General Assembly

Explore Common General Assembly Questions

General Assembly Courses

Does General Assembly Offer Prep Courses?

Yes, prep courses at General Assembly come in the form of online tutorials, which are included with each immersive program. GA also offers on-demand, self-paced online courses in data analysis, digital marketing, user experience, and coding. Students can also prepare by attending General Assembly workshops and other one-off events.

One final way to hone your skills before your bootcamp is by completing GA Dash, one of the best free online bootcamps out there. In this course, students can practice HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript to get a good grip on front end programming. Reviews for General Assembly’s Dash program are excellent, with students praising the interface for being approachable and the text editor for its simplicity.

What Courses Are Offered at General Assembly?

General Assembly offers an array of courses across five in-demand tech fields: software engineering, user experience design, data science, data analytics, and digital marketing. If you’re looking for an immersive bootcamp experience, there are full-time, 12-week General Assembly courses on each of these broad topics.

General Assembly’s course catalog also features ten part-time courses. A few of these are direct counterparts to the full-time courses, while others are a bit narrower in scope. The part-time course topics include product management, visual design, Python programming, JavaScript development, React development, and front end web development. Most last around 10 weeks for the standard option although the student can also join a one-week accelerated version.

General Assembly's main bootcamp offer also includes a flex option for software engineering. Here the student studies during evenings and weekends while still enjoying expert instruction and personalized career coaching.

Most General Assembly courses are available either in person or online, but General Assembly’s online course options also extend to four on-demand curricula. With an on-demand course in digital marketing, data analysis, or user experience design, students can dispense with deadlines and study the material at their own pace.

What Types of Programs Are Available at General Assembly?

General Assembly programs are available in a variety of modalities and formats. Aside from being an excellent on-site bootcamp, General Assembly is also considered one of the best online coding bootcamps. To accommodate as many types of students as possible, it mixes and matches in-person and online delivery methods with full-time, part-time, and self-paced schedules. Here are the main types of programs General Assembly offers:

• Full-Time Immersive (Online or In-Person). This type of program is for students who can afford to dedicate 12 weeks of full-time study to their chosen topic. Students attend classes all day, Monday through Friday.
• Flex Immersive (Online). General Assembly’s flex immersive programs take the same material from the full-time immersive bootcamps and stretch it out over 24 weeks. Only available online, this format is designed to accommodate students who only have nights and weekends to spare.
• Part-Time (Online or In-Person). Less intensive and more slowly paced than the immersive courses, GA’s part-time courses last 10 weeks and require a commitment of two nights per week or one weekend day per week. Many of them can also be completed at an accelerated pace in just one week.
• On-Demand (Online). This type of General Assembly program is for students who are self-starters. You get all of the course material upfront, so it will be up to you to create your own study schedule.
• Workshops (Online or In-Person). These are one-off events that take place over one or two days. Rather than a full curriculum, workshops offer a brief introduction to the tech field of your choice, usually as an enticement to further study.

Does General Assembly Offer Free Courses?

Yes, General Assembly has a few free courses for prospective students. General Assembly’s free course on front end development, called Dash, consists of interactive online lessons on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Reviews for GA Dash are generally positive with students stressing the quality of the interface and the simplicity of the text editor.

Other free classes offered by General Assembly include two-hour introductory workshops on subjects like Python, Excel, and Facebook Ads. These workshops take place around the world, from Singapore to Sydney, but many are also online.

Does General Assembly Offer Workshops?

Yes, General Assembly workshops are some of the best tech events in the industry. General Assembly’s workshops cover topics such as business, coding, design, data, career development, and more. Many of the workshops are even free. If you’re interested in General Assembly, workshops are a great way to start and get a feel for the school.

General Assembly Admissions Process

What Is the General Assembly Admission Process?

The General Assembly admission process is conducted mostly online, and it includes an application form, a phone screening, an interview, and a coding test. Keep in mind that the exact admission process for General Assembly varies depending on the program. For example, you’ll need to do a coding interview for GA’s software engineering program, but not for its digital marketing program.

How Do I Prepare for General Assembly?

Though they were designed with beginners in mind, General Assembly’s courses are easier to manage if you do some preparation. The immersive courses, both full-time and flex, come with built-in prep work, which students are required to complete before the first day of class. The Data Science Immersive course, for example, begins with 12 hours of online tutorials.

