Product School
Product School Bootcamp Reviews and Complete Guide
Product School is a product management bootcamp that provides training opportunities to professionals who want to either upskill or change careers entirely. The school features certificate programs for different levels, from basic product management skills to advanced training for aspiring product leaders.
In this Product School review, you will find out everything you need to know about the school. We’ll look at what each course covers, job placement rate, tuition cost, the application process, and Product School reviews.
What Is Product School?
| Product School Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Cost | $4,199 – $9,999 |
| Start Dates | Rolling Start Date |
| Locations | New York City, Brooklyn, Washington D.C., Houston, Austin, Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Massachusetts, Online |
| Courses | Product Manager Certificate, Product Leadership Certificate, Product Executive Certificate |
| Available Programs | Online, Full-time, Part-time, Self-paced |
Product School is a one-of-a-kind institution offering certificate programs to aspiring product management professionals. Students can earn a Product Manager, Product Executive, or Product Leadership certificate by taking one of their online programs.
Founded in 2014, Product School hires expert instructors to provide a rigorous curriculum. These professionals work at top Silicon Valley companies including Google, Netflix, Amazon, Airbnb, and Facebook. They provide great insight into the market as they cover the core and advanced aspects of product management.
The school boasts over 20,000 global alumni. Product School graduates have found work in top-rated companies such as Facebook, Google, Netflix, PayPal, and Amazon.
Is Product School Worth It?
Yes, Product School is highly recommended if you’re pursuing a product management career. Product managers need to have a good grasp of everything from software engineering and software products to digital marketing. The training programs are exceptional at providing students with the tools they need to become successful in the field.
You can learn the skills to start a new career or gain a job promotion in just a matter of weeks. Their programs take two months of studying full time. Alternatively, the part-time program can be completed by studying in the week evenings and at the weekend.
The school prides itself on a curriculum that combines theory and real-world scenarios. This helps students develop the theoretical and practical skills required to build digital products and lead cross-functional teams. You’ll also gain access to vital networking groups and career advice.
Students receive a handbook, called The Product Book. The handbook features industry insights shown to transform the careers of product managers. It also contains career tips and best practices to help you advance in your career.
Product School Job Placement
Product School does not publish its job placement rate online. However, it only enrolls 20 students for each cohort. They also report to have over 1,000 hiring partners. Currently, the school has over 20,000 graduates worldwide.
Does Product School Offer a Job Guarantee?
Product School does not offer a job guarantee. However, their reputable certificate training programs are designed to help you land a job. These certificate programs include hands-on practical experience, networking opportunities, job fairs, and career advice.
How Much Does Product School Cost?
An individual Product School certificate program costs $4,199. All the certificate programs have the same tuition cost. However, you can choose to pay for all the product management programs at once for a reduced cost of $9,999. This is a great option if you think you’ll benefit from all certificate levels, as you’ll save $3,000.
If you’ve enrolled in an individual program for $4,199, you will gain access to two months of live online product management training. You will also have three-month access to Product School events and job boards. Once you complete the training, you will receive a shareable certificate.
For students who choose to pay the full $9,999, you’ll receive six months of access to live online training. You’ll receive lifetime access to the alumni community, events, and job board. You will also receive one-year access to ProductCon conferences.
How to Pay for Product School: Scholarships, ISAs, Installments
Product School provides two payment options for students to choose from to pay the tuition cost. Students choose to pay upfront, or they can choose to spread the cost to help make it easier to cover the cost.
Upfront
Product School provides students with the option to pay for the certificate programs upfront. This is the simplest option, if you can afford to pay the $4,199 in one go.
Installments
Most students prefer covering their tuition fees in monthly installments. It provides a more flexible payment option and allows you to pay it off in smaller, more manageable amounts. Product School allows students to pay off their tuition fees with a fixed monthly payment of $129.
Product School Locations
Product School offers its programs online and in person. If you prefer attending an in-person class, you can choose to attend one of their eight campuses across the US. Below are Product School’s campus options.
- Product School New York City
- Product School San Francisco
- Product School Washington D.C.
- Product School Houston
- Product School Austin
- Product School Massachusetts
- Product School Denver
- Product School Chicago
- Product School Online
Product School goes the extra mile to ensure that all the programs it provides in-person and online are of the same standard. There’s no difference between attending in person or online.
Product School Courses
Product School programs help professionals improve their skills in product management. They provide programs for people with different levels of experience, from beginner to experienced product leaders.
Product School Prep Courses
Product School does not offer any prep courses. If you don’t have any prior experience in product management, you should consider starting with Product School’s beginner-friendly Product Manager Certificate program.
Product Manager Certificate – In-Person | Online
Product School designed this program for anyone who wants to become a product manager. The certificate program will help you develop the proper perspective and skills needed to succeed in your career. You’ll learn how to lead cross-functional teams and build products end to end. You’ll also receive resume and interview support.
Product Leadership Certificate – In-Person | Online
If you have more than three years of experience in product management, you should consider this certificate program. It will help you gain industry recognition and demonstrate your capabilities as a senior-level leader in product management. During the program, you’ll develop a product strategy and gain expertise in every aspect of the development process.
Product Executive Certificate – In-Person | Online
This executive certificate program is excellent for product managers with more than five years of experience in the field. The certificate program is invaluable for professionals who want to hone their skills, in particular in leading product teams and scaling products.
What is the Product School Schedule?
Product School features different learning schedules to accommodate students’ different commitments and learning styles. You can choose to take their programs either full time or part time, to work around your existing timetable.
Full-Time
The school provides its certificate programs online and in person. You can access the certificate programs full-time by attending five days of the week. This is an excellent option if you are hoping to fast-track your career.
Part-Time
Part-time programs are great for professionals who want to work and study at the same time. You can take this option and attend your classes on weekends and weeknights. On this option, you are required to commit a minimum of 40 hours to complete the certificate program.
How to Get Accepted Into Product School
The school accepts applications from students from diverse work backgrounds. You don’t need to be currently working in product management. Students come from backgrounds such as engineering, data, design, marketing, and quality assurance. To gain entry into Product School, all you need is an interest in learning.
Product School Acceptance Rate
Product School hasn’t publicly reported its acceptance rate. Each of the training programs has a different requirement to gain entry.
Application Process
Applying to Product School is a straightforward process. All you need is to fill in an online application form and attend an interview session. Take a look at the application process below.
- First, you must submit your application online. The application form includes questions about your current experience.
- After you have submitted your application online, you’ll need to wait for 24 hours or longer to be contacted.
- A student advisor will then reach out to you to discuss your career goals. The advisor will also answer any additional questions you have about Product School.
Interview Questions
Like many coding bootcamps and university programs, a key stage in Product School’s application process is a student interview. You will need to pass the school’s interview if you want to join the training programs. Below are some sample interview questions to be prepared for.
- Why do you want to join Product School?
- Tell us about your level of experience in product management.
- What are your career goals?
- Tell us about a major achievement in your career.
Is Product School Right for You?
Yes, Product School is a great school for product management. Getting certified by Product School will open up plenty of job opportunities. The school prides itself on helping hundreds of professionals land their dream job.
You’ll be taught by top instructors from established companies such as Google, Netflix, Airbnb, Uber, and Amazon. Product School is keen to ensure that students receive the attention they need to succeed in the industry. It only allows 20 students for each class.
Students enjoy the career-oriented programs Product School provides. The school provides a hands-on training experience when it comes to certificate programs. Product School also hosts two annual career fairs with over 50 hiring companies in attendance.
So, if you’re looking to gain high-quality certificate that’ll help you on your way to a career in product management, Product School is definitely the right choice.
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Anonymous
I wanted to learn more about product management in order help me transition into the field. Went to many of their events and decided to enroll into the course. Loved the experience b/c our instructors were all real practitioners and we went through the entire product management cycle learning a ton along the way. Highly recommend this school if interested in product management.
June 20, 2020
Anonymous
I enrolled in Product school shortly after taking on a PM role at my current job and found it very helpful. The Product School curriculum packages the product life cycle into a simplified form that is easy enough to memorize but robust enough to apply when confronted with a mental roadblock. The lectures cover all aspects of their framework and augment the curriculum with additional tips that really empower you to tackle the demands of a career in product.
I decided to attend the course in person on Saturday mornings and while that may sound like a drag I actually found myself looking forward to it knowing how much I was learning by applying what we learned to case studies. The lectures and case studies were very engaging!
The instructor for my cohort was Dr. Joel Palathinkal who was very energetic for Saturday mornings! He always came in ready to tackle the days lecture and share product idea/experiences and challenged us to think on our feet. I truly appreciated his approach to teaching the course as it was very dynamic in that he covered everything on the syllabus but reacted to our input and tailored the lectures to focus on what students wanted to expand on. Joel went above and beyond by reaching out to his network of alumni to bring in guest speakers for every lecture. I can be a bit shy but he’s really cool and approachable making it easy to feel comfortable participating.
One of my favorite things about Product School is the Slack channels that offer a network where you can get help on a range of things from the need of advice from a SME to interview prep and even job leads! Whether you are new to product or early in your career I highly recommend the Product Management Course by Product School!
December 3, 2020
Anonymous
Taking Product School’s PM course has been one of my best career decisions so far! Switching careers, when you are already well established in your current role, can be quite a daunting task. So it was imperative for me to learn from the best and get the right level of support to break into product after completion of the course. I am so happy that I chose this as it delivered and exceeded my expectations from the course!
A few aspects that make this stand-out course are the thoughtful curriculum that hones student’s hard and soft skills, the access to an ever-expanding and helpful alumni group and, most importantly, the mentorship from your instructor during and after your course.
It was a privilege to be taught by Chris Maliwat – a PM veteran with solid experience in eBay, Netflix, Warby Parker and start-ups . Chris’s passion for his craft, teaching and mentorship elevated the entire experience for our group. He truly cares for his student’s career growth and it showed in his engagement with our group right from the very beginning. He is a phenomenal teacher and a great mentor, and I look forward to his guidance as I take next steps into becoming a PM.
I highly recommend Product School’s PM course for anyone seeking to transition into product or improving PM skills to become better in their role. It was totally worth the time and investment! Thank you Product School, you guys are doing an amazing job!
