Galvanize

In an increasingly crowded universe of development training programs, Galvanize has been a trail blazer and leader. The six-month intensive program with its focus on leading technologies and discipline around  best-in-class engineering process vaulted my capabilities exponentially. This learning was fueled by an instruction team that was excellently qualified with both professional and academic experience. Galvanize's entrepreneurial ecosystem and top-notch instructors make it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a career in software.

Galvanize is a great school.  The students are intelligent and driven, and the intensity of the course seemed to force us to engage with each other in an extremely goal-oriented, intellectually honest manner.  I cannot tell you how satisfying it is to work with others who operate on such a mature plane.  The professors and DSRs are knowledgeable and dedicated to helping students actually understand the material, but you need to seek them out if you need help outside of the classroom.  I found Lee Murray (then DSR, now DSI) to be particularly helpful and very sharp.  

The course is well-paced and decently orchestrated until we got into the Spark, AWS, Hadoop, Hive and Pig week.  If you know anything about these pieces of software, you will know a week is not enough time to cover them.  This week should focus only on the skills that are most attractive, to the majority of employers; and those skills are Spark and AWS.  Students should be taken by the hand and walked through every step of setting up an EC2 instance on AWS, as it's actually not that hard, but admits of many pitfalls.  The remaining time should be dedicated to Spark.  Overall, given the immense depth and breadth of the topic, the instruction, course material and coursework are well crafted.

The classroom time dedicated to all the job/hiring stuff after we got through with the data science bit was far too short.  However, Katie's (then the Director of Outcomes at Galvanize) assistance was outstanding.  She can and will walk you through everything; from organizing the job tracker to how to write a cold email.  She is also an invaluable source for finding job opportunities and will give you warm introductions to people.  However, you must be patient and persistent with her, as she is a very busy women who simply cannot do 100 things at once.

In short, Galvanize has a great deal to offer, but as with all things, it's what you make of it.  It was one of the best decisions I ever made, in part, because I was determined to make it so.

I enrolled in the full stack program with a little bit of insider info. I had been working for Galvanize, part-time, so I was looped in to their internal updates on student placement and curriculum development. I recognized that the company was really focused on student success and that the data backed it up. Despite that insight, I still looked into a few different programs (it's too much of an investment to make a biased decision). I quickly narrowed the finalists down to the two well know six month, fully immersive programs in Denver. I decided that part-time wasn't going to cut it. Ultimately, the deciding factor was the community experience that Galvanize would offer me. 

From day one of the program, I was happy with my experience. Between the curriculum, the instructional team the community experience, Galvanize was a perfect storm of life changing experiences.

The curriculum was relevant, responsive and very fast paced. The reality is that learning a full stack of web development is an enormous endeavor. It gets stressful and overwhelming at times. The industry standards are in a constant state of flux and even the foundations of problem solving go deeper than most people are used to in their day to day lives. 

That being said, I cannot imagine a more efficient way of delivering the information than what I experienced at Galvanize. The program segmented front-end, back-end, frameworks and computer science cooncepts, but also allowed us to spiral back and gain a deeper knowledge after we had spent a fair amount of time with material.

Beyond the curriculum, the class culture was amazing. Not only did I leave this program with twenty something new friends, the comraderie in the classroom encouraged helping and teaching each other and removed the fear of looking stupid when asking questions. Developing that environment was a conscious effort of our instructional team and I'm grateful for that. 

Outside of our classroom, we also reaped the benefits of the community space. Rather than learning in a silo and having to go to networking events to, not so subtly, ask employers for jobs, we got to share a space with working professionals that were intersested and curious about our experiences. After six months in the same building, we had all made personal connections with developers and euntreprenuers that advised us, hired some of us, and became a natural part of our networks. 

Finally, I want to add that the program was really fun. Aside, from the fact that I got a job (I'm now working for Galvanize), and that I got new skills, it was one of the most fun six months of my life. I absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves learning, wants to be challenged and needs some help transitioning into the tech world.

