Evolve Security Academy

I'm so glad I found the Evolve Security Academy Cybersecurity Program because it would have been near impossible for me to curate all the course content, exercises, quizzes, labs, etc. on my own (despite the vast availability of free resources, this simply is a very hard thing to do). The format (live online lectures, coupled with some recorded lectures and work you do on your time) was very effective! You don’t miss out on class and instructor interactions, and, at the same time, you get through much of the material on your own time. Class meetings were M-Th evenings for 2 hours—that made it easier to do than a longer stretch of 3 hours. Office hours were held every evening we had class, so you get the best opportunity to ask questions and stay abreast of the material. The Saturday classes were every other week for 5 hours, which allowed time for assessments, extended exercises, and labs. The curriculum was laid out in a logical sense, with additional resources given if you want to learn/practice even more. Having quizzes, many labs, and assessments kept us in line with the material. 
The best part of the program: the instructors and teaching assistants (T.A.s) -- knowledgeable professionals, fully available and helpful to a 'T'. Even though I loved all the instructors, I would say this program would not be the same without the close assistance of the T.A.s! I'd highly recommend the ESA bootcamp because it's a professional program and very well executed, with a huge amount of learning opportunities, and it prepares someone for an entry-level job in cybersecurity. The support in terms of instructors, TAs, the director, our career coach, the CyberLab learning portal, etc. is truly outstanding!

Pros: The course was amazing, it created a solid push for me to obtain the OSCP certification. I've acquired new and valuable skills and techniques, which will be surely helpful for me in the future career. Other than that, I've met new friends, who shares the same goals, we talked and shared things with each other, which meant a lot to me.   

After the course, I felt like my knowledge was strongly consolidated and was ready to tackle the exam.

[Update April 2024]: I passed the OSCP with 90 points.

Cons: There is one small thing that I'd recommend, is to update the CyberLab platform, I perceived that some of the contents aren't up-to-date. For example, Buffer Overflow has been announced to be removed from the OSCP exam; therefore, it might not relevant unless there is a public exploit available for it. The Control Panel features can be further improved, especially, the search function. I couldn't search for the machine name at the time I did the course.

Overall, I'd give a solid 4/5. There is also another giveaway, as always, OSCP is not meant for new comers to penetration testing, as the bootcamp is really intensive, so the amount of knowledge is also huge. Therefore, build a solid foundation in penetration testing before taking the bootcamp so that you can make the most out of it.`

I recently transitioned from graphic design to cyber security, and I'm grateful for Evolve Academy's support. Despite no prior IT knowledge, the transition was smooth due to their comprehensive assistance. Step-by-step guidance, teacher availability, and recorded lectures provided a personalized and flexible learning experience. Collaborative classes pushed me out of my comfort zone, and concerns about isolation were alleviated by a supportive virtual community. Mike, an exceptional teacher, guided me with patience. Now actively seeking cyber security opportunities, I feel well-prepared and confident, thanks to Evolve Academy's thorough training. The skills acquired surpass those from a Google Cyber Security course. This investment equips me to handle real-world scenarios, setting me apart in the job market and boosting my overall confidence.

I need to share some key insights after attending Evolve Security Academy's Cybersecurity boot camp. While some may speak highly of the academy, my experience left me disheartened and wishing I had spent my time and resources elsewhere.


The academy's teaching model appears sound initially, as it assigns each student a Teacher Assistant (TA), usually a graduate from the previous cohort. However, this quickly becomes an issue as these TAs are more proctors than instructors, often resorting to Google when challenged by a question and simply relaying unsolvable queries back to the main instructor.


The course costs $13,950 for 240 equivalent class hours, plus an expected additional self-study time outside of the 2-hour evening classes. Upon reflection, better value and industry recognition could be achieved through a similar-priced course from SANS, an established name in the cybersecurity field.


While the fundamentals of IT and cybersecurity are initially touched upon by Evolve's more adept instructors, the post-fundamentals course swiftly degenerates into a hurried overview of the multifaceted domains of cybersecurity. This felt like a superficial tour, with an excessive emphasis on penetration testing, possibly a veiled upsell of their Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) preparation course.


Despite the curriculum boasting hands-on material, many instructors seemed more engaged in troubleshooting legacy lab exercises dating back to 2019/2020 than actual teaching. This lack of attention to the teaching material, which in part needed to be updated, hampered learning and often led to network failures, including during the final practical web application assessment.


Including Python coding was a welcome thought, but the lessons were a rushed, last-minute addition that felt like an afterthought rather than an integral part of the curriculum.


In terms of career support, Evolve fell drastically short. The "support" mostly consisted of rehashed slideshow presentations and brief, 30-minute 1-to-1 career coach sessions that ended abruptly, with no follow-up. One disheartening experience was when a career coaching day was wasted playing an unrelated trivia game due to a lack of planning.


The alumni panel presented to us seemed unprepared for the job market, needing more fundamental IT skills such as Windows system administration and active directory management. Post-cohort, they applied to over 100 jobs only to be routinely dismissed.


The course began promisingly, introducing basic tools and techniques useful in the cybersecurity field. However, an executive preferred flashy, engaging content over substantive, job-relevant information. This epitomizes the short-sightedness of the institution.


I left the boot camp with a shiny final certificate but woefully under-equipped for most entry-level cybersecurity jobs. I was left to supplement my education on my own. The academy is more focused on monetary gain than genuinely imparting quality education.


I would implore prospective students to consider these points carefully before deciding. More effective and value-for-money cybersecurity programs are available that genuinely prioritize student development and career success.

Having been brand new to the field of Cybersecurity I feel that the curriculum offered was a great jumping off point.  The structure exposes you to a lot of the different aspects/sub focuses of cybersecurity so that you can decide what interests you. It gives you the knowledge to know enough about a subject to be able to apply it, and to know whether it is something that you would like to continue pursuing. The classes build on themselves until at some point you realize that you have learned a lot and that you can apply the knowledge to future units. The final exams are both challenging and affirming, a reflection of real world application of our training.   I think Evolve Security has set up a great ongoing support group and I am looking forward to remaining connected to the folk that I have met.