The IT Program
Register Your Interest
Join our community of IT professionals
PROGRAM COMMENCES: October 28, 2024
(READ THE FAQs about the program)
Thank you for your interest in learning more about the Acuitus Information Technology (IT) Program. The following questions are designed to begin evaluating your fit to our program. We will follow up based on the information you provide, as we work to confirm our program is a good fit to your objectives and that you would succeed at a high level.
If you do not receive e-mail confirmation after submitting your application, please let us know at
registrar@acuitus.com
We look forward to reviewing your initial questionnaire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Logistics:
Location of the Program?
Sunnyvale, California
Do I need to be in Sunnyvale to attend the program?
This is an intensive, immersive program normally delivered in our corporate locations. However, during the current crisis, we are strongly supporting interns working from home using remote access to the personal tutoring and all of the IT technology available to our interns.
Program hours?
8 hours a day are mandatory, typically 8am to 5pm.
Number of days per week?
Monday through Friday. Additionally, there are supplementary hours for further study on Saturdays, typically attended by more than half the participants working with tutors and on their own projects.
When do programs start?
Please see above on the ’Enrollment/Registration’ section for information on upcoming class dates.
Do I need IT experience?
No. Our program is designed for participants who lack IT experience—our program is focused on training participants with NO IT experience to a very high level of expertise in 5 months. With that said, even if you have some IT background (a 2 or 4 year degree, without extensive industry experience, for example) we are confident that our program will be beneficial for you.
Program Costs:
What is the cost for US Veterans?
The Acuitus IT Program is certified for the VA's Vocational Readiness and Employment program (VR&E, Chapter 31) which, if you are eligible, covers your tuition and often additional expenses. We are also authorized to begin working with Veterans while your VR&E application is being processed. To learn more about the VR&E program, head to this page for details.
What is the cost of the program for civilians and for Veterans that are not eligible for the VA’s VR&E program?
$35,000, once you transition into a good paying job.
Why is there no up-front cost?
Despite the best attempts from multiple groups at creating accountability in the field of Education, the mechanisms for financing most schools today still allow institutions to get paid whether students actually get a good outcome or not.
Acuitus has partnered with Social Finance to support a Pay for Success model, where you repay the program’s cost only when you are employed with a good salary.
How does the Pay for Success model work?
You need to be making over $45,000 per year, then you only pay 9% of your salary until you have covered the cost of the program and servicing fees. If your income falls below $45,000, your repayment is suspended. After six years, your commitment ends - even if the cost isn’t fully repaid; this isn’t a loan. We know what it takes to succeed in the field of IT and we clearly believe our IT engineers are going to be highly successful after they graduate from the program.
Where can I learn more about the Pay for Success model?
Head over to Social Finance’s page to learn more about the Pay for Success model and their goal of supporting the field of education.
Employment and Certification:
Will I have a job at the end of this program?
Historically, 40% of participants have transitioned into full-time employment by the end of the program; 70% are employed within 3 months after graduating; and 98% are employed or have entered a traditional college program at 6 months.
What sort of job would I be able to get with this course?
We prepare our IT engineers for compelling careers in IT. Our graduates have landed jobs in systems and network administration, technical support, network engineering, systems engineering, sales engineering. Many have landed positions right out of Acuitus in IT Management and senior technical roles, jobs typically taken by IT professionals with five to ten years experience in industry. The variety of employers that have hired Acuitus graduates reflects a wide range of large enterprises, technology providers, regional IT providers, System Integrators as well as startups.
The choice of potential employers allows graduates to make the trade-offs they are most comfortable with in terms of specialization, career trajectory, geographic location, corporate culture and other critical factors in choosing which direction to take their IT career.
Is this program focused on certification test-prep?
No. This program focuses on transforming you into an expert, teaching you the hard ideas, and getting you experience, in short the elements that make advanced certifications hard for most people trying to enter the IT field.
Most of our IT engineers complete at least the first half of the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification before they even graduate and many complete both parts. Other certifications that our graduates have passed during the course include: COMPTIA certifications (such as Linux + and Network+); and, the MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate) and MTA (Microsoft Technology Associate certification).
Is any certification or degree offered as part of the course?
Yes. Upon completion of the IT Program, graduates are issued an Acuitus Information Technology Professional certification and a verification ID number to include on their resume.
Where will I be working after I graduate?
Our corporate partners represent a wide range of industries. Some are large enterprises with locations spread across the country and around the world. Some are technology companies with exciting high-growth businesses supplying products and services to large corporations. Others are smaller regional firms that want to hire mature, independent professionals with great IT skills.
Does Acuitus get a fee if I’m hired by one of your corporate partners?
No, Acuitus does not receive compensation for placement. Our job is to make sure you are the best IT professional you can be before you graduate and to prepare you to find the best job to meet your needs and your desires. We have no financial stake in who employs you or where you are employed.
How much will I be making in my new job? Is this only preparing me for an entry-level position?
We are NOT preparing you for an entry-level job. Your salary level upon graduation depends on a number of factors, including your specific interests in the field of IT, the geographic location in which you choose to seek work, whether you want to work for a small company or a large company, whether you were passionate about IT and the companies you interviewed with. And historically, our graduates have seen an average increase in salary of 14% per year over five years, which is notable.
