BrainStation Reviews
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Honest Abe
Honest Review 2017
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Wyncode Academy is a very expensive very fast pace environment. Students will be bombarded with information. The teachers and their TA's are good, but the mandatory homework is confusing if not difficult. The students who excel at Wyncode are the type of students that should apply - former IT professionals, computer science graduates, and the people who live with them. If you enter this Academy with no computer science background, then expect to hit a wall. All students feel anxiety and many feel regret. The commute and parking situation make those feelings even worse.
Wyncode will assist students in finding employment and even set up interviews, but the majority fail the entrance exams and don't get hired per statistics. It should also be known that some of the staffs biggest cheerleaders did not attend the academy, therefore they are not fully qualified to speak on the student experience. There are success stories who are willing to submit reviews online, but there are twice as many failures who are too discouraged from the whole experience. At the end of the day, whether you graduated Wyncode Academy with or without struggle, the most important thing is a return on your investment.
Matt Campbell of BrainStation
Director of Admissions
Jun 19, 2017
Hi Abe, We’re always looking to improve at Wyncode and we sincerely appreciate your feedback. Our doors are always open for Wyncode graduates still searching for jobs after the program. We would be happy to help you get the outcomes you’re looking for. Hopefully, you can get in touch with our Director of Hiring Partnerships and take part in an upcoming Wynwork session! The full-time program is made with beginners in mind. The majority of our students had little to no prior coding experience before enrolling. Some of our biggest success stories have come from those with zero prior experience in the field. Nonetheless, the program is very intensive. But there are resources every step of the way, including in-person and remote support, ample documentation and videos, and weekly 1-on-1 checkins to gauge student progress. Additionally, with our new 5x5 format, we will recommend that a student repeat the first five weeks of the program, at no extra cost, if we feel it would be beneficial. Due to our overlapping cohort schedule, students held back this way can immediately join the subsequent cohort. At Wyncode, we make sure anyone willing to complete the course crosses the finish line. Although the web immersive course is a significant time and financial commitment, it’s worth it. We’ve seen tremendous results for graduates of our program. To date, we’ve helped at least one Wyncoder get hired at over 200 companies. And over 50 companies have hired more than one. And we credit these results not only to a curriculum informed by hiring partner needs, but also to the continuous, honest feedback we get from students like you - feedback that helps us create the best possible Wyncode experience. You don’t have to take our word for it. In our most recently released placement outcomes, 97% of job-seeking graduates in 2014-2015 were placed within six months. You’ll also find within our jobs report a breakdown of how many were able to find roles every month between one and five months after the program. These outcomes were audited by an independent third party, the accounting firm MBAF, and verified for accuracy. We’ve seen similar stats for 2016 and we’re excited to release our updated data within the next few months. Finally, if any potential student would like to hear from former students, we have several team members who went through the full-time program as well as fully employed Wyncode alumni who would be happy to speak to their experiences. If you look at the many reviews on this page, many individuals have left their names, and their experiences can be cross-referenced via LinkedIn or GitHub. We’re happy to provide all the data we can to allow a prospective student to make an informed decision about learning with us. Best,
Matt Campbell, Director of Admissions at Wyncode Academy -
Deniz Alper
Web Development course
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Amazing educational experience! Started this course at a beginner level and have learned so much over the past 10 weeks. I loved that we were taught by industry professionals who both have different experiences and are so knowledgeable. This hands on course, allows you to learn and practice in class and ask questions in the moment. The instructors are also readily available outside of class! On top of this great course, Brainstation has a beautiful space with all of your classroom necessities. Highly recommend this course at Brainstation!
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Adrian
Data Analytics & Product Management Course
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I took both the Product Management and Data Analytics.
Both courses were overall great. The instructors were from applicable industry groups and were often dealing with the day to day activities that would come up in the course material.
The layout for both structures are organized and easy to follow. It is easy to catch up of you miss a class or two.
The instrutors were always availalble to chat and give insight into their roles and/or industry.
The material was thorough and was at a easy to learn pace.
Very impressed with the learning enviroment! I would recommend to all my friends!
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Will Richman
Product Management Course Review
- The Product Management course was great. The Instructors had a ton of real-world experience to draw from and were able to distill something as confusing as product management, into an understandable body of knowledge.
- Good use of diagrams and models to explain points. -
Kiran Sangra
User Experience Design Review
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I took the UX Design course this past semester. As someone that's worked in the tech industry for a few years (but never in UX), I found this course helpful in learning the theory on why websites and apps look and function the way they do. I had no background knowledge coming into the class, and found the content easy to digest and understand. Every class comes with an "educator" as well as a teaching assistant, which helps when trying to hear different views (on the same topic) from working professionals in the field. The courses are taught in a beautiful space in downtown Vancouver. Would highly recommend if you're looking for a quick crash course (10 weeks) into UX Design! -
Sarah
Digital Marketing
I had a great time learning more about digital marketing from industry experts. BrainStation puts on engaging sessions to those who want to learn more. Lots of valuable information!
