Northwestern Boot Camps

The data analytics program is blessed with great TAs and a fantastic professor who does his best to make the class entertaining despite the material being challenging. With the support from the teaching staff a student will succeed if they put in the effort to learn and keep up with the coursework. After being in a beginner analytics role and finding this program through Google's algorithms, I cannot overstate how happy I am to have started on this journey and how useful the knowledge has been.

I am a recent graduate of the cybersecurity boot camp with Northwestern University. I do not have an IT background. I am transitioning into IT from teaching. When I started this boot camp, I did not know anything about a 'terminal,' or that it even existed, beyond what movies show you. I went from absolutely zero knowledge of IT, to graduating from my cohort with an A+ grade. The cohort will be rigorous, and it will push you to your limits! You will doubt yourself many times, but if you push through and stay the course, it will be the best experience of your life! The instructor was amazing, along with the TA's! The career center will guide you as you transition into the field with real feedback on your resume, and online profile. If you follow the process, you will learn so much! I'm so glad I chose to earn my certification in cybersecurity through Northwestern University Boot Camps! My journey is just beginning, and yours can too. Good luck on your journey!

I decided to pursue a boot-camp after doing a few projects at work that involved coding. I knew if I wanted to pursue programming as a career I would need a solid knowledge base, so I decided to sign up for this class pretty last minute and hoped for the best. This boot-camp experience has exceeded all of my expectations, I have learned so much, our teacher is wonderful and actually works as a full time software engineer and did a boot-camp herself, so she is very up to date on the technologies used in the workforce and can relate to us through her own boot-camp experience. The homework assignments are often tricky but a great challenge and very helpful for learning. I was nervous that I would regret signing up and wouldn't love it, but it has made me even more excited for a career in web development. Before signing up for this class it would be advantageous to have a little knowledge of programming and be ready to commit to this class because you'll probably be spending 6-10 hours a week on the homework/class work. 

 I completed the Northwestern Data Visualization course in May 2020.  This class is well worth the time and tuition.  Big Data has arrived and it’s changing our world for the better.  Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are disrupting almost every category of our lives.  This class was a good introduction to a collection of the most important fundamental concepts of data science.  Expect a rigorous curriculum. The assignments are challenging and have purpose.  I never asked the question “why am I learning this?” The instructors and TAs are solid and available for help if you need it.  The class has been designed to keep you up to date with the latest data science concepts, applications, and programming languages like Python, R, and SQL.  Basic concepts in statistics are taught in this course.  You will learn how data scientists use statistics to analyze structured and unstructured data sets.  In addition, you will learn exploratory data analysis, trend analysis, and data visualizations.  The main benefit of this class is exposure. It moves too quickly to fully master everything taught in class.  The skills acquired by the student will have to be honed through continued self-study. The class lecture videos, notes, and assignments are saved and made available to help the student accomplish this.  Some of the things I learned during this course helped me pass the FDP examination. It has become the benchmark certification for students interested in finance and data science.  www.fdpinstitute.org.   The classroom at Northwestern’s Wieboldt Hall is a big plus for this program.   It is a good location and provides a great academic environment.  Current events necessitated remote learning with Zoom for the last part of the course.  Online classes were conducted successfully, but I missed the interaction with the instructors and networking with other students.  I hope future students will be able to have this classroom opportunity soon. 

At first I debated between enrolling in the Data Science and FinTech Boot Camps at Northwestern University. Ultimately I chose FinTech recognizing the curriculum is Data Science with a Finance focus plus the opportunity to attain a more technical understanding of blockchain technology. My experience has been challenge met with great satisfaction upon solving problems and project completion. I think projects which become part of your personal portfolio are a great way to showcase the skills learned in Boot Camp and is work you will admire looking back at. The instructors and TAs have all been excellent teachers sharing industry knowledge and best practices. Overall I view the FinTech Boot Camp as one of the best educational hacks to upskill into a FinTech and/or Data Science career. The course is very practical and covers many tools to help you excel in the workplace. The advice I would give is to give yourself a head start using free online resources to come in with some knowledge of the programming language you will be learning and brush up on your statistics! Following these tips you will be more confident and learn faster.

