Startup Institute is SwitchUp's Top Rated Bootcamp

We’re proud to announce that Startup Institute is a top-rated coding school on SwitchUp! The bootcamp review site just released their year-end ‘Best Coding Bootcamps’ list, and Startup Institute ended the year with 123 alumni reviews at 4.8 stars. Startup Institute takes student feedback seriously, and it was exciting to see that reviewers had glowing remarks about the bootcamp’s curriculum, career support, and connections with local employers. Here’s the breakdown of what students have to say:

Amazing Networking Opportunities

Startup Institute goes beyond the typical bootcamp by bridging the gap between a student’s bootcamp experience and the working world. To achieve this, Startup Institute doesn’t just provide networking opportunities, it makes networking and mentorship a key piece of the curriculum. Many alums talked about how the connections they made at Startup Institute helped them get hired after the program. One reviewer explains:

I took a gamble, quit a stable job, and enrolled in [Startup Institute]'s Summer 2016 Web Development course...After 8 weeks in the full-time program, I was hired as a Front-End Developer and I’ve been in that role for the last four months at a company I love.

Startup Institute is an excellent networking opportunity, and I say this as someone who thinks networking is generally overrated. The introductions alone were worth the tuition. I learned about companies I had never heard of before, and was introduced [to the] startup scene—a sphere in which I had no interest or knowledge about prior to [Startup Institute].

Tailored Career Support

Many reviewers loved that Startup Institute is not simply a training program. The bootcamp is structured to both help students find their ideal career path, and then build the skills and network necessary to make it a reality. Students join Startup Institute from a variety of backgrounds, and are looking for a program that gives them a solid foundation to build a new career. One reviewer talks about their journey with Startup Institute:

Before I ended up at Startup Institute, I had a variety of odd jobs, all related to the startup tech scene, but I was unhappy as I wasn't able to convert into the developer world (mostly stuck as an intern or entry-level employee). I had signed up into the product track (which became web design) - which was a mix of front-end development, UIUX design, and product development/management. Over the course of two months, the staff and team... helped tremendously in advancing the knowledge of myself and other classmates. After graduating, within a month, I had landed a front-end developer role (as the) first employee at a financial technology startup and ended up developing the complete front-end of their application in AngualrJS.

Startup Institute Is Different — and that’s A Good Thing!

Unlike a lot of other programs, Startup Institute focuses both on the hard and soft skills necessary to thrive in a high-growth environment. The bootcamp takes this approach for one simple reason: their goal is to get you hired with a company you love. One reviewer explains:

The program basically consisted of three elements: classes, company partnerships, and community-building. The classes were generally very clear and rather fast-paced. The instructors as well as [Startup Institute] faculty were very attentive to individual concerns and issues (such as needing more time to develop a certain skill or solve a certain technical problem). That being said, Startup Institute regarded the course content as only one facet of the whole program: the philosophy was that getting a job requires immersion into the startup community as well as building up confidence and competence in interviews. The program, for this reason, should not be confused with school. It is not about getting a grade or even mastering every skill. It is way more about increasing the chances of employment.

What else do alumni have to say about Startup Institute? Visit SwitchUp.org. to learn more about how Startup Institute measures up against other coding bootcamps. Alum of the program? Be sure to leave a review.