General Assembly
General Assembly is a technical education provider that teaches students the skills, career advice and networking opportunities needed to make a career change into a tech role, in as little as three months. General Assembly offers part-time and full-time bootcamps and short courses in web and mobile development, product management, data science, and more. The bootcamp experience is led by instructors who are expert practitioners in their field. Students should expect to build a solid portfolio of real-life projects. Since 2011, General Assembly has graduated more than 40,000 students worldwide from the full time and part time bootcamp.
To enroll at General Assembly, applicants should submit an online application to connect with a GA Admissions team member who will work with them to decide if a tech bootcamps is the right fit. The GA Admissions staff are also prepared to speak with applicants about the best tech role for them, learning styles at GA, expected outcomes after the bootcamp, options to finance the bootcamp, career services offered by GA, and more.
To help students land their first job in a tech role, General Assembly students are supported by career coaches from day one. The program is enhanced by a career services team that is constantly in talks with employers about their tech hiring needs.
711 General Assembly Reviews
AnonymousUX Researcher • Graduate • 3. User Experience Design Bootcamp (Full Time) • DenverJun 15, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceGreat experience, but set your expectations accurately
I am really glad I did the UX Design Immersive program! I did a lot of informational interviews with past graduates before enrolling in the program. I think that was helpful in terms of expectation setting. I knew the biggest value of the program would come from the fantastic instructors, the connections we would be able to make in local industry, projects we could display in our portfolio, and the immediate network we would have with the cohort. I was totally satisfied in regards to those...
I am really glad I did the UX Design Immersive program! I did a lot of informational interviews with past graduates before enrolling in the program. I think that was helpful in terms of expectation setting. I knew the biggest value of the program would come from the fantastic instructors, the connections we would be able to make in local industry, projects we could display in our portfolio, and the immediate network we would have with the cohort. I was totally satisfied in regards to those thigs. I know there are cheaper ways to go about a pivot such as this, but the immersive experience and the connection with others going through the same process were both really important to me.
There are some kinks that they are still working out in terms of on-boarding, curriculum, and career services - but most of that is due to the fact that the program itself is still fairly new and they had just brought on a new career services person (who works really hard to help out all the students and graduates from each immersive program GA offers).
I felt like I received everything I needed to prepare me for the career search hustle. I was given concrete tools to work more effeciently in my search. And like others have said, it is important to check your expectations - GA will not place you in a job. But they will give you what you need to engage in that process.
I found the landscape to be a slightly difficult for a junior designer. All the more reason a program like this worked for me. It provided me with an opportunity to build relationships with others in the industry and totally dive into this new world.
GA and the immersive program is not for everyone. I definitely recommend speaking with graduates and finding out as much as you can given the cost. But it worked for me!
- AnonymousGraduate • User Experience Design (Part-Time) • BostonMay 10, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Excellent curriculum and instructor
I'm so glad I found this class! I took this class to broaden my skillset and explore whether or not UX would be a good career choice for me. Our teacher had a great deal of experience in the field, plus he brought in several guest speakers to dive deeper into specific topics. Every class focused on an aspect of UX design, and the curriculum was incredibly thorough. We ended up with a polished final project to potentially use as a portfolio piece. Overall, this really was a great experience...
I'm so glad I found this class! I took this class to broaden my skillset and explore whether or not UX would be a good career choice for me. Our teacher had a great deal of experience in the field, plus he brought in several guest speakers to dive deeper into specific topics. Every class focused on an aspect of UX design, and the curriculum was incredibly thorough. We ended up with a polished final project to potentially use as a portfolio piece. Overall, this really was a great experience; GA puts together a very collaborative environment that's focused on students' growth.