I came from an electrical engineering and enterprise software background, but fell in love with data science about a year ago and wanted a change.  I studied online through Coursera, but eventually chose Galvanize to help sharpen my skills after not being selected for a few data science positions.  

It worked.  I landed a data science job with an exciting startup/consultancy within 1 month of graduating, and I will start consulting at a major software company on Monday  

I am just now beginning to appreciate how much I learned at Galvanize.  In just two months I have been able to contribute to a variety of projects with the knowledge I gained from Galvanize; building classifiers, regression models, topic modelers, and A-B testing. We are mostly an Azure ML and R shop, but my new-found Python skills have been very well received here.

The course work at Galvanize was intense, but fun.  The instructors are amazing and the cohort was highly intelligent.  I've never been so intellectually challenged in my entire life (except maybe now at my new job)  Being surrounded by and studying with the Galvanize team  for three months changed my life.  I am doing what I want to be doing.  

There isn't much I can add to the reviews already available which cover most of the important points but I'll add my two cents.

Data Science immersive has hands down been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my career and I would do it again without thinking twice. It's a great place to learn and grow and the environment is immensely supportive. The instructors and the DSR's(TA's) are always available to answer questions or doubts which will be in abundance.

You will learn as much from your peers as from your instructors. Be prepared to put in the hours and forgo any social life outside the program for its duration.

I agree with some of the reviews below about working to get your jobs. It ultimately comes down to how much work you're willing to put in by going to meetups, conferences and even cold mailing recruiters. It can take anywhere from 1-6 months depending on the individual. 

I want to give a shout out to the Outcomes team which works hard behind the scenes to help graduates in their job search. They are always available to help you and make introductions wherever they can. They also conduct a weekly outcomes meetup for graduates to come and discuss their interview experiences which in my opinion is extremely valuable. Basic idea here is that you have resources available , its up to you to make the most of them.

Bootcamps are hard work. They require a lot of dedication and effort. For anyone looking to learn how to code that can't or doesn't want to put in that kind of commitment, steer clear of bootcamps in general.

I'd argue that Galvanize prepares their students better than any other similarly structured and timed bootcamp. I've seen this working as an engineer for the past two years while working with graduates from other bootcamps. They've honed in on what works and how to reach the majority of their students with varying ways to teach and learn.

That being said, you get out of it what you're willing to put in. Galvanize will not hand every student a job coming out of Full Stack, nor will they guarantee that you've retained all that they've put out there for you.

Simply put: if you're interested in becoming a software engineer, you have drive and a basic knowledge of computers and do the pre-work, then Galvanize Full Stack is your best bet and will prepare you the in the most indepth way for the launch of your engineering career.

If your ambitions are to make more money, take some time off and discover your passions... Don't jump into a bootcamp. Galvanize is a great program, but it won't give you the basic skills like computer proficiency, that's something you need to come in with. 

Provided you have a legitimate interest in technology, software, and web development, Galvanize is one of the best programs. Like anything else, it's what you make of it. If you put your all into the program, you'll walk out with the basic skills needed to thrive as a junior developer. But what you won't get is the foundational computer science concepts that make you a mid-level or senior developer. That's something you need to develop on your own. I guess what I'm saying is, you need to have a desire to continue learning. This isn't a silver bullet, but it's a fantastic starting point. 

They aren't going to hand you a job, you have to get out there and search for it. I know some people who graduated and didn't find a job for six months, others had jobs lined up before graduation. It's a risk. The marketing for the school isn't necessarily the most accurate, but it's not a complete lie either.  Nearly everyone I know from this program has eventually found a job, though not always the one they wanted or making as much as they thought they should. 

I can't speak to the job assistance, I was in the third graduating class and there was virtually no assistance. Demo days were for family, friends and students. No one was there to hire you. You had to find those willing to on your own. I hear it's better now, but can't speak to it.

The short of this... If you love technology and have the drive to learn, Galvanize is great! If you're looking for money and an easy way out... You're in for a world of pain and struggle. They will direct you to the tools, you figure out how to use them. It's what you make of it. 