General Assembly also offers one free coding course, called Dash, which is a low-commitment way to prepare for any of GA’s software engineering or web development programs. To get access to Dash, all you need to do is sign up for a free account on General Assembly’s website. You can also improve your skills before the bootcamp by attending a General Assembly workshop or one of its on-demand classes.

How Do I Apply to General Assembly?

You can apply to General Assembly by choosing your program and applying online at the General Assembly website. A General Assembly admissions representative will contact you to set up an interview and answer any questions you have about the program. The admission process for General Assembly involves a few simple steps:

1. On the bootcamp’s website, choose the program you want and click on the Apply Now button. Complete the online application and submit it. The General Assembly application is pretty straightforward. All you will need to do is fill out your personal details and preferred cohort dates.
2. After filling out the application, General Assembly will email you to schedule a phone interview. This interview takes 30 minutes, and the admissions counselor will ask you why you want to join your chosen program and determine if it will work for you.
3. If you’re pursuing an immersive program, you have to complete a coding assessment after the phone screening. This test is followed by a coding interview. Students applying for a part-time course can skip this step.
4. General Assembly will contact you via email to let you know whether you’ve been accepted. When you receive your acceptance letter, review your enrollment documents to ensure all the information is correct. You’ll also need to confirm your payment method at this stage.
5. Now that you’re officially accepted into General Assembly, you can proceed to complete the prework for your program. This is crucial because prep work ensures you're ready for your program.

The General Assembly acceptance rate isn’t as low as it is for some other coding bootcamps, but it is still hard to get into. To improve your chances of the General Assembly application process going smoothly, just remember to put your best foot forward. You can even take a free coding course so you can feel more confident during the General Assembly interview.

What General Assembly Interview Questions Should I Expect?

During your General Assembly interview, questions about your tech background, interests, and career goals will be thrown your way. You don’t have to prepare for this interview, but it is still an important part of your application. Your General Assembly interview will take less than an hour to complete. Common General Assembly interview questions include:

• Do you have any professional experience with software engineering?
• What inspired you to choose a career in software engineering?
• Would you say you have good collaboration skills?

If you enroll in an immersive program, you will have to complete a skills assessment in addition to answering interview questions from General Assembly’s admissions team. For admission into the software engineering program, you will be asked to design a responsive webpage. Data science applicants will be asked to analyze and draw insights from real datasets.

What Is the General Assembly Acceptance Rate?

The General Assembly acceptance rate is unfortunately not publicized. However, some unofficial sources indicate that the acceptance rate is between 60 and 70 percent. General Assembly cannot accept everyone, so the admissions team vets candidates and chooses the ones who are most dedicated and up for the challenge.

How Do I Get Accepted Into General Assembly?

To get accepted into General Assembly, you need to perform very well during the phone screening. This verbal interview evaluates whether you have the drive, passion, and commitment to complete the program. The admissions assessment is an important part of the process, so make sure you prepare, especially if you're applying for a full-time bootcamp.

General Assembly students who want to join an immersive program will also need to undergo a technical assessment. This test will measure your current knowledge. To make sure you ace the coding test and increase your chances of getting accepted into General Assembly, attend some GA workshops and bootcamp prep courses.

Is General Assembly Hard to Get Into?

It is relatively hard to get into General Assembly for applicants who don’t take the application process seriously. Although the General Assembly acceptance rate is not public, some estimates suggest that a third of applicants do not get in. You will need to prepare for your oral interview to appear confident and passionate about your program. To pass the coding assessment, you will need basic knowledge of the topic you want to study.

General Assembly Payment Options

How Much Is General Assembly?

General Assembly tuition ranges from $3,000 for part-time programs to $16,450 for full-time programs. There are different General Assembly prices according to duration, topic, and location. There is even a free coding course for beginners called Dash. To help you cover General Assembly’s costs, the school offers many financing options and payment plans.

The General Assembly bootcamp cost might be high, but it is worth it if you want to get a good coding education. You will also be paying for a professional network and a career services team to help you find a job. All in all, the cost of a General Assembly course consists of in-demand skills and job search help for the opportunity to transform your career.

How Can I Pay for General Assembly?

