Rutgers Bootcamps

SUMMERY

This is a great course for meeting like-minded students interested in web development and building a strong foundation. If you’re main goal is to get set up with a job (by the bootcamp) after course completion, you will be disappointed.  

THE GOOD

The instructors and TAs are knowledgeable and willing to help you when you get stuck

The instructors & career services will give you advice on how to make yourself marketable, make an appealing portfolio, and how to answer common interview questions.

THE BAD

You will need at least 20+ hours of outside work per week to understand the material as you go through the course. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but they tell you that you will only need 10 hours per week. That is simply untrue, even for the brightest students.

Hiring partners are virtually non-existent. Despite what they will keep telling you, there is not a large group of employers waiting to hire you when you finish.

Career services has input on the curriculum. This sounds like a good idea until they try to teach you three programming languages in 10 hours of class time and expect you to be confident enough to put it on your resume.

THE UGLY

The instructor we had might be the most unprofessional individual I have ever met. He told us he was there because he got fired from his previous job and it was obvious why.

The curriculum director and those assisting him have little regard for the quality of the material they push out.

The post bootcamp job assistance was atrocious. The 

Would I do it again?

no

Have more questions?

See this reddit thread for a Q&A from an alumni.

From beginning to the end it's broken promises. They fly through the material and don't get through the lesson plans and tell you if you have any questions to google it. The instructors don't help you at all . During the admission process they make it seem like it is a very selective process but no one is turned away. Any one who can pay the tuition will be accepