Columbia Engineering Boot Camps

I enjoy creative problem solving and am fascinated by figuring out how things work.  I enjoy puzzles and building solutions, and I was eager to learn a technical skill that would make me more marketable while looking for jobs.  My goal was to set myself up on a career path that had me thinking creatively and solving problems while earning a competitive salary with great benefits.  Based on the very little that I knew about Data Analytics, I did some light Googling and stumbled upon Columbia's Data Analytics Boot Camp.  I had never coded a day in my life.  I had some experience working in Microsoft Excel, but that's it.  I got my questions answered by the admissions folks at Triology and passed the intial test to qualify for the program.  I was nervous and excited to begin this program. 

The first few weeks were a huge learning curve for me.  I do not have a math and science background, and we hit the ground running with coding.  I spent lots of time outside of class researching concepts on my own and watching online tutorials while taking lots of notes.  I can confidently say that I have never studied this hard or diligently in my life, but it has really paid off.  Over time, the concepts started to click and with every passing class I feel more and more confident in my abilities as a Data Analyst. 

My favorite parts of this program have been my kind, patient, amazing instructor; building relationships with my classmates and working with them on homework outside of class; and taking advantage of the weekly 1:1 tutoring sessions with my outstanding tutor. 

My main peice of advice to you is this: you aren't good at something until you learn how to do it.  No one is born with an innate ability to code.  You learn how to code.  If you have a creative and analytic mind, this program can be an amazing way to implement those approaches with a technical skill set.  It has been very humbling to learn something new, something that seemed so foreign and impossible to understand.  But it's not impossible.  It just takes a lot of work.  I've had to make sacrifices in order to dedicate as much time and energy as I can into this program, but I know that there will be opportunities for me once it's under my belt.  Anyone can learn how to do this, it just takes time.  Like I said, I was nervous, but after jumping in and dealing with the struggle and the challenge of wrapping my brain around this fast paced program, I feel proud of myself at how far I've come in such a short amount of time. 

I had Michael and Jamal as my instructors! They are an awesome pair because they synergize off each other's strengths. Michael strength is his ability to spark interest ontop of laying the foundational scaffolding of knowledge; while, Jamals is his ability to dive deep to build upon that foundation with best practices to create more efficient and less buggy code. On top of that, there would be many moments of quality comedic timing that really brought us as a class together.

We have dedicated TA's like Casey, Yohann, Pete. Who would be in Mudd sometimes 2-3 hours before actual class time. Socializing with students and making sure that we got the help we needed.

Early on in the Bootcamp, I remember having a memorable experience with TA's Michelle, Ben, and Mike who were with us in the glass study area of campus-level Mudd. I was trying to get this animation library working with my first deployment on GitHub pages. I was probably looking frustrated and Michelle came over and made sure I got help. This was at a time without class or office hours.

Another time early on, I remember Jamal sat me down individually during after-hours just explaining from a question I had. He even missed an earlier train home for me.

Recently during final project-week, EVERYONE stayed in class extra just so we can hit higher goals. It's time like these where you realize the instructional staff really are here to help us succeed in any way they can.

On another note, I think Columbia attracts a really unique and rich student body. We had game designers who wanted to learn to code in our class. We had business owners. We had older 30's something finance people who realized they were teaching foreign developers how to automate their jobs and will be replaced soon if they don't adapt. And of course, we had young people like me who are in their early twenties trying to make something of their life.

I had some gripes with the curriculum in terms of time spent on things that weren't that important. I talked to Michael and Jamal about it and they said they know and were trying to make changes with the higher-ups.

Overall a great experience! A tough experience. A real challenge. If you're doing this you really will need to spend 12-14 hours each week at Columbia AND as much as you can get outside of class to review and build knowledge (10-20 hours+ minimum depending on the person). A ton of perseverance is needed, seriously!!

-Filbert Shi (Finished June 2019)

If you can dream it, you can achieve it. This is what I had in mind before  I started the Full Stack Web Development program. This helped me to perserve against all odds. 

From the time for registeration, I knew this was the program I wanted to attend. The customer service was excellent.  I was thrilled to find out that the program could be run part time, this  flexibilty is a big plus for the program. Also the tuition was one of the most affordable bootcamp in the city. The fact that the tuition could be paid installmentally made the program attractive.

Attending  class the first day,  and the Course Curriculum shared,  simply confirmed to me that I was in the right program. 

The instructors and the teaching assistants were passionate about  their coding  job, and were always happy to help. The SSM made sure students were getting  every the help they needed to succeed. The 50 minutes weekely tutorial service is a great initiative. 