- AnonymousWeb Developer • Graduate • Web Development Immersive • New York CityMay 05, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Glad I did it, but I've got gripes
Having wanted to learn Web Development for years—and having failed to do so in my spare time—I dropped everything and spent my savings to attend General Assembly's Web Development Immersive. The immersive nature of the course helped to make this a turning point in my life, where I left behind a career that was comfortable for me, but less and less satisfying. Between classroom time and homework, I spent up to 80 hours a week learning the technology. I liken it to holding on for dear life...Having wanted to learn Web Development for years—and having failed to do so in my spare time—I dropped everything and spent my savings to attend General Assembly's Web Development Immersive. The immersive nature of the course helped to make this a turning point in my life, where I left behind a career that was comfortable for me, but less and less satisfying. Between classroom time and homework, I spent up to 80 hours a week learning the technology. I liken it to holding on for dear life to the rear of a speeding train. Every day, a new subject folded into the tools we were taught. I felt more uncomfortable than most, moving on before feeling I had a firm grasp on the subjects we'd already covered, but that’s the model. Maximum exposure, minimum depth. And it has proved true in the real world of tech that I’m utilizing new tools constantly, and need to skim and integrate on the fly. The curriculum varied depending on the teachers. A second Web Development cohort that ran concurrent with ours had somewhat different scheduling and subjects covered. Since our cohort of around 24 students had 3 teachers, I'd expected more individualized attention than what we got. (Instead, it was an opportunity for the teachers to rotate lectures. Different teachers had different areas of expertise, and the lectures were excellent.) We were often told that this was a pedagogical choice, with the constant refrain, "Nobody will hold your hand in the real world.” As a person who had spent many years in the “real world,” I found this exasperating. I know that I’m not learning unless I struggle. I also know when I’m not learning because I need a push in the right direction. This was not the real world. It was an expensive one-time opportunity to learn all I could in 12 weeks. Teacher interaction would be a thing that separated the experience from, say, online courses. In the same vein, we were provided a teacher’s assistant for a few hours, 4 nights a week. It was hard to take advantage of this, as the competition for the TA’s attention was overwhelming. Overall, I'm glad I did it. The curriculum was fine, the lectures were interesting, the environment was pleasant, and it served to give me a new direction. But the promise given the night I attended an information session before enrolling—"It's hard, but you won't be struggling alone"—was unfulfilled. - AnonymousGraduate • Web Development Immersive • WashingtonMay 03, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Great place to study!
Pros
-great study environment
-friendly and encouraging instructors (especially if what you're studying isn't your strong suit)
-well-balanced curriculum and great hands-on experience
Cons
-expensive if your company isn't paying for the course
- AnonymousDigital Designer • Graduate • User Experience Design (Part-time) • MelbourneMay 02, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
For a part time course it was great
I thought it was very interesting and presented a different approach to design than I had previously thought of. I learnt a lot and felt that there was strong support from tutors.
The downside was that towards the end resources did feel a little stretched and there was not much support in the way of job vacancies and industry involvement.
- AnonymousGraduate • Front-End Web Development • BostonMay 02, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Too Much All Around
I took the Front-End Web Development course a few years ago, and my experience at General Assembly was subpar. I know a lot of people who swear by and love it, but this wasn’t the case for me. I did meet some really nice people, and our TA was also very helpful. This class taught me a few things and while I am thankful for that, it was a ton of money, and way too much for what I got out of it. The teacher I had, although very smart and skilled, was not great at teaching beginners.
...
I took the Front-End Web Development course a few years ago, and my experience at General Assembly was subpar. I know a lot of people who swear by and love it, but this wasn’t the case for me. I did meet some really nice people, and our TA was also very helpful. This class taught me a few things and while I am thankful for that, it was a ton of money, and way too much for what I got out of it. The teacher I had, although very smart and skilled, was not great at teaching beginners.
And I will add that this was definitely not a beginners-level class by any means – but it would be a great class for anyone who has a background in or aptitude for coding, or anything computer sci-related. GA should definitely have some sort of pre-requisite coursework for this class, because there was way too much content jammed into this program for a newbie. HTML and CSS should be in their own class, JavaScript in its own. The pace was also too fast, we were given assignments that were extremely challenging and there was not enough time to master the basics.
