Fullstack Academy

I had no computer science or technical professional experience prior to doing Fullstack Academy (FSA). I did the online/remote immersive program from my home. I graduated at the end of October, grinded hard in the job search for about three months with little traction (Nov/Dec is not a good time to look for a job), and then finally at the end of January, I got slammed with interviews and managed to land four (four!) job offers in two weeks for software engineering roles, including at two major corporations with huge software departments, both of which started at $70k with excellent benefits (adjusted for cost of living, that's equivalent to about 140-160K in Manhattan or 125-145K in San Francisco). But I ended up taking a full-stack support dev role for $65k at a small-ish custom software company because their work and tech stack more so aligned with my professional interests and goals. I've been on the job for almost a month now and I gotta say, I feel like I have been well prepared. I've been able to begin contributing and pushing code to production relatively quickly. And the company has only recently switched to using React, Redux, Webpack, and some other tools I learned at FSA, so I am actually more knowledgeable than some of the more senior devs about how to use them. 

It's hard to know if FSA was the best possible choice. If I were to choose again, there are some new schools now that I'd strongly consider.  But FSA has certainly worked out for me. I enjoyed my experience and think that their curriculum and instructors are top-notch. They go in depth in all the right areas, and yet they also expose you to the broad landscape that is the software engineering profession. That broad base of knowldege is just as important as the in-depth stuff they teach. And I love that I was able to do the whole thing remotely. If you're skeptical that a remote program could possibly be as good as the on-site program, please trust me: It is just as good if not better. There's less distraction, it's cheaper, more comfortable, and it forces you to really get your Git workflow down.

They do provide career support to prepare you for the job hunt / interviews and advise you along the way, and I think they do a pretty good job of it. But there's nothing they can really do to help you get a job. That's on you. And finding a job sucks, so be prepared. The average seems to be about 3 months, but some people land one immediately, and some take 6+ months. There's too many factors to know how long it'll take. Just do what is within your control, be patient, and put on your optimism hat, because you're going to get rejected or ignored for all kinds of stupid reasons before you hear from a sensible human being who is actually qualified to assess your capabilities. 

The only changes I'd like to see at FSA are for the program to be a bit longer to re-enforce things through repetition, get into more advance concepts and disciplines, and provide more opportunities for students to build out their portfolio. But that would of course drive costs up, which touches on my only other gripe: I wish they would switch to a deferred tuition model like App Academy, Thinkful, Lambda School, and many others. It's an obviously more beneficial model for business and students. Also, I was actually pretty disappointed with the state of my portfolio by the time I graduated. I didn't have anything that really looked show-worthy, not even my cap-stone. Your projects are mostly done in teams, so you're at the mercy of your teammates' skills and work ethic. Lucky for me, a lot of employers didn't even take the time to look at what I made and relied more heaviliy on technical interviews. (On that point, don't waste time fixing up your projects after graduation. Perfect your resume/LinkedIn. Write to-the-point cover letters for every application. Get a hold of an actual person however/whenever possible. Keep studying/practicing/commiting code.)

Now, as great as FSA is, you need to understand that your growth and ultimate success or failure depends primarily on your ability and/or willingness to prioritize your training and sacrifice your hobbies, relationships, and relaxation. The hard proof of that could be seen in the fact that about 25% of my cohort was held back because they did not pass the junior exam to graduate to senior phase. The problem was not that they weren't smart enough, they just had too much else going on and weren't focused. But even if you pass the exams, that only means you've got the minimum pre-requisites down. I appreciate that they at least set a reasonably high bar to get through the program, so you can feel confident that you know what you're doing when you graduate. Other schools that don't set high graduation standards (or any at all!) are doing their students a great disservice. But don't rest on your laurels just because you pass some test. If you go through FSA (or any school) with an attitude where you're content just scraping by, you're robbing yourself of a great deal of knowledge and expertise you could have gained by reading more, asking more questions, putting more hours into your project. It's three months. You'll be alright without Netflix, video games, outtings with friends, etc for three months.

