Actualize Reviews
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Merrow Ragan
Great experience
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I never thought I would pursue a job in coding, but seeing that Actualize doesn't mind if you haven't coded much before applying was really encouraging. They are totally right that anyone can learn to code! I used to work with children and very little tech but now I am already planning post-graduation projects. The instructor Dani was amazing, and even though it is a lot of information in a short period of time there was review, time after class to get help from TAs, she answered questions well, and the assignments were so helpful to review. Highly recommend! -
Kirill Grinash
Amazing Bootcamp, Great Support
Actualize teaching style is what brought me to this Bootcamp and I was NOT disappointed. The amount of support provided and the way the teaching was presented, made it easy to learn and FUN. I would definitely recommend this Bootcamp and if you are looking to start a new career, Actualize is the place to start!!! -
Kent
Excellent Program
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Great Program. If you are brand new to the world of coding this is the program to select. The team is incredibly patient, attentive, and flexible regarding the learning process. My teacher (Peter Jang) is an extremely high qualified instructor who takes a more out of the box approach with his teaching style. Most my life, regarding education, I was in the position of "a fish being told to climb a tree", this experience has been far away from the float or swim mentality. If your looking for a bootcamp, I would highly recommend this one. -
Isaiah Rappaport
BEST CODING BOOTCAMP
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I was deciding between a bunch of bootcamps and had interviews with almost every bootcamp out there. However, when I interviewed for Actualize I knew it was the one. Their staff was so friendly and warm and their curriculum really made sense. I was definitely hesitant leaving all of the other bootcamp options behind but this one was definitely the right choice. The pace was perfect, and I learned so much. The instructor (I had Peter Jang) was the greatest teacher I've ever had. He was so good at explaining complex topics in a clear and simple way and always had a good joke to tell. He was with us every step of the way and made sure we understood the material. He also always made it so fun and enjoyable and gave us good tips to deal with the stresses that come with coding as well. I not only learned the fundamentals of coding, but also how to learn new coding skills and languages and grow in the tech field in general. The job hacking was also amazing as they helped us build our resume, make connections, network, build a personal website, and do mock interviews. Overall, the bootcamp taught me more than I ever thought and made me ready and excited for my first step in the coding world! -
Jake Porter
Great
I really enjoyed Actualize Bootcamp, It is fast paced but they do everything they can to help you. I learned a lot. -
Bander Saleh
Awesome School
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I learned fullstack: a good backend and a couple different frontends and feel very confident about the job world before the last day of school. I chose Actualize in Chicago, IL, because they were the first Software Engineering school to be fully online (also covid-19 was happening). It ended up being very fun because it was like we were at a tech company with a team of like 16. I would recommend people to take an Immersion Class at Actualize if they wanted to get job opportunities in the tech field for website stuff. 5* Actualize. -
Mark
Review
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I really enjoyed the experience of this coding bootcamp. It was initially supposed to be in person but was moved online due to the pandemic. The teacher was great, there was a good sense of community with other members and you learn a LOT. I chose Actualize because someone I know went here and landed a job after and I would love to do the same. I think the job search portion is one of the most valuable portions of the course (hopefully I can land a job soon). The one thing I thought might be helpful is if they taught a more common programming language for the backend like Python or Java. A lot of the class is about teaching you how to teach yourself so this isn't a big deal, but Python is very user friendly, popular and I think it would be a good beginner language. I loved learning Ruby, I just don't see it in the job market as much. The teacher was very cool and everything is very professional. Overall I would give it a 5/5. I really enjoyed my experience. I would recommend Actualize to whoever is serious about getting a job as a software engineer. -
Mark
Web Development - Online
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I'm just wrapping up my bootcamp at Actualize. I chose this program because I know a few people who went through the program in the past several years and they spoke highly of the curriculum and the teachers. I would say it did not disappoint. The instructor presented the lessons in a well though out, and concise manner. We covered lots of ground very quickly, but we were given many tools to review the information down the road to help solidify the ideas. I've also appreciated the job search support. While they don't hand you a job when you graduate, they help you feel prepared and give you intentional steps to take to be effective. -
Peter
Fullstack Coding Bootcamp
One of the major reasons I chose Actualize was because of the founder's involvement in the industry and his teaching background. Also I really appreciated the concentrated efforts of the teachers. My teacher made it a great learning experience and cared about the students. -
Sam
Best Experience
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To whoever is reading this doing the same thing I was doing roughly a year ago, follow through with this thought and commit. I made the leap and never looked back. I came from working in another industry for 13+ years and was terrified to learn something new knowing I wouldn't be the best at it. Actualize gives you the comfort of knowing your not along in the process and you have support. Brian was our teacher and he couldn't have made the experience any better. Great company, great values, great results. -
Delissa Beaman
Registered Nurse to Software Developer!