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Laura Robertson
UX - Recommend!
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The educators were both hands on, insightful, and always willing to make themselves available to support in anyway.
The content was easy to follow, and super useful. It was awesome because the content was all made readily available to access any time, any where.
LOVED the learning environment; there was extra thought put into all the little details.
Everyone was so helpful, and totally there for you and your learning experience. I would 100% recommend this course to a friend.
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Jenessa
Digital Marketing
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Digital Marketing at Brainstation definitely gets 5 out of 5 stars across the board! Over the ten weeks, every piece of course material is rooted in everyday examples, so you really develop an understanding on how to apply the content in your every day work. As a social media manager, every week I've brought away another new tool - whether big or small - to implement into my career. Plus, the entire set up of the class focuses on developing a digital marketing strategy for a local company, so every week you're taking bits of what you've learned and immediately applying it.
Along with the course material, the instructors are absolutely awesome. Both Conner and Laura currently work in the industry, so the knowledge they bring is current and applicable. They're also both very willing to answer any questions - class related or career related - which is huge for continuing to develop your digital marketing skills.
The class very much extends beyond just the 3 hour instruction time in the classroom. All around, Brainstation has been a solid experience and I'd reccomend it to anyone, espeically those working fulltime looking to continue professional development!
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Kristen B.
Best Tech School
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The Digital Marketing course at Brainstation was great. There were a lot of practical skills transferred and I appreciate how it was case study based - having us work with a single business in mind throughout the whole course. I would have to say my favourite module was 'growth hacking', although they were all fascinating. You can expect to learn the beginning principles of all things social media related, as well as how to craft ads and take a small to medium sized business and grow it. I would highly recommend this course to anyone thinking about taking it. Great teachers, TA's and guest speakers make it a fun and non-stressful environment. Looking forward to the brand new campus!
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Kristen B.
Best Tech School
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The Digital Marketing course at Brainstation was great. There were a lot of practical skills transferred and I appreciate how it was case study based - having us work with a single business in mind throughout the whole course. I would have to say my favourite module was 'growth hacking', although they were all fascinating. You can expect to learn the beginning principles of all things social media related, as well as how to craft ads and take a small to medium sized business and grow it. I would highly recommend this course to anyone thinking about taking it. Great teachers, TA's and guest speakers make it a fun and non-stressful environment. Looking forward to the brand new campus!
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Vanessa
Great Experience
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I first enrolled into Wyncode because I wanted to change my career. I had some exposure to coding lessons in college but never took it seriously. I then started the self thaught path but it wasn't taking me anywhere, after doing some tutorials I didn't really know how to tie it all together and make something with it.
I started searching for coding lessons, certifications and that is when I stumbled upon Wyncode, I went to a sample classs and decided that I was going to take the chance and get into this hobby to make it my career.
It was a difficult journey, you really have to be on top of assignments and very important if there is something you do not understand ask questions, lots of them when you first start learning about that term because everything builds up and if you are not on top of the tasks it is very hard to catch up.
Overall, it was a great expericne they really teach you the fundamentals and most importantly they teach you how to learn by yourself, and when you graduate you have a great community of people who are willing to help you so you are also getting a support group out of this experience.
I really recommend this course for anyone who wants a change of career or just to learn something new, you will fall in love with codin and the experience as a whole is really life-changing.
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Nicole
Product Management
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I'm just about to complete a 10-week course in Product Management at Brianstation and it has been a fantastic experience. My educators are not only knowledgeable experts in the field but also extremely friendly and supportive, sharing valuable insight and guiding us through completing our projects. Through Slack, they're always available to help and go beyond the course to answer any questions that we have! My class size was small so we were all able to receive individual feedback from our educators and they really made sure that we all had a chance to talk about our projects after mid-course presentations before moving on. As someone who comes from zero experience, I can certainly say that I've learned tons about product management and feel more confident now talking to others in the tech world. The campus is convenient to get to and a wonderful space to learn in with a big sense of community. I would definitely recommend this course!
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Kevin S
Product Management - Spring 2017
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BrainStations course on Product Management is a great resource.
I worked for two years as a Product Manager prior to taking this course and have found the subject matter to be very relevant to both myself and my co-students.
The instructors have been fantastic and are always available to discuss any questions. They consistently go out of their way to assist students and have extensive experience to back up what they are saying with concrete, real world examples!
BrainStations facilities are excellent for collaboration and are available for current students to use any time. My experience with BrainStation as a whole has been very useful and positive, I highly recommend!
I'm energized, re-tooled and ready to go!
