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Reviewer Name Review Body
Ian

I just finished the Day section of Actualize coding bootcamp with Dani as my instructor. Prior to joining Actualize I worked in education, and then in media. I decided it was time for a career change, and to really do something beneficial to myself and my future. In High School I had taken some basic coding courses in C++/HTML/CSS, and tried to pursue Computer Science in college. However, I was not great at the math and science that a 4 year CS degree includes, and so I switched majors to education. Fast forward many years to 2020, I had been working as (and still do) a video editor. While I enjoy the work, I really wanted a career with some consistency and staying power. I told myself, and some friends, that I was going to join a coding bootcamp. I did my research, I built out an Excel spreadsheet with all the bootcamps I was considering, and I landed on Actualize. I chose Actualize 1) because of the flexibility in the schedule, a day or a night section, and the day section allowed me to continue working in the mornings and 2) because of their mission statement regarding hiring educators first and coding second. Coming from an education background I understood the importance of having an instructor that could really teach the material in an effective way. I'm so glad I chose Actualize. I feel like I had a great experience all around, and learned so much information in such a short amount of time (and was able to retain all of it!). The career support once a week built into the curriculum was also helpful in getting me to start thinking about what my life would be like when the bootcamp ended, and I feel very prepared to continue on in my journey into the tech world. I'll never stop learning, and I'll always keep working on new and interesting ideas.

Katie Tensfeldt

This bootcamp was the best decision I ever made. After losing my job in March 2020, I tried teaching myself to code, but couldn't get past a certain point. I ended up doing serious research on different bootcamps, and ended up finding Actualize. What drew me to Actualize was the fact that they had been doing remote instruction before the pandemic, so I knew there wouldn't be a lot of roadblocks during the learning process, since their curriculum was designed for that format. Also, after talking to the admissions advisor, I really appreciated that they were honest about the entire process, and really letting me know that what I got out of the bootcamp was really up to me. I also was really pleased with the fact that instruction was 'face-to-face' so to speak, so classes were live. The instruction was great, since it didn't rely solely on copying the instructor's work (which a lot of online courses rely too heavily on), but on teaching you how to teach yourself, and really making sure you understand the material. Class sizes are really small, and there is a great ratio of student's to either instructor or TA. My cohort was made up of 15 students, and we had 1 instructor and 3 TAs. This made it really easy to ask questions and make sure that no one was ever stuck on a problem for too long. Actualize offers career services, which helped with resume building, and really making sure your job search is as successful as possible. Before graduating from my cohort, I had already submitted a large number of applications and gotten interviews for a few jobs. While they don't guarantee that you will get a job (because they can't control the job market or the effort a student is willing to put in), they really do make it easier to put yourself out there to apply for jobs. From a less technical standpoint, the cohort format is really great, and after just 12 weeks, everyone became very close, and it was really sad to be graduating. The instructor was absolutely incredible, and very knowledgeable about the source material. All instructors have worked within the industry, but dedicated to teaching full time, so you are truly getting their undivided attention. If given the option to choose a different bootcamp, I definitely would not. This was absolutely the right decision for me.

Jamie Denvir

Just wonderful all around. My teacher, Dani, was fantastic. They want you to succeed both in class and beyond -- you can tell. And the instruction is top-notch. The whole course is very well organized from top to bottom. And I never thought I'd say this, but... I ended up having a lot of fun at this coding bootcamp(?!) Highly recommend.

Anonymous

I took a chance and signed for a coding bootcamp in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and I was super apprehensive (having absolutely zero background in coding) but this experience has been amazing. The instructors are extremely engaging and the classwork itself was difficult but doable. I feel like I learned so much in a short span of time, but most importantly, gave me a solid foundation that I can now build off of. I highly recommend Actualize to anyone who's looking for a coding bootcamp.

Anonymous

Dani was my instructor and she was amazing! I chose actualize as it was live on zoom (which held me accountable) and also during the day rather than at nights/weekends as many other bootcamps are. The 12 weeks flew by, and I truly feel like i learned SO much in such a short period. Everyone in my class was awesome, and the TA's (David, Mackenzie, & Winston) were all super helpful and patient. Lisa the Career counselor has been super helpful every step of the way and I am sure will continue to be after class ends. Doing the capstone project was a great way to prove to myself how much I really did learn and am able to do now. I would highly recommend Actualize to anyone looking to learn full stack web development - it really was a great experience from beginning to end!

Anonymous

I just graduated from the Actualize coding bootcamp and was fortunate to have Dani Zaghian as an instructor. I have a masters degree and have taught for a number of years, and I would say that Dani is the best educator I've seen. She is incredibly thoughtful and organized, she presents an unbelievable amount of information over a short 3 months in a concise and efficient manner. She's tough but fair and was, I believe, a real inspiration for our entire cohort. It's a testament to the very thoughtful curriculum at Actualize. I would also say that Lisa and Sarah in the Job Hacking section of our program are phenomenal, and an invaluable resource.

Benjamin McFadden

Coming from a background of traditional college education, Actualize is a breath of fresh air. The small class sizes, staff that are all very friendly, and a very clear program designed to teach vital skills extremely efficiently all combine to produce an education experience that I absolutely enjoyed. It is a lot of content, very quickly, but they do a great job at providing help to stay on top of time management, and they are always available to help with homework. The whole experience was better than i even thought it would be. 11/10!

Ryan Ball

Actualize delivered on everything that I expected going into the bootcamp. The curriculum was great in giving me a solid foundation of skills and concepts. But most importantly I feel empowered to go out and learn any language or skill that I feel passionate about or interested in. Dani was a great instructor and provided the right balance of guidance and instruction paired with the opportunity to solve problems and tackle challenges on our own using the skills we learned.

Will P

I found Actualize based on the Course Report reviews. The experience certainly met, if not exceeded, the expectations that I had upon entering. The curriculum gives you a good basis in languages that are applicable in the corporate world, but the most important aspect is on how you learn what you are learning. This focus gives you a good way to expand you base of knowledge outside of your class experience because of the emphasis on linear thinking and problem decomposition. Upon signing up, I was mildly skeptical about the overall length of the course, being that many are 6-8 months, but I found that to be unnecessary skepticism. The 12 week live portion plus the 5 week pre-work is the right amount of schooling to prepare you for the future. The daily schedule allows for flexibility to get out-of-class work done on your time, rather than keeping you in class 8-9 hours/day. Also, with a cohort size of < 15, you have the ability to connect with your instructor, TAs, and career advisory team frequently, without having to wait in a line of 50-100 other students with the same needs. Stellar program, 10/10 would recommend.

Mathias Schneider

I went in to this bootcamp with virtually no coding experience and by the end I had made a web application from the ground up and presented it to a panel. Very pleased with how much I learned here and the support I received from the instructor and TAs. The job hacking portion of the class was a major help to me. I would not have been able to advertise myself this well to employers without it. I look forward to my new brighter future as well as seeing where my fellow classmates end up. The community of our class was fun and always willing to lend a hand.