SecureSet Academy

SecureSet Academy Bootcamp Reviews and Complete Guide

SecureSet Academy is a branch of the Flatiron School that focuses on cyber security education. It has campuses in Denver and Colorado Springs and courses are also held at some Flatiron School locations. However, classes are currently being held online due to the pandemic.

In this in-depth SecureSet Academy review, we give you all the information you need to decide if this bootcamp is right for you. We discuss SecureSet Academy Bootcamp’s tuition costs, payment plans, course curriculum, admissions process, and career services.

What Is SecureSet Academy?

SecureSet Academy is a top cyber security and security engineering tech training provider that offers immersive tech skills training and career services to its students in conjunction with its parent institution, Flatiron School. SecureSet Academy was founded in 2014 by Dr. Bret R. Fund and has since provided training to over 500 students.

The school also offers its courses at Flatiron School campuses and works to supply highly capable professionals to the cyber security industry. Although the school’s programs are recommended for those with analytical and technical backgrounds, it isn’t a mandatory eligibility requirement. So, if you are a tech newbie looking to get ready for an entry-level career in as little as five months, then look into SecureSet Academy’s programs.

In addition to being beginner-friendly, the school prides itself on its high job placement. The school reports that today, graduates work for more than 64 high-profile companies including IBM, PwC, the United States Air Force, and ITS. SecureSet Academy also offers webinars and info sessions covering an array of cyber security subjects.

Is SecureSet Academy Worth It?

SecureSet Academy is worth it for anyone wanting to pursue a career in the cyber security sector. You can become a security engineer, penetration tester, compliance analyst, threat intel analyst, or security consultant.

By attending SecureSet Academy you get access to all facilities, services, and hiring networks offered by Flatiron School. In addition, SecureSet Academy’s part-time and full-time immersive program schedules offer great scheduling flexibility to its students.

SecureSet Academy only provides cyber security tech training, so if you are looking to learn other tech subjects, other coding bootcamps will suit you better. You can just look into the school’s parent bootcamp, Flatiron School, for courses on software engineering, data science, and product design.

If you want to learn digital marketing, financial technology, and UX/UI design, then look into BrainStation, Noble Desktop, CareerFoundry, and Kenzie Academy.

SecureSet Academy Job Placement

SecureSet Academy reports an impressive job placement rate of around 90 percent and states that its graduates secure a well-paying cyber security job within six months of graduation. Along with teaching the latest industry-required skills, the school also offers comprehensive career services to all its students.

The career services include 28 hours of career development classes, assistance in establishing a cyber ID, soft skills training, unlimited one-on-one career coaching, and lifetime alumni career support. Students and alumni have access to SecureSet Academy’s communication and job hunting platform, the Wire.

SecureSet Academy’s also organizes events and workshops that cover information and coaching for popular cyber security careers. In addition, the academy has a strong employer network that all its students have access to. It includes names like Xcel Energy, PwC, Rim Technologies, Hewlett Packard, and CompTIA.

Does SecureSet Academy Offer a Job Guarantee?

Unfortunately, SecureSet Academy does not offer a job guarantee to its students. However, the school’s exceptional career services program fully prepares its students for a cyber security job. The school’s 90 percent job placement rate is a testament to the effectiveness of these services.

How Much Does SecureSet Academy Cost?

All SecureSet Academy courses cost between $12,000 and $20,000. The HUNT program is $12,000, while the PATH Part-Time will set you back $16,000. The CORE Cybersecurity Engineering Program, the school’s flagship course, costs $20,000.

You can expect to spend an additional $750 on school supplies and equipment. All courses offer career counseling, a hands-on learning experience, and access to a vast employer network.

How to Pay for SecureSet Academy: Scholarships, ISAs, Installments

SecureSet Academy offers several payment plans to accommodate students’ needs. Contact the school’s admissions department to find the payment option that suits you best.

Upfront Payment

This is the best option if you can afford the entire cost of tuition without any help. SecureSet Academy requires its students to make an initial deposit of $500 to secure their spot. The remaining tuition is due before the start of the program.

Scholarships and Grants

SecureSet Academy offers several scholarship opportunities to its students. They include the $1,000 CORE Scholarship and the $500 HUNT Scholarship for graduates of other immersive bootcamps. Get in touch with the school to find out more about these scholarships.

Students of SecureSet Academy are also eligible for personal grants. Students of the academy have received grants from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

Loan Financing

If you have a good credit score and are willing to pay interest rates, loan financing plans are an option. SecureSet Academy offers loans through its lending partners Ascent and Climb. The financing plan and interest rates vary depending on the lender. Ascent offers students the option to pay back the loan in up to 36 months while Climb has 42-month plans.

These lending partners also offer a loan to cover the cost of living. Students can apply for up to $7,500 for housing, living expenses, and food.

GI Bill

The GI Bill is a financial assistance program for veterans and their family members. SecureSet Academy accepts the GI Bill. You can contact an admissions counselor for more information.

ISAs

SecureSet Academy does not offer income share agreements (ISAs) as a payment plan option.

SecureSet Academy Locations

Under normal circumstances, SecureSet Academy courses are held in-person at its own two campuses as well as at two Flatrion School locations. However, due to Covid-19, classes have been moved online temporarily

• SecureSet Academy Denver
• SecureSet Academy Colorado Springs
• Flatiron School Washington DC
• Flatiron School New York
• SecureSet Academy Online

All programs offer the same technical training and resources regardless of location and delivery method.