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I researched a bunch of different coding bootcamps in Chicago and I didn’t feel comfortable committing to one until Is spoke with the team at Actualize. It just seemed natural. The team was so supportive from the very beginning and the pre-work helped me feel more confident actually starting a course. The online live portion in particular, fit my lifestyle and allowed me to continue to work and support myself. This was especially important in the middle of this pandemic! My experience was truly amazing. While some things were extremely challenging, it was nicely balanced out by an excellent teaching style that provided help but also enough freedom to make mistakes and learn. I would recommend Actualize to any adult that’s ready to make a major change in their career. Although the road is still ahead of me, I feel confident in the skills I’ve learned and the things that I feel empowered to teach myself as I move forward! -
Cale A.
Awesome Program
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I chose Actualize because of their emphasis on teaching and instruction and not just on what was in their curriculum. The experience lived up to advertised. Brian did a great job of taking complex tasks and breaking them down for us to understand. He also did a good job of stretching our learning and getting us out of our comfort zone. I would recommend Actualize to anyone who is looking for a career change and wants to get into software development. -
Jeneen
Fabulous Learning Experience
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This bootcamp is great for people who would like to transition into web development. The staff here is very passionate about what they do and they ensure you have superior resources available not only for the class itself but for job-finding support. This program has been built by people with a very strong background in education and it shows. It sets a great foundation for so many topics not only for learning how to code but for project management, communication, collaboration and more! I highly recommend Actualize! -
Benjamin Chapin
Challenging & Fun
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Enrolling in Actualize was the greatest decision I ever made. I needed to be pushed. Dani was an incredible lead instructor, very caring, entertaining, funny and positive. she kept me focused and motivated and gave me the personal attention & occasional ass-kicking I needed. Lisa the career counselor was a very helpful and caring and involved resource, and all the TA's were super friendly and helpful as well. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Actualize and would recommend it to anyone seeking to learn to code and become established in the developer world. -
Neah Nieto
Have fun and learn the fundamentals of web development
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I chose Actualize because their program was the one that best fit my schedule. They offer classes that cater to both day and night time schedules. This led me to pick the night time cohort because this allowed me to work during the day and attend classes at night. Also the Chicago location for their school is close to the Loop and is readily accessible via public transportation which made it convenient for me to attend.
The greatest strength of Actualize is that its technical staff is composed of teachers that happen to know coding. This might seem like a minor detail but this is what distinguishes Actualize from other coding schools. A programmer might be able to repeat information to a potential student but that does not mean that they can teach. Becuase of the teacher first emphasis that the founder uses to develop the course curriculum, key concepts are not simply memorized but synthesized for later lessons.
I recommend Actualize to people who want to have fun while they learn. I never felt like the staff were administrators that assigned my coursework but rather they were more like friends and family to me. Also, while Actualize places a heavy focus on teaching Ruby don't be concerned that its not on the list of programming languages that are "hot" right now. Ruby is a solid foundation to learn the fundamentals of coding and a good springboard for a student to be able to learn future languages.
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Diana
Winter 2020 grad!
I had an amazing experience at Actualize!