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Brandon
UX & Data Analytics - Awesome!
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I took both User Experience Design and Data Analytics, both were awesome.
- Great structure to the UX course. Builds up on concepts very well and gives you the tools you need to complete your course project, which you work on from day 1 applying the concepts taught in class
- Content covered everything I needed to meaningfully use UX in my work
- Can't say enough positive things about the educator Sarah, always made class awesome.
- Data Analytics provides a great into on statistics, and builds on that understanding to help me analyze and visualize data. Exactly what I needed for my job.
- The space is beautiful. Besides looking good, and the free coffee, the people that are there are always willing to chat and share ideas and help.
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Natalie
digital marketing
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So far, I have loved this course. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who is interested in producing any type of content. I feel like this is hugely beneficial to understanding the ways that ecommerce thrives as well as getting digital content out and seen. I wanted to take this course because I had seen so many application for it in unexpected places. I was looking for work with environmental groups and small companies alike and they were all looking for digital marketing experience.
The location is great. Good vibes all around. I really feel like I can focus there. But I can also relax. Sometime I arrive early and I get right to work on my final project, sometimes I make tea and play ping pong.
The teachers are awesome, smart, funny, talented women and the guest lectures have been on point! Christie, the main instructor works for Hootsuite and is very au courant. I really appreciate having someone who is actually in the industry represent what they deal with on a day to day. I feel that a huge benefit of this course is that the instruction is based on current jobs and realistic job demands partly because jargon and terminology is half the battle and partly because things change so fast in this field that that it is necessary to have someone who can explain why and how some of the new things that have come out are important, or what deeper significances they have, with examples.
Content wise, I find this course a little bit softer than I had anticipated. Not lighter in content, just a little more conceptual. I think this speaks more to the field than to the instruction. I feel inspired by the instructors to be innovative, because ultimately critical thinking is key here. I was surprised by how heavily creativity is balanced with procedure. They really illustrate how data analysis is the number one key to strategic and effective marketing.
overall positive experience, I am even thinking of signing up for class that takes a deeper look into one specific aspect of the wonderfullly broad categories that class has focused on.
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Candice Savage
Digital Marketing Review
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I am on my final week of the Digital Marketing program at Brain Station in Vancouver. I was firstly so thrilled to know that there was a program to help me increase my skills in this area without having to spend years at a local college. Once I heard about Brain Station through word of mouth I knew I had to take this program. I have learned SO much within the past 2 months that a billion YouTube videos could never teach me. Both of my leaders, Christie and Zamina, were extremely knowledgeable, passionate and up-to-date within this industry and brought many personal stories through their work experience to the classroom to share. Besides the informative and interesting hands-on classes that are themed each week, I really enjoyed that I had access to multiple tools to help elevate each week's theme in the form of suggested articles, websites, and programs. Being able to have a local brand to focus on was another bonus as I got to dig deep into the community of Vancouver and gain a full understanding on how to research your market, set objectives and build out a marketing campaign from start to finish. I would have NEVER been able to even have completed step 1 of 10 when building out a campaign before this program. I am excited to bring my skills to my work, applying all of my knowledge and feeling confident that I can tap into my market while gaining new interactions more than ever before. I would highly suggest this program to entrepreneurs and digital marketing enthusiasts alike.
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Emily MJ
Product Management 10 week course
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Almost finished taking the 10 week Product Management course and have absolutely loved the experience. The classes are small, the instructors are super knowledgable and the course content is current and relevant. I recommend taking the course with Jeff as he brings with him a ton of experience and knowledge. He also encourages people to reach out to him outside of class if they have any questions and he's very good about suggesting supplemental reading materials he thinks are worth while. I definitely recommend taking the PdM course if you are interested in becoming a Product Manager or if you'd like to know more about the product lifecycle from idea to creation.
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Chiara
Brain Station Vancouver Digital Marketing
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I enrolled in the Digital Marketing course at Brainstation Vancouver with very little background in technical skills or understanding the online marketplace in general. I can happily say that after 8 weeks (I still have 2 classes left) I feel so much more confident in what it takes to create a successful marketing strategy as well as understanding the behind-the-scenes details of implementing marketing goals. The instructors are both so lovely and highly encourage questions throughout class and on Slack throughout the week. Though some of the concepts at first seem very daunting, the instructors make sure that they walk through everything step by step to ensure everyone understands what they are talking about.
It should be noted that the course revolves around a singular project where you are sorted into groups the first week and assigned a local company that you create a marketing strategy for by the end of the course. This is to ensure that all the topics addressed in class can be applied to your project. While I think this is a good idea, for me it is a little frustrating to learn a topic and immediately apply it to a business that you don't work for. I like the modules for the class and I really enjoy the different examples of successful uses of digital marketing strategies but I think I would prefer less of an emphasis on your assigned company and project. It feels like a lot of time spent (for example) performing different iterations of google adwords for just one company as opposed to understanding how something like that would work for different businesses.
