Evolve Security Academy

I need to share some key insights after attending Evolve Security Academy's Cybersecurity boot camp. While some may speak highly of the academy, my experience left me disheartened and wishing I had spent my time and resources elsewhere.


The academy's teaching model appears sound initially, as it assigns each student a Teacher Assistant (TA), usually a graduate from the previous cohort. However, this quickly becomes an issue as these TAs are more proctors than instructors, often resorting to Google when challenged by a question and simply relaying unsolvable queries back to the main instructor.


The course costs $13,950 for 240 equivalent class hours, plus an expected additional self-study time outside of the 2-hour evening classes. Upon reflection, better value and industry recognition could be achieved through a similar-priced course from SANS, an established name in the cybersecurity field.


While the fundamentals of IT and cybersecurity are initially touched upon by Evolve's more adept instructors, the post-fundamentals course swiftly degenerates into a hurried overview of the multifaceted domains of cybersecurity. This felt like a superficial tour, with an excessive emphasis on penetration testing, possibly a veiled upsell of their Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) preparation course.


Despite the curriculum boasting hands-on material, many instructors seemed more engaged in troubleshooting legacy lab exercises dating back to 2019/2020 than actual teaching. This lack of attention to the teaching material, which in part needed to be updated, hampered learning and often led to network failures, including during the final practical web application assessment.


Including Python coding was a welcome thought, but the lessons were a rushed, last-minute addition that felt like an afterthought rather than an integral part of the curriculum.


In terms of career support, Evolve fell drastically short. The "support" mostly consisted of rehashed slideshow presentations and brief, 30-minute 1-to-1 career coach sessions that ended abruptly, with no follow-up. One disheartening experience was when a career coaching day was wasted playing an unrelated trivia game due to a lack of planning.


The alumni panel presented to us seemed unprepared for the job market, needing more fundamental IT skills such as Windows system administration and active directory management. Post-cohort, they applied to over 100 jobs only to be routinely dismissed.


The course began promisingly, introducing basic tools and techniques useful in the cybersecurity field. However, an executive preferred flashy, engaging content over substantive, job-relevant information. This epitomizes the short-sightedness of the institution.


I left the boot camp with a shiny final certificate but woefully under-equipped for most entry-level cybersecurity jobs. I was left to supplement my education on my own. The academy is more focused on monetary gain than genuinely imparting quality education.


I would implore prospective students to consider these points carefully before deciding. More effective and value-for-money cybersecurity programs are available that genuinely prioritize student development and career success.

Just like being a procrastinator can be a negative way of coping for some, others might find themselves at an advantage in delaying tasks. It could allow time for more planning depending on the task; some are more focused and pay more attention to details under pressure coming up with ideas or solutions that one would not have otherwise considered. It lets the person finish other tasks, increasing motivation to get them done and work efficiently. It all depends on the person and how well they are at sticking with a task and their calendar. Those who are more intrinsic might find that active procrastination helps them get something out of a task. 

A great education. A respectful community. The experience had professor-led lectures - both live and video - combined with cohort hands-on lab work. This combination provided a full opportunity to learn cybersecurity from all angles. I liked the fact that the course was based on learning objectives, engagement, and discourse. I felt confident that I had learned the right things at the right time. This course takes the dedication of time and effort. This isn't an easy "rubber stamp" academy. The only feedback I have is for students to put in extra effort during the course in order to pass the final. The final requires an absolute understanding of the material. 

My time in Evolve Academy's OSCP bootcamp was amazing from start to finish. The lead and assistant instructors were very knowledgeable and willing to take time from their day to troubleshoot any issue that came up. I was able to network and study with like minded people with a passion for penetration testing and cybersecurity in general. Some of the students were also every day penetration testers that were able to transfer and share knowledge in a very convenient way. I would recommend this to anyone seeking to pass the OSCP, start their career in cybersecurity, or expand their knowledge in penetration testing!

As someone who had no experience in the IT field, Evolve Security Academy provided great support and resources for understanding key concepts needed in the Cybersecurity industry. This combined with labs that simulate what you may do on the jobs and a not-for-profit project, was what really made Evolve a great experience. Instructors and Assisstant Instructors are always just a message away when you're stuck in the labs. Lastly, Evolve also provides a great coach during and after the cohort to help you find a job. Thanks for a great time Evolve!

Evolve Security Academy has been an amazing experience in that it covers many different fields in cybersecurity. It covers essential topics like networking, Linux command line, Python, AWS, Incident Response, GRC, Offensive Security and more. The learning environment is a top tier online boot camp experience that equips the best qualified instructors that are the most helpful and have the desire for you to succeed. The apprenticeship was an awesome learning experience in helping out local non-profit organizations and prepares you with valid work experience as you embark on your career. The value alone of making professional connections and networking with people all over the nation is so much more valuable than the cost of the academy. This boot camp has changed my life so much for the better and is the best bang for your buck!

As a person with no prior background in the field, the overall experience helped me ground myself in the fundamentals and served as a stepping point for me to start my career. 
The curriculum is very immersive and the amount of knowledge you will learn will directly tie with how engaged your are with the material. 
The career couching prepared by this program has also helped after the program has ended and provides good insight for people looking for a job right out of a learning program!

If you're looking for an all around education in security, this is the place you should start. I came into this program with several years of tech experience looking to dive into security and they really did a good job helping me figure out what I wanted to do. The course is fast paced and packed with a broad range of information so you really get out of it what you put in. I can't emphasize on that enough .. PUT THE TIME IN. In hindsight, I wish I had spent more time absorbing every bit that I could. The price is steep BUT if you went around to other places getting education for certs and add it up, I think you'll find its fair considering how much information you can learn from this course. The biggest advantage with this bootcamp is the support system. For anyone training for OSCP or other higher level technical certs, you know the frustration with looking for white papers, stack overflow posts, and youtube videos  trying to find answers. Often the course material with many educational sites will leave you with many questions and its often hard to get answers. Here you will have a seasoned pro and several assistant educators and classmates that will help you find the right answers and help with any technical issues you run into. I do not however recommend this for those seeking to use it as a means to jump into the tech field. You should already have a decent understanding of networking, Windows  server and workstation OS's, command line,  etc. Overall I believe this bootcamp was worth it. Almost everyone in my cohort landed jobs in the security sector after completing this bootcamp.

Attending Evolve Security Academy opened doors, allowing me to change career paths. I went from an individual with zero technical knowledge to landing an entry-level cybersecurity position.  

The course work covers a wide variety of relevant cybersecurity topics and can be quite challenging at times. Although it is possible to complete the Bootcamp while working a full-time job, it can be a busy and stressful 17 weeks.  

Overall, Evolve provided me the needed base of knowledge to jumpstart my cybersecurity career.