Udacity Review

Udacity Ratings at a Glance

Udacity offers Nanodegree programs for comprehensive education and free courses for broader accessibility and job seeker support, including professional resume reviews, cover letter assistance and interview preparation. At the core of Udacity's offerings are Nanodegree programs, which provide practical and hands-on knowledge for individuals aiming to progress in their careers or explore new fields. Although primarily focused on computer sciences, Nanodegree programs cover areas like marketing, business and other related categories. 

These courses often include professional services, such as resume and LinkedIn page reviews, as well as GitHub page reviews where applicable. Udacity's Nanodegree programs equip learners with real-world experience and the necessary skills to thrive in their chosen fields. Over 70 courses are available, and the most popular ones are best grouped as shown here.

Programming and Development: A software or web development career remains a hyper-lucrative profession since technology powers the most vital aspects of the global economy. Udacity offers Nanodegree programs in front-end and back-end development, designed to equip learners with the necessary skills for their ideal developer jobs — web and mobile development, software engineering and more. Classes include essential skill development like learning C++, a high-performance programming language used to develop self-driving cars and robotics, web browsers, media platforms, servers and video games. In Udacity courses, the education is practical, and you will find yourself hands on, practicing with hundreds of data structures and algorithm exercises to prepare you for interviews and on-the-job scenarios. These programs help individuals enhance their coding abilities, acquire additional skills or advance their careers. You can complete them in four months by dedicating 5 to 10 hours weekly.

Artificial Intelligence: AI is a rapidly growing and transformative field, offering lucrative career opportunities. Udacity's AI Programming with Python helps you acquire the fundamental knowledge of AI, covering essential topics such as programming tools like Python, NumPy and PyTorch, as well as key mathematical concepts like calculus and linear algebra. Courses at Udacity provide the fundamental knowledge needed to grasp higher-level concepts. For example, expertise in algebra basics means a deep dive into the study of vectors, linear transformations and matrices; a strong knowledge of calculus bolsters student success in understanding how to train a neural network by using mathematical concepts like plotting, derivatives and the chain rule.The program also delves into crucial techniques used in neural networks, including gradient descent and backpropagation. Concepts like optimization, planning and pattern recognition are also taught to help expand your AI knowledge. With a commitment of 10 to 15 hours per week, you can expect to complete most courses in these programs within three months.

Cloud Computing: As technology undergoes fast-paced advancement, cloud computing has become essential for digital transformation among diverse firms, leading to high demand for cloud specialists across various roles, including cloud developers, DevOps professionals, solutions architects and cloud security engineers. Udacity offers diverse cloud computing courses via its Nanodegree program, enabling individuals to learn the fundamentals of cloud designs, development and deployment, including hybrid cloud infrastructure and applications. Courses provide the knowledge students need to dominate in cloud computing jobs. Cloud Computing classes include instruction on the cloud computing skills needed to build and deploy production-ready full-stack apps at scale, leveraging microservices, Kubernetes cluster, and serverless application technology. Duration varies depending on courses, but the average is three months when you dedicate 10 hours weekly.

Data Science: Data science is vital in extracting valuable insights and driving informed decision-making that helps companies innovate and remain competitive. Udacity's myriad of data science courses offers diverse courses on data science that help you gain real work experience and build expertise in data manipulation, visualization, predictive analytics and machine learning. Data science instruction at Udacity includes the theoretical bases you need to practically apply skills that are in wild demand in the job market — active interaction with data to transform it into usable forms; identifying meaningful relationships, patterns and trends within it; predicting the future applied statistics and machine learning algorithms; and communicating findings to your company, its clients, and the world. The duration varies for each data science course. You can complete most in less than two months, depending on your time commitment. 

Businesses: Udacity's business Nanodegree programs provide students with essential foundations and advancement opportunities in user research, design, distribution, analysis and strategy, in line with today's business objectives. Udacity's comprehensive offering in this category includes courses in SQL, Agile software development, cloud computing and cybersecurity, as well as non-computer science courses like product management, product strategy and digital marketing, demonstrating the relevance and applicability of these skills in the business context. As necessary as tech experts are, their output needs to be translated to real-world business applications, which is where Nanodegree programs from Udacity’s school of business shine. In programs ranging from Business Analytics, Product Manager, Digital Marketing Expert, Data Product Manager, or UX Designer, you’ll learn how to analyze data and build models with Excel, query databases using SQL and create informative data visualizations with Tableau. Courses teach you data science techniques, data engineering processes and market experimentation tests to deliver customized product experiences. You’ll get the practical instruction on how develop data pipelines for robust analysis and how to design and execute A/B and multivariate tests to shape the next iteration of a product. Duration ranges from four weeks to four months, depending on time commitment.

Autonomous Systems: The autonomous vehicle industry is rapidly growing, offering high salaries averaging between $300,000 to $500,000 for top engineers. If you seek a future career in this field, enrolling in Udacity's School of Autonomous Systems can provide the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue opportunities in this exciting industry. Some of the top courses in this category include self-driving car engineering, C++, sensor fusion engineering and robotics software engineering. For example, as a Sensor Fusion Engineer, you would learn to fuse lidar point clouds, radar signatures and camera images using Kalman Filters to perceive the environment and detect and track vehicles and pedestrians. In the Robotics Engineer Nanodegree Program, you build hands-on projects to gain core robotics software engineering skills — ROS, Gazebo, Localization, Mapping, SLAM, Navigation, and Path Planning. The duration ranges from 1 month for a digital freelancer course to over five months for self-driving car engineering if you commit to 10 to 15 hours of learning per week. 

