Mento Design Academy

The best part of Mento Design Academy is the community that they have. The community is friendly and helpful. I love that they also have a bi-weekly study group session - it makes me feel like I'm not going through the journey alone. The curriculum is well-written and easy to follow. If you're looking for a boot camp to transit to UX, look no further!

I'm really glad I ended up selecting this bootcamp among the many choices I had at my disposal.

There are (4) primary reasons Mento stands out among other bootcamps:

1) The bootcamp structure is based off a mentorship relationship opposed to simply a teacher/student dynamic. Because of this, students develop a much closer and productive relationship that is more conducive to growth and development. This is essential when looking for a job, the Mentors know your goals, background, and talents.

2) Opposed to being a cookie cutter, do x y and z type of experience, Mento prioritizes critical thinking and applying true user centered design as an overarching philosophy. What this translates to is customized, personal products that allow you to stand out among others who may have followed a reused template. You infuse your personal strengths and interests, background, and goals into the work you do which creates a much more compelling candidate package in recruiter's eyes. Additionally, Mento doesn't hail any type of UX method as the ONE true method. Instead, you take each challenge as they are and critically apply what methods you think to be a good fit to solve that problem. In my eyes, that's great UX.
3) Unlike other bootcamps, the greatness doesn't end after you complete all the assignments. One of the major reasons I chose Mento is because they offer support and guidance when you actually start the job search. Instead of being left out drifting in an open sea of applications, you'll have experienced professionals coaching you along the way. Talk about a cheat code. They don't promise 100% results, no one can, but they give you blueprints, actionable advice, and access to their ridiculously expansive networks.

4) Lastly, the professionals who curated this program, namely Radu Vucea (my mentor!) and Ioana Teleanu, are industry rockstars who have spanned the gambit of content creation, corporate, startup, hiring, recruitment, and now entrepreneurship. Talk about experience. As a Mento student, you have access to their literal decades of knowledge at your disposal. The only limit to how much you can access is your own ambitions. They emphasize being available to answer questions and make it a priority to converse with their mentees weekly. This bootcamp isn't perfect, none are. It heavily hinges on how much effort you put in yourself. However, this, in my eyes, is a benefit because it helps to curate the spirit of being a self starter, something that essential in a great UXer.

In my own experience as a new designer (graduated from college knowing nothing about UX), this bootcamp is helping me to accomplish exactly what I set out to do - Create a portfolio that reflects who I am, what I want to do, and the awesome work I'm capable of doing. If this sounds like it can help you become the UX designer you want to be, stop reading & sign up - https://www.mentodesign.academy/ If this review helped you make your decision, make sure to tell them Todd McCauley sent you in the "Where did you find out about Mento?" section! 

Thanks!

My experience with the Mento Design Academy is unparalleled. This is one of a kind boot camp I would recommend to anybody without a second thought. What sets Mento apart from the competition is that the curriculum is tailored to you. You can focus on your strengths and weaknesses, while improving at your own pace. All of the mentors I have been working with are extremely supportive, and you could sense that they care about you and your success in the field. To be honest I feel like this boot camp is so much more than just a ticket to your dream job. After hours of communicating with the mentor I have grown both mentally and as a person. What is more, no matter what question you will have they are always there to help you, and the growing community of students in Slack also boosts you to network and work even harder.

Additionally, besides the curriculum and 1 on 1 sessions with mentors, they usually organize Zoom events and meetings with known designers across the field who can also share their experiences with us, students. Finally, the most important success metric of any boot camp is landing a job. I am still learning, however, I am already working with clients as a freelancer. Couldn’t be any happier with my choice!

I had a very difficult time choosing the right BootCamp for myself. It took more than a half year to figure it out, including dropping off from one Bootcamp after signing up. When I googled, there were too many options and different opinions. Since I was a total beginner, I didn't know "what I know and what I don't know". The only thing I knew was I wanted to be a UX designer and needed someone to guide me during the journey, but I was not sure which is the right way to go. After months of exploration, I decided to join Mento design academy and I'm very grateful and proud of my decision. 

