When Kaylee Anchulis decided to make a career change this year, she found the support and practical guidance she needed in Tech Elevator. But it all started with the application! Kaylee helps us dig into Tech Elevator’s selective admissions process and what to expect in the aptitude tests and behavioral interviews. Look for the “Tech Elevator Application Tips” for special advice from Terry Warnock, the Executive Director of Campus Operations at Tech Elevator. With that inside scoop from Tech Elevator and Kaylee’s firsthand experience, we’re helping you be best prepared for the admissions process and why it matters to your success in the program. Plus, learn more about Tech Elevator’s commitment to help students seamlessly transition to working remotely in their first developer role – Kaylee is now working as a Software Developer Associate at PNC!
tech elevator acceptance rate
Tech Elevator has an acceptance rate of five to 10 percent.
Tech Elevator
Tech Elevator offers coding courses to students who want to become software developers. The bootcamp has campuses all over the country and even online. Learn more with this comprehensive Tech Elevator review.
What Do You Need to Know About Tech Elevator?
Tech Elevator is a coding bootcamp that can teach you the skills you need to become a software developer. It offers comprehensive classes, qualified instructors, and career coaching sessions. The Pathway Program, a career-oriented track, has a high job placement rate for graduates.
| Locations | Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Online |
| Tuition | $15,500 |
| Financing Options | Upfront Payment, Loan Financing, Scholarships, Installments, GI Bill, Grants |
| Start Dates | Rolling Start Dates |
| Program Types | Online, Full-time |
| Courses | .NET Coding Bootcamp, Java Coding Bootcamp, Pathway Program |
Where Are Tech Elevator’s Campuses Located?
Due to COVID-19, Tech Elevator is providing its courses virtually. Under normal circumstances, it has locations all over the US. No matter where you go, you’ll have the same quality of education.
How Much Is Tuition at Tech Elevator?
The tuition at Tech Elevator is $15,500 for each track. The bootcamp offers various tuition financing options.
What You Need to Know About Tech Elevator
Tech Elevator is a full-time coding bootcamp. Its mission is to help you become a software developer. The instructors are from the software development industry, so you’ll get a career-driven education. Tech Elevator also offers the Pathway Program to help you get a great job in tech.
Tech Elevator Curricula: What Can You Study?
Tech Elevator teaches one software development course, which means you’ll learn everything you need to know. It focuses on coding with Java and the .NET framework.
Read below for more about this career-driven course.
Tech Elevator offers this comprehensive coding bootcamp for aspiring software developers. It has a wide range of topics that are carefully arranged for optimal learning. You’ll start by learning how to program in Java or C#. Since both use the .NET framework, you’ll be prepared for your career.
Next, you’ll learn database programming using SQL. Databases help businesses store and analyze data. Data science and data analytics play a huge role for businesses to better understand insights and engagements. Storing historical data is one way to strengthen business decisions.
In this course, you’ll also develop a website and learn how to use optimal interfaces. You’ll learn how best to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. After, there will be a more focused discussion on JavaScript as it is the backbone of most sites and applications.
By the end of the course, you’ll understand coding and software development through code reviews. You can participate in activities led by professional software developers to assess your code. Tech Elevator also offers career services to help you grow.
THE BASICS
Monday – Friday for 14 weeks.
Your days will run 9a-4:30p and will include lectures, working sessions, workshops and breakout group work. Some afternoons well offer the option to for career talks after hours and mentoring opportunities. The lab is also yours to work in 24/7.
Why Tech Elevator?
Kaylee: The most important factor for me this year was choosing a bootcamp that adapted well to virtual learning amid the pandemic. The quality of my remote experience should be equal to an in-person experience. I knew my learning style and did not want recorded lectures or tasks that I needed to walk through by myself. I needed a live experience where I could be engaged, ask questions, and form relationships with people who were going through a similar scenario.
After researching bootcamps, I recognized right away that Tech Elevator was different. Tech Elevator has good relationships with other companies, including Fortune 500 companies. Their instructors have years of professional experience, and overall the bootcamp looked both impressive and practical. When I spoke with the Tech Elevator admissions team, they werent pushy, just genuinely encouraging of my choice to go down this path and that tone held true throughout the entire bootcamp course. It felt like Tech Elevator was the place to be!
|
Tech Elevator Application Tip #1: Your Laptop |
|
Tech Elevator has always provided laptops to its students for use during the course of the program. They come equipped with all the software needed to be ready to code from day one. |
The 5 steps of the Tech Elevator application process
Kaylee: From the initial aptitude test to committing to the program, the entire process took about 3 weeks. I spoke with the admissions team, including the head of admissions and another staff member.
