. Through slack, we were able to form a community and really feel close to my other cohort members and instructors. By far, I was most impressed with the career counseling services. NYCDSA helps with resume refreshing, cover letter writing, Linkedin profile personal branding, and professional email writing. But the support goes so much beyond this. I've received mock interview practice (both behavioral and coding), and the post-boot camp study plan really prepares you for any job interviews in data science-related fields. NYCDSA really cares about its students and wants to ensure their success. If you take advantage of all the resources available and how kind and caring the staff is, you are bound to succeed! A final note on my success with NYCSDA. Before beginning the boot camp: * I spent 6-9 months looking for jobs. Not only did I fail to find a position, but I didn't get a single interview. After the boot camp: * I applied to 50-75 jobs in the 6 weeks after graduation. I got many rounds into the interview process and ended up receiving job offers from 4 positions! * Two months after I graduated, I started my current job as an analytic modeler for a professional services firm. I am making double my salary expectations prior to the boot camp, and I genuinely love what I do. NYCDSA really changed my life. I cannot recommend this program enough. If you're considering getting into data science, this is your sign to apply today! | 