All in all, I think it is a great course with awesome content and fantastic instructors!
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Lauren Low
Web Development (Part-Time)
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There were two teachers for the part time web development class. This was super helpful because they could spend time and give a great deal of help to everyone. I found that they were both patient and knew how to work around the various challenges. Both instructors are currently working in the industry which was reassuring that the advice the class was being given was valid. Before taking the class, I knew a little bit of coding. However, this class helped refine my code and follow the best practices in industry. A lot of the content were things I have been asked in interviews before which was also reassuring. Everyone taking the class are working and want to learn more skills to stay current. It was nice to connect with other designers who had a same goal as me and share ideas. I found the space quiet and especially clean! They make it really comfy and open for a large volume of students. I would recommend this course to anyone who is working and wants to upgrade their skills. Having the class only once a week gives more time to catch up with the content and prepare for the week coming. It's a great course for people who don't know any code and people who have previous knowledge.
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Lauren Marceil
Great school to up your digital skills game
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Great school for learning digital skills. The educators are seasoned professionals in the industry they are teaching in, and the content was tailored to be able actually help you in the skills you need to master to be the best in your field. The Yaletown campus is a sweet learning space, and you get to connect to an amazing student community. Plus, you get to stay connected with your classmates and professors over Slack, and they go the extra mile to answer your questions and help you in your career. I would highly recommend Brainstation to a friend.
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Meredith
Amazing course!
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I am just about done my 10-week tenor at Brainstation in their Product Management class with Jeff. I took this course as a means to compliment my current role, but it became so much more. Being back in a learning environment after nearly 5 years of graduating university was amazing. The Brainstation environment is unique - very small class size, one on one training, and your instructor is a talented professional in the industry. I learned a lot, but I also made connections/mentors, and was able to properly execute the means for a product idea I've had for a while. I would suggest this course to anyone looking to learn more about Product Management in a learning style that is very suitable for our time. By no means are these courses 100% textbook and theory based. You gain the knowledge but also are able to do a lot of hands-on learning to, and take away a tangible product at the end. I'm sad it's over!
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Maria
Are you ready for your blessings?
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I enrolled in Wyncode much like the majority of alumni, because I wanted a career change and I needed it fast. It completely changed my life and exposed me to a network of highly motivated, intelligent and caring individuals. The staff is extremely dedicated and believe in Wyncode as much as you want to. Given the demanding nature of a 10-week coding boot camp, they really want to ensure that you're taken care of in every sense--mentally, physically. Even after graduation, being apart of the "Wynfam" is for life, and you are granted access to a community that is rife with networking events, social functions, tech meetups, hackathons, etc. You'll make friends because everybody makes friends, and they'll be good ones at that.
Wyncode has an unbeatable network of hiring partners and the weekly Wynwork sessions are designed to get you in contact directly with companies through the Director of Hiring Partnerships. If you're struggling or anxious about finding work, consider Wyncode's dedication to connecting students to job opportunities sets them apart from other coding boot camps. I had very little work experience and was not well versed in soft skills nor how to market myself, but that was no matter. On top of learning web development, Wyncode is replete with resume writing work shops, "Wynterviews", lectures and guest speakers that help you familiarize yourself with the tech climate in South Florida, how to negotiate a salary, etc.
If you're serious about a career change in tech, this message is to reassure you to do Wyncode. You won't regret it. Probably.
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Kelly Irwin
5 stars for Brainstation
My experience at Brainstation has been a truely positive one. The content is up to date, informative, and led by Vancouver's industry professionals. Brainstation offers up a very helpful community, which is really useful whenever you have some extra questions about the content or just want to meet people with a similar interest in Digital Marketing ( a great place to network)!
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Nick Duncan
Great Experience
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I had a great experience taking The Wyncode Academy's Full-Stack Web Development program. Ed Toro was an excellent instructor, not only was he extremely knowledgeable about the subject matter, but he explained a massive amount of information in a fun and understandable way. He definitely inspired me to work every day and strive for his level of skill and expertise.
The Full-Stack Web Development curriculum was a great introduction to the logic and syntax of computer programming, and learning the Ruby on Rails framework gave me the tools to quickly deploy web applications as well as a solid base of knowledge on which to learn other programming languages. I was happy that we also learned some basic computer science and statistics, components missing from many boot camp curriculums.
My classmates were also a great support network and made the learning environment that much better. As a newcomer to Miami, they made me feel at home, and I made some great friends during the course.
After graduation, Miguel Cruz was essential in helping me find a job and staying positive throughout the job application process. He works impossibly hard to build relationships with hiring partners and help student and graduates build their networking and communication skills. It's safe to say that I wouldn't have my current job without his help and Wyncode's network.