With all that said, I think FSA is worth the price. Six months and $18,000 later, and I'm making $25,000 more per year and doing something I atually enjoy for a living at a cool company. I'd say that was a smart investment.

 

Overall the bootcamp was a great experience. Started with css/html culminating in a Javascript based working e-commerce website utilizing industry specific skills such as react and restApi. There were several instructors, 5 at the start. Two were amazing and 1 left after a short while and never replaced. The other two were quite unhelpful overall and it showed when no one would sign up for extra help with them. Overall, always room for improvement but it gave me the knowledge to gain a foothold in the industry and that's all I hoped for.

I want to start off by saying thank you to the entire Fullstack team for all the help that they've given me. Kim Wood is an extremely knowledgeable career coach and she helped me a ton when it came to my interview process. The instructors were extremely friendly and knowledgeable as well. A few things to consider if you're thinking about enrolling at Fullstack... Start studying for your Security+ ASAP and be prepared to study outside of class hours. My two goals when starting this course were to have Sec+ completed and a job lined up for when I graduated. Both of those goals have been accomplished, I actually got my job offer 3 days before graduation! I know most everyone who reads these reviews wants to know whether or not they will get a job and I'm confident to say that if I can do it, anyone can do it. The only downside I can think of with this bootcamp would be that my cohort was over 70 students which made it a bit tough to get 1 on 1 time with the instructors and to have your personal questions answered. However, there are mentors in the cohorts in which they provide outside class office hours that you can attend to ask any questions if you can spare any time outside the course itself. Lastly, start focusing on LinkedIn and building connections. This is how I found out, applied and got my job so I cannot stress enough how important LinkedIn is. Also, NO I did NOT have prior tech/cybersecurity experience before this bootcamp either. I started from scratch!

Nobody wants to hire anyone in my class and I'm not surprised.. This class was incredibly rushed and It seemed like the instructor had zero to negative energy when teaching. Nobody wants to hire a fresh cyber security apprentice with no real experience.. But these people make it seem like this "bootcamp" is the way to get to it. Anytime we had intricate questions we were met with the usual "if you want to learn It you have to spend time outside of class learning it" 👍 
I would of left a decent review if I had paid 1/10 of what I did. But since I paid what I did.... I can attest this is 100% not worth it. Everything you "get" with this class, you're able to get on the internet for free. Starting with VirtualBox. 

My overall Experience with Fullstack was very good. The Instructor I had Stephen Mathews was great at communicating the material in a way we could understand and input his real life experience in the field. The Cyber mentor Dawon Han was excellent at being flexible whenever you needed help. She was an excellent mentor and aid. Finally my Career coach Kim Wood was very Instrumental in my locking in a job 5 months after the bootcamp. She helped tailor my resume, LinkedIn, and gave me Networking Strategies and always held me accountable and pushing me to achieve my goal. Any question I had, she was proactive at getting back to me in a timely manner and to help me succeed. 

Prior to becoming a student at Fullstack Academy I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical, but I gave it a shot and it changed my life.  I came into Fullstack Academy with absolutely ZERO experience in cyber and tech in general. But that did not matter as the Bootcamp can take you from, as some would say, "Zero to Hero". To put your minds at ease for those contemplating attending the Bootcamp; no, I was not very tech savvy nor is there MATH involved. There, better?  The instructors are awesome and VERY knowledgeable.There are also assistant instructors who are available whenever to help and assist you with any assignments and provide the clarity you may need. USE THEM, they were students prior to being assistants. They were in your shoes. Job assistance. What you're here for....When it comes to job assistance there is a Career Coach who is there to help with your resume, work on your elevator pitch, work on how to answer interview questions, and work on how to network with people via LinkedIn/Social Events. (Shout-out to Dezzi, she's awesome!) Fullstack Academy does offer an event where you have a chance to network with people who are already in the field and work for already established/start-up companies. The Bootcamp doesn't necessarily host a Job Fair where you meet recruiters, and you get hired on the spot. (Things may have changed since I graduated a year ago).  Now, DO NOT LET THAT DISCOURAGE YOU. Fullstack Academy has a HUGE alumni network. You can find people who work for well-known companies and start-ups in various industries and connect with them to potentially refer you to a job posting, invite you to events, or direct you to the company/person that can help/hire you. From my experience, the people in the cyber community are extremely helpful and willing to help you. Put yourself out there, network, and smile.  There is nothing to fear. Take the leap. You miss 100% of shots you don’t take. *!!LinkedIn is your best friend!!*

