BrainStation

It has been 2 years since I graduated Brainstation's Full TIme Web Development program and I can say definitevely after 2 years that it was a mistake to attend. I was able to get a part time job based on the Career support they provided but ultimately was told by the employer that it was never going to be a full time role. From there, I did a heavy amount of job hunting, but companies don't have a lot of respect for Brainstation graduates it turns out. I was told there was a big difference between Brainstation grads and grads from schools like Lighthouse Labs, and it led me to talking to other graduates from other Brainstation cohorts and realizing that many other grads were in my situation. We evenstarted a group called BS education to help eachother and we now have over 40 graduates all of which have had a tough time getting jobs and needing to take more courses to become more employable. 

The curriculum at the time seemed to lack of a lot of depth and just touch on topics. The teachers are actually great, and I know grads of other programs of theirs have done quite well, but at this point the web development program is known as a weaker curriculum than almost any other one. 

I chose to write this review because I saw that BS came out with an job report and while the 88% rate they boast for the program sounds great, it includes people getting jobs that have nothing to do with development and part time jobs as well. I didn't appreciate what I felt was misinformation and so decided to write a review on here after hearing that this is where a lot of bootcamp students make the choice of joining. 

I took the four day accelerated User Experience course at Brainstation NYC, and came away impresed by the knowledge and practical experience I gained in that short period of time. Eduardo was an experienced and engaging instructor, and I appreciated how the curriculum balanced conveying theoretical concepts and helping us develop real skills by introducing us to industry tools and applying them to a capstone project.

The campus itself occupies a gorgeous space in Soho, and the support and onboarding teams were incredibly friendly and responsive to our needs. Coming into the program with a background in business, I'm excited to put my experience to work right away as I spec and design the MVP for a new venture.

I recently took the 4-day intensive course online for Data Analytics and overall was quite happy with the experience. I found the instructor/s were knowledable about the course content and were able to customize the lesson based on what our group wanted extra learning from.

The curriculm itself was good, but I think the organization of the information could have been better - we covered basic rules of data presentations toward the end when I really felt like we should have covered that at the beginning before diving into SQL, Tableau, and Advanced Excel. That said it served as a bit of a brain break (for me anyway). The datasets we used in practice were real and I appreciated that we were given time to explore those datasets to query meaningful data from them. When you sign up they give you a pre-course assignment to get your brain in the right headspace for the class and I felt well supported by the staff and instructors before and during the course. I have access to the materials for at least 6 months afterward so if I want to run more practice on the datasets, I can noodle. Brainstation also offers discounts for alumni for future course offerings and scholarships.

My only complaint is I wish they had given us a list of software to download ahead of time for the online course - luckily I have permissions to download onto my work computer but I could see this could be an issue with other students in future. That said, we had online access to a MySQL so we could get started without downloading soaftware.

Overall, I loved the course and feel confident in my ability to apply these skills in my current position today and for future job opportunities. 

Wyncode has been one of the best experiences of my life. Whether it be the curriculum, the instructors, the staff, or the job support. Wyncode excels at delivering on it's promise to their students. As a graduate of the University of Miami's  School of Business, I can say that a standard 4-year degree is indeed valuable, however it definitely did not prepare me for the job search / experience post graduation. But at Wyncode, I was able to learn the pratical skills needed to land myself a full-time position in just a matter of 10 weeks. Coding experience or not, it doesn't matter, Wyncode has tailored their curriculum so that even beginners will be able to grasp and understand the material readily. 

Even after graduating from Wyncode, I still recieved continual support from the staff. As I was applying to jobs and meeting with their hiring partners, several instructors made sure to prep me for each respective interview so that I was fully prepared for what i'd be walking into. I loved the program, I would reccomend to anyone / everyone with a desire to grow and dedication torwards learning. 

As a complete stranger to Product Management, I found this couse to be extremely insightful and engaging. The instructors, Andy and Khalid, are approachable, friendly and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to make an entry into Product Managment or refine their knowledge. 

My time at Wyncode gave me the skills and confidence I needed to pursue a new career path - and succeed in finding work soon after graduation. The entire Wyncode experience is amazing - from the incredibly devoted staff to the awesome setting of being in Wynwood. I 100% recommend this school! 

Did you learn a lot?

Was it hard?

Did you get a job after?

Are you happy you made the switch?

My answer: Yes to all of the above.

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Who am I? I’m an artist turned designer. I took this course because I felt a plateau in my previous career as background artist in TV animation.

Bootcamps are tough--not for the lazy or faint of heart. There is no way I could have learned all of that on my own, and guess what? There’s more to learn after the program. That’s understood for every good career, and that’s how you avoid plateaus. Honestly, the program is a blend of Product Management, UX, and UI. Brainstation sets you up with a strong foundation in strategy and design thinking. My only critique is that we did not get to collaborate with the full-time web development students and do proper dev-hand off, which is such a vital part of UI.