Thinking back on my experience of the course, the first word that comes to mind is ‘whoa’. Now after completion of the course, I am thinking what else can I learn and accomplish. I will explain why.  The course was not easy at all. I describe it as one the most difficult accomplishments I have achieved in my life. Most definitely something that I am proud and brag about quite frequently. Instructor William Wright and all TAs will understand the concepts behind decision making of the code that I write. My biggest take-away, was the ‘How’ to tell a story with data.  Another thought of my appreciate of this data boot camp is the instructor could have thought the course of out-of-box, meaning just taught of code, followed instructor notes, and taught us bare minimum. Well that did not happen! Get felt great to know the course was not a waste of time and money.  After each assignment I gain more and more confidence because support was always there when I wanted it. 

                It hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, when learning something new.  In the beginning of the course, I thought to myself, how can I use this new knowledge to better my career and make more money. After the Python homework assignment, it was clear that I had required the knowledge needed to create opportunities to advance career and make more money. Now it feels great to be in control of my future. However, now having these new knowledge powers, I needed help channeling my power to display for employer. This is where career services come in. I will admit after graduation I was exhausted and had little energy to focus of getting my resume, GitHub and LinkedIn prepared to become employer ready, because I felt I had already exceeded my personal expectations. Michelle Licata, my career coach, help me find a second wind and even help guide me through some personal issue that made it challenging to keep moving forward. Most importantly with Michelle’s coaching I landed my current position as a Business Intelligence Analyst for Uptake. 

                I also have a new model I commandeered from Angelica Baraona, “think of learning as if you were drinking water from a water hose,” which really resonated and help me understand I wasn’t expected to learn everything all at once. Reminded me that classes were filmed, slack, and class repositories are all resources that will be there after the conclusion of the course. I saw that as placing a bucket under the water hose while drinking lol. Knowing I could come back to review and continue my education post-graduation give me more confidence that I can do it. 

                I recommend the Data Science and Visualization Northwestern Boot Camp to friends and family. I am also looking for ways to stay involve with the program and taking different course next year. 

I graduated from Northwestern's data science Bootcamp in February 2020. The Bootcamp is a very fast-paced and intense learning experience. I had Python, Postgres, and the basics of HTML knowledge before joining the Bootcamp. However, Bootcamp helped me put that in practice, along with data science fundamentals. I particularly loved the support I got from Travis (Instructor) and TA(s), as well as batchmates. I am talking about my capstone in almost every interview I go through.

 I highly recommend this course to shape your career as a data scientist, especially if you come from a non-technical background!

I am currently enrolled in the Coding Boot Camp at Northwestern. My experience so far has been very positive given my non-technical background. I was introduced to the world of web development in 2016 while working at a digital marketing firm that offered website and application development services. At the time I was a content writer and curious to learn about code. My interest prompted me to apply to the Northwestern Coding Boot Camp.

This course does an excellent job of introducing beginners to the fundamentals of web development. Students gain extensive knowledge about data structures and algorithms and successfully develop original applications. Application development encourages creative thinking, a vital skill required for success in the field. Industry work ethics such as teamwork, time-management, and effective communication are also taught via app development projects. The program offers an impressive cohort of teaching assistants and tutors. These experienced tech professionals assist students with their projects and weekly assignments while providing an overview of trends and best practices in the workplace. The course material is challenging at times. However, there are great support systems in place to ensure student success. 

For those looking to transition to a career in tech, I recommend enrolling in Career Services. The Career Services team helps students create career materials such as resumes, cover letters, and portfolios. They provide opportunities to attend panels with engineers at companies like Google. Additionally, students participate in year-round recruiting events with firms like Deloitte, Bank of America, and Liberty Mutual. 

Every component of the Northwestern Coding Boot Camp is designed to help students achieve their academic and professional goals. From learning code to interview training, this program allows students to have a competitive edge in the field. 

I had a great experience learning at Northwestern's Data Science and Visualization Boot Camp. The instructor was knowledgeable and presented the materials in a way that was fun and challenging. Both TA's were wonderful and engaged with the students, very helpful with their guidance. Outside of the 10 hrs of classroom learning per week, plan on at least 25-30 hrs per week on homework, group projects, tutoring, and office hours. Its a very fast paced program, and there is a lot to learn. The materials were up to date, and the staff showed us real world applications. I can't comment on the career services portion, as I'm just starting out on that, but so far my contact has been helpful and responsive.