I had a very fulfilling experience at Galvanize. The classroom environment is the perfect combination of individual assignments and collaborative learning, and the instructors check in with you personally to make sure you're getting all the help you need if you are having difficulty with any particular subject. This is very much a success-oriented program; the goal is to place you in a data scientist position as soon as possible.

In addition to the programming, probability, statistics, machine learning, and data engineering curriculum, there are one-on-one resume workshops and mock interviews. You learn how to pitch yourself as a data scientist and navigate the interview process down to the negotiation stage. Galvanize hosts many events and talks that provide valuable networking opportunities, and the outcomes team has a roster of companies that come to the Galvanize campus to connect with students (and if you have a particular place in mind, they can help connect you with them directly). 

I enjoyed the experience so much that I stayed around to help instruct the next cohort. Meanwhile, my peers had interviews lined up in the week immediately following graduation. Any time after the program, Galvanize and the outcomes team are still there for you to provide job search support. They're a resources you can always count on, and they really, really want you to become a successful data scientist. 

After reading positive Galvanize reviews and finding multiple job postings in Denver for Data Scientists I decided to enroll in the 3 month Data Science Immersive at the Platte campus starting in February.  Getting in to the program wasn't easy: besides a take-home test there were two online Google-hangout type tests that tested python, programming knowledge, and stats and machine learning knowledge.  I got in but I studied these subjects intensively for a couple months beforehand because I knew that the rejection rate (i.e. "Apply again after you've learned more in these areas..." was high.

I was impressed by the syllabus, the instructors, and the contacts with industry.  This is a vocational school, but there is a serious attempt in the limited time you have each day to dig deep conceptually into the material while you do practical exercises.  It was exhilarating and exhausting.

Post graduation job search support is strong as well. 

Before starting the 6-Month Galvanize Web Development Immersive program in Denver, I was working as a remote representative doing ISP techincal support. Having only a techincal certificate/associate degree from a community college, I felt my career options were limited and I was at a job earning much less than I valued my skills to be worth. I wasn't being challenged and my pay reflected that. I had always been interested in programming but had never written a single line of code.

Enter Galvanize...

One of the best decisions I have ever made! This program was hard but very rewarding. I made really good friends during the course and overcame some very tough challenges. Galvanize has a dynamic curriculum meaning it is constantly being updated to fit the job market. We were the first cohort to have switched to a MEAN/NEAP stack curriculum instead of primarily RoR. I learned more than I thought was possible in that short of time frame. I realized I really enjoyed complex problem solving and learned how to approach difficult situations way more effectively. After the six months, I applied to become a resident instructor at Galvanize, a role akin to a TA. I was offered the position and spent 3 months helping the next cohort of students before being promoted to a full-time Associate Instructor. I am now getting ready to help teach my second cohort and I couldn't be happier. I worked very hard and know I ultimatley was responsible for my own success but I'd be lying if I didn't say I owe a lot of it to Galvanize, their dynamic curriculum, and the incredible staff of instructors. 

Considering that the Data Science program advertises itself as continually updating their cirrculum as to keep up with industry standards, many of the sprints were woefully typo ridden and did a sub-par job conveying what should be learned during the exercise. In this way the learning experience was far less smooth than it could have otherwise been.

Looking beyond this limitation, the program was amazing. The instructing staff was knowledgable and certainly cared about my learning experience. The other students were also a wealth of knowledge and support. Overall, the program was extraordinary, though very taxing. They definitely take the immersive idea seriously there.

I think the biggest thing I got from the program was learning how much there is to learn about data science while getting a great foundation of skills and framework in which to acquire new ones.

If you think that you're going to know all about data science upon leaving this program, or that it's some sort of magic solution that will make you a big shot data sciencist, then think again. No matter what, learning data science takes an immense amount of work and talent, this program ended up being an amazing first step in my efforts to become a good data scientist.

Galvanize did it. Well no, acutally, I did it because it took a lot of work but Galvanize helped me get there. I went from working for non-profits with zero tech skills to doubling my salary writing code.