The format of actual lectures immediately followed by coding exercises was very effective for me. The pace is fast, but if you show up, and follow the instructor's recommendations you will exceed your expectations.
-Diana
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Eric Rodriguez
Actualize Review
I choose Actualize after reviewing many other bootcamps, what stood out was their approach to teaching us. And that is the big focus actaully teaching and guiding you, by going through the material piece by piece in a way that helps understand the how and why things work. I would reccommend this school to anyone really, I would do it all over again!
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Adam Friedman
Great Bootcamp Experience
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I was in the online cohort ending September and now have a full time job in technology project management. Actualize was a top notch education and ones trajectory to code from scratch to application building is guaranteed with diligent participation. Actualize makes you enjoy coding and the practice provided, along with group work, is an ideal and perfect education. Brian, the instructor, and Lisa, the job coach, are amazing in their guidance and instruction. Make sure to attend post bootcamp events because it is extremely helpful in securing a job and in continuing to develop coding skills. Lisa and Actualize provided me with the greatest advice in looking for work and communicating with employers. At the end of the day, you become an adept coder and a tremendously more skilled individual.
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Joshua
Exceeded Expectations
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After spending about a year not making much progress with books and tutorials, I was in need of a real teacher and mentor who could personally guide and teach me how to code. Actualize was a bootcamp that stood out the most, because of its teaching expertise. Once the bootcamp began I was constantly surprised how everything was already prepared and laid out in every step of the way conquer any challenge that I might face. All the concerns that I had before starting the bootcamp was already thought out and solved in advance by the designer of the curriculum. Also by the help of the amazing job hacking program, I am now interviewing for jobs that I could only dream about before. I truly thank Actrualize for opening the door to an exciting career in software engineering.
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Jackie
An honest student opinion
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When I was deciding on a coding bootcamp to enroll in I really wanted to make sure that the online course I pick was personable and at a pace that I could handle. The reviews for Actualize really emphasized how it was a small group where there is a lot of one on one interaction with the instructor and TAs. Overall I definitely loved the pace and when I needed more clarification or help the instructor and TAs were phenomenal at making sure I grasp and understand the concept in a way that I could understand coding. I highly recommend taking this course if you are a frist time coder like me.
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Benjamin
Great Experience
As someone transitioning from hospitality with minimal experience, I feel that what we covered was at an excellent pace despite the quick schedule. It felt swift but not rushed. The instructor was great, the career advisor is very helpful, and I couldn't have asked for more from it. I highly recommend this for whatever situation you're coming from.
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meeae
Actualize Review
I recommend this bootcamp to anyone wanting to learn to code. Instructor is very supportive. Moves quickly, but the instructor was always willing to help when needed.
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Yarisma Mendoza
Actualize Coding Bootcamp Part-time
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I was attracted to Actualize because of the great reviews that were left by the students. It was facinating to hear about the amazing experiencing and learning opportunities that received by the staff. I have never been challenged as much as Actualize has challenged me in my life. Peter, the instructor taught me how to believe in myself and pushed me beyond my limits. He taught me how to look at problem solving at whole different level. Actualize not only teaches you how to code, but they also teach you how to do well in job interviews. They really take the time to prepare you for the tech interviews. Because of this I was able to get my first offer as a Software Engineer on the date of graduation. I would highly recommend actualize to anyone who is ready to be challenged and is open to learn at a whole different level.
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Manzino
Solid Foundation
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Found this place after extensive searching for Chicago area bootcamps. The curriculum seemed aggressive and a challenge in terms of scope and time, which is my preference. The course was an excellent introduction to full-stack development and you will definitely pick up the skills needed to fully build a web app from scratch, with all of the usual features such as user authentication, database building and querying, front-end and back-end communication, etc. And perhaps more importantly, the foundation this course lays provides an excellent springboard to learn other web development and mobile app development frameworks.
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Lisa
Actualize Review
Peter was a great instructor! I really enjoyed his teaching style. I also appreciated how broken out each day was into digestable chunks of information and then practice.