SecureSet Academy Courses

SecureSet Academy offers various courses on cyber security. At the moment, SecureSet Academy is only taking applications for its CORE Cybersecurity Engineering program. Below, we give you a detailed description of this program and its other courses.

SecureSet Academy Prep Courses

SecureSet Academy offers a six-week prep course to prepare its students for the immersive courses. There are online, in-person, full-time, and part-time options The academy’s prep workshop teaches you all the foundational cyber security subjects and skills. You will learn Python, network basics, and system basics.

By the end of the prep course, you will have a solid understanding of cyber security concepts like OSI model, Shel, administration rights, Netcat, Linux commands, building applications, and Python commands. Passing this course means you are automatically accepted into an immersive program. You can deduct the cost of this workshop from your program tuition.

CORE Cybersecurity Engineering Program – In-Person | Online

SecureSet Academy’s CORE Cybersecurity Engineering program covers 400 instruction and 400 lab hours in a 20-week program on 12 foundational cyber security topics. The program costs $20,000 and is ideal for those seeking an entry-level cyber security job.

This program can prepare you for a career in technical analytics, penetration testing, security engineering, compliance analysis, and threat intel analysis. It covers everything from logs, detection, and network security to GRC (governance, risk management, and compliance) and cryptography.

The school recommends having basic command of Windows, Linux, or Unix along with basic programming knowledge.

PATH Part-Time Programs – In-Person

SecureSet Academy offers part-time, 36-hour PATH engineering and PATH analytics programs. These courses are perfect for students interested in building a career as a security operations center (SOC) analyst, security consultant, security engineer, security penetration tester, or technical analyst. The courses are composed of 576 hours of theoretical and practical skills training.

Both PATH courses cover network security, system security, SIEM admin, threat intelligence, and GRC. The PATH engineering course covers application security, advanced systems, and cryptography, while the PATH analytics course tackles incident response, advanced SIEM, and hunt skills.

Just like the full-time immersive programs, these courses also offers great career consulting services where you get access to resume critique, portfolio assistance, and the school’s hiring network.

HUNT Analytics – In-Person

The HUNT Analytics program is a 480-hour immersive course composed of eight foundational courses. Like the other SecureSet Academy programs, the HUNT Analytics program is all about hands-on training and developing in-demand skills. This program is ideal for aspiring security analysts, threat analysts, and hunt analysts. It can be completed in 12 weeks.

What Is the SecureSet Academy Schedule?

SecureSet Academy offers part-time and full-time programs to better accommodate its students’ schedules.

Full-Time

The CORE Cybersecurity Engineering program is SecureSet Academy’s only full-time course. It takes about 800 hours to complete and requires you to commit 40 hours per week for 20 weeks.

Part-Time

SecureSet Academy offers its PATH engineering and analytics programs on a part-time schedule. They take around 576 hours to complete. The classes are held three times a week and are designed for those with busy schedules.

Self-Paced

SecureSet Academy offers its prep courses at an online self-paced schedule. Self-paced learning is best for those who study more efficiently on their own schedule.

How to Get Accepted Into SecureSet Academy

Getting accepted into SecureSet Academy is relatively easy. The school recommends that you have some programming experience and understanding of certain operating systems, but this is not mandatory. Before applying, contact the school’s admissions department to find out more about the programs and payment plans.

SecureSet Academy Acceptance Rate

SecureSet Academy has not released any information on its acceptance rate.

Application Process

SecureSet Academy’s application process is pretty straightforward. It consists of an online application, an admissions interview, and a technical interview. The entire application process typically takes around three weeks. Below are the steps to follow to apply for SecureSet Academy.

1. Begin by researching the full-time, part-time, and prep courses offered by SecureSet Academy. In addition, make sure to look into the location of these programs.
2. Once you know which program interests you, fill out an online application. The application page will take you to Flatiron School’s official page.
3. If your application impresses the admissions team, you will receive an invitation for a preliminary interview. The team will provide you with further details about what the interview will cover. You’ll likely discuss your career goals and why you’re interested in the bootcamp’s program.
4. If you pass the admissions interview, you will be invited for a technical interview, which will gauge your technical, analytical, and cyber security knowledge.
5. If you clear this last round, you will get accepted into the academy. It is time then to discuss the different payment plan options with a school representative.

Interview Questions

Your first interview will consist of several questions about your past experience and character. We cannot give you the exact questions but can give you an idea of the topics that the interviewer is likely to bring up.

• Your interest in SecureSet Academy’s cyber security program
• Your career goals and which cyber security role you are interested in
• Your experience in cyber security
• Your knowledge of Linux, Unix, Windows, and Python programming
• Your payment plans

Is SecureSet Academy Right for You?

SecureSet Academy is right for anyone seeking a career in the cyber security sector. The school offers immersive theoretical and lab work training that helps you find a job in a multitude of careers. The school boasts a strong suite of career services that will make your journey from newbie to expert much easier.

Additionally, SecureSet Academy is part of Flatiron School, a highly reputed coding bootcamp. This means SecureSet Academy students have access to all of Flatiron School’s services.

All in all, SecureSet Academy is an excellent option if you are seeking to become a cyber security engineer, technical analyst, penetration tester, security consultant, or any role in the cyber security industry.