Here, I'd like to share 3 reasons why I found joining Mento so valuable.

 (1) The community is just the right size and the atmosphere is very supportive and welcoming. You can connect with amazing people from all over the world via slack, online events, and online study group sessions. Thanks to this warm community, I've never felt alone since the beginning and the feeling of supporting each other with fellow students motivates me always. 

(2) The mentors are experienced, human, and supportive. The weekly 1on1 call helps the students ask questions, receive feedback, and be guided in the right direction. Students also can get support on slack besides the call. Personally, I appreciate my mentor always cares not only about my progress on the curriculum but also about my full-time job and mental health state. I tend to be frustrated with myself when I could not handle assignments as I planned but my mentor always encourages and guides me. What I like about Mento is its self-paced and the mentor helps us to keep on track while adjusting the journey in our real-life situations. 

(3) The curriculum is very practical and fresh. What I mean by "fresh" is that the contents of the curriculum are made by our mentors. So, the contents get updated based on students' feedback, and the mentor shares additional materials based on students' needs. I'm very thankful that the mentors always listen to us and stay open to feedback. The learning experience has continuously improved day by day. 

Last but not least, The key factor in my decision to join Mento was the free call before signing up. I was very moved by the passion and thoughts behind the Bootcamp and I could not stop signing up after the call. If you are still in a doubt, I highly recommend you book a call!

I Joined Mento Design Academy to fill some knowledge gaps I had in the UX field but I realized after that Mento Design Academy is much more than a normal Bootcamp. They helped me to grow as a designer not just from a skills point of view but especially from a communication and mindset perspective: how to explain my thinking, share projects, and ask critical questions. Thanks to Mento Design Academy, its team and its Slack community I was able to do a mock interview and much more. All these things helped me to land my first job in Canada as a foreign immigrant 🇮🇹. 

Mento Design Academy offers an incredibly supportive and welcoming community! My experience with their bi-weekly meetings was very positive, and the weekly mentorship sessions proved incredibly helpful and invaluable in my UX design journey. Through this program, I was able to grasp the fundamental principles of UX design, and my mentor encouraged me to think beyond the usual boundaries. Moreover, I received practical advice and emotional support from my mentor.

When I was dealing with frustration and uncertainty, he emphasized that UX design is not about right or wrong answers but about keeping the "Whys" in mind and moving forward. His explanations were consistently clear, and he provided relatable examples whenever I encountered difficulties understanding a concept or process. All mentors at Mento Academy have years of experience in UX design, and I am confident they will ensure a smooth transition for their students.

Mento Design Academy offers a self-paced UX program, which allows me to adjust my learning schedule according to my needs. Their commitment to helping students discover their specific interests and guiding them toward the core principles of UX philosophy is commendable.

In my opinion, Mento Design Academy offers a distinctive and personalized approach to UX education that sets it apart from traditional boot camps. I highly recommend Mento to anyone seeking a unique and tailored UX learning experience.

I became a part of Mento while making the transition from a backend software developer to the realm of UX/UI. My motivation was to enroll in a boot camp that offered approachable mentors, a robust curriculum aligned with my goals, and a self-paced structure, and I found all of these aspects perfectly fulfilled in Mento. The weekly personalized sessions with my mentor were instrumental in guiding me through the course, instilling confidence as I embarked on this unfamiliar journey.
The bi-weekly gatherings for students, led by the mentor Raluca, proved invaluable for connecting with fellow learners who were treading the same transformative path. Alongside these sessions, engaging in UI challenges, and LinkedIn challenges, and participating in discussions with seasoned designers and recruiters broadened my understanding of UX/UI well beyond the official curriculum.
Contents shared by Raluca, encompassing not only UX/UI topics but also advice on time management and career development are helpful in preparing me for interviews and job opportunities. Through this comprehensive experience at Mento, I found myself equipped with the knowledge, connections, and confidence to successfully transition into the UX/UI field.