BrainStation

Hi everyone,

I'm a recent grad of the UX Design Full Time program at Brainstation.  Overall this program was a great life-changing experience that exceeded my expectations.  Friendly staff, nice facilities, great location, and an environment where you really feel at home during and even after the course is over.  They really do keep you in the family long after the course is over.  

Pros:

-Staff is friendly and always there to help

-Lectures are thorough and easy to understand

-Building is clean and usually stacked with plenty of snacks, fruit, and drinks

-They throw good parties 

 

Cons:

-Feedback could have been more direct (I can take it)

-More time and lectures could be allotted to porfolio building as that is what gets you your job when its over (I heard that this was updated in the next cohort)

 

Overall, I had a great time at Brainstation.  I left fully prepared to start working in UX, and what more can you expect from a 10 week program?  

For those who are concerned about "will I get a job", you will get a job if you are worth hiring.  Seriously, if you think a 10 week program will magically get you a job just cause you paid some money you are dilusional.  You will get a job because you work hard, learn, network, and excel.  This program puts you in an environment where you can do that, but its really up to you.  Trust me, everyone who worked hard in this class got a job, thats all it is.

The BrainStation UX Diploma was an amazing experience. It was well-structured and acts as a great transitional step for both existing early career designers and new to field designers. It really summed up a holistic digital design education in 3 months. It is not for the faint of heart and requires a lot of dedication and both, physical and mental commitment but is extremely rewarding. You get some great opportunities to network throughout. The more you put into it, the more you get out. The instructors and staff were all super supportive and were in your corner wanting you to succeed.

Things I could've done to succeed better:
1. Attend a program with campuses within my location. I completed this course as an online-only student in a different country and I know students who were close to a BrainStation campus had a higher job success rate and better connections after graduating. This was a huge miss on my part.
2. Taken a more aggressive continued learning approach where I was diving into design problems and softwares every day. 
3. Really push myself to submit as many quality job applications as possible. 

Things BrainStation could've done better to help students get hired in the field they studied:
1. Vetted instructors for their ability to teach and not just their industry experience.
2. Paced the course into smaller assignments and/or had more assignments that allowed you to practice individual concepts. Most graded assignments were big projects that compiled multiple concepts, which is true to real work experience, but something I wish we could've worked up to. A lot of students felt behind because they would not pick up on a skill quick enough and their projects would be docked for it. 
3. Set a realistic expectation for interested students on how much time this will take. Most people are working full-time, taking care of kids and families. I set myself up for success and only worked part-time while doing the part-time course and was STILL struggling. My class started with 30 students and only graduated 8. The work isn't hard, there's just a ton of it.
4. Train career success coaches to offer more services than resume review, roleplay interviews, and advising to mass apply. The job market is so subjective and what one industry expects of an applicant is different for another. In fact, I think the career coaches should have more training and knowledge than any other BrainStation employee, because their ability to help you get a job is why you're paying for a bootcamp. 
5. An assignment that allows you to work individually with a client and get some soft skills experience. The competition where everyone designed for the same prompt/client was worthless and pitted designers against eachother instead of creating a collaborative environment. 
6. Allow instructors to do majority of grading instead of assistants OR increase communication between assistants and instructors. There were so many instances where a student would be told from an instructor to complete an assignment one way, then be docked points because the assistants graded a different way.
7. Have optional activities during study sessions that allows you to practice concepts with an instructor assistant.
8. Don't make attending 2 study sessions a week mandatory for attendance!! If you need to mandate attendance to validate your instructor assistant's salary, then your instructor assistants are not doing enough!

Worth the tuition price? No. 
How many of the graduates in my program are currently in a UX/UI position as of 2025? 1 out of 8. 
Do I think there's any bootcamp model that could decently prepare you for a career pivot? In hindsight, no. The only people I saw benefit from these bootcamps were people who already worked in a related field. For example, a graphic designer who wants to pivot into UX design. 

Above all BrainStation is a business. In my opinion if you have the discipline and drive to complete this bootcamp, then you have the drive and discipline to teach yourself these skills and save $16,000.

The overall pacing was exactly what I expected after doing research. It was very involved, but you get what you put into it. I was keen on always asking any questions that came to mind and the teachers & TAs always took the time to answer or if they didn't have an answer, they would follow up to provide me with the relevant materials. Bottom line, I have just graduated, just completed a full stack app completely by myself and honestly feel ready for employment. I'm so excited for my future!