Careers: Udacity offers career courses and services designed to enhance your visibility to recruiters and hiring managers. These encompass interview preparation courses for various computer science roles (including machine learning, full-stack development, Android and iOS) and professional tech-focused résumé building programs. These programs are primarily free and take between two days to a week. 

Udacity also provides customized programs for companies and organizations, enabling them to transform their workforce through tailored educational initiatives, making it a go-to platform for upskilling your workforce. The platform extends its learning opportunities to governments, playing a crucial role in bridging people and skill gaps. By doing so, Udacity contributes to increasing job growth and helps economies reach new heights of prosperity. An excellent way to get a feel of Udacity is to leverage freemium courses like Refresh Your Resume, Craft Your Cover Letter, and Strengthen Your LinkedIn Network and Brand. Subsequently, you can engage in active learning by choosing courses in any of your preferred categories. Benzinga rates Udacity 4.5 on product offerings. 

Udacity offers 24/7 help or support via its live chat and proprietary AI — Udacity GPT, powered by OpenAI. You can expect a response immediately, primarily via the live chat. You can also access information via the FAQ page. Additionally, you can connect with the company via social media. The company has a strong presence on major platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Besides a handful of negative complaints, reviews across independent platforms are overwhelmingly positive, indicating an excellent product offering and customer service experience.

These translate to impressive ratings, including 4.7/5 on Trustpilot, 4.7/5 on course reports, 4.6/5 on Switchup, and 4.9/5 on Facebook. Complaints include outdated course materials, unrealistic timetables, poor mentoring, high costs and delayed responses. The company can do better to fix these issues. Providing a contact email and phone number can also help with faster response. Benzinga rates Udacity 4.5/5 on customer service.

Udacity employs industry-best practices in protecting students' data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure or destruction. Signup and payment processes follow strict security protocols to ensure customer privacy. The company collects personal information such as name, email address and other vital details. The information helps the company provide customized services that meet your needs, track your engagement with the courses and process the courses. 

The company does not share or sell customer information with third parties unless those affiliated with the company or in compliance with legal requirements. Customers have the right to all information erasure, restrictions, rectification, data transferability, objection and revocation. Benzinga rates Udacity 5 out of 5 on security.

Udacity's pricing is complicated and relatively high. While some courses are free, its Nanodegree programs start at $399 monthly and typically take two to six months to complete, depending on your dedicated weekly hours. Udacity commonly provides a full access upfront payment option that ranges from $1,017 for a three-month program to $2,034 for the six-month programs and amounts to $339 per month. If you choose the full access option and fail to finish the course at the date of completion, you can switch to the monthly plan ($399 per month). 

If you're well motivated, you can pay monthly and complete the course as fast as possible to save money. For instance, by finishing a four-month course in two months, you can save $798. You can pay even less by leveraging Udacity's 60% personalized discount ($159.6 instead of $399). You can spread out your payments over an extended period by taking advantage of installment options provided by the loan company Affirm, Udacity's key partner. However, it's important to note that while this results in lower installment amounts, it may lead to a higher total payment in the long run. 

Each account has a self-service cancellation option, meaning you can seamlessly cancel and remove your credit card without hassle. The self-service tool lets you delete your data permanently when you no longer want the services. These features demonstrate Udacity's commitment to effectively empowering users to manage their accounts and cancel their memberships. You can get a full refund if you cancel and unenroll within the first seven days from your subscription purchase date. Benzinga rates Udacity 4/5 on pricing.

Udacity offers a user-friendly experience with many courses and Nanodegree programs. Users can access practical and comprehensive learning materials and flexible learning options and track their progress. With features like project-based learning, mentor support and career services, Udacity aims to provide an engaging and impactful learning experience for individuals seeking to enhance their skills and advance their careers. 

The signup or registration is easy, and you can use your email, Google or Facebook account.

To register:

1. Visit Udacity.com and click on the Get Started button.
2. Provide your details (first and last names), email address and password.
3. Confirm your email if required, and then navigate to the desired course to enroll and make the payment.

The platform is highly intuitive and easy to use. Benzinga rates Udacity 5/5 on user experience.

Udacity vs. Competitors

Udacity has a few similar competitors like Coursera, Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning. Like Coursera, Udacity collaborates with leading companies like IBM and Google to provide courses that teach in-demand skills, particularly in technology and science. These courses are designed to align with the needs and requirements of these companies. Unlike Udacity, Coursera charges a significantly low price of between $39 to $49 per month, which amounts to about $468 annually, almost the monthly fee for Udacity. 

Most Coursera courses are free when audited. So you can enjoy all the lectures, readings and resources but won't submit assignments or get certified on completion. Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning offer professional development courses just like Udacity. However, they combine soft skill courses like business leadership with lectures for specific computer programs, such as Photoshop and InDesign. Skillshare works out to $167.88 annually for a single user and $159 annually per user for Teams — less than half the monthly pricing for Udacity. 

LinkedIn Learning goes for $39.99 per month or $323.88 annually (saves 33%) and comes with access to LinkedIn premium benefits, such as added tools for job hunting, networking and recruiting.

Udacity empowers you to acquire job-ready digital skills at your own pace, with as little as 10 hours per week. It makes developing core competencies in high-demand areas easier through exclusive content co-created with leading tech companies and taught by industry experts. Unlike typical professors, instructors come from Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies and have demonstrable leadership expertise in their professions. 

Udacity also offers 24/7 help with instant feedback and help directly in the classroom. The platform provides a comprehensive online learning experience focusing on practical skills, industry relevance and flexibility, making it a valuable platform for individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge and advance their careers in various fields. However, it is relatively costly and has no mobile app. Benzinga rates Udacity 4.5 out of 5 overall.

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