Path Unbound vs. Thinkful: Which is Best for Me?
The main difference between Path Unbound and Thinkful is Path Unbound offers university-level UI/UX design program taught by hand-selected, expert instructors at flexible pace with a dedicated Portfolio School program while Thinkful offers a range of courses in UX design, data science, data analytics, software engineering, digital marketing etc.
Path Unbound vs. Thinkful
1.1 Overview
Features
1:1 instructions
Career Services
Homework Grading
Portfolio Coaching
On-Demand Learning
Designer-Written Curriculum
Path Unbound
Yes
Yes, by expert-instructors
Yes
Yes, extensive coaching
Yes
Yes
Thinkful
Yes
Yes, by general coaches
Yes
Some limited-scope coaching
No
With consultation from designers
1.2 Path Unbound vs. Thinkful: Course Offerings and Learning Approach
Path Unbound specializes in UI/UX design education while Thinkful has a variety of courses in Data Science, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Digital Marketing, Technical Projects Management and Design.
Features
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Type of Courses
Path Unbound specializes exclusively on design disciplines.
Thinkful offers courses in Data Science, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Digital Marketing, Technical Projects Management and Design.
Learning Approach
Path Unbound offers personalized instruction from a curated team of expert instructors.
1:1 Instructions
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Yes, by team of expert instructors
Yes, by crowd-sourced mentors
Career Services
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Yes, by expert instructors
Yes, by general coaches
Homework Grading
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Yes
Yes
Portfolio Coaching
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Yes, extensive coaching
Some limited-scope coaching
On-Demand Learning
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Yes
No
Designer-Written Curriculum
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Yes
1.2 Course Offerings and Learning Approach
Type of Courses
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Specializes exclusively on design disciplines.
Offers courses in Data Science, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Digital Marketing, Technical Projects Management and Design.
Learning Approach
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Personalized instruction from a curated team of expert instructors.
Flexible and fast-paced online learning with mentor support.
Ready to land your dream design job?
Your dream design career doesn’t start itself and our expertly-written curriculum and dedicated team of instructors can help you make that happen.
1.3 Path Unbound vs. Thinkful: Curriculum and Mentorship
Path Unbound offers university-level curriculum and 1-on-1 instructions weekly while Thinkful has a curated curriculum updated by industry experts, also with 1-on-1 mentorship.
Features
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Curriculum Quality
Path Unbound offers university-level curriculum, ensuring high-quality graduate work.
Mentorship
Path Unbound has award-winning instructors hand-selected for each student.
1.4 Path Unbound vs. Thinkful: Course Structure and Support
Path Unbound offers a flexible but structured course schedule while Thinkful offers a similar learning model. Path Unbound offers specialized career coaching while Springboard offers general coaching.
Features
Path Unbound
Springboard
Course Structure
Path Unbound provides flexible but structured course schedule optimized for efficient learning outcomes.
Thinkful provides 100% online courses with full-time worker-friendly schedules.
Career Support
Path Unbound offers specialized assistance in helping students find the best fit in the job market.
Thinkful provides career coaching, resume/portfolio refinement, interview preparation, and job search support.
1.3 Curriculum and Mentorship
Curriculum Quality
Path Unbound
Thinkful
University-level, ensuring high-quality graduate work.
Continually updated by industry experts.
Learning Approach
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Award-winning instructors hand-selected for each student.
Industry expert mentorship tailored to student needs.
1.4 Course Structure and Support
Course Structure
Path Unbound
Thinkful
Flexible but structured course schedule optimized for efficient learning outcomes.
100% online courses with full-time worker-friendly schedules.
Career Support
Path Unbound
Springboard
Specialized assistance in helping students find the best fit in the job market.
Career coaching, resume/portfolio refinement, interview preparation, and job search support.
1.5 Path Unbound vs. Thinkful: Pricing
Path Unbound offers more flexible pricing starting at $1,600 for Portfolio School and $6,800 for School of UI/UX Design and starting at $29/month for its on-demand learning model while Thinkful has a higher tuition price point.
Courses
Design Career Program
Portfolio School
On-Demand Learning
Path Unbound
$6,800
$1,600
$29/month
Thinkful
$12,350
Not offered
Not offered
Design Career Program
Path Unbound
Thinkful
$6,800
$12,350
Portfolio School
Path Unbound
Thinkful
$1,600
Not Offered
On-Demand Learning
Path Unbound
Thinkful
$29/month
Not Offered
Why Choose Path Unbound Over Thinkful?
Choosing Path Unbound over Thinkful might resonate more with you if your passion lies distinctly within the realms of design. Path Unbound’s laser-focused approach not only fosters mastery in design principles but also ensures that every educational facet is tailored to enhance your creative skills. The intensive mentorship provided by experienced designers could transform your theoretical knowledge into practical expertise, making a substantial impact on your career trajectory.
Laser-Focused Specialization in Design
Path Unbound’s curriculum is specifically crafted for aspiring designers, ensuring deep immersion in the field. This focus provides a clearer pathway to mastery in design compared to broader educational platforms.
Affordability, Flexibility and Value
The cost-effective pricing of Path Unbound makes high-quality design education more accessible, reducing financial barriers for students eager to break into the creative industry.
Highly-Vetted Instructional Team
The personalized instructions at Path Unbound stands out, offering tailored guidance that aligns closely with each student’s individual learning style and career goals. This one-on-one attention ensures that you not only learn but excel.
FAQs
I'm completely new to design. Will this be the right choice for my next career?
We are glad you are interested in exploring design as your next career! It is a wonderful field with many opportunities, as you can read up on our Career Paths page. Job growth is optimistic and salary range is on the higher end compared to many other industries.
With that being said, you will have to actually learn and work hard in order to find out 2 things - do you like it and are you good at it. No one can tell you if this is for you, but yourself. Our job is to provide the right guidance with our industry expertise and a high-quality pool of instructors.
How long does it take to transition to design?
You can expect to complete our Certificate of Design in 6-8 months depending on the number of hours you commit to every week. We generally recommend at least 10-15 hours per week.
Unlike many "bootcamps", we do not encourage an accelerated program approach because design is a serious craft that cannot be learned in a few weeks. Rather than fast and furious, we'd rather make sure you learn it well and learn it right.
With our flexible financing options, we'd like to make your career transition as easy as possible with full support as fewer financial hurdles.
If you need a customized payment split other than what we stipulated in our Tuition page, feel free to talk to us by booking an admission call. We are all about helping each student individually!
Do you have student success stories?
Yes we sure do! We regularly update our student work and success stories in our Student Outcomes page.
Will the knowledge you teach be applicable to different countries?
Yes, no matter where you are in the world, the language of design is universal. You might find yourself needing to learn a few local customs and practices that are particular to the region you live and work in, but the general principles of design is the same everywhere in the world in the digital space.
Do you offer job placement after your programs?
While we do not have a job guarantee or job placement due to the reasons we specified in the "Why don't you have a job guarantee like other design schools" below, we do place students to work with startups during the Portfolio School phase in their program to make sure they gain real world experience. This experience will make sure students are well-prepared for design interviews.
What Students Say
Hear what our students have to say about Path Unbound, and how studying with us transformed their careers.
Ready to Start Your Design Career Yesterday?
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