The market is good right now for developers, that definitely played a factor. So if you're thinking about coding, now is the time. I highly recommend Galvanize. They really care about their placement rates and are very public about it so it's a good choice. As far as other bootcamps, I'm not sure, but I can talk about my experience with gSchool:

They had completely shifted their curriculum from Rails to JS. We were one of the first cohorts to go through it. Looking back, I think they could have been a little more organized with the curriculum. It was intense early on and then independent work for the second half. It should have been spread out more with more guidance towards the end.

Even so, Galvanize is fucking awesome and I learned everything that I needed to know to get a job. My instructor knew his shit and made sure we did as well.

Also, one thing that might set Galvanize apart from the rest is the community aspect. The environment is modern and hip. They host multiple startups and events that I was constantly immersed in the tech scene. By the time I graduated, I had made really good connections and friends.

Galvanize is without a doubt the best decision I have so far in my life. I have completely altered the path I thought I woud follow, giving me opportunities, connections, and a community of incredibly people that I never woud have had otherwise. It is an intense and challenging program, as is to be expected in a condensed bootcamp format, but it was worth every penny...I don't say that lightly, given the loan I took out for the program. I have hard technical skills and an ability to learn new concepts quickly and effectively, allowing me to pick up new frameworks and technologies in a way I never could before. 

There's a reason that the Huffington Post and the NY Times have written rave articles and reviews about Galvanize and its graduates. Let's start by discussing what separates Galvanize from its competitors. 

A. Galvanize's full stack immersive program is 6-months long. Longer than most programs of competitors, but much needed to truly come out of the program as a decent full stack developer. The program begins quite structured, with lectures and assignments daily. After the first quarter, you have less lectures, and more assignments that are to be completed on your own or in groups. The concept of gradual release is extremely beneficial and mimics a typical workflow of a developer in the field (ie: there won't always be someone there to hold your hand and answer all of your questions). Galvanize is big about the concept of learning to learn- and let me tell you... once you learn to learn, you never stop (or want to stop). Let's just say that learning Meteor in a week wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

B. Galvanize buildings are a combination of start-ups/freelancers and the immersive bootcamps, and that is just awesome. Picture this. You're sitting in a common area on a Saturday morning, hacking away at an assignment due Monday. A man, who is a member at Galvanize walks up to you and strikes a conversation. Turns out, that man is the CEO of a startup in the building and guess what?! They are hiring junior developers. From networking events held monthly, mentorship luncheons with companies, opportunities to shadow devs in the building, and even to the random conversations I had over a beer or two (yes, there is a keg with free beer in the building), the connections I made with professionals in the tech industry through Galvanize are priceless. This is one of the main reasons I chose Galvanize and one of the main reasons why I believe their program is so successful.

C. In the end, you're trying to get a job... and a good one. Galvanize has an outcomes team that is specifically responsible for finding you jobs and counseling you through the entire process. As a student (and alumni if you finish the program), you have access to exclusive job opportunities via an internal job portal. Many of these companies and these job roles target Galvanize graduates exclusively because they know they are reliable and strong developers. Was it easy finding a job?! Actually, yes. I got my top job and one of the top 3 salaries in my class two weeks before graduation. The last quarter of the full stack immersive program is predominately working on capstones and presentations, technical interview practice and lectures regarding salary negotiations and resumes. Hiring day, which occurs two weeks before graduation, is a day dedicating to showcasing student capstones. Each student presents roughly 4 minutes in front of 30-50 potential employers (all who are looking to hire). After presentations, there is a networking luncheon, a speed-dating sort of round where employers chat with each student, AND a science-fair styled showcase of all the companies, where students can visit booths set up by companies. It's a lot of talking and networking within one day, but most students come out with second rounds of interviews scheduled with companies, and some, even jobs. 

Now let's talk about my ratings.

