Lambda School vs Galvanize

Galvanize Reviews and Key Information

Galvanize is a coding bootcamp with eight campuses located in cities across the United States like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boulder, Seattle, and San Jose. This school offers different training programs designed to prepare you for careers in software engineering and data science. The programs come in full-time and part-time schedules and can be taken online or onsite. The school also offers job training assistance to help students during the job search process. Read this in-depth Galvanize review to learn more about what the school has to offer.

Galvanize at a Glance

Cost of Tuition	$17,980
Financing Options	Income Share Agreement, Upfront Payment, Split Payment, Loans, Scholarships, Veteran Benefits
Courses Offered	Software Engineering, Data Science, Python Fundamentals, Professional Development for Software Engineers
Career Services and Job Assistance	Career Services Preparation

What Can You Learn at Galvanize?

Galvanize has four main programs that you can choose from. These consist of an introductory course in Python, two immersive programs in software engineering and data science, and professional development courses for software engineers. The last one is a group of micro-courses created to upskill software engineers with the industry’s most in-demand skills and technologies. Below is a comprehensive summary of Galvanize’s programs. Note that in light of COVID-19, all in-person classes are delivered through live online instruction.

Python Fundamentals

Python fundamentals is an introductory course that’s perfect for those who want to dip their toes into software engineering or data science but are not ready to commit to an immersive course yet. The program focuses on the building blocks of Python, a programming language that plays an integral role in tech fields. You’ll learn how to conduct object-oriented Python programming and navigate data science libraries like NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib. This course lasts 2.5 weeks and is designed for beginners.

Software Engineering Immersive

Galvanize’s software engineering program is held in high regard in the bootcamp industry due to its rigorous curriculum. The program begins with immersion in the software engineering best practices. It then moves on to honing your skills in full stack JavaScript, including working with server-side technologies and web frameworks. The program culminates with the delivery of functional applications built from scratch and career services preparation. The latter includes participating in mock job interviews, learning how to negotiate your salary, and building your brand. You have the option to learn full-time or part-time, depending on your availability. The program lasts 12 and 36 weeks, respectively.

Galvanize Data Science Immersive

Galvanize offers a competitive and immersive data science program designed to equip you with the skills you’ll need to become a data scientist. Expect to jump into a Python-focused curriculum that covers Python and statistics fundamentals, machine learning, and natural language processing. Finally, you’ll be required to complete three projects using real-world data to solidify your knowledge of the field. To be eligible for the program, you’ll need to have some solid foundations in math, statistics, and basic programming. Choose between a full-time (13 weeks) and part-time schedule (30 weeks) if this is the program for you.

Professional Development Programs

The professional development programs are meant for software engineers looking to add more skills and credentials to their resumes and advance their careers. At the time of writing, Galvanize offers four professional development courses that combine computer science theories with practical programming practices. These programs include algorithms and data structures, networking and reactive programming, and microservices and orientation. Most of these micro-programs cost around $1,500 to $2,000 and are available online.

Admissions: How Do You Get Accepted to Galvanize?

The admission process at Galvanize is not that different from other coding bootcamps. Applicants are required to attend an interview and complete a coding challenge, so you need to prepare before you submit your application. You must have the right mindset and demonstrate that you’re passionate about coding or data science. While a bachelor’s degree in computer science or data science is not necessary, it would be helpful to have some knowledge in math, statistics, and programming.

Galvanize Application Process

The application process at Galvanize starts when you submit your online application, which requires basic information about yourself and the program you wish to enroll in. You should then sit a technical interview and a coding challenge that will help demonstrate your problem-solving skills and logical thinking. If you’re applying for a seat in the software engineering program, you will need to complete a technical admission assessment where you’ll solve simple programming problems with JavaScript. Only if you pass the assessment can you proceed to the precourse work. If you’re applying for the data science immersive and pass the technical interview and coding challenge, you’ll receive a call from one of the school’s representatives to begin the precourse work.

Galvanize Interview

The technical interview at Galvanize requires a lot of preparation. Make sure you study as much as you can to be prepared for any type of challenge you may face. This technical interview is meant to evaluate your programming skills.

Paying for Galvanize

Galvanize has several payment options you can consider, from upfront payment to income share agreements. Below is a list of the payment options that you can choose from to afford a Galvanize education.

Upfront Payment

Paying upfront is the most straightforward way to finance your education, although it can be quite burdensome to pay at once. The immersive programs at Galvanize cost $17,980 if paid upfront, but all the professional development micro-courses come with varying prices.

Income Share Agreement

Galvanize’s income share agreement option allows you to study without having to worry about tuition costs until you’re hired and making more than $60,000 annually. Once this happens, you will have to pay 10 percent of your salary for 48 months to the school. If you fail to find a job during the stipulated time, your ISA will be waived. However, note that you’ll still be required to pay a $2,000 deposit to secure a spot in the program.

Private Student Loans

Galvanize currently partners with two loan providers, namely, Climb Credit and Ascent Funding. Ascent Funding offers a deferred option, interest-only payments, and living expense financing. The application process for both institutions is straightforward and takes just a couple of minutes.

Scholarships

Galvanize offers five full-ride scholarships for each cohort. These scholarships are for those that don’t have the resources to pay for their education but have demonstrated a passion for coding. Also eligible are members of underrepresented communities.

What Makes Galvanize Unique?

Galvanize has stood out among other schools because of its cutting-edge curricula. The bootcamp also boasts a host of employer partners with an established presence in the tech industry. These include companies like Amazon, Facebook, Google, Tesla, Salesforce, NASA, and Apple. Finally, Galvanize also offers multiple career services designed to help you succeed in your job search journey.