After the program, I got a few offers, a lot of rejections, and some “not looking now, maybe later” responses. Teddy Prosser, the career advisor, has been a tremendous help and is the reason why I have my current job in UX/UI. He has exceeded my expectations and has been a tremendous resource of support. Contrastingly, my career advisor from art school has not accepted my LinkedIn connection requests. At a school where I received top marks and was included in the top graduate showcase, I was just a number. The small class sizes at Brainstation allow for individualized attention. Teddy continued to check up on my job performance, asked if I was looking for more opportunities, and offered suggestions for my portfolio. He didn’t have to do all of this, but he did, and I am so thankful.

Those who have a creative visual background like me had an easier time with UI, and it’s a huge plus. There’s a growing demand for it in Vancouver, and there are not a lot of UX only positions anymore. If you don’t come from a creative background but are passionate about design, keep working on it--it takes time, practice, and patience. In the ups and downs, always know that you will have support from your fellow alumni. Sometimes you just need that one “yes,” and if you put in the work and have a good mindset, you’ll get to where you want to be.

You can find examples of Brainstation projects and beyond at www.lanengo.com. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions!

I really enjoyed my Wyncode experience. The teacher is very knowledgeable, approachable and patient. You really get what you put into it like most education programs. I immersed myself in the program and dedicated my life to the bootcamp for those 8 weeks. In doing that I got the most out of the teacher, guest speakers and my peers. I will say that related previous careers like design, psychology, information architecture, software development, etc will help you out a lot more than if you have no related previous experience. The only bad thing I can say about the program is that it's marketed as a education-to-hire, and this is not the case. There's no guaranteed job at the end of the program. You have to work and network in order to get a job in a new industry (if that's the case), but it's the same concept as in the program itself, you have to work hard and be passionate about it.  

Wyncode is the best bootcamp in South Florida!!! I visited other competing bootcamps and I can tell you that Wyncode has the best teaching staff and everyone is super friendly. I did their full stack program and after graduation I found a job through their hiring connections right away. The skills that you gain are incredable and you will always feel challenged, no matter what skill level you start with. Wyncode is absolutely the best and they have the biggest network of South Florida!

I wrapped up a 5 week Digital Marketing course at BrainStation at the end of August. I was truly impressed. In 5 weeks (two evenings a week), we touched on every aspect of digital marketing that you would want to know in today's day and age. I took the course as a compliment to a recent career move. I felt like I didn't have the information I needed when sitting in meetings listening to metrics or campaign strategies. BrainStation gave me the tools I needed to understand the basics of digital marketing, and then the curiosity to go learn a bit more on my own. I will say that the format of two evenings a week does make for a very busy week - I might recommend the 10 week once a week format. The instructors were top notch and the most valuable part of the course came from their own anecdotes and experiences. Would recommend this to anyone who is looking to navigate digital marketing for their own start up business venture or if you simply want to be more well versed in your current role. 

Attending BrainStation was a wonderful experience. I learned the basics of digital marketing, how and when they would be useful to me. I am the owner of a small business, and now realize that with this knowledge I can hire specialists in the field and understand what is required of them. 

I now feel more confident to proceed with understanding the role of my website, its content and SEO. I am now able to interpret the google analytics with insight. I have a clearer vision for my business's social media, paid social and email marketing. 

I hope to continue learning with BrainStation. I enjoyed my classes, teachers and class mates. Thank you for this opportunity. I highly recommend this course to anyone who needs a general overview of digital marketing possibilities. 

Before Wyncode I was a teacher, I was introduced to coding then and decided to take a chance and pursue software development full time. Enrolling in Wyncode was the best decision I ever made.

The program is quite rigorous; however, they give you the tools to become a great developer. DO ALL THE HOMEWORK, and cherish Angel, Don, Tim, Andy, and Miguel. They will fight for you, you have to be willing to put in the time in order to succeed. It was truly an amazing experience; I'm finally excited about my career and my future. Thanks to Wyncode.

This is a long review but please hear me out...or you'll skip out on the scholarship at the end. 

I had the immense opportunity to join Wyncode in the summer of 2016 (cohort X) for the full-stack web immersive program when it was still 9-weeks long. Although the school has grown and changed quite a bit since then, there are still many things I can share about the experience...since, of course, it was so memorable.

Don't get me wrong,...it was definitely a challenging experience but a personal one every student had to go through. Despite the crunch of learning so many skills in 9 weeks (now the curriculum is 10 weeks), it certainly filled a lot of gaps in my self-education. The last few weeks were the most difficult as I had to wrap my head around advanced concepts in a short amount of time, like being given one day to just pick up ajax or authentication. Practice is key though. In the last week, in preparation for Pitch Day, there were limited TAs available to help, which at the same time, may have been a good thing because you were forced to be creative with the final app to make things work.

One of the main reasons why I chose Wyncode was for its well structured curriculum and the support not only from the instructor and TAs but also from the other students, surprisingly. I got my first impression when I went to Pitch Day of cohort 9 and felt the enthusiasm and energy of accomplishment from the group. It was as if they all had been on the best ride of their lives. However, it wasn't until I actually started the program that I experienced the same sensations and reaped up all the benefits, some of which I'll share with you now.