Overall, these evaluations determined if I had the right mindset for this career. I made sure I was genuine in my responses and let the Tech Elevator team decide if I was a good fit for the bootcamp.
|
Tech Elevator Application Tip #2: What Are We Looking For? |
|
Generally, we evaluate aptitude and attitude. If you make it into Tech Elevator, then you can be confident that you deserve to be here and can do it. The aptitude tests in our admissions process help us determine the problem-solving, critical thinking and creative thinking skills necessary to move at a fast pace through our curriculum. These evaluations are not based on any prior coding experience. In-person interviews let us dig into the behavioral skills that we feel complement those aptitude skills. Expect to talk about attributes like perseverance, communication skills, teamwork experience, and drive towards coding and a career in technology. |
Kaylee, did the Tech Elevator’s aptitude test help you in your decision-making process?
Kaylee: Yes! At first, Tech Elevator’s program was intimidating because I didnt know much about coding and I wasnt sure if I could get through the bootcamp. After I completed the 10-minute aptitude test, I felt more confident and inspired to take the next step and apply for the bootcamp. The aptitude test definitely encouraged me to move forward.
|
Tech Elevator Application Tip #3: What If I Get Rejected? |
|
If you’re not accepted into Tech Elevator, we encourage you to continue your learning journeys in other ways (like these Learn to Code Resources). We have a 6-month waiting period before someone can re-apply, to ensure they have taken a thoughtful approach to any improvements before trying again. |
Do most applicants to Tech Elevator know how to code?
Kaylee: I graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Marketing, and my first marketing job was at a law firm where I led the overhaul of the firm’s website and served as the liaison between the lawyers and a team of developers. I had some front end development experience from a college class that touched on web development for marketing, so when I organized the site overhaul, I dabbled in a few online coding activities. I wanted to see if I liked coding and could see myself committing more time towards it. I ended up loving the process so much, I found myself still updating the back-end well after the project was finished. Since the rest of my marketing responsibilities weren’t as challenging and rewarding for me, I dug into tech and web development which led me to Tech Elevator.
|
Tech Elevator Application Tip #4: You Don’t Need to be a Pro |
|
While some students have dabbled in coding or have been passionate about various aspects of technology as a hobby on the side, most of our students do not have any prior education in programming prior to Tech Elevator. There are a lot of great — and free! — resources online. Check out the Learn to Code Resources page of our website. |
Does Tech Elevator accept everyone who applies?
Kaylee: Tech Elevator doesn’t accept everyone, which was appealing to me. The fact that Tech Elevator doesn’t accept everyone showed the quality of the bootcamp; they valued their program enough to be selective. Tech Elevator doesnt require coding experience, but they evaluate the way you think and there are many non-technical evaluations an applicant has to complete before being accepted into the bootcamp.
You’ll also complete about 40 hours of prework. There is a lot to learn in the 14-week bootcamp, and Tech Elevator wants to make sure all incoming students are on the same page so on the first day of the bootcamp they can hit the ground running. The prework includes Free Code Camp, Khan Academy, and other unique resources that gave us a basic understanding of Java, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. The prework was challenging and indicative of what was to come. I would say that it matched up well with the learning style of the bootcamp.
|
Tech Elevator Application Tip #5: Acceptance Rate |
|
We accept about 50% of applicants. We know this is a significant investment people are making in their education — and their future career expectations. They are relying on us to deliver on the industry-leading outcomes we have built a quality reputation on in the industry, so we feel our admissions process and acceptance rate are examples of how we deliver on this standard for a quality experience and result for those who are accepted and put in the effort we expect of all students that join us. |
Kaylee, do you think the competitiveness of Tech Elevator’s admissions process helped you get a better job after graduation?
Kaylee: Yes, I think it did! Tech Elevator only accepts students who they feel will be successful. The corporate partners know the Tech Elevator curriculum and that anyone who completes it is more than qualified to be a developer at their company. Tech Elevator gives you a leg up in the industry.
How does Tech Elevator prepare students for the job hunt?
Kaylee: There are two aspects of the Tech Elevator bootcamp:
The Pathway Program’s sole purpose is to prepare you for your job hunt and career by providing you with action items and support. There were 3-4 sessions a week, and I found each session very purposeful and filled with tips and tricks about resumes, interviewing, and the tech industry. The Pathway Program is based on the personal experience from the instructors in the field and Tech Elevator’s own research. This was information that I would not have been able to find out on my own.
I had so many mock interviews, including one with a Software Developer from Google. At the time the amount of mock interviews overwhelmed me, but once it was time to have an actual job interview, it was a breeze! Every time we had an employer showcase, Tech Elevator had us craft an elevator pitch for them. The employer showcases included companies like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, or Kaman. It was intimidating at first, but toward the end, I felt like I could talk to any CEO and be totally fine.