I also feel that we should have been given more time to work on our final project in class, instead we spent our time making card games or nerding out in JavaScript that would stump most developers. I had no interest in game design, I wanted to learn about web design, and the class didn’t approach it from a start-to-finish process. It jumped around.
And although my teacher was talented and knew his stuff, his style didn't work for me. Being told by my teacher to “Google it” or “figure it out” if I have questions or am lost is not helpful. I didn’t even know what I was supposed to be Googling or figuring out! Understood that after class ends I will be on my own, but when you’re in school, you should be able to feel comfortable asking your teacher questions and getting the help you need, especially when you’re paying a lot of money to be there. That’s the whole point of taking a class, and why I specifically chose to take this class, because I thought there would be that guidance. If I wanted to figure out web development on my own, I’d Google things and save myself the $3,500. I’m not sure I would return for another go-around with GA. Maybe if it were a different course, but that’s a big maybe.
- AnonymousGraduate • User Experience Design Immersive (full-time) • SeattleMay 02, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
UX Design Immersive
In order to get people to sign up for classes, GA makes a lot of claims about how the program will run and the success rate of those who complete the course. They claim that 6 months after completing the program, 99% of students will have jobs within their field of study. With my cohort, it was more like 20%, and I would say it was about the same for the cohorts that came before and after me.
What you get with this program is highly dependent for the instructor you get. Many of t...
In order to get people to sign up for classes, GA makes a lot of claims about how the program will run and the success rate of those who complete the course. They claim that 6 months after completing the program, 99% of students will have jobs within their field of study. With my cohort, it was more like 20%, and I would say it was about the same for the cohorts that came before and after me.
What you get with this program is highly dependent for the instructor you get. Many of the instructors I have meet seem to only have 2-3 years of experience in the field they are instructing, which really is not enough. I have heard some GA admissions offers reference a GA bootcamp as an alternative to a 4 year degree - that is absurd. I think that the people who come out of this program and get jobs either get them because GA is directly referring them into role (which they seem to only select a few people from each class to do this with).
The program also claims that they will help you gain access to working professions with multiple lunch and learns, that only happened once in my class.
My advice to anyone considering enrolling is to reach out to people within your region who are working in the field and find out what they think of General Assembly. I think that in some areas, GA has a bad reputation and many recruiters will not even look at a resume with GA listed, so get to know what the field is like in your area before enrolling.
- AnonymousGraduateMay 02, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
DSI
Three-hour tele lectures followed by four-hour lab practices. In many ways it was like Groundhog Day. We had one day to learn a lesson or a program, and the very next day *poof* a brand-new lesson to learn. At times it was challenging and you feel like you're falling off the boat, especially if you didn't quite master or understand the previous day's lesson.
However, if you're lucky to have a strong and resourceful support group in the form of a good TA and sharing/caring studen...
Three-hour tele lectures followed by four-hour lab practices. In many ways it was like Groundhog Day. We had one day to learn a lesson or a program, and the very next day *poof* a brand-new lesson to learn. At times it was challenging and you feel like you're falling off the boat, especially if you didn't quite master or understand the previous day's lesson.
However, if you're lucky to have a strong and resourceful support group in the form of a good TA and sharing/caring students, it makes a tremendous difference. I don't think I would have gotten as far as I did w/o these two assets.
Also I'm past the 110 day mark with no job. Plenty of interviews, though. I've had interviews with some top tech firms (Google and Facebook). I doubt I could have gotten my foot in the door w/o doing this bootcamp. Good career counseling too, but at times you feel you're pushed down the line because a brand-new cohort is coming up.
If you do decide to take this bootcamp, gird your loins for at least 3-4 months unemployment afterwards, and be prepared to network like crazy after class and after the program ends.