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Philip dlC
An Eternal Optimist Pivots Into a New Career
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This review will seem biased to the jaded, the cynical, or those hunting for what makes them happy. This review will likely not be useful to the individual who looks at developing, software, and tech as simply a quick plan to 'get rich.'
I have always liked technology, I like information, and I was never the best student.
Before Wyncode I held more jobs than I can count, trying to make ends meet while living in New York City and struggling to catch a break in the theater world. Suffice to say, while that never happened, my life was going to change in an unexpected way.
I moved back to Florida from NYC and started a job at a production company that aired content for Lifetime television. I worked on a military veteran program and spearheaded a story about getting veterans back into the workforce. The most consistent profession I saw (across the board) that didn't require going back to school full time was computer programming. I reached out over social media to some friends to see who could tell me more about this career path and had a number of friends contact me. Some spoke of C#, others .NET, and a few PHP. However one of my friends, someone I had not seen or heard from in almost ten years, told me about a language called Ruby and how it had changed his life. I liked the idea, but I thought I could do it alone...in short, I couldn't.
Remember when I said I wasn't the best student? Well teaching myself programming didn't exactly work out as easy as I had planned, and so I swallowed my pride, I signed up for a one-day intensive with Wyncode at Florida International University and I met MIT graduate Ed Toro. Flash forward two months and I've applied and completed my pre-course work, and am driving down for my first day.
Now, programming isn't for everyone. When you hear someone say 'anyone can code,' they are right, but there should be an asterisk next to 'anyone.' For some it'll come naturally, for others it will come with hard work, dedication, and long nights, and for a select few, it will come by a mixture of mad science, brain swapping, and ritualistic sacrifice. Thankfully I was somewhere in between the first two. I like computers, and I adore Google, so while I wasn't the best student I could usually finagle my way through until I find a working solution. Again, while 'anyone' can do this, it is not for everyone.
I personally liked Wyncode. I liked my class of (mostly) extroverts. I was fortunate enough to get hired within a month of graduating. My story, however, isn't everyone's. The majority of my classmates have jobs and are happy. We never expected to walk out of Wyncode as Bill Gates part 2, but no one going into a coding school should. I was fortunate enough to not be jaded by the job search and never had any sort of prejudice thrown my way for selecting a coding school over a traditional school, but I know that not everyone finds a job immediately, and some people truly do feel the dreaded 'imposter syndrome' for a while after graduating.
If you're still with me at this point, I liked Wyncode. I would recommend it to you if you can afford the price tag attached. It's less expensive than many on the West Coast, and the greatest benefit to Wyncode (in my opinion) is the job placement assistance that continues even after you're hired. As with anything in life, you get what you give, if you truly are looking for a change to your life, computer programming may not be your thing, but if it is, take a lok at Wyncode. Attend one of their free all day boot camps. Join the Miami Ruby Brigade. Do your research, don't expect it all to come to you on a silver platter, and never stop learning.
tl:dr; I liked Wyncode. You may, you may not. Talk to alumni, go to free events, and do your research. Be prepared to learn.
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Angela M
Digital Marketing
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I was enrolled in the digital marketing course at Brainstation Yaletown and I think it was definitely worth it; I am so glad I chose to take it! The content was relevant, focusing on one (out of ten) aspect per week, with real time (no useless 5-year-old examples), real life (all companies used were locally based), and applicable examples. In addition to the content itself, the space in which the classes are held is modern and clean with exposed brick and glass, while the classes were small enough that you actually felt involved. Not only was the environment warm and welcoming but the instructors are so passionate about their field that you can really get a sense of their enthusiasm for the subject. For anyone looking to expand their knowledge in the world of digital marketing, I 10/10 would recommend. -
Chris Phan
Product Management - Winter 2017
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Fantastic course for the beginner to product. You will gain a very good foundation for building the specific skill sets required to be a Product Manager. The curriculum is well thought out and taught in a strategic order. The instrutors are very knowledgeable and, most importantly, are VERY enthusiastic about the content. I took this course with NO knowledge of how products are taken from ideation to market. The goal was to help transition out of a Sales career and into product. Goal achieved. Definitely worth the investment if you can.
Areas of Improvement: speaking more on how to make the transition into product. Take a real job posting and bring lessons back to skillsets required on a resume. Show how concepts we have learned speak to the desired skillset.
Thanks BrainStation.
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Gaby
A Leap of Faith
I took a chance on Wyncode after leaving my job of 2 years and it was the best thing I did. Not only did I learn new skills, I met great people, I broaden my network, and I had the guidance and preparation for job opportunities. It was definitiely a step in the right direction. I highly recommend it.
