Evolve Security Academy
Evolve Security Academy Reviews and Complete Guide
Plenty of bootcamps provide opportunities to start your tech career. It can be challenging to find a suitable cyber security bootcamp, but Evolve Security Academy is a good choice.
Read below for an in-depth review of Evolve Security Academy courses, tuition, application, job placement, and more.
What Do You Need to Know about Evolve Security Academy?
Evolve Security Academy is a cyber security bootcamp. You can get an immersive, hands-on experience to launch your cyber security career.
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Evolve provides a holistic cyber security education and advanced tracks in cyber security. You will gain practical experience and meet mentors from the field. You can also train to get your Offensive Security Certified Professional certification.
Evolve Security Academy has an in-person and remote option, both of which last twenty weeks. The advanced tracks will help you learn penetration testing and application security in only five weeks. These cyber security courses will help you navigate the tech scene much more easily. Hands-on learning and career services set this bootcamp apart from the crowd.
| Locations | Chicago, Illinois, Online |
| Tuition | In-person: $14,500, remote: $12,500 |
| Financing Options | Private Loans, Scholarships, Upfront, Installments, GI Bill |
| Start Dates | Remote: April 5, June 7, August 9, October 11 In-Person: April 5, August 16 |
| Program Types | Online, Part-time |
| Courses | Remote Cyber Security Bootcamp, In-Person Cyber Security Bootcamp, OSCP Exam Preparation |
Where Are Evolve Security Academy’s Campuses Located?
Evolve Security Academy is based in Chicago, Illinois. At the time of writing, due to COVID-19, classes are online only.
How Much Is Tuition At Evolve Security Academy?
The Evolve Security Academy in-person tuition is $14,500, and the remote bootcamp is $12,500. If you are eligible for a bootcamp scholarship or loan, you can lower your tuition.
How Can You Pay Evolve Security Academy Tuition?
Evolve Security Academy offers a few different tuition financing options, which you can read below. Not every cyber security bootcamp provides flexible payment choices. Do your research and make sure you’re aware of your options.
Evolve Security Academy Scholarships
One great way to cover your tuition costs is through a scholarship. With Evolve, you can get a partial scholarship based on merit. When you apply for a scholarship, attach a personal essay to explain why you deserve it. You also have to go through an interview process.
Upfront
You can pay upfront with Evolve Security Academy to get your payment out of the way. If you decide to pay upfront on or before the date of the program, you will be eligible for a $250 discount.
Loan Financing
Evolve Security Academy partners with different loan providers to help provide equal opportunity. Through SkillsFund, you can get a personal loan at flexible rates. International students have additional international financing options.
Installments
With the installment options, you can pay half of your tuition upfront and the rest later. You have to complete the other half of the payment before the tenth week of your course.
Can You Use the GI Bill at Evolve Security Academy?
Yes, you can use the GI Bill at Evolve Security Academy. Only the in-person course in Chicago accepts it, but the lessons are online due to COVID-19.
What Courses Does Evolve Security Academy Offer?
Evolve Security Academy offers an extensive cyber security course that can help you excel in the field. Although Evolve only covers one topic, it can help you become a world-class cyber security professional. The in-person and online courses differ slightly. Read below to find out more about this cyber security bootcamp.
Cyber Security Prep Course – Remote
Evolve Security Academy offers a free prep course that you can take before you start the main bootcamp. This course will teach you all the fundamentals of cyber security, which is perfect for complete beginners. If you aren’t sure about Evolve Security Academy yet, try taking this course to get a feel for it.
In this cyber security prep course, you’ll learn Linux, Netcat, Nmap, and Wireshark. Your instructors will also teach you how to create your own home lab to practice your cyber security skills. This prep course from Evolve Security Academy is a great way to learn more about cyber security and life in the field.
