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Pursuit Reviews and Complete Guide
If you are looking for intensive tech training that teaches you how to code and build a career in full stack development, then Pursuit might be for you. Pursuit aims to create leaders in tech. Whether you are new to the world of coding or a professional looking to switch careers, read our Pursuit review to find if this tech institution is right for you.
This article is a comprehensive Pursuit guide and we will cover all the essential information needed to help you make a decision. Keep reading for information on course descriptions, payment plans, tuition cost, job placement services, and schedules for this school.
What Is Pursuit?
| Pursuit Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Cost | 0 upfront costs |
| Start Dates | Fall 2021 (deadline to apply is July 31) |
| Locations | New York City |
| Courses | Full Stack Development |
| Available Programs | Full-time |
Pursuit is a non-profit intensive full stack development tech training institution based in New York. Its program aims to train students from underserved communities for a lucrative career in tech. The school, formerly called C4Q, offers a four-year, two-step program that covers everything from programming foundations to advanced development topics.
The first year of the program is called Pursuit Core and consists of intensive tech training. The following three years of the program are called Pursuit Advance. This part of the program focuses on career support and mentoring. Although the school’s curriculum and services are similar to a coding bootcamp, Pursuit is not a short-term coding bootcamp.
The training offered by this school has proven to be fruitful for its graduates, reporting that students go on to make an average salary of $85,000 per year. Pursuit graduates work at top tech companies like JP Morgan Chase, LinkedIn, Pinterest, BlackRock, and Capital One.
Is Pursuit Worth It?
Pursuit is worth it for anyone looking for an institution that provides in-depth training in full stack development and long-term career support. Pursuit wants its students to receive a well-rounded education that goes beyond technical skills.
This school teaches industry-relevant skills. You’ll learn JavaScript, CSS, Git, React.js, and Swift. The school wants to provide education to those with no background in coding who are looking to penetrate the computer software industry.
Pursuit graduates work across a multitude of areas including product management, engineering, information technology, and research at over 150 industry-leading companies. This is possible due to the school’s extended graduate support services. Pursuit doesn’t just cut ties with graduates when they land their first tech job but keeps supporting them through mentorships.
This program is only open to students living in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. While many classes are currently being held live online, the school is planning on returning to in-person learning as soon as possible. If you don’t live in the New York Metro Area, or if you want to enter the full stack development field faster, consider other full stack web development bootcamps.
Pursuit Job Placement
Pursuit does not publish its job placement statistics. However, its four-year intensive career training has placed students in lucrative positions at Fortune 500 companies. The second part of the program, Pursuit Advance, consists of networking opportunities, resume critique, portfolio building assistance, and interview preparation.
In addition, the non-profit institution has a wide network of funders and partners. They include Google, Salesforce, Facebook, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, Amazon, and Capital One. Your chances of acquiring a job at one of these companies as a Pursuit graduate are very high.
Does Pursuit Offer a Job Guarantee?
No, Pursuit does not offer a job guarantee per se. However, it offers the next best thing: income share agreements (ISAs). The school has so much confidence in its curriculum and training that students can attend the four years of the program for free and pay tuition only after getting a high-paying job.
How Much Does Pursuit Cost?
Through its Pursuit Bond, the four-year full stack development program has zero upfront fees. This means you can attend the entire program without paying and are only required to contribute a percentage of your earnings after you’ve acquired a job with an annual salary of $50,000 or more. This is what is called in the industry an income share agreement or ISA.
If you switch to a job that pays less than $50,000, you can pause your payments until your salary increases. The school covers your upfront program fees with funding social impact investors and funders.
How to Pay for Pursuit: Scholarships, ISAs, Loan Financing
Pursuit offers several payment plans to accommodate students from low-income backgrounds. Keep reading to learn more about this school’s payment options.
Scholarships
Scholarships are a great way to help fund your education. Pursuit offers MetroCard scholarships to its students in New York City. Contact the school to find out the terms and eligibility of the scholarship. The school also loans out laptops to students.