- AnonymousJunior UX • Graduate • User Experience Design (Part-Time) • LondonMay 02, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
UX Course
Attending the part time course for UX Design at General Assembly was an amazing experience. My tutors and classmates were great and despite was tough to work and study at the same time, I had the chance to learn a lot from all of them.
- AnonymousGraduate • Web Development Immersive • BostonApr 26, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Web development immersive
Took the Web development immersive at GA and it was an amazing course. We would learn new materials almost everyday and the instroctors did an amazing job of explaning all material in a way that was understandable and exciting. All the instroctuors were avaliable for extra help if needed and were always willing to answer questions. I really enjoyed this course and it has really prepared me for a job. The material covered is what employers are looking for.
- AnonymousDigital Marketer • Graduate • Digital Marketing (Part-time) • MelbourneApr 25, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Excellent content, knowledgeable people - Highly Recommended
I've been in the Digital marketing industry for around 3 years but I'm entirely self-taught, I have a background in sales & IT which has helped immensely but have never had a complete overview of the strategy around campaigns. I decided to undertake the Digital Marketing course at General Assembly in order to bring everything I've learned together and take my career to the next level.
Overall I think the course was highly valuable and would suggest it to anyone who Is intereste...
I've been in the Digital marketing industry for around 3 years but I'm entirely self-taught, I have a background in sales & IT which has helped immensely but have never had a complete overview of the strategy around campaigns. I decided to undertake the Digital Marketing course at General Assembly in order to bring everything I've learned together and take my career to the next level.
Overall I think the course was highly valuable and would suggest it to anyone who Is interested in digital marketing strategy. It assumes no prior knowledge which is good and bad, I found myself bored at some points as it delt with my day to day tasks. The content that I had no prior exposure to was excellent and engaging. The instructors were knowledgable and always happy to lend a hand. It requires quite a bit of time investment but its worth it in the end
- AnonymousStudent • Web Development Immersive • BostonApr 25, 2018Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
I loved my experience with GA!
I can't say enough about the great experience I had at GA in Boston. The instructors are amazing and I learned an incredible amount in the 3 months that I was there. This was by far the best experience I've had in a classroom setting and would recommend it to anyone that I looking to start a career in tech!
General Assembly Alumni Outcomes
| Description | Percentage |
| Full Time, In-Field Employee | N/A |
| Full-time apprenticeship, internship or contract position | N/A |
| Short-term contract, part-time position, freelance | N/A |
| Employed out-of-field | N/A |
Recent General Assembly News
General Assembly Alumni Reviews Summary
How much does General Assembly cost?
General Assembly costs around $16,450. On the lower end, some General Assembly courses like Visual Design (Short Course) cost $3,500.
What courses does General Assembly teach?
General Assembly offers courses like 1. Data Science Bootcamp (Full Time), 2. Software Engineering Bootcamp (Full Time), 2. Software Engineering Bootcamp (Part Time), 3. User Experience Design Bootcamp (Full Time) and 15 more.
Where does General Assembly have campuses?
General Assembly has in-person campuses in London, New York City, Paris, Singapore, and Sydney. General Assembly also has a remote classroom so students can learn online.
Is General Assembly worth it?
The data says yes! General Assembly reports a 84% graduation rate, and 95% of General Assembly alumni are employed. The data says yes! In 2021, General Assembly reported a 82% graduation rate, a median salary of , and N/A of General Assembly alumni are employed.
Is General Assembly legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 711 General Assembly alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed General Assembly and rate their overall experience a 4.31 out of 5.
Does General Assembly offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Yes, General Assembly accepts the GI Bill!
Can I read General Assembly reviews?
You can read 711 reviews of General Assembly on Course Report! General Assembly alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed General Assembly and rate their overall experience a 4.31 out of 5.
Is General Assembly accredited?
All of General Assembly's regulatory information can be found here: https://generalassemb.ly/regulatory-information