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Michael
Great environment/support/curriculum; ROI/Job support needs a lot of improvement
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Overall, taking the web development immersive proved to be a great calculated risk. The community/environment was very supportive of your goals and where you want to end up. The course content was based on the most modern tech stack which is trending upwards which means that most organizations out there might not be using that stack. The educators/TA's were awesome, very approachable and explained concepts very well; & with me being a total beginner with no prior experience in developing this gave me the boost I needed. Being surrounded with like-minded people working towards the same goal assisted in keeping me committed and interested throughout the 3 months.
By no means does Brainstation or any Bootcamp guarantee employment after finishing, nor should they. However, a lot more can be done for student success within Brainstation and assisting students/alumni to get pushed into their respective fields. Career advice/assistance was only given/provided the last week while this should've been a recurring aspect since the beginning. This would undoubtedly improve the student experience and add to the value proposition for what they're providing. With that added effort, they can market their data-driven results to continue growing and uphold student/alumni satisfaction. Overall, great experience with this web development Bootcamp.
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Richard Greenidge
Great Experience
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I signed up for the UX Design Fulltime course in January. For me first time experiences are important, especially when I am laying out alot of cash. I listen carefully to how the people within the organization speak and presnet themselves. I line that up with my interactions with the staff and see if it is consistent.
I can honestly say that this was the case with BrainStation. From the top to the bottom the staff was always transparent with how they deal with the students. The were always honest and upfront. My financial situation at the time was challenging and they were patient and worked with me through the program. It was very easy to talk with instructors on a one to one basis, they were all very approachable.
I appreciated that they became an acredited school. For me that was huge, it means that they are accountable for the product they deliver and I can safely say by the experience I had on the Demo Day they delivered. I was amazed at how many positive comments I got about my App. People could see what I was trying to deliver as a product. This was as a result of they content they delivered. Was the content delivred perfectly everytime, no. However they made the effort to adjust content on the fly or change delivery dates to accomodate people when they werer feeling pressured.
They also continue to develop and tweak the content. So those of you who take the next session will receive an even better experience.
I highly reccomend this course and the orginization. -
Edward Lai
Digital marketing
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I completed the Digital Marketing part-time program at Brainstation Vancouver, and I enjoy the program.
Our course instructors Conner Gallaway and Laura Andersen were so passionate about digital marketing industry and shared many great case studies and their experiences with everyone which is really helpful for us to understand. I particularly like Conner asked, "What's new on social media?" every week at the beginning the class.
I can't wait to use what I've learned to apply to my own photography business and highly recommend this course to everyone, especially start-up entrepreneur! -
R.I.
Life-changing Experience
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I’ll start off by saying Wyncode did change my life. I am a college dropout who for 6 years was working retail and became miserable working in that industry. My friend got me into programming almost a year and a half before starting Wyncode and since then I tried to learn it on my own. The problem with that for me was that I needed some type of learning structure. I made the decision to quit my retail job and enroll in Wyncode. It was the best decision I have ever made. I now work for one of Wyncode’s main hiring partners and I have never been happier professionally in my life.
With that being said, I certainly want to put somethings into perspective. The Wyncode experience was amazing. After spending 9 weeks (now it is 10) together, you grow to be very close with your fellow classmates and the bond you build is truly something special and unique. If I could add a little side note too, it also introduced me to the love of my life. It doesn’t have anything to do with coding but I feel it is important to state as it does have to do with the Wyncode experience. But make no mistake, it certainly is not easy. If you put the time, effort, mind, and sweat into learning, you will learn an insane amount. Obviously if you have some type of prior coding experience it will pay dividends throughout the course.
This leads me to my next point. You will be paying wyncode to teach you how to code and build web applications in ruby. However, it will be you and your efforts that will lead you to be a successful coder. Therefore I speak mainly to those who are interested in finding a job in the tech industry after Wyncode (as this was my case). Do not look at the hiring numbers. Do not use that as a measuring stick. What will get you hired is your knowledge, your hustle, and your personality. To me, the hardest part about the whole Wyncode experience was certainly the post cohort era. That structure that was there in place to teach you how to code goes away. Obviously you have access to Wyncode’s many slack channels and even their space to continue learning and solidifying what was taught during the cohort. But the onus is on you more than ever. It took me 2 months after my cohort to get hired. I saw a job posting on one of their channels and applied. My interview was actually a disaster but my current boss saw something in me and gave me a chance.
So the point of this review is to let the reader know that for me it was a very magical experience. My life literally completely changed with Wyncode. But again, make no mistake. If you are looking for a job afterwards, the struggle is very real. It will be your hustle and determination that lands you that gig in the tech industry.