ISAs
The primary financing plan available to students is the Pursuit Bond, an income share agreement (ISA). The Pursuit Bond allows you to attend the program for free and pay back the school once you start earning $50,000 or more. You will pay back a certain percentage of your income every month for an agreed period of time.
The payment terms differ from student to student. Your Pursuit Bond ISA ends when you complete 48 months of payment, pay a total of $70,000, or exceed the eight-year payment window.
If you get a job that pays less than $50,000, you can pause your payments until you secure a higher salary. Get in touch with the school’s admissions team or sign up for an info session to learn more about the Pursuit Bond.
Loan Financing
The point of the Pursuit Bond is to discourage students from taking out personal loans. However, the Pursuit Bond only covers your tuition costs. If you cannot afford housing in New York, then looking into loan financing might be worth it. Loan financing is ideal for students with a decent credit score and willing to pay interest.
Look into what your bank can offer you in terms of loans or consider lending companies such as Skills Funds, Climb Credit, or Ascent to secure a personal loan.
GI Bill
Pursuit does not accept GI Bill benefits.
Pursuit Locations
Pursuit offers its four-year tech training both online and in-person. The first year of training takes place in person and the following three years of mentorship and support are done online.
- Pursuit New York
- Pursuit Online
Pursuit Courses
Pursuit offers the Pursuit Fellowship, a four-year full stack development program. If you are interested in becoming a web developer, app developer, or software developer, this program might be for you. The Pursuit Fellowship is divided into two phases: Pursuit Core, which lasts 12 months, and Pursuit Advance, which runs for 36.
Pursuit Prep Courses
Pursuit’s full stack development curriculum starts with the fundamentals and is perfect for students with no coding or tech knowledge, so enrolling in a prep course isn’t necessary. However, if you want to be better prepared for Pursuit Core, then look into a free coding bootcamp prep course.
Pursuit Core – In-Person | Online
Pursuit Core is the first part of the four-year full stack development skills training. Pursuit Core will prepare you for your first job in the tech industry. The curriculum is based on three pillars: technical mastery, industry readiness, and leadership and personal development.
The Pursuit Core program teaches you everything from coding fundamentals to building full-scale web application development. You will learn JavaScript, HTML, CSS, SQL, front end technologies, Node.js, Redux, Ruby, and backend technologies.
The program also covers other computer science topics such as data structures and algorithms. It includes a 48-hour hackathon and capstone projects
Pursuit Advance – In-Person | Online
Pursuit Advance is the second phase of the Pursuit Fellowship. It lasts three years and focuses on industry readiness, leadership, and personal development. During this phase of the fellowship, the student receives the career support and mentorship needed to move into a high-earning tech position.
Pursuit Advance works with hiring partners to turn students into strong candidates for any tech position. The school has partnerships with top companies like Citi Group and Uber. For example, the Uber Level Up program gives you the opportunity to work at Uber after completing the Pursuit Core program.
Similarly, the Citi partnership gives Pursuit fellows access to Citi’s Summer Analyst program. Citi commits to hiring a specific number of Pursuit students for their program each year. If you impress Citi employers, then you get the opportunity to participate in the company’s one-year prep program which can ultimately lead to a full-time analyst position.
The Pursuit Advance program provides resume critique, networking opportunities, portfolio development assistance, and interview prep. By the end of the four years, you will be an expert full stack web application developer.
What Is the Pursuit Schedule?
The Pursuit Fellowship is a full-time program. It is not offered part-time.
Full-Time
Students must be ready to commit a minimum of 45 hours per week to learn full stack development. You’ll need to spend 25 hours in the class and an additional 20 hours of study outside.
To accommodate full-time workers and other individuals with busy schedules, the school also offers night and weekend classes.
Part-Time
Pursuit currently does not offer any part-time courses.
Self-Paced
Pursuit does not offer any self-paced courses.
How to Get Accepted Into Pursuit
Getting accepted into the Pursuit Fellowship is relatively difficult as you must meet the school’s eligibility criteria and complete an interview. As Pursuit is a non-profit that caters to students from low-income backgrounds, you need to prove an annual income of less than $45,000 to be eligible.