I recently completed BrainStation’s Software Engineering Bootcamp and overall had a great experience. The program is fast-paced and intensive, but well-structured for beginners or those transitioning into tech.The curriculum focuses on full-stack development, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Node.js, and databases like MySQL and MongoDB. The learning is hands-on, with plenty of projects and a final capstone you can showcase in your portfolio. The material is current and aligned with what employers are looking for, though some topics could benefit from deeper dives.Instructors and TAs were supportive and approachable, though your experience may vary depending on who’s teaching. You’re expected to be proactive and ask questions—there’s not much room to coast.Career support was one of the highlights. They helped me with my resume, GitHub portfolio, mock interviews, and job search strategy. Demo Day was a valuable opportunity to present my work and connect with hiring partners.What stood out most was the community. Whether you attend online or in person, there’s a strong collaborative vibe. Group projects, code reviews, and daily stand-ups made it feel like a real dev environment.This bootcamp isn’t easy—it demands commitment—but it delivers value. If you’re ready to work hard and stay engaged, BrainStation can be a solid step into a software engineering career.

To Whom It May Concern,I had a very positive experience with the digital marketing bootcamp. Although it was a general overview, I understand that time limitations played a role. I learned new concepts about AI, digital marketing strategy, and paid media, all of which I will definitely implement in my future job experiences. I would highly recommend this class to any professional, as the concepts we learned can be applied across various fields. From marketing yourself as an asset to any company, to building a complete strategy to increase revenue for personal projects or in the corporate sector, I have no doubt that this certificate will open new doors for me in the near future.I would also like to thank Eric and Daniel for their mentorship and availability to answer questions at any time.Sincerely,
Lyan M. Babilonia

Was very skeptical going into course but truly the instructor are so helpful and insightful. As someone who knows some, they helped me get a great understanding of SQL, Tableau, and Excel. Giving a deep dive into the curriculum and also giving real world tips that they use on a daily basis. My instructors were so helpful honestly could have asked for more. 

I started this course in November of 2024 and finished in January. My overall experience for the cybersecurity was okay but I wouldn't recommend people to do it.

The reason I say it was good was because there amazing instructors like Kevin, Mitesh, and Bharani. They kept the class very clear, concise, fun, and interactive. I felt very comfortable speaking because the tone and vibe of the class felt like talking to your colleagues. They set a good comradery amongst everyone in the class. For the most part, they were able and tried to explain concepts as thoroughly as possible. I can't say enough nice things about these gentlemen because they really put there all into the class, which was great.

Why I would not recommend this course is that I feel like I can read a book and learn these concepts myself. As someone who wants to be more technical, there were zero to little technical involvement. They pitched some things but wasn't too much. I work in IT and these concepts were some that I already knew. Coming in, I expected to learn a bit more about things like Wireshark or other cybersecurity tools. This felt more of a marketing or communications course than rather an IT course. We didn't really do anything IT hands on. More so we were doing audits or how to analyze a companies IT infrastructure based off of information presented. No real physical involvement were we interact with a system. That's were I fell off and the disappointment started. However, I remained hopeful. The last week of the course was a case study, which was not really something I'm interested in. In my line of work, I don't really do these formal things because of how I determined what I wanted to do in my job and future. I rather much enjoy doing technical things. Wasn't so much technical. A lot reading which I could've done without the course. 

Overall, its a good course for people who want to get into cybersecurity with no experience and who want to transition into a tech role. I wouldn't recommend it for users who are hands on and who enjoy the technical aspects. Also, your better off creating a home lab and learning these concepts yourself. Its better to demonstrate with your own experience then pay $3000 for a course. That being said, no shade at Brain station. Its a great learning platform and I've had friends that did coding and data analytics and overall enjoyed it. But I just won't recommend the cyber security course. 

This program really showed me so much. I’m so glad I join. I’m especially happy to have Leo and Rainer as my instructors. They were so well versed in that area. I hope to stay in contact with them and their expertise. 

After taking BrainStation's Data Analytics course I feel much more confident in my abilities with Excel, SQL and Tableau. The instructors were very friendly, and supportive, as well as thorough.
The course granted me a very solid foundation, allowing me to further enhance my skills in Data Analytics.

I recommend this course to anyone regardless of their level of experience.

