GA’s UXDI: Accepted!

I got accepted into General Assembly’s User Experience Design Immersive program today, and I have officially accepted back.

I have been doing UX Research for the past 5 years at a company in the midwest for healthcare software, and it was the best part of my job. I loved drafting user interview questions, actually interviewing patients (the users of the website/app), creating storyboards, card sorts, ux tests, etc.

Since moving to New York in January, I have struggled to find a job in this field. This is because I’m not formally trained, don’t have a fancy portfolio, and don’t have prototyping skills.

Fast forward to the past couple weeks: I’ve had enough of not doing what I love, so I decided to start looking into bootcamps for UX Design. It is really hard to find real bootcamps for this, due to the fact that searching for one brings up far more coding ones (even if using “ux” specific search terms), and because there really isn’t much out there yet.

Here’s a finalized list of programs I seriously considered, and why I chose GA:

Designation: $11,800, 18 weeks (6 pre-work, 12 on-site), Chicago

This program seems awesome. I would have gotten so much more for my money (8 more weeks worth!), plus 7 of those weeks working with a real client. Ultimately, though, I couldn’t justify moving from New York for this program. However, if you’re in Chicago or willing to relocate, this program would definitely be your best choice!

NYCDA: $7,500, 8 weeks, New York

At the price, this one was very tempting. I would have learned a lot of the same things that I want to be doing at GA, but for a fraction of the cost. However, it isn’t as project based as GA’s program, and one of my main objectives is to put together a portfolio using the pieces I create during the intensive. However, if you’re looking for more education and hands-on learning, but building a portfolio and designing more experiences outside of a the curriculum is something you’re willing to do, then this might be a much more financially viable option for you.

Bloc: $9,800, 24 weeks, online

Bloc seems to have it all: a personal mentor, front-end development, and a much bigger portfolio coming out of the program (4–6 pieces as opposed to GA’s 2–3). However, if I could’ve learned via online, I would have done so already. I really need the drive from the classroom setting and the teamwork gained from the team projects at GA to help motivate me to get things done. If you’re much more self-motivated and want something that is more project-heavy than the NYCDA program, this would be a great option for you.

Startup Institute: $9,100, 8 weeks, New York

This program, which is technically Web Design and not UX Design, would be great for someone looking to design and build a website. It goes into UX principles as well as coding practices in Javascript and JQuery. You really could come out of this program creating your own websites. Ultimately, I wanted to really focus my time and money on the UX and design aspects, as well as experience with mobile applications and any other tech (wearable) rather than a very specific angle of the industry. If that’s where you are, this is a great option for you.

Self-learning/cherry-picked classes: Various, New York

This was probably my biggest competitor to GA. Because there are specific things I want to focus on and grow, I was definitely leaning toward a program that was customized to my needs (wireframing, visual design, portfolio). It is definitely possible to put together a curriculum from various classes throughout the city for these things. I chose GA over this option because of the specific aspects a 10-week course offers me that this doesn’t: job search help, specific portfolio pieces, team members to work on projects with, a teacher to ask questions, and, perhaps most importantly, a driving force for not getting distracted and taking a year to learn what I could in 10 weeks.

I honestly don’t think that there is one program that everyone should do. I really do think that it depends on your needs, your learning style, your price range, and your time range. Good luck to everyone making the decision, and I look forward to continuing to document my experience, so feel free to follow me.