In addition, you must be a New York Metro Area resident, be at least 18-years-old, and be eligible to work in the United States.
Pursuit reports that all of its students belong to low-income groups. It also reports that for each cohort about half of students are female. Likewise, 50 percent of students are immigrants and the same percentage are African American and Hispanic. Sixty percent of its students don’t have a bachelor’s degree.
Pursuit Acceptance Rate
Pursuit does not publish its acceptance rate. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria and prove your passion for software development, then your chances of getting accepted into the fellowship are high.
Application Process
The Pursuit Fellowship application is rigorous. You must meet the program’s eligibility criteria, fill an application, pass a coding challenge, and sit for an interview.
Below is a step-by-step guide to ace the Pursuit Fellowship application.
- First, take a look at the school’s eligibility criteria. To apply, you must make less than $45,000, be authorized to work in the United States, be at least 18 years old, and reside in the New York metro area.
- If you meet that criteria, go to the school’s page and fill out the online application. You’ll be asked to upload a resume and answer six short questions describing your academic and professional journey. There is also an assessment to measure your math, computer literacy, logic, and typing skills.
- If you pass the assessment and impress the admissions team, you will be invited to workshops that will help you understand the programs offered by Pursuit. In 2021, the workshops will take place between August 27 and September 5. You will also be asked to complete a coding challenge. This is a homework assignment based on everything you learn at the workshops.
- If you are selected after the workshops, you will be invited for an interview and a problem-solving session. The interview aims to find out more about your background. The problem-solving session will be led by software engineers and experts from Pursuit’s partner companies.
- If you impress the admissions team during the interview and problem-solving session, you will be accepted into the Pursuit Fellowship.
Interview Questions
Pursuit’s interview questions are there to gauge your problem-solving skills and background. The interviews are conducted by developers and software engineers from the school’s partner companies. Below are a few of the topics you’re likely to be asked about during your Pursuit Fellowship interview.
- Your academic, tech, and professional background.
- Your career goals and how the Pursuit Fellowship will help you achieve them
- You may be asked to expand on the short essay you wrote for the online application.
Is Pursuit Right for You?
Pursuit is right for members of underrepresented and low-income communities looking to gain software development skills. However, the school is only open to those in the New York metro area, so if you live elsewhere, Pursuit isn’t right for you.
If you do live in New York and meet the school’s other requirements, Pursuit is an excellent option to kickstart a career in tech. Its Pursuit Fellowship program provides outstanding full stack development training and professional development services. All in all, this institution reprepsents a great opportunity to move up the tech ladder and fulfill your tech dreams.
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Anonymous
Would recommend for hard-working and motivated people who want to learn to code but can’t pay an upfront price
July 26, 2020
Anonymous
It is challenging, but the staff really cares about supporting you through the program. I would recommend!
January 10, 2021
Anonymous
Three months after graduating from Pursuit, I was able to successfully triple my original income. After almost 2 years, I’ve successfully quadrupled my salary when compared to what I made prior to joining Pursuit! It will be a lot of work (especially on nights and weekends while working a day job), but you will learn a lot, and be prepared for your first job in tech. Totally worth it!
January 21, 2021
Anonymous
Pros:
– If you don’t have a laptop, they will loan you one.
– Field trips to tech companies.
– Deferred tuition. You only pay when you get a job that pays a certain amount of income.
Cons:
The amount of cons can fill a book. Long story short, there was a lot of abuse and mind games going on. I will list the most jarring.
– Nights and Weekends students are extremely disadvantaged when it comes to learning time and available resources.
– They literally expected the nights and weekends students to do everything expected of daytime. Nights and weekends students are the ones most likely to have families and unable to quit their jobs for a fulltime program. Staff seemed to forge that.
– Resources were promised, but then not delivered. For example, they would cancel office hours (aka tutoring) if not enough people signed up. Staff were afraid of no-shows by students. This happened a lot. The real kicker is office hours were held by volunteers from the tech community and staff touted this as a networking opportunity. It’s not ok to deny help to students.