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Daniel Ardekani
Daniel
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I had an amazing experience with Actualize. the lead instructor, Brian, was incredibly knowledgable, quick to help, and was excellent at leading the way to the solution without giving it away. Our TA's Cory and Josh, also recent Actualize grads were outstanding and a tremondous resources for all of us. Lisa, was able to provide us with awesome career advice as to how to obtain a job after graduation and provided us with tons of resources to help us be successful. Lastly, our pre-work instruction, Kevin, did an excellent job laying the ground work for us before we hit the ground running for the next four months.
All in all it was a great experience and I feel as though I am prepared to take the next step and even made a few friends. I started receiving interviews with a month left in class and have no doubt my next adventure is around the corner.
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Amanda
Great Experience, Rockstar support
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My journey with Actualize begins in the Summer of 2018. I was living in New Orleans and had just left my job as a teacher in a local public school. I knew I was going to make a career change into tech and I was strongly leaning towards a bootcamp setting. I researched dozens of options and finally settled on Actualize. I think it's important to be weary of too many promises of 'job placement rates' and when I talked to Actualize's representative on the phone, she spent time with me going over the support offered to students post-bootcamp rather than trying to reel me in with stats that seem too good to be true.
I moved to Chicago and began the prework section in December of 2018. Actualize prefaces their courses with five weeks of at-your-own-pace prework to help students become familiar with programming fundamentals. While I was enrolled in this phase, there were some curriculum updates in-process and while parts of the lessons seemed disjointed, there were ample opportunities to meet with someone via video conference to go over questions and content. Kevin was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. He also took time to gather feed back on the prework experience to continue improving the material for future cohorts.
I elected to take the class portion of my bootcamp remotely from home, so that I could continue to work fulltime to support myself. Remote classes are offered either on a daytime or nighttime schedule. Dani, our instructor was highly qualified and very invested in our learning. We also had two TAs available to help us with exercises. The class covers a variety of full stack languages and is designed to ensure student understanding of how web applications work.
From the very beginning of the prework portion of the class, a huge emphasis is placed on career counceling called 'Job Hacking'. Actualize employs a Career Advisor named Lisa who works closely with students even beyond the completion of their cohort to find, apply, and negotiate jobs.
At the completion of my cohort, I apply to become a TA for the next class of students, while continuing my own job search for a full time position. Through their career services programs, I found short term work with Girls Who Code, (a nonprofit that offers coding classes to young women across America) and from that found work with a local branch of a global tech company. The support I received from Acualize was unparalleled and I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity to study and work with them. I can't recommend their program highly enough.
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Elizabeth Cruz
Great Bootcamp!
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I chose Actualize because I was actually recommended to come here from an alumni. However, after researching Actualize and reviews; I really liked how I could attend my full time job and aferwards attend a part time coding bootcamp class. That was really hard to find, along with good reviews. I like how Actualize has a structured class room setting, which really helped me understand the basics throughly as opposed to other coding bootcamps I've heard of. I like that they take the time to lecture you and then you are able to apply in class. Not only is there an instructor teaching you, but there are TA's to assist you with any questions you may have during the lecture. Also, it is awesome how we do career hacking for an hour or two every Sunday class. I can go on and on why Actualize was the best decision I've made, but you will not regret it. I came from a Finance background, no knowledge in coding just basic HTML/CSS, and I was able to learn all the coding basic in 15 weeks and build a pretty cool app. Thank you Actualize, and specifically Peter who was my instructor.
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Lindsey
Actualize
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I just graduated from a night time cohort at Actualize and I highly recommend the program if you are interested in coding. I had no coding experience beforehand, and by the end I was able to make an app with multiple languages and APIs. They do a great job at teaching you how to learn languages, so that after the bootcamp you can go on to learn another language on your own. They also have a "job hacking" program with an advisor that helps with resume, job search,etc. I highly recommend this program.