A. Overall Experience: I gave it a five, but I would give a TEN if possible. Really. You give up your life, your job and for me, I moved halfway across the country just for this program. You shell out all of this money in hopes that everything will work out... and it does. If you put in the effort and the hours, you will come out with a great job- regardless of whether or not you are the top coder in the class. For me, Galvanize personally connected me with my dream job- which is where the 5 extra stars come into play. 

B. Instructors: The instructors are awesome. They all come from really unique backgrounds and bring a lot of unique developer experience to the table. Instructors are available during work hours and many go above and beyond to be available late at night and on the weekends. Each class has 4-5 instructors and usually 1 FSR (like a TA) to assist, so I never felt like I was on an island. Instructors enjoy solving problems and coding too, so often times they bring a new perspective on how to solve a problem or address issues you're experiencing in your code. 

C. Curriculum. It is a Javascript-based bootcamp. The stack is: NEAP (Node.js, Express, Angular, PostgreSQL) and in addition, we scratched the surface of: Ruby, Python, Java, Swift, Mongo, Socket.io, Test Driven Development and Agile Workflow. Lots of students learned new technologies for projects as well. If you are coming in with little to no experience in coding, work on JavaScript and JQuery as the first half of the program heavily revolves around those. Also, class hours are 9-5 M-F, but you WILL put in additional hours every.single.day. Just plan to put in 50-60 hour weeks at minimum. Don't worry- pomodoro timer is a real thing and there is a ping pong table for breaks. 

D. Job Assistance, see above.

All in all, Galvanize was worth the money and the time. I came out with a great job, amazing friends, and irreplaceable knowledge of how to learn as well as the necessary foundation of a software developer. It's hard work, but it pays off without a doubt. 

Hi! I finished my Denver cohort in Jan 2016. If you are considering a data science Denver class I would recommend visiting a class and noting: interaction with students and instructors, how smoothly the labs run, and how the intructors review material supporting quizes and exams. Ask the students how they are doing and what they are learning. It will be your money and time so make sure you are comfortable with the learning environment as a place where you can thrive.

If they refuse to let you visit a class, consider that a red flag.

I would also ask for the number of students employed in the Denver area with salary info. Our cohort has had a difficult time finding Denver jobs. As of this writing, 4 months after the classes ended, many are not employed. If your intent is to stay in the Denver Metro area, this may not be the program for you. One person from my cohort and two from the previous cohort had to leave Colorado to find employment.

PROS:

The other students were very motivated, interesting and collaborative. Galavanize does a great job of finding qualified students.
The ziphian materials presented in the repositories are wonderful. If you take the class dig deep for them. They were not used as part of the circulum in Denver.
The California staff visited twice during our session and were amazing with providing context and coherent lectures.
The labs were actual business case studies with relevent uses of algorithms on business data
The math, stats and computer theory was presented and then applyed to a a real world problem 
The Denver training site is in an incubator and home to a full stack class so you are surrounded by people who are inovating and discussing new ideas
The Denver training site has lots of amneties like breakout rooms, wireless, gym, bike corral, and spectacular views
Guest speakers came about once every other week to discuss their use of data science in their company which put a great context to what we were learning
One week prior to the Data Science course they offered a Python course that really helped and was a great bonus

CONS:

The labs, reading materials, quizzes and lectures were often unrelated.
Many of the 30 minute quizzes were over materials that were never covered and not reviewed (so what was the point?)
The instructors were not always constructive to questions with responses like: "google it", blank stares, "I don't know, ask someone else", and shoulder shrugs
The labs were not properly prepared so we often spent valuable time trying to configure our computer by updating libraries, importing a new data file or running different syntax
The Career Services team was located in a different building 15 minutes away and had very limited availablity
Time management, planning and communication were lacking with informal meetings and no schedule for the day. As a result, I did not feel that my time was valued by the Galvanize staff.
Confusing and inconsistent learning environments and teaching styles.
The staff was constantly "reactive" to what needed to be done. They were avaliable for questions but not great at explaining concepts to relate to the lab and quiz materials.
Instructors were graduates of the previous course so their knowledge did not run deep

Good luck !