GW Boot Camps

I came into the part-time (M/W/S 6:30pm - 9:30pm) GW Data Analytics and Visualization bootcamp with no coding background, just art and physics. I have a master's degree in physics. I took this bootcamp to gain tools to help me transition into data science and even use tools for my science. I was a bit apprehensive at first that I would be able to keep up but the instructors (and two TA's) do a great job at providing academic support. I never missed a single homework assignment, and tried to go to class as much as possible. I tried to do all of them and I googled as much as possible if I got stuck. I even bought a book for one topic just to get a different perspective on the material. Group works are tough (you have to do three group projects). Sometimes you may not get along with the people, or work may not be coming in at the same weight for one reason or another. You learn valuable skills this way, like how to work together regardless of differences in culture, knowledge, etc. I made sure to allocate time for this course. I would not recommend the bootcamp if you are working full-time, especially at a place with long hours if you are new to programming because it will be overwhelming, and you will fall behind fast.

Pros of Bootcamp:

• You will be learning a lot of tools which will help you in all fields of work. 
• Your teacher is not remote, you also have two TA's, and online recorded videos for additional help. 
• There are a lot of homework assignments and three group projects. 
• Bootcamp staff is supportive and willing to help at all times. 
• Sometimes the instructors provide free food and desserts. 
• Instructors and TA's are exceptionally gifted at what they do and know. 
• Opportunity to work with them as a tutor while you transition to your job. 
• Career support (resume help, interview help, virtual tech fairs).
• Class is in-person and you will meet friends. 
• Location is across the street from a fancy new restaurant/hotel/coffee shop called Eaton. 
• After hour acces to the building floor so you can work on projects/hw whenever you want! 
• There is free one-on-one virtual tutoring available for students once a week. 
• They allow occasional remote work for special circumstanes (family emergency etc.)

Cons of Bootcamp:

• Classes are also on Saturdays so that kills half of your Saturday. 
• Part-time classes run late from 6:30pm - 9:30pm so you may need to rush dinner. 
• The career help is a bit lacking, and there is no physical place to go to for job help. 
• You must put in 30+ hours outside of class to devote to homework and projects. 
• It costs $10,000 (you can do monthly payment plans). 

 Overall, I would say this is a fantastic option if you are new to coding, and want to learn many different tools in data science which allow you to visualize data, and if you learn better in a classroom setting with lots of interactivity and hands-on-learning. 

My experience with the course has been poor. I was excited when I first joined assuming the high cost and GW name meant better quality than the online courses that I done before, unfortunately that was not the case.  

The instructors that taught my course were great however, I felt they were restricted due to the amount of material, student to teacher ratio and the lack of flexibility in providing additional support.  

At the end of the day, expect to get exposure to a lot of things. Do not expect to be taught or be able to do things independently at the end of the course.

If you are new to programming don’t take this course, I do not believe the cost is worth it and I recommend finding a tutor or keep plugging away with online courses and books.

Update: My response to the GW Rep

     "We understand that you chose GW Coding Boot Camp for expert guidance in navigating the fundamentals of web development."  

What? I didnt take the web development course, and if you dont know how valid are all of your comments?  

      "This is a fast-paced course and rather than spending extended periods of time on one topic we pride ourselves on teaching individuals how to learn, building a strong foundational skillset"

Teaching how to learn is not "Go to Google" and "When you copy and paste this in your homework"

     "We strive to provide in-depth academic support" 

Doesnt "In-depth" conflict with your prior statement above and why dont you tell everyone what happened to our instructor midway through the course? 

    "TAs that work hard to assist leaners both in and outside of the classroom"

Pretty dramatic and outside of the classroom?, Come on, man. I liked the instructors and TA's alot however, please inform everyone in your response what the actual expectations of TA's are.  Feel free to include the how long you get with your online tutor as well.   

I don't appreciate you turning your response to my comment into a selling point. If you want to talk, feel free to reach out otherwise let my review stand on it own please. 

Overall this is an excellent program. Before even gradutating I was receiving serious consideration from employers. The career services portion could be a little more hands-on, or at the very least one additional person should be hired to manage all the graduates needs, however the career services homework assignments have significantly improved the appeal of my resume'.

Based on the strength of my resume' and class projects I am consistently interviewing, and even turning some employers away, which is something I would've never considered doing prior to attending the boot camp. 

The technologies covered in the curriculum are in line with the hottest trends in tech right now. And the instructional and support staff are excellent at hearing and attending to each students needs.

Ultimately you will get out of this program whatever you put in. This is not a magic bullet, but it will set you up for success if you commit yourself to the process and power through.