Kai B. Student • Data Science Virtual Academy • Online
Apr 29, 2022
If "non-traditional student" could be defined, you'd see my picture right next to it. I started a computer science curriculum over 24 years ago, and didn't finish after entrepreneurial endeavors, pregnancy, another career and life, got in the way. Fast forward to today, I'm a month into ENTITY's eight-month Data Science curriculum. I've included the six most important points why I chose ENTITY:
1 / Woman-centric environment
2 / Affordability
3 / Paym...
If "non-traditional student" could be defined, you'd see my picture right next to it. I started a computer science curriculum over 24 years ago, and didn't finish after entrepreneurial endeavors, pregnancy, another career and life, got in the way. Fast forward to today, I'm a month into ENTITY's eight-month Data Science curriculum. I've included the six most important points why I chose ENTITY:
1 / Woman-centric environment
2 / Affordability
3 / Payment options
4 / Return on investment
5 / Accountability
6 / Receptive to feedback
1 / I really am enjoying being in a learning environment that is woman-centric. I'm sure there's no shortage of these types of programs online these days, but seeing myself reflected in the women who work with ENTITY is powerful, period. I think I'm more in tune to ask for help when I need it. I have peers who are in similar boats with the demands of relationships, family life, kids, parents, pets, etc., and it makes a huge difference in those moments where I start to feel sorry for myself and like I can't do it. You look around you in the curriculum and know you're not alone.
2 / You may be reading this long after I write it, but the cost for the eight months at $15K is a steal. The sheer idea that I am paying $15K over eight months to begin a career with a salary that is eye-to-eye with others paying for a bachelor's over 4 years is a no-brainer to me, especially when I share with you that I paid more than that for my college freshman to attend a private university, in one semester. The only other cost consideration is internet with reliable bandwidth and the proper hardware (PC or Mac) that will run the software you need to participate and the cost of whatever study materials you prefer to use.
3 / ENTITY offered a myriad of payment options, which for me was critical to whether I'd be able to participate at all. One of the really creative options they offer is an income share agreement that is outcome-based. In simple terms: they front the cost of the curriculum and you agree to repay as a fixed percentage of your monthly income after their program ends, but only if you are making a minimum of $45K (again, this may change depending on when you read this). If you're interested in data science as a career, you know that the $45K is easily surpassed.
4 / That brings me to the ROI. Again, a quick search for even entry-level roles in data science reveal that there are not only myriad opportunities, but salaries that hover around the $60 - 65K mark, with impressive room for growth in salary.
5 / The accountability that ENTITY offers is second to none, literally. My college experience from years ago pales in comparison to the mentorship, check-ins, one-on-one meetings, soft skill group coaching sessions, and access to a Slack channel for immediate curriculum questions. Knowing that Google, et al., offers free options for learning a similar curriculum is not enough for me; I need to know that I can turn to a reliable source to stay on track and in progress to complete the goal in a fixed amount of time.
6 / A few days ago, I brought a matter to the attention of one of the heads of ENTITY. No complaint, just feedback on how something could be improved. First, in comparison, I don't imagine being able to reach out to the head of a brick and mortar university and actually receive a response. But in less than 24 hours I received an email from her personally, and detail on what she saw could be done to improve the experience not only for me, but for other students. There's nothing worse than signaling when you're told your opinion matters; my experience in having my voice heard is exactly what they represented it to be and I'm grateful for it.
Given the opportunity to make the decision again, I would choose ENTITY and, I'm currently trying to get a best friend onboard to start; that is with no additional incentives, money or otherwise, to do so.