Thinkful Software Engineering (Flexible) Review

  by Kyle Prinsloo       Last updated Jul 10, 2020

This is a review article for those considering enrolling in Thinkful’s Flexible Software Engineering Bootcamp.

I've studied through Thinkful.

I've reviewed other bootcamps and I still think they're the best coding bootcamp if you want to become a full-stack developer.

You have a lot of questions like:

• How much does it cost?
• What is their teaching method?
• Is the schedule really flexible?
• Can I really become a full-stack web developer if I enroll?

I'm going to answer all of the main questions in this article so you can decide if Thinkful is for you.

 

Who is Thinkful?

Thinkful was founded in 2012 as a coding bootcamp and has since expanded to offer tech training in several other fields like:

• Data science
• Data analytics
• UX/UI design
• Product management
• Software engineering
• Technical project management
• Digital marketing

Their courses are 100% online, with full-time and part-time/flexible schedule options.

Here are a few things I like about Thinkful:

 Personalized Mentorship:

Thinkful is one of the few bootcamps that offer 1-on-1 sessions with an experienced mentor. Students get a personal coach with whom you will hop on weekly lessons and share insights and questions. Your mentor will also help structure your study plan to best fit your learning style.

One-on-one mentorship, in contrast to group learning, allows for more engaging and personalized teaching experience. You can ask as many questions as you want. You can basically pick your mentor’s brain, ask them about their experience, and ask for clarifications and assistance when you need it.

Mentors in Thinkful have an average of 10 years of experience in the workplace. They hold real jobs in technical roles in good companies. So, in short: they're highly experienced to help you.

 Career Coaching and Money Back Guarantee:

These are the 3 big selling points for me:

First, Thinkful offers a Job Guarantee where you will get a 100% tuition refund if you don’t get hired.

There are requirements that you need to meet to qualify for a refund, but it just goes to show how committed they are to provide the support you need.

Second, to actually help you land a job, you’ll get career coaching focused on helping you build an outstanding portfolio and equipping you with good interview skills.

Some of their graduates work in companies like:

Third, they even developed partnerships and apprenticeship programs with companies looking for top tech talent. One of such companies is Carfax, a huge secondhand car buy-and-sell company in the USA.

And the Thinkful grads working in Carfax seem to love it:

 Flexible Financing Options:

The costly tuition of most tech courses is a common roadblock for many people who otherwise would love to shift careers. Thinkful fills in this gap by offering flexible payment schemes.

You can choose to pay:

• Month to Month
• A SkillsFund Loan
• Pay Upfront

At the time of writing this, their Software Engineering Bootcamp is much cheaper than Springboard and General Assembly.

Here are a few other benefits in comparison:

 Results Transparency:

Thinkful is very transparent about their results.

They co-founded the Council on Integrity in Results Reporting (CIRR), an independent NPO that audits outcomes of schools including graduation and job placement rates.

Here are some results of graduates:

• 88% are working full-time, with the rest working as contractors or freelancers
• 94% are using skills they learned on their programs
• 66% got a promotion within a year of graduating
• On average, Thinkful grads report a salary increase of roughly $20,000 in their first job, and $20,000 more within a year after that.

Thinkful’s Flexible Software Engineering Program

If you want to become a full-stack web developer while holding down a day job, the Flexible Software Engineering Bootcamp is a great option.

Here's a quick overview:

• 100% online
• Part-time
• 6 months
• Takes around 25-30 hours per week

Prefer studying full-time? Enroll in the Engineering Immersion Bootcamp.

 

 Advanced Curriculum:

What will you learn in the Flexible Software Engineering Bootcamp?

Pretty much everything you need as a web developer. You will learn frontend and backend coding skills using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React.

Here’s a snapshot of their curriculum:

Although the topics are advanced, the curriculum is designed to be beginner-friendly. You’ll also have your mentor that you can ask for help when you hit a wall.

 

 15-Day Free Access Trial:

This is a newly released feature that will make the bootcamp even more accessible to more people.

It’s the only coding bootcamp I’ve come across that offers a (completely free) 15-day trial where you will get free access to the entire course including the course materials, 1-on-1 mentorship, and career guidance.

This trial period will let you assess if it’s for you before you spend a single dollar. You can assess the level of difficulty of the course, the pacing, teaching style, and the amount of work needed each week.

If you decide that the bootcamp is not for you, you can also choose not to enroll – no strings attached.

You can start your 15-day Free Trial here.

 

 Student Outcomes:

One of the best in the industry.

Around 80% of Software Engineering graduates are employed in the field 6 months after graduating, with most of them holding jobs as web developers and software engineers.

Software Engineering graduates have a $62,000 median pay rate 6 months after graduation, with pay rates varying from under $40K to over $80K.

Salary increase experienced by graduates after Thinkful:

 

 Real Student Reviews:

Compared with other bootcamps on CourseReport, Thinkful ranks number 1 with a 92% satisfaction rate (4.6/5) from over 600 reviews.

The reviews confirm that I'm not the only satisfied student:

I was hesitant to start a bootcamp when there were many indications that the field was saturated with bootcamp grads, yet I went through with it and can say that it was well worth it. The Thinkful bootcamp was great and informative and I learned a lot. There were times when it got rough and I lost focus but my mentor and my academic success manager helped me through it and I got to where I am today with their help. The community is great as a whole and I've made a few peer connections that I hope will help as I go about my coding journey.
- Jacob M.

The curriculum is amazing! I wish my textbooks in school were written with the simple, easy to understand, and straight forward style of Thinkful's curriculum. Some assignments are graded, which is awesome because it's helpful to get feedback on what you're doing wrong and when you're doing something right. The mentor sessions were really helpful, being obligated to meet with a mentor twice a week holds you accountable and having an experienced developer who can answer your questions is also helpful and a great source of support.
- Elijah

I came out of the program with 4 working, functional, and well-designed projects that helped me get my job. The amount of learning you do while working on these projects is insane. Towards the end of the program, you're kind of given free rein to build whatever you'd like which is really cool and allows you to become passionate about what you're building. My advice is to take time on the projects. They're your biggest leg up in the job market and can push you to learn more.
- Trey T.

Pros and Cons of the Flexible Software Engineering Bootcamp

To summarize, here’s a list of the pros and cons of Thinkful’s Flexible Software Engineering Bootcamp:

👍 Pros:

• They guarantee you a job.
• If you don't get a job after 6 months, you get your $ back.
• They have a robust career coaching system.
• The flexible schedule makes it ideal for people with full-time jobs or busy schedules.
• They offer 1-on-1 mentorship which allows for more interaction and a personalized learning experienced.
• 15-day free trial where you can access the entire course to see if it’s the right fit for you.

 

👎 Cons:

• Although affordable, it still costs thousands of dollars.
• Remote learning is not for everyone. Some people find it difficult to stay focused and finish online courses.

If you're interested in enrolling to this bootcamp, I've partnered with Thinkful to get you a discount:

Click here to get $150 off towards the Thinkful Flexible Bootcamp

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That sums up the review of the Flexible Software Engineering Bootcamp by Thinkful. I personally think that it’s one of the best coding bootcamps in terms of teaching methods, career support, and accessibility.

Hope this article helped you decide if this bootcamp is for you 😊