Curriculum Thinkful advertises their courses as the equivalent of a Master's program. Data science is a broad and deep multidisciplinary topic, and no program could hope to cover everything, but I do feel that Thinkful's program gave me a solid base in data science concepts and practices. No prior knowledge of programming or statistics are assumed, and those basics are covered. Python and its packages for math, statistics, machine learning, and visualization became familiar and comfortable tools (including NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn, Matplotlib, Seaborn). There are opportunities to explore further topics via an elective specialization topic later in the course. Course material is also updated to keep up with topics and trends. Be warned--Thinkful will tell you this program can be completed in six months, and it's definitely possible, but you need to be ready to commit to it as if it is a full-time job, seven days a week, if you want to finish in that time. I worked a part-time job as I worked through the program, and ended up needing to extend my enrollment to complete the full course. Your program manager and mentor will work with you if/when extending your enrollment seems necessary. Instructors Thinkful pairs you with one of their mentors for the duration of the course. Mentors have both education and business experience in your chosen field. Students meet with mentors regularly for review and questions about course material. Thinkful offers students the opportunity to change mentors as necessary. If I have a complaint, it is only that when I reached my specialization topic near the end of the course, and the topic I chose was not familiar to my mentor, I had to play "mentor roulette" to attempt to find a mentor with experience in my chosen area. As I understand it, Thinkful has already addressed the issues I had, and a better system is in place to better match students with mentors for this part of the curriculum. Job Assistance Job searches are brutal, and probably the most difficult to handle when attempting a career change. Thinkful's job coaches are your best cheerleaders and a needed source of accountability on this part of the journey. I had been working with a career coach even before I committed to Thinkful's program, and it was encouraging to hear my Thinkful career coach offering advice that lined up neatly with a professional who has decades of experience across a broader range of careers. They most likely will not find a job for you, but they will help you develop the skills you'll need to successfully navigate a job search, and find a job in your new chosen field. | 