Cyber Security – In-Person | Remote
The 20-week immersive course will teach you everything you need to know about cyber security. You’ll participate in 290 hours of live online sessions and dedicate 110 hours outside of class. The curriculum includes both recorded lectures and lab tutorial sessions. There are 12 modules and you’ll be tested at the end of each one.
You will also work on security projects in small groups. This will help you develop the necessary soft skills to become a great team player in the real work environment. For the in-person option, your group and instructors will meet on campus in Chicago. Otherwise, everything is the same between the online and in-person courses.
In this cyber security course, you’ll learn about essential concepts and real-world scenarios. The lab environment mimics the real-world experience of a security analyst. This prepares you to handle real-life security threats and reduce harm. At the end of the course, you’ll get a voucher to take your CompTIA Security+ verification test.
Evolve Security Academy offers a holistic approach and covers networking, security programming, OSINT and social engineering, incident response and forensics, and cryptography. You’ll also learn about app sec and offensive security, scripting for security, security operations threat modeling, and security operations architecture.
In addition to an exceptional curriculum, the school will provide career services. Evolve Security Academy features alumni networking, career coaching, job preparation training, and employer partners. You can easily secure your career in cyber security after enrolling in this bootcamp.
OSCP Bootcamp – Remote
If you’re serious about becoming a cyber security professional, you should get your Offensive Security Certified Professional certification. Evolve Security Academy offers a prep course to get you ready to take the test. You only have to pay $7,250, which is significantly less than the main Evolve Academy program.
This 18-week part-time course covers everything you need to know for the OSCP test. OSCP instructors will help guide you through practice exams, tutorials, and live lessons. The exam is included in your enrollment package so you don’t have to worry about a second step.
How to Get Accepted Into Evolve Security Academy
Because it is a specialized bootcamp, Evolve Security Academy receives a lot of applications every year. You should learn as much as you can about the process so you can impress the Admissions Board.
Evolve Security Academy Acceptance Rate
Evolve Security Academy does not state its acceptance rate.
Evolve Security Academy Application Process
The application process of Evolve Security Academy is straightforward. Follow the process below to submit your application successfully.
- Fill out the online application on the Evolve Academy website.
- If your application is successful, you will be invited to an interview. If you’re in Chicago, you can complete the interview in-person, but most are conducted over video. This interview will assess your cyber security expertise and your passion for learning.
- The Admissions Board will review your interview and application. This bootcamp has a rolling acceptance process so you might have to wait to know your status.
Evolve Security Academy Interview Questions
Evolve Security Academy wants to admit students who already have some cyber security background. Aside from your hard skills, you should express your interest, discipline, and passion.
You should prepare for your bootcamp interview. The Evolve interviewer might ask about the topics below.
- Your education and work experience
- Program expectations
- Your interest in cyber security
- Technical experience (networking, Linux)
- Feats or achievements in programming
How Can You Prepare for the Evolve Security Academy?
To prepare for Evolve Security bootcamp, you should sign up for its cyber security fundamentals course. This prep course will make sure you know everything you need to start the course. You’ll learn about the current field, hacking, networking, Linux, and more.
Is Evolve Security Academy Worth It?
Yes, Evolve Security Academy is worth it. The academy has alumni in top-rated companies like Ensono, Accenture, BMO, Bank of America, FireEye, and Carbon Black. Evolve offers extensive career support to help you reach your goals.
The Evolve Academy curriculum is specialized to ensure you leave the program and lead a successful tech career. You’ll get lab simulation exercises, work experience, personal assessments, and career services.
Evolve Security Academy Job Placement
According to Evolve, 94 percent of students get hired within the first six months of graduating. On average, they experienced an average salary increase of 48 percent, which is about $65,000. Evolve Security Academy can help you get a lucrative cyber security job.
After completing the bootcamp, you can branch out into different cyber security fields. You can become a cyber security engineer, security analyst, security sales engineer, network security engineer, and more.
Does Evolve Security Academy Offer a Job Guarantee?