Fullstack Academy's Data Analyst Training Accelerator (DATA) program was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn data analytics and get to know a whole network of data professionals. Class was engaging and supportive; the instructors are paired well in terms of teaching style and my classmates were helpful and collaborative. The topics covered by this program are highly relevant in data analytics, and my presentation and speaking skills constantly improved. In my job search, I sought out additional support while interviewing, which was immensely helpful. 

Areas of growth: the readings in the modules could use proofreading and fact-checking. The associated challenge questions also needed proofreading and the short-answer questions were usually a rewording of the reading material, and did not necessarily encourage critical thinking. Particularly with the SQL challenges, students were asked to write hypothetical SQL code pertaining to a non-existent database, making it difficult for students to check their work. 
In response to student feedback, instructors did provide alternative challenges that were more engaging.

The Fullstack Academy Cybersecurity Analyst Bootcamp was intense and yet, by far, the best learning experience I have ever had.  The leaders and instructors were always available, willing to stay a few minutes after class to ensure a complete understanding of the material provided and how well we comprehended and applied all the principles of the lessons.  Lastly, I truly feel gaining an offer letter recently was highly due to having completed this Bootcamp.  Thank you Fullstack Academy for allowing me to have a professional learning experience that I will never forget. R/ Carey 

I felt challenged and empowered by the full-time data analytics bootcamp program at Fullstack Academy. The instructors are knowledgeable and the lead instructor imparted helpful advice from their extensive professional experiences. The student success manager and career coach were empathetic listeners and overall, kind people. I felt supported by the team in my education and post-graduation job search.
An area of improvement is the curriculum. The modules are easy and at times, redundant. The "challenges" at the end of each module often asked me to regurgitate the modules and did not add value to my learning. The curriculum was thankfully supplemented by challenges provided by the instructors.

Fullstack Academy gave me the tools, experience, and knowledge I needed to unlock a world of potential in the cybersecurity field. 

Joshua Mann and Kara Medema were the most patient instructors I have ever met, they had an answer to everything I could imagine. Dillon Daniels and Evan Haberman were excellent mentors and offered top-notch education support and resources. 

Kim Wood my career coach and wonderful advisor in this journey taught me exactly how to write a resume, cover letter, what skills I needed, how to understand my past experiences, and leverage those soft skills to show I am a team player and contributor to organizational goals. She was there for me at all hours of the day and night when I needed her to look at a cover letter, analyze my resume for the applicant tracking system, or coach me on how to beat the ATS. Most importantly, she taught me how to network, when to network and why to network. Fullstack students and alumni, Kim will be your greatest battle buddy before your graduation and especially post-graduation. Talk to her regularly, connect with her and you will reap the benefits of her experience and knowledge. 

Words cannot describe the experience at Fullstack Academy; all experience is positive.

I had a great learning experience at Fullstack Academy in Offensive and Defensive knowledge. The instructors are very knowledgeable Security Analysts with prior work experience in Cybersecurity. Some are in Offensive and some are in Defensive. We were taught everything from AWS, Linux, Splunk, Burpsuite, Wireshark, Nessus, and so on. The list goes on. They prepare students for the CompTIA Security+ as well as the CompTIA CySA+. 

I want to thank Kim Wood, the Cybersecurity Career Success Manager as well as Lesia Harhaj-Kudryk, the Director of Career Success for their full support during this job hunting journey. They were both equally highly had motivated me to not give up and be confident to look for a job. Their mock interviews, behavioral interviews, and career coaching had helped me tremendously. 

Thank you so much.