– They humiliated students at graduation. They said students on track to graduate could still attend the ceremony and walk the stage while being allowed to finish over the summer. They did not say these students were being handed blank certificates. Students had families in attendance. Imagine having to explain this to your loved ones.
– They were not upfront about how to complete graduation requirements. There was a mad crunch at the end to finish.
– I saw a lot of staff members leave before the end of the cycle. They hadn’t been there even one year. that’s how abused the staff were.
– The higher ups routinely speak rudely to students and assume they are in the right and students are in the wrong.
– No matter how badly students behave, the school will keep them on in the hopes the students will finish, get jobs, and pay back tuition. It’s a breeding ground for bad behavior.
– They would interrupt learning schedules at the last minute. I once arrived to class expecting to have all day to work independently, but they tried to force me to practice whiteboarding problems instead because most of the class failed the whiteboarding certification. Mind you, students didn’t even receive grades back for this yet. Another time, they had students sit through an hour-long lecture by people applying for teaching jobs at the school. They wanted us to “have a voice” in how the organization was run. Again, this was time I should have been working on independent projects for my portfolio. This happened three times.
The only draw of this program is the tuition plan. You don’t pay if you don’t get a job. In reality, the people who get jobs within a reasonable amount of time (3 months post grad), are those who came into the program with coding knowledge already. There’s little support for job searching. You’re better off setting up Google alerts than relying on career services to get you an inside scoop.
February 13, 2021
Anonymous
Pros: loaned laptop, trips to tech companies.
Cons:
There are better options. Don’t even consider it if you’re looking to do the night and weekends program. It’s a difference of 25 vs. 40 hours per week, and you’re expected to keep up with curriculum that’s intended for the 40 hour week. The night and weekend cohorts get 400+ less hours of instruction (about 35% less instruction) and they are still expected to pay the same amount back. This utterly doesn’t make any sense, considering that the resources and attention that the daytime students get is clearly superior.
Previous reviews mention this. Without scratching the surface, the concept of Pay It Forward seems like a great idea. But when you read the fine print, it’s just deferred tuition and they avoid talking about it as such. Ethically, to target people from marginalized groups who seek a financial stable life in such a way is not following to the mission statement. If things go accordingly for fellows (a $60,000+ job shortly after graduation), this ends up being an incredibly expensive program, when other programs offer more affordable options. They need to put a tuition cap, and restructure the system, because their present agreement has a maximum $36,000 a year tuition (if the student makes at least $300,000…no one is going to make that). It seems like they are milking students for what they got just to fulfill requirements of a hefty loan.
February 18, 2021
Anonymous
They continue to adjust their income share agreement (also known as the Bond) to the point where I don’t think it’s even legal. It’s definitely not ethical. Look elsewhere that has well-written out policies in terms of tuition (including tuition caps, Pursuit has none besides a 12% of $300,000 annual salary cap that no one will hit within 3-4 years, and I’m pretty sure you need a definite monetary cap in New York State when it comes to tuition fees). Please review in depth these types of for-profit schools before making a decision.
March 24, 2021
Anonymous
I was a full-stack well development fellow at pursuit for the 5.0 cohort. I have to say that my experience was a pleasant and growing one. Not only I learned about technical skills necessary to become a developer but I also built community of support to advance my career and passion for tech as well. It was tough 10 months but I managed to pull through with sheer grit and dedication.
June 27, 2021
Anonymous
This program was great for me! I learned enough about iOS to land an apprentice position. Along with this, the program helped me prepare for interviews by giving me resume and cover letter assistance, mock interviews, and DSA practice. That being said, they can only bring you so far. If you are expecting them to hand you a job (which they get as close as possible to doing with their company partnerships) then you will have a hard time getting out of your own way. If you are committed to doing your best, remembering that you are surrounded by people that want you to succeed, then you increase your chances of finding a job. If you are of the mindset that you deserve things that you have not put effort into, I suggest you look into another route to success.
June 28, 2021