First

Ruby is definitely an easy language to learn and although, it may not be as in-demand as other languages, I think it was a good choice that Wyncode made for students who are spanking brand new to coding. Later on, I would use the programming concepts I learned with Ruby when working with python and javascript.

Second

I, personally, loved the one-on-ones, the morning briefs and the group self-reflection meetings held frequently. As introvert as I am sometimes, it gave me an opportunity to self-reflect, help others, confess challenges (whether personal or coding-related) within the group and contribute to the improvement of the learning experience. With the cohort's feedback, Wyncode coordinators made adjustments sometimes and I think that was very wise for a coding bootcamp to do that.

Third

I think it is very important that teaching/mentoring be in a way that guides students to think for themselves on how to come up with solutions to problems. That way, it stimulates creative juices. This is one of the reasons why I enjoyed the one-on-ones so much. Of course, you also have to have the drive and determination of trying to understand what you cannot understand (temporarily), but it helps that the TAs don't go straight into giving out the answers ...neither do they spoon-feed. They question your decisions and force you to take time to let things sink and let the lightbulb turn on naturally.

Fourth

I like the diversity of activities. One day, we were given the opportunity to do some quality testing on an iOS app, ...another day, we had a networking opportunity with a Wyncode partner, ...another day, we had a shindig at the wynwood yard, ...another day, we had a Friends & Family event to present our first app. It was never a boring moment.

Fifth

Wyncode partners are many and there's definitely many opportunities to get employed even before graduating, provided you put in the research and are interested in working for them. However, before and after graduation, you also have free access to Wynwork, a bi-weekly job support session that helps Wyncoders with interviews, resumes, negotiations, etc. I went to a few sessions before I left for a master degree program abroad and I can say first hand that the resources and advice they provide is very valuable. The more you go, the better it is to get in the right mindset and in preparation to present well,...the business of you.

So... all in all, you are what you make of it. If you're ready to take the next step in creating web apps or making them intuitive and interactive with UI/UX design, Wyncode is it.

Before you enroll, just fill out this form and you'll receive a partial scholarship. On top of that...you don't have to pay tuition back until you're employed. Whoop! Whoop!

Feel free to reach out to me on twitter @naestevez if you have any questions. :)

Having been an entrepreneur for almost a decade I have learned a lot along the way, but I needed to sharpen my skills and looked at Brain Station and enjoyed how supportive they were right from the start. I was apprehensive that the course would be an overview of the details but was pleasantly surprised that they dove into the finer areas of digital marketing but not so data-driven that it was over your head. The class taught me all the tools within a short amount of time, and the interaction with other students and industry-focused instructors was extremely valuable. I'm already looking forward to taking another course.

Last week I completed the 10-week part-time Digital Marketing Course at BrainStation Toronto and it was a great experience. I'm really happy I took the course and recommend it to anyone looking to gain core digital skills.

The lead instructor, Sarah, was a great teacher - knowledgeable, experienced, and a clear communicator who often related the course content back to her real life marketing job, which was helpful in better understanding the material. It was also helpful to have a co-instructor (Sameer) in the course - both were supportive and always had helpful advice. 

I especially enjoyed working on the final project - a digital marketing strategy for an existing brand - and applying everything we learned, seeing it all come together, and getting immediate feedback from the instructors.

And the Toronto campus is a great learning environment in the heart of the tech hub. 

I’m very happy to say I’ve just completed the accelerated format User Experience Design course at Vancouver’s BrainStation. I attended through a scholarship appointment as a Brand Ambassador. I’m very happy with how it went - the instructor was in industry,  and had knowledge about freelance, enterprise, and start-up culture - the students were in industry as well, the loft style studio campus was a great place to chill and work, and the content answered all my questions! Even if you already know about UX it’s a great chance to double down. Being in a formal classroom environment is a great way to gain confidence! I would recommend this to friends!

I took the SEO/SEM/Analytics Course this Spring at Brain Station in Toronto Ontario. The overall experience was excellent. I was in a position in my job role where I needed to deepen my skills in SEO/SEM and in reporting on Google Analytics. This course provided me with the skills I needed. They also had so many flexible options for taking this class which could cater to those in school, with a full time job, or even those with a family. The instructors of this course were very helpful and really had a grasp on the course and GA and Google AdWords platforms. 

I recently completed the Digital Marketing course and had a really positive experience. Jordan was a great instructor, and often sent us additional articles to review to get us ready for or add-to what we would be learning in class. The guest teachers were also really helpful - I really valued learning from people that were experts in their field. Now, this course is a 10 week part time thing - so know that some topics are bigger than can reasonably be covered in that time. Be prepared to do some additional research on your own, but again that is what the instructors and guest instructors will prepare you for. As someone without a traditional marketing background but that is reasonably savvy about the digital landscape, I did just fine and took away a lot of great information from this course.