You can pay for General Assembly tuition through upfront payment or a variety of other options. Here are all of the General Assembly payment options:

• Upfront payment. If you can afford this option, you will save money in the long run. Students get a $450 discount when they pay for an immersive course upfront. For part-time or one-week programs, the discount is $250.
• Income share agreement (ISA). Financing your General Assembly education through the deferred tuition option, which takes the form of an income share agreement, involves waiting to pay until after you find a job.
• Private loans. The school partners with Ascent, Climb, and Meritize to help students afford the cost of a General Assembly bootcamp.
• Monthly installments. There are several installment plans available. All of them involve paying a deposit and then splitting the tuition into two, three, or four installments.
• Tuition discounts. Aside from upfront payment discounts, that school also has a tuition diversity discount. This amounts to $1,500 and can only be claimed by women and transgender, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, or nonbinary people enrolling in an immersive program. Likewise, you are eligible for several discounts if you complete an on-demand course, including $200 off for evening, one-week, or immersive courses.
• GI Bill. General Assembly is one of several coding bootcamps that accept the GI Bill. Enrolling in a GA bootcamp typically uses six to eight months of entitlement.
• Employer sponsorship. Over half of evening and one-week students at General Assembly get their course reimbursed by their company.
• Scholarships. Coding bootcamp scholarships are numerous, and General Assembly has a few of its own, including the Break the Glass Tuition Discount and the Adobe Digital Academy Scholarship.

Are There Any General Assembly Scholarships?

Yes, there are several General Assembly scholarships as well as several partner-supported programs. Programs and grants include the Break the Glass Tuition Discount and the Adobe Digital Academy Scholarship. These will help you pay the General Assembly price and any fees you encounter.

You can get a scholarship for General Assembly by indicating on your application if you’re interested in a scholarship. You can also visit individual scholarship pages to apply, such as the page for the Adecco Group US Foundation Service Scholarship, which is available for military spouses.

Here’s how to get the Break the Glass Tuition Discount at General Assembly:

1. Review the requirements and make sure you’re eligible.
2. Apply on the scholarship page on the General Assembly website.
3. Wait until General Assembly reviews your application and gets back to you.

If you’re interested in the General Assembly Adobe Digital Academy Scholarship, here are the steps:

1. Choose which eligible General Assembly bootcamp program you want to apply for.
2. Sign up for the scholarship on the General Assembly website.
3. Complete the regular admissions process.
4. Enter your program and prepare for your internship at Adobe.

Female veterans and military spouses can also apply for the Adecco Group US Foundation Service Scholarship:

1. Visit the scholarship page on the General Assembly website.
2. Fill out your basic information, including your military affiliation.
3. Write a short paragraph about how your new skills will further your career.
4. Submit your application and await the response.

Does General Assembly Have a Refund Policy?

Yes, General Assembly has a refund policy. However, the General Assembly refund policy differs depending on your location and the program you want to sign up for. Deposits are refundable under certain circumstances. Check the course catalog for your region to find out exactly which policy applies.

On-demand learning paths have a more straightforward refund policy. You can cancel within 14 days and receive a full refund. To cancel your subscription and receive a refund, send an email to help@ga.co.

Does General Assembly Offer a Job Guarantee?

No, General Assembly does not offer a job guarantee. However, there are many career support services to help you land a job. As well, the income share agreement allows you to only pay after you get a job. While this isn’t the same as a job guarantee, General Assembly offers it to increase students’ confidence that they will land a job after graduation.

General Assembly Student Outcomes

How Much Do General Assembly Graduates Earn?

Unfortunately, General Assembly doesn’t disclose how much its graduates earn. However, many of its graduates get jobs at high-profile companies, which suggests that the average salary is high. As well, there are GA workshops and events put on by the career services team that are designed to increase the salary of General Assembly graduates.

What Companies Hire General Assembly Graduates?

The companies that hire General Assembly graduates include Amazon, IBM, Google, American Express, Salesforce, Uber, WeWork, LinkedIn, Spotify, and Airbnb. Each company that General Assembly partners with reports that its graduates are some of the best candidates they find. General Assembly even absorbs some of its own graduates.

Is General Assembly Accredited?

General Assembly is not accredited by the US Department of Education, but it is licensed to provide practical training in every state. While you can’t use federal loans to finance your program, there are many ways to get financial aid for coding bootcamps. These options allow you to cover General Assembly’s costs and get full access to the school’s experienced instructors without having to pay tuition upfront.

Is General Assembly Worth It?

General Assembly is worth it for any student looking for a well-established, award-winning coding bootcamp that teaches students coding and similar tech skills. It is also one of Career Karma’s partners, which means it’s been vetted by a team of experts. According to one General Assembly software engineering immersive review, the programs are truly comprehensive and teach you everything you need to know, although they can be intense.