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Ashley A
Software Engineer
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I attended Actualize Coding Bootcamp in Chicago in the evenings in 2018 while working full-time in a client facing role at a tech company during the day. I was hired as a software engineer apprentice at a great company 2.5 months after I graduated from bootcamp. I had 3 final round interviews.
My instructor Peter Jang was fantastic and he knew how to keep our class engaged and excited even when we were overwhelmed. He provided a "2-week" philosophy that showed us that even when we were learning something brand new in 2 weeks it would be second nature to us. We saw this become a reality and trusted the process. The class started with work the terminal and git. Moved to APIs, back-end development with Ruby on Rails. We then focused on vanilla javascript and then learned front-end frameworks. Our cohort focused specifically on Vue.js and then after the class a few of us got together to continue working on a React Native App.
The final project of the class was a capstone project of our choice. This is the type of project that can vary. If you chose to and have time outside of class you can make a complex app but if you wanted to stick to something smaller you can still show off you knowledge of modern programming technologies. I really enjoyed working on my app and it was a great conversation topic in interviews. I modeled my app after something already existed and ended up getting a final interview with the company that my app was based on!
On Sundays throughout the bootcamp there was a career curriculum. This helped us work on our resume and encouraged us to network with devs. I received 2 interviews as a direct result of networking meetings several weeks after the meetings occurred. They encouraged us to start networking early long before we were ready to interview so that when roles come up you already have had a conversation and be on people's minds. Networking is what you make it and you can do more or less depending on your personality. The bootcamp encouraged us to have confidence in this process but didn't directly help us make connections.
Before I decided to attend Actualize I highly considered General Assembly and Grace Hopper at Fullstack Academy. I was not in the position to be without a job and was thrilled when I found Actualize since it was evenings and weekends. I attended without knowing anyone who attended and just from reading reviews and shadowing a class. It took my 2 years from when I started thinking about it to actually enrolling but in that 2 years I did Fullstack Academy's prep in a month (highly encourage this) and I did many different free code academy courses, free code camp problems and watched a lot of Whatsdev videos on youtube.
Overall Actualize is amazing experience if you are someone who will put in the extra effort to network and tell your story. The career development can guide you but it's not going to get you a job. There are several people in my cohort who are still looking for jobs. The role I took was from applying online via LinkedIn and I did not have a connection. It's all random and there's no clear way to get a job. Being authentic and having a lot to talk about, even if it's about what you don't know is great.
Actualize was a life changing experience and I highly recommend it!
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BrendonG
Course review
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I choose Actualize because they not only focused on getting you to learn to code but also how to brand yourself within the job market for success. Actualize believes anyone can learn to code and with the help of the instructors(who are eager to help) I can verifiy that it's an accurate statement. I throughly enjoyed my experience during the bootcamp and it's experience I remember for the rest of my life and I do not regret my decision. After going through the bootcamp and arriving to where I am I would recommend this program to anyone that wants to learn to code.
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Lilly
Actualize Online 5 stars
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I definitely recommend the Actualize bootcamp for learning web development! We learned Ruby, Rails, Javascript, HTML, and CSS, and how to build both backend and frontend for a web app. The live online learning environment was really great - class time switched between lecture and hands-on coding exercises. Our instructor, Dani, was awesome! She is very enthusiastic and helpful, but also a real person with real world experience. I worked part time during the course and was very busy, but it is definitely possible to work and take this course too. This course was intense, but also really fun.
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Candace
Actualize Bootcamp
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Overall, I had a great experience attending this bootcamp. I appreciated the four weeks of pre-work leading up to the course, as I had no previous development experience. That said, I do feel prework lacked some foundational information that may have helped ease the intensity of the first couple weeks of the course. Attending online was really great for my schedule and gave me the ability to feel comfortable in my own space and very focused on the task at hand. My instructor, Dani, pushed us in a very positive way. She understood that the material was difficult, but also expected that we used our brains to full capacity. I have finished the bootcamp able to do more than I could have ever expected and highly recommend this school for pure beginners.