The Pathway Program is detailed about how to follow up, secure interviews, increase your chances, and negotiate. Tech Elevator doesn’t kick you to the curb after graduation; they have continued career support for 6 months until you land your job. After I graduated, I received more information on accepting my first developer job, what to expect in my first week on the job, and how to set myself up for success.
What roles did you feel qualified to apply for after graduating from Tech Elevator?
Kaylee: There are a million different things you can do in technology, so its really up to the individual student and what direction they want to go. I wanted to be a software developer, so I targeted junior software developer and software developer associate roles. Students in my cohort who already had years of experience were able to go after more senior roles.
Since you did this bootcamp remotely, did you feel prepared to work remotely?
Kaylee: Yes! Initially, I worried about doing a remote bootcamp, but Im so glad that I did it. I landed my first developer job right after graduation and it was such a seamless transition because I already had my home office set up. Tech Elevator also made sure to touch on working remotely, offering tips and tricks while they discussed how we were probably going to work remotely for the foreseeable future.
Congrats on your new job at PNC! What is your role at PNC?
Kaylee: My current title is Software Developer Associate. PNC is replacing their core banking technology and has two tracks within their Technology & Innovation team: Change the Bank and Run the Bank. I am a part of Run the Bank team, and we support the new software and applications created by the Charge the Bank team. Our initiative is to work with the developers, implementing processes that allow for a seamless transition from Change the Bank to Run the Bank. Its awesome for me to come in now because Im not the only one who is learning the new software — We all are!
Did you get this job through a connection with Tech Elevator?
Kaylee: I did get this job through Tech Elevator. Tech Elevator hosts a matchmaking event during week 11 where companies come for a full day of interviewing. We add our name to a time slot and then have behavioral or technical interviews with those companies. If a company wants to move forward in the interview process with a student, they would contact us directly or our Pathway Director. I interviewed with five companies that day, including two different teams for PNC. One of those PNC teams accepted me two weeks later.
Are you using all the programming languages that you learned at Tech Elevator?
Kaylee: PNC is a Java-based company, and luckily I did the Java program at Tech Elevator. PNC uses everything I learned at Tech Elevator, including Eclipse IDE and database APIs. Even the non-technical aspects of my job like using Kanban and Slack are all things that I learned in the bootcamp.
So far, is this career what you expected?
Kaylee: Tech Elevator got me job-ready with practical and realistic training. In the final two weeks of the bootcamp, we organized our capstone projects using Trello and we designated a product manager and project manager in our group. Tech Elevator’s capstone project was a well-crafted simulation of the work we would experience as a developer.
This is my third week at my new job and already I’ve found that the people working in this field are helpful and intelligent. They want others to succeed. I feel so much more useful and fulfilled than when I was in marketing. Im contributing to things in this career that are challenging.
What do you wish you knew before applying to Tech Elevator?
Kaylee: I wish I knew that it was going to be such hard work. I was the first of my family to graduate from college, and yet I felt more accomplished when I graduated from Tech Elevator. In order to get the most out of your experience, you need to take these 14 weeks seriously. It seems a little dramatic, but those 14 weeks compared to a lifetime in the tech industry is nothing. Totally commit to the experience and you will be successful and ready to start this journey.
What has been the biggest roadblock in your career change journey?
Kaylee: We talk about imposter syndrome a lot in Tech Elevator, and that has been the biggest roadblock for me. It doesnt feel like we should be ready in just 14 weeks, but we are. I listened to a podcast with Bill Gates, and he admitted even he had imposter syndrome! When I heard that and knew I was fine.
Being a woman in tech also presents its challenges. As soon as you get out of your own head, you realize it isnt scary at all. Tech Elevator does an outstanding job at empowering its students to get over those mental roadblocks. They told us to “unmute” ourselves and taught us how to feel confident and speak up.
Was Tech Elevator worth it for you?
Kaylee: Definitely. In 14 weeks, I doubled my salary! Plus, I now have a job in an industry that is much more secure. It isnt recession-proof, but it has to be one of the closest to it. Im excited about the future and where this industry will take me.
Find out more and read Tech Elevator reviews on Course Report. This article was produced by the Course Report team in partnership with Tech Elevator.
Jess is the Content Manager for Course Report as well as a writer and poet. As a lifelong learner, Jess is passionate about education, and loves learning and sharing content about tech bootcamps. Jess received a M.F.A. in Writing from the University of New Hampshire, and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. Please enable JavaScript to view the
Not sure what youre looking for?
A helpful guide to the differences between UX Design and Web Design!
How this Sabio instructor helps women in tech
How Mike launched a data science with UT Austin Boot Camps