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Miguel
A Transformative Experience
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Attending Wyncode Academy is definitely one of the best choices I've made. Prior to Wyncode, I had tried teaching myself to program, but between work and school I did not have the time to remain consistent with studying on my own, preventing me from making any noticeable progress. When I found out about Wyncode I felt that it would provide me with perfect learning environment needed for me to effectively learn programming.
Thanks to Wyncode’s well structured and ever improving curriculum and Auston Bunsen’s engaging teaching style, I learned more within the first 2 weeks than I was able to teach myself in roughly a year.
I would definitely recommend Wyncode to anyone looking to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of programming. While the Immersive Web Development course will not teach you everything there is to know about programming, it will certainly give you the foundation needed to build web applications and the proper tools to comfortably continue learning new languages and technologies on your own, once you have completed the course. -
Cydney Rusch
UX Design Inmmersive (UXI)
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When I looked into this course I wasn't sure if you could be job ready after only taking a course for 10 weeks but decided it was worth a try. The course was a lot of work and coming from a background unrelated to tech and design I had a few learning curves. You get what you put into the course and if you work hard and complete as much of the work as you can you should leave ready to persue a career in UX design.
Brainstation does a good job providing students with networking opportunies by having classes visit local start- ups and other digital companies, having speakers come in every Friday and allowing students to attend their events either free or for a discounted price. The Toronto campus is located in a beautiful building with a kitchen stocked with snacks and coffee. Overall, I had a great experience and would recommend this program.
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Ryan
C7
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Wyncode was a really good experience for me. I was in C7 Ft. Lauderdale and would highly recommend it. My caveats are that no matter what you learn in class it will never be enough for an entry level job. This isn't a dig against Wyncode but just the reality of learning to code. You'll immediately be given tasks in your first job that are out of your skillset and Wyncode will have taught you the necessary skills to figure it out, but not necessarily the answer.
Auston was great, he's toss you in the deep end kind of teacher. I found his teaching style be to really engaging and relatable. Before attending I sat in on classes with both Auston and Ed and found Auston to be a personality I enjoyed more.
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Jinpeng Zhang
Very helpful and great experience
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I joined the Web Development Immersive course during the summer with a strong interest and hope for related career development. The course was very informative and the instructors and TAs were very helpful in every aspect.
Learning job-ready skills in 10 weeks bootcamp can definitely be very challenging. I had to put in a lot of effort to gain the maximum out of the course even with some background in computer science. But it was very much worth it.
People without science background could find it hard to catch up with the materials at times, but the TAs were very helpful and the instructors added extra sessions to help go over the materials so that everyone's on the same page.
The syllabus was very well organized and the contents taught were very up-to-speed with the industrial standard.
ps. They also provided snacks, energy bars and fruits. Sometimes they also had meals for special events, or left-over food from other courses, and it was soooooo good!
tl;dr: great course, fantastic people, can be challenging, need a lot of effort, and delicious food!
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Raghav Midha
Great Experience
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I completed the FT Web Immersive program this past summer in August of 2016. The program, which utilizes a flipped-classroom approach to teach modern, cutting-edge technologies, offered a unique learning opportunity to my expand technical skills as well as gain valuable industry experience through working in diverse teams under real world circumstances.
In such a program where grades are nonexistent, one really needs to put in the extra work and ask necassary questions to make the most of the entire experience. I would say if you can consistently put a strong effort in throughout the duration of the program you will confidently walk away with substantial value.
To this point the BS team and staff were exceptional, they offered us unlimited access to the workspace, discounts to BS events outside the classroom, and were always available for questions even if such questions were beyond the scope of the program.
I would say one area the BS team could improve in is to spend more 1 on 1 time with students to assess and discuss their progress in the course. My cohort of 30+ was the largest they had seen to date, we had a distinct skills gap where many students were struggling while several others were getting bored with the slowed pace. To my understanding they have begun to address this issue with recent cohorts by scaling back, increasing admissions standards, and focusing more on student experience.
The cirriculum and course content they provide is fantastic, it is still something I am referring back to even as I am now compeleting a Bsc. in computer science. They do a tremendous job of exposing you to the most essential and relevant technologies in such a short period of time. Even after the program is over they allow access to the course portal and are always available to answer any questions you may have.
I would certainly recommend BS to anyone seriously interested in attending a web dev bootcamp but only after advising them that bootcamps should not be seen as a ticket to a job as a full stack developer but rather as an extremely strong foundation and starting point from which the must continue to work hard and grow into the space.
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Carlos Ramos - Web Developer at Debt.com
A super intense learning experience!
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I waited four months to write this review, because I wanted to have the benefit of hindsight. Now I can safely say that my experience at Wyncode was both intense and incredibly productive. The amount of subjects that are covered in nine weeks is mind-boggling, and the pace will push you to your limits. Make no mistake, the full time web development bootcamp is definitely what YOU make of it.