I had an incredible experience with this Data Analytics course. The curriculum was comprehensive, and the hands-on approach made learning practical and engaging. The instructors were knowledgeable and always available to help, ensuring no one was left behind. This course gave me the confidence to analyze complex data sets and apply insights effectively. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to advance their analytics skills! 

Joining this boot camp was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! The program is intensive, but the support from the educators and the learning opportunities are unmatched. Over 12 weeks, I went from knowing the basics to building full-stack applications I never thought I could create. They also go above and beyond to prepare you for the job market with resume help, application tips, and industry insights. Networking opportunities were a huge bonus — I met people from top companies like Meta and Microsoft! If you’re ready to challenge yourself and jumpstart your career in tech, this boot camp is the perfect place to begin.

I had a great experience being able to dive into the realm of Data Science. I was able to be informed on all the tools and mindset going into data science and I believe the educators were able to deliver the best effort in supporting us. The overall experience was amazing to really connect me with professionals to help boost my career in the right direction

The whole team on Brainstation is extremely organized, creating a clear, cohesive structure that combines pedagogical teaching, real-world applications, and tangible career-searching actions. 

The UX Design Certificate program at BrainStation was very Impactful! From the beginning, the course emphasized user-centric design principles, and I learned how to approach problem-solving with empathy and creativity. Real-world projects and expert instructors definitely boosted my skills and confidence. I highly recommend this program to anyone eager to excel in UX design and build a strong foundation for a successful career!

I recently completed the Product Management course at BrainStation, and it was an incredible experience. The hands-on learning approach, combined with diverse exercises, team projects, and individual assignments, provided a comprehensive understanding of the product management journey from concept to implementation.



Shortly after finishing the course, I was fortunate enough to land a Product Management role. I genuinely believe the knowledge and skills I gained from Colin Li and Adam Higa were instrumental in securing this position. They fostered a fun and engaging learning environment that allowed us to connect and expand our professional networks. Their passion for product management was contagious, and their authentic enthusiasm inspired me throughout the course.



One aspect that sets BrainStation apart is the caliber of their instructors. They are highly vetted industry professionals who are not only experts in their field but also exceptional educators. Their guidance and mentorship have had a lasting impact on me, both personally and professionally.



I wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone seeking a career in Product Management or simply looking to expand their knowledge and skillset. It provides invaluable insights into the world of product development and equips you with the tools and confidence to excel in this dynamic field.



Whether you're aiming for a career transition or simply want to understand another facet of business, this course is an excellent investment. At the very least, it fosters empathy and reinforces the importance of prioritizing the customer in every aspect of product development.



I am incredibly grateful for the experience and knowledge gained from this course. It has not only propelled my career forward but also ignited a passion for product management. I am confident that I will continue to benefit from the skills and insights I acquired at BrainStation throughout my career.

I genuinely enjoyed the SWE bootcamp at BrainStation. I'd recommend it to any true beginner looking to learn foundational skills in software development. We worked on project assignments that got progressively harder each week, participated in 3 hackathons (one with industry), learned how to work in groups (including sharing a list of Jira tickets), and, at the end, created full-stack MVPs. There were, of course, many other activities in between as well, such as career workshops, daily coding challenges, post-lecture labs, and additional help or tutorial hours, among other things. It is indeed an intensive 12-weeks, and the work truly pays off if you immerse yourself in it. I was really luck to have very awesome, engaging (so funny!), knowledgeable, and genuinely caring educators/TAs, who truly made the experience 5 out of 5. Although there are many more skills to learn (especially back-end), completing this bootcamp can give you the starting point and confidence to go out there and learn more on your own. There's also the Career Accelerator Program post-bootcamp (but also a little during the bootcamp)—I am only a couple of weeks in this phase, but so far has been really helpful with planning and executing the networking and job search. We definitely have to put in the work with finding opportunities, applying, and networking, and I reckon this ongoing support will be crucial as we put ourselves out there in the next few months.

I'm glad I was able to take this course.  I understood things I had taken for granted and I now see the importance of everything we went over.  All the content I was exposed to has open my eyes to a variety of things and conditions I had not considered before.  

This course was challenging, but necessary   I met great classmates and learned to work as a team. The curriculum was heavy (a lot of information) and it was presented very fast. The course is a bit compressed, but it's a great starting point to move forward into the field of Data Analytics. I definitely recommend this challenge to anyone looking to advance in their career.