I started the program with no  knowledge of coding, but I completed the program well equipped with so much information to continue in this distinguished journey.

Thank you Columbia Engineering BootCamp giving the tools I needed to succeed in this field. 

This program was great as I learned so much in a short amount of time. 

The instructers and TAs were amazing as they took the time out to help and really go over material. They looked out for everyone and made sure everyone was getting the help they needed! The material was current and assignments were challenging, which helped me learn and solve logical componenets, making me a better coder. I reccomend this boot camp to anyone who is interested in understanding web development!

I am part of the first cohort and my experience with the program is overwhelmingly positive. All the staffs are amazing and they tried their best to help me understanding CS even though at times I was just nip-picking on the tiniest details. There are a few things I did not like about the curriculum, like how fast we had to speed through certain topics and how on our second project we were expected to create something to present with the amalgation of knowledge up to that point while still learing new things during class (when we were suppose to be working on the project) and having half the time of our first, argubly easier, project. At the end of the day, I put in about 3 hours daily and sometimes as much as 8 hours trying to learn all I can in CS. The program is amazing but it is not the end point of someone who is trying to start a career in the tech industry, you have to continue to learn on your own even though you might not be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My overall experience from start to finish was very exciting. The bootcamp is challenging, and it will push you, but you’ll never look back and regret it. The first couple weeks for me were the hardest, mostly due to the learning curve (I had zero professional experience in tech), but I really feel that the beginning was the most uncertain and uncomfortable time for me. Yes, the bootcamp was difficult till the end, but at that point I knew I could do it, it was just a matter of persevering and problem solving. I talked with many colleagues and fellow students going through the bootcamp alongside me, and the overall thoughts were that the bootcamp is very fast, they push you hard, harder than some people like to be pushed and, they/we wished we had more of a heads up on how much they expect right off the bat (we had two weeks to get a solid grasp of python and then moved on to implementing it in code with other programs and learning libraries - which can also be challenging to learn), along with the thoughts that we weren’t warned how much time we’d need to dedicate to studying and learning everything. Lots of people had full time jobs and families, which I heard and can imagine was very difficult to balance. Even students not currently employed or raising children had a hard time keeping up with everything new being thrown at us (keep in mind this is the “part time” 6 month bootcamp). I strongly would recommend learning python online or through other resources before the bootcamp. A solid month or two (even a week or so would be helpful) would make a huge difference and allow to you to start off a little smoother. If you’ve got time learning the math behind some algorithms would be beneficial to wrap your head around the overall picture, though not necessary. If you are looking to brush up on some math or learn some, linear algebra is probably the most useful/applicable one, as well as statistics and lastly, calculus.
Learning statistical terms and definitions would also be a huge help, even if you don’t get into the exact math. When it comes to resources, I would look ahead of time for good resources so you have some ideas of where to look once bootcamp starts for extra help and/or additional ways that the information you’re learning can be explained and simplified or expanded on. I would utilize all the wonderful TAs with any questions, concerns, curiosity, or issues of any kind. I think some of the TAs could have been more helpful in certain modules, but there will always be someone to help if one person isn’t exactly sure how to answer your questions or help you out. That’s where it comes in handy to get to know each TA and their strengths and weaknesses. The slack is a great way to connect with peers, make new connections, and help each other out. The tutoring sessions included with the bootcamp can be a good resource, but I was honestly pretty disappointed with the lack of knowledge the tutors had. Plus, most of them were in a completely different time zone (ex. Africa), leaving the only quick option of having tutoring at 3am to get help with something. In the beginning I tried a session with most of the tutors, if not all to see who I trusted the most to steer me in the right direction, and stuck with them most of the bootcamp. I also had a couple backup tutors in case one wasn’t available, as well as contact information for quick questions.
Another approach would be to have an outside tutor, not related to the school setup ahead of time to ensure you have someone that can help. Even starting some sessions before the bootcamp to get some of the basics down would be fantastic.

I will openly say, there were some faults with the bootcamp, and it’s arguable whether the amount of time given or not should be kept as is, or lengthened. That depends on personal preference, capacity, and the amount of time you can devote. You can always keep reviewing after the bootcamp ends, you have all materials for a year after graduation, but keep in mind you still need to understand enough of the information currently being taught to keep up.