The curriculum of the program is very well designed, and improvements were made constantly from week to week. There were one or two lectures that could have been done in a different order, but other than that it was very well written and edited. They had frequent live and group coding sessions, and additional breakouts for specific subjects like CSS and JavaScript when needed. There were plenty of in-class hackathons. The one on one coding challenges were extremely helpful, and great preparation for job interviews. The school also brought in working developers to share their experience in the field. Overall there was a great balance between lectures, additional content and live coding. It would be hard to pull all of this off without an amazing staff, and that is exactly what Wyncode provided. The instructors, TA's, campus directors and job placement staff care deeply about your success and are there to support you the whole way through. Auston Bunsen was the lead instructor for our course and he brought years of senior development experience to the table. He was very conscious of making sure the learning pace of was right for everyone in the class, and he was calling on students constantly to answer questions and check your learning. If you are shy and a bit quiet, you will get over it quickly, because every student gets to contribute. Tim and Jose were our assistant instructors and they were amazing! Anything that needed extra coverage they took the lead. Gabe led our morning info sessions and set the pace for the day. Jo and Juha, the founders were there pretty often as well, so the staff is very hands on.Upon graduation they have a program called Wynwork, where your resume is reviewed and you work with the job placement staff. You are encouraged to set coding goals for the week and you have access to job boards that they curate. It was from one of these boards that I got my first internship as a developer, and it was that internship that got me my current job. Any opportunity that you get to code you should consider even if it's in a different language (I currently code using PHP).
It is difficult to cover every single aspect of web development in nine weeks, and I learn new things constantly at work through daily practice, especially on the front end. The program provided me with a solid programming foundation that would have taken me years to learn on my own, and as such it was worth the monetary and time investment.
Like I said before, this bootcamp IS what you make of it, so if you're thinking of attending, come prepared to give it your all!
PS - I prepared a lot prior to coming to the course and it really allowed me to take full advantage of the program. These are the books/ courses I used:
- Ruby Essential Training with Kevin Skoglund @ Lynda.com- Foundations of Programming: Fundamentals with Simon Allardice @ Lynda.com
- The Ruby Programming Language by Flanagan and Matsumoto
- Think Like a Programmer by V. Anton Spraul (READ THIS BOOK!)
- Daily practice on codewars.com
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Olivia Viola
UI Design (Visual Design)
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I can’t say enough about BrainStation. For those who are looking to learn a new skill or change careers altogether, these part-time courses are so ideal. I work full-time, so taking a full-time course isn’t an option for me, but the part-time course makes learning super flexible!
I’ve noticed that a lot of employers are looking for basic knowledge in HTML/CSS, so having additional insight of UI Design is complementary to that.
The instructors are knowledgable and approachable. They are attentive and give great constructive feedback.
Would highly recommend! -
Rob
Digital Marketing
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I just finished up the part time Digital Marketing course in Toronto. I recently graduated from a Marketing and Communications university undergrad. I wanted to take this course as an alternative to a 1 or 2 year post-graduate diploma at a college, and I'm very happy I made that decision. It was an expediated alternative to bridge the gap from a common business degree into a more specialized field. I took from the course exactly what I was looking. And whether it was the course helped or not I don't know...but I landed an entry level position with Digital Marketing Agency here in Toronto very quickly.
PROS
- Course content was relevent, practical, and insightful in todays tech and marketing world.
- The digital marketing campaign you are assigned to build out as your group project, was directly inline with course content and a great way to apply concepts into a real life setting.
- My class was taught by a Growth Hacker from Shopify and assisted by a Digital Marketing Manager from Adidas. They seemed to have a lot of industry experience and insight.
- The Brainstation space/building is top notch, and there staff are super helpful and welcoming. I was sad when I finished up the course.
CONS
- The course does go by quick. If you don't pay attention in class or miss a class in general, you will be missing an important part.
- The classes/instructors could improve there timing/structure. Breaks and project time need to be more defined and consistent.
- The brands assigned to the RFP project should give more info with regards to their needs and direction. Also, students should not be allowed to chose which brand they work on. As a marketing professional in the real world, you don't always get to pick who your clients are right?
OVERALL
From what I gathered from my course and time there, Brainstation is leading the pack in Toronto it comes to this kinda stuff. The place seems like a hub for tech, design, and business people. Come in with an open mind, and not with a "know it all" mentality. You'll learn a lot more that way.
Like anything in life, it is what you make of it. If you put the effort to pay attention in class, interact with other students/instructors, and most importantly apply/practice the concepts you learn in class towards the project...you will take a lot from it. And the project is a big portfolio builder in my opinion. Also, as a student you get access to all the other bootcamps and events they hold on a weekly basis. I definately took advantage of that. Once I settle into my new job, I thinking I'll be taking the Product Management course. Overall experience = 4/5.