No, Evolve Security does not offer a job guarantee. However, it offers many career services to help you get a job. It also has good statistics about job placement, despite not having a guarantee.
Should You Apply to Evolve Security Academy?
Yes, you should apply to Evolve Security Academy. The platform has extensive benefits that outweigh other cyber security bootcamps. The school has top-tier programs that will help you assume any role within cyber security.
If you’re serious about your cyber security career, you should enroll in Evolve Security Academy. You can prepare for your CompTIA Security+ verification and your OSCP exam. The instructors have real-world experience to prepare you for the field. Evolve Security Academy is the perfect cyber security bootcamp.
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9 Reviews
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Anonymous
I was part of the PRO cohort (in-person) and it has changed my perception of the security industry. From someone with limited to no experience in the field before the bootcamp, it was fast paced and challenging, but even more rewarding when you finally understood the concepts introduced. The instructors and TAs demonstrate exceptional knowledge of IT and security as well as provide further instructions when needed, but without spoiling the lab or experience. I personally enjoyed the real-life experience the most as we had the opportunity to work with a not-for-profit organization and had to deliver a real security assessment. The job support was a large part of the final weeks and really pays off for the most ambitious students as they will most likely all land jobs within the next few months after completing the cohort, at least that was my and my classmates’ experience as we all have jobs as analysts or consultants. I will finish this review by saying that students that are willing to learn and put in the effort will definitely have a rewarding experience, and grow both personally and professionally.
April 20, 2019
Anonymous
Learned so much! Course curriculum and all other covered topics were relevant and very applicable to mainstream trends and issues.
April 23, 2019
Anonymous
Evolve Security Academy is the #1 cyber security bootcamp in the world for a reason. The instructors are top-notch and often the ones who create the curriculum. Through the program, I was able to drink from the source, literally, and meet and learn from the pros in the industry in a casual, face to face setting. The Evolve experience helped me significantly in taking my CompTia certification, but went way beyond just that. I also greatly appreciated the game-changing tool set of skills and languages and the real-life, hands on training, which gave me an edge on my job interviews. Overall, I must say that this is the best investment in my future that I’ve ever made.
June 20, 2019
Anonymous
Evolve Security Academy remote boot camp. A zero regret experience.
I graduated from the 2018 remote cohort and also took the Practical Penetration Testing Course early in 2019. The latter? Excellent. In this review, I focus on the former.
The boot camp had many strong points, including the jocularity, the banter, the fun with the other students. But I will emphasize the two most important.
1) The two lead instructors.
The first gave us a gold mine of information security theory and real life stories, many which had an “insider” flavor. A glimpse at the real industry, the shocking facts, the breaches, the enemy moves, the truths the news buries. He inspired and invigorated. The second gave us the clarity, detail and guidance to get our newly gained information off the ground and put it to practical use in real world scenarios, including our final project for a real company. He launched and equipped. The complementary strengths of the two instructors made the camp balanced, thorough, and exciting. I came for a challenge. Check. The icing on the cake? Boot camp became the highlight of each day.
2) The course materials.
The academy covers everything from A to Z. Physical security. Network security. Policy. Cryptography. Social engineering. To name a few. Lectures, labs, common and unusual tools, real-world experience, and best of all, access to the minds of industry leaders who walk the walk.
On the “con” side, I pour cold water, not on Evolve Academy, but on a mindset I had. If you share my former mindset, this warning is for you. Again, to be perfectly clear, it’s no negative reflection on Evolve, but a chill to the naive mental flames looking, without the right background, to boot camp as a magic key to success.
Coming into boot camp, I had tech knowledge but lacked real world experience. I knew I had an uphill battle. Therefore, I worked diligently at boot camp. Very diligently. I finished with good grades, an inside lead from an instructor, encouragement, help from the academy, references, etc. And I’ve continued to study, refine my resume and apply to countless jobs. I even relocated from a rural area to a metro one for better job exposure. All to no avail. (I hope to report a change to this eventually, but as the unsuccessful job applications mount, I’ve lost my early optimism.) Boot camp just didn’t kick the career door open. As much as I enjoyed the boot camp, all the effort I spent has ended up being a waste (to date). The warning? Expect to need something more than boot camp to break into cyber security. Background in a different tech area. A four year tech degree.