Aside from the things that maybe aren’t so ideal for some people, I overall loved the bootcamp, the instructor, TAs, and support staff. They’re all very supportive, want to see you succeed, and will help as much as possible. It is truly a great experience, one that is also far different from traditional education, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested. If you’ve read this far about the bootcamp, you’ve done your research, and I can tell you already you’ll do a fantastic job (even though you may not always feel it). Take the chance! Best of luck, and I hope to hear all about your experiences in the slack alumni channel after you graduate!!!
With care,
Josephine R.

Coming from a hospitality background with zero tech experience, I took a big leap into cybersecurity because I wanted a career that’s both challenging and in high demand. After looking at various options, I chose the Columbia Engineering Cybersecurity Boot Camp because of its reputation and in-depth curriculum.
The program is no joke—it’s intense! But it’s also super rewarding. The instructors broke down complex topics in ways even a non-techie like me could grasp. The best part? Meeting a bunch of like-minded people who are all hustling to better themselves. Plus, you get to learn some seriously cool stuff—hacking, defense strategies, all the fun cyber tools—and it makes the hard work enjoyable.
If you’re thinking about joining, here’s my tip: prep ahead of time. Getting familiar with the material before class really takes the edge off and keeps you from feeling overwhelmed. Stay organized, connect with your classmates, and dive into the content—you’ll come out the other side with new skills, a solid network, and the confidence to kickstart your cybersecurity career.

Get ready to learn, connect, and have a blast while leveling up your career—trust me, you won’t regret it!

I'm glad I decided to invest in my education with Columbia Engineering and the Bootcamp for Full Stack Web Development.  The course, while fast-paced, covers all of the topics necessary to introduce you to the coding world and prepare you with the skills to continue your education and secure jobs post-completion.  The teaching and support staff were all super responsive and very helpful.  I definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in diving into coding in well organised setting.

I recently graduated from the Columbia Engineering Data Bootcamp, and it's been life-changing. Before joining, I had zero coding experience and low expectations, but now I'm confident in coding and excited about my career path as a data analyst.


The instructor was a standout – patient and skilled at explaining complex concepts to beginners like me. Hands-on projects and homework boosted my confidence and practical skills. I'm now certain about pursuing a data analyst career.


While my experience was great, more networking opportunities could enhance the program. Overall, if you're hesitant about coding, Columbia's Bootcamp is a game-changer. It's transformed me, and I'm ready for an exciting career in data analysis, all thanks to this incredible program.

My journey with Columbia Engineering Bootcamp started in 2021 when I decided to make a career change and started looking into programs that would offer a well written curriculum, reasonable tuition fee and a certification of completion - those were my main criteria. 
I got in touch with their admission office and got all the information and then it took me almost another year to prepare both mentally and financially to sign the contract and be ready to spend most of my time studying. I liked that the admission officer wasn't pushy and patiently provided every single detail I requested without setting the deadlines or any "last chance" manipulations. At the same time they've been checking on me from time to time to see if I needed more information. I'd say that was one the reasons I chose them over other bootcamps.
Once I signed the papers and completed the payment (they also offer payment plans), I started receiving step by step instructions on how to setup my computer to install all the necessary software and create a GitHub account and that alone was pretty exciting already! I was contacted by one of the assistants that answered all my questions and helped with any technical difficulties I had. By the time the course started I was fully ready and prepared to dive in!
The program was pretty intense from the very beginning so I was glad I went working part-time so I could focus on learning and make my time and money worth it. My instructor was great, has a lot of experience as a dev and instructor, TAs were very responsive as well, I appreciate how they were trying to help by guiding you towards the solution rather than giving you a straight answer, that's a very important skill for a teacher and a valuable part of learning process for a student. Whenever I was working on my weekly assessment if I needed immediate help at midnight, student support chat was available to provide resources or a few hints on how to approach my problem.
There were a few times when we have substitute instructors and I loved it because I got to talk to other devs with decades of experience and ask for some tips and advice. And it's also very inspiring to be taught by people who chose to do programming for years and have a lot to teach you. 
Career center also was helpful by organizing workshops, seminars and events to learn about hiring process in tech industry, how to prepare for interviews, tailor your resume for specific companies and what to expect once you're out there. So that's a great way to prepare yourself for job hunting as well. 
Overall, I had a great learning experience, our manager always made sure no questions or concerns go unanswered which was very encouraging and motivating, and I definitely was able to build a solid foundation to keep honing my programming skills! 
I did have to remind myself that this is a bootcamp not a degree program so there's only so much you can learn in a span of 6 months but since you really enjoy programming, it is only natural to take the continuation course and be ready to apply for a job. Once you have your foundation it becomes more challenging but also much more fun to learn more and be able to build something that people might want to use, and that feels very rewarding and motivating!