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Leonardo D Gonzalez
Amazing Experience
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Before choosing Actualize I looked into other bootcamps such as Fullstack and I immediately had a negative experience with them. From that experience I started looking to other bootcamps and found Actualize. I read others experiences about attending the school and decided to take the plunge. To this day I am sure that I made the best decision and not once did I hate coming to school. Every instructor and ta is so willing to help. The space is awesome as well. My knowledge has increased tenfold from this experience alone.
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Brye Walker
Enjoyed every aspect of it.
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Before attending Actualize I was extremely skeptical about bootcamps. After talking with the instructors and previous graduates I realized that this bootcamp would be a perfect fit for myself.
Everybody on staff was very enthusiastic about their jobs which in turn made every aspect of the class enjoyable. Over the course of 12 weeks I learned things that I though would take years to learn.
I would recommend Actualize not only to someone who is looking for that right bootcamps, but to anyone who has even the slightest interest in web development.
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Michael Polinski
Fantastic overall experience
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A friend of mine had just completed his actualize bootcamp, and he recommended that I do the same. We worked together at the same place for years and I decided that it was time to pursue a different path. He spoke very highly of the program and all of the staff and instructors there so I decided to check it out.I had an amazing time at Actualize. I met and got to know people who I will keep in touch with, hang out with, and code with for the rest of my life. the staff and instructors were some of the most helpful, friendly and supportive people i have ever encountered. By the end I was able to create an app that will go on into production and actually used by an organization I volunteer with. I feel that i got my moneys worth and a solid education with the building blocks necessary to continue learning and become an even better coder. I would recommend actualize to anyone looking to make a career shift, anyone who is interested in learning a new skill or looking for a challenge, or even someone looking to find a place for themselves in a new city. Actualize provided a fresh start, a warm, supportive environment, and the final payoff left me feeling accomplished and ready to take the next step in my career
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Derek Smith
Actualize Boot Camp Success
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Actualize gives you the support to learn to code and then gets you ready to apply to jobs with confidence. That is exactly what I was looking for a change of career after being laid off as a screen printer. Not only did I learn frontend and backend frameworks, they also make time to teach salary negotiation and networking strategies. The course was challenging and that challenge made the entire experience rewarding. Taking this course is easily the best decision I have made in the past decade. They took me from minimum wage to negotiating for $50/hr, in a little over 12 weeks.
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Katherine
Amended Review
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I felt the need to come back and review Actualize post-graduation, and postgraduate initiative! I'm glad that I stand by my initial 5-star review - Actualize was a great decision. I have some friends who have taken different programs and who are still looking for work, months after graduation. While it's not a quick process, nor is it easy, Actualize truly supports its students with resume review, LinkedIn profile review, job search, and moral support. During this time you also work on a project with fellow students to keep your skills sharp and add to your portfolio. If I could go back in time, I would make this same choice for school - and I don't say that often! I am two months into a job that I LOVE - Web Developer for a start-up in Chicago, and I couldn't be happier. Thanks Actualize!
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Joe
Highly Recommended
My experience at Actualize has been fantastic. The curriculum is excellent, the instructors are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. I came into this program with very little coding experience and I learned more than could've imagined in just a short amount of time. I would not hesitate to recommend Actualize to everyone!
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Marcus
Actualize your dreams
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I took the Actualize course coming from a background in neurobiology and physiology with no background to speak of in coding. I had always dreamed of learning how to code and changing my career course but I was nervous about investing time and money in a bootcamp. I picked actualize because it covered not only the learning elements of web development but also how to get a job in this field that was foreign to me.
My experience with the course was positive and challenging. I really enjoyed the teaching style and all of the material we learned. I like how we were constantly pushed out of our comfort zone and not babed along when we had trouble. The curriculum was challenging and diverse and covered heavily used frameworks and elements in web development today. My teacher was Brian and he did an excellent job pushing us and encouraging us.