| | Chris Reger | I came into the program with a technical background and had previously done some software development - so please understand this review comes from that point of view.
I believe the data science immersive (DSI) is absolutely a worthwhile program if the fit is right. There simply is not enough time in three months to go from beginner-programmer to well-rounded data scientist. However, Galvanize does a great job at giving you as much academic load as one can handle, fantastic career services, and sufficient skills to be able to get an entry- level data science job.
I thought the staff was amazing and the content presented was usually the right balance of breadth and depth.
That said, the program caters to self-starters and problem solvers with a decent handle on Python. The students who seemed to have less success exhibited at least a couple of common traits: they struggled to write clean code quickly, they struggled with moving on before concepts were thoroughly understood or assignments were completed fully, they didn't enjoy collaborating with their peers, or they struggled with the math.
I think Galvanize tries to assess incoming students to make sure they are properly prepared and a good fit- but am not sure if this process couldn't be improved to ensure that the students in the class are the students who will get the most out of it.
If you are confident in your ability to solve problems in Python AND feel prepared to take on the math involved AND are willing to put in a lot of work both in and out of class AND are prepared to make peace with moving on from a topic before you are completely ready AND enjoy working and learning as part of a group- I am sure the program will give you a 5-star experience. The less of those things that are true, the less you will enjoy what Galvanize has to offer. |