These sour grapes being set out as a disclaimer, I urge those with the right background — ninjas, experienced, etc. — not to wait. Enroll in Evolve today. You’ll have ZERO regrets.
July 24, 2019
Anonymous
I highly recommend Evolve to enhance cyber security expertise at any stage of your career. Personally, attending Evolve was pivotal for my sector switch into more hands-on work in cyber and incident response. In fact, Evolve instructors helped me identify IR as a potential professional path. Students from both technical and non-technical backgrounds will benefit and as with any program, the more time you put in the more you will get out of it. The instructors and staff are 200% dedicated to your success and are genuinely open and supportive. My only recommendation would be to carve out enough time and energy to focus on the coursework and take advantage of the tremendous resources they offer.
July 26, 2019
Anonymous
I started this cybersecurity Bootcamp not having much knowledge what so ever (I must admit I was pretty intimated at first). After just a few weeks into the Bootcamp, I was able to confidently and fluently converse with others using IT Jargon commonly found in the industry. I can’t say enough about the great instructors that made this experience fun, enjoyable and most importantly brought a surplus of knowledge from the public and private sector of the ever-growing IT corporate world. The instructor and his teaching assistants were highly attentive when students ran into a problem in the homework or labs. This Bootcamp also offers office hours before and after class, which was helpful when needing to prepare your VM for labs and assignments covered in the lectures.
I highly recommend this Bootcamp for anyone that is looking to truly improve themselves and further their career into a high growth industry. Lastly, I want to note that I took this course while working a full-time 9-5 job. It may seem like a daunting task to juggle both (and at times it could be), but our great instructor and an incredibly supportive cast of students made it much easier and manageable. The one thing that attracted me to the Bootcamp was the high rate of job placement. Many students were landing jobs mid-way through the cohort and everyone felt like the interviews were quite easy compared to the vast knowledge they had gained through the Bootcamp. The instructors also make it a priority to continuously ask interview questions throughout the Bootcamp to further prepare you for interviews.
I took time to look at a few cybersecurity Bootcamps, but ultimately chose Evolve Security (and very glad I did) !!!!
August 11, 2020
Anonymous
Want to get in cyber security career? Evolve Academy is the right place. Had and extensive training that covers most of cyber security industry topics. Trainers are experts in this domain so all my questions were answered at the highest leveI. Even if you don’t understand something this guys will make sure you do. Highly recommend this place, specially PRO boot camp if you want to get more in-depth training.
Job hunting module that is part of curriculum was super helpful and landed me in a job just after graduation so I am enormously grateful for that to Evolve Cyber Security Academy.
Keep it up!
August 24, 2020
Anonymous
The staff has an incredible way of taking complex concepts and breaking them down into digestible bits. Coming into the course without any experience in the field, I can attest to the initial difficulty of what is going to be learned. However, the staff is willing to put forth the time and effort to ensure you grasp a solid understanding of the material.
August 29, 2020
Anonymous
As a person who really thrives in a learning environment with instruction and support, I knew that it would be important for me to find a program that would offer me what I need. Initially, I was worried about the online learning environment and felt that it might be alienating. In fact, I think our class ended up being more social and connected than an IRL one because of the way the Zoom classroom is setup – we all face each other, literally. I made friends and possibly future colleagues. So, the social support component of this program is not to be underestimated. I really think the coursework is well designed. There are some hiccups here and there but honestly those difficulties seemed like a natural part of the learning process. I was super grateful to have plentiful career prep conversations, both with instructors as well as other classmates. I’ve met some really great people through Evolve’s network and I honestly feel I have earned a solid foundation for my entry into infosec.
October 6, 2020