January 10, 2021
Anonymous
I just finished my Product Management class that I took at Product Management School in Bellevue Washington. I definitely feel like it was worse my time and the money I have invested in it. The class was twice a week in person for 8 weeks. I really liked the in-classroom interactive learning process. Almost every class, we had guest speakers from different big companies such as Google, Amazon, IBM, Best Buy and more. Us students had live Q&A sessions with the PMs where we could ask them any questions directly and get the answers right away. Throughout these 8 weeks, we have worked on a homework assignment which was an entire product that we had to build from the ground up. My teacher Swati was excellent at clarifying all the gray areas to me, answering all my questions, directing me to the right path, proving all the necessary tools for the interview preparation and much more. I could tell she was really invested in her teachings and truly was enjoying it which always makes the learning process so much better. I have already recommended this course to my colleague who trusts my research and knows that I would only recommend the best.
March 8, 2021
Anonymous
Product school (www.productschool.com) has a curriculum. The course touched upon many topics right from user persona, interviews, design, A/B testing, metrics, marketing, and the entire product development life cycle. You have to choose a product that you like and work on providing an opportunity hypothesis and launch that idea to market. All of this is done in 8 weeks with the help of the instructor and the lesson notes. Everyone chooses different products (mostly). Some are B2B, some are B2C, some are SaaS and some were PaaS products. At the end of the seventh week, we all presented our product-> idea-> Go-to-market strategy.
I liked every bit of the class and the assignments. But the question mostly asked that did it help you find jobs? I would say it helps you build your network and learn a few product management fundamentals. I am in the process of looking out for jobs now.
I will list out the pros and cons of the course now.
Pros:
A good outline of the 8-week course.
Great instructors.
Extremely active slack community.
Free networking events and webinars by reputed and established Product Managers.
Cheaper compared to General Assembly.
ProductCon is a great conference to meet and network.
Cons:
Less focus on product management interview preparation. I wish they had a couple more weeks to cover more on this.
Overall a great learning experience. I recommend to someone pivoting from another industry into product management and looking to network.
More on :https://medium.com/@atashijain/why-i-went-to-product-school-8a808f83a2b1
March 10, 2021
Anonymous
Thanks to Product School I established a solid foundation of PM knowledge that served me to get my first job as a PM @flybondi. The course content is invaluable and I still refer to it at work. Highly recommend it.
March 17, 2021
Shauna Graham
I just finished Product School! Yay! It was such a wonderful experience. I always wanted to take a product training course and their system looked great.
First things first, onboarding is rather simple. You speak to someone one or twice and you pick a schedule that fits your work schedule and lifestyle. I initially was going to do the full week course, but switched to the weekly that lasted for about 2 months. There was such much information, I am happy I switched.
I also switched because of the instructor. I did a little background research on a few instructors, and found, Alex Alwan, https://productschool.com/instructor/Alex-Alwan/ , would be the perfect fit for what I want to accomplish in regards to my career advancement. He was so knowledgeable and patient with all the students. He was beyond what I expected and broke down terms on and off line for all of us. In all, one of the Best Instructors in any higher education I ever had! I appreciated that his processes could be relatable to everyday life, even concepts and examples that are understandable that comprehended the book in abstract and concrete ways.
There was so much information. It is really what you put in is what you get out. I was pretty much exhausted when we completed the course, but excited to put my skills into practice. They also use a subpar LMS. Hopefully, they upgrade their backend technology.
I also really liked the community and the cohort. I met some great people I work with today and created new relationships. It is pretty non-stop on the slack channel in terms of ideas and ways to improve as a PM.
In all, even though pricey, and I don’t regret it. It was way worth the money.
March 29, 2021
Anonymous
The materials are very basic and the instructors are also very average. I attended online version of Product Management.
You will not get anything back for the money ($3999) which you put it.
Totally waste of time. Instructors are more interested in selling their own services like they will prepare you for the job if you pay more and avail their services.
June 16, 2021
Anonymous
The course is not worth $3,999. Not even close.
To his credit, Mark, my instructor, was pretty good. He clearly has real hardware product experience, and is an experienced PM. He really tried to make realistic exercises that, as a newly minted PM, I can see were at least somewhat realistic.
The material/content Product School provided to him? Not so much.
First of all: course started early June. First or second class in July (it’s a two-month course), you begin classes on “public speaking” and “interviewing”. Basically half the course material is mostly useless or at least of questionable use. Which is why I withdrew at around the halfway point.
Second: it’s really not easy (possible?) to teach product management short of having the experience. Though I got somewhat familiar with different terms and such, the usefulness of the course in my actual job today is extremely low.
Lastly, I had an awful refund experience with the program team. First, I told them to refund me via check. Then, they forgot about my refund until I followed up two weeks later. Then, they refunded my via my credit card, which I don’t have access to anymore. When I told them to refund me via check (again), they did. But then that check bounced. You can imagine this was a frustrating process.
Anyways, don’t take this course. It’s a waste of money. Read Cracking the PM Interview, build your own product. This course isn’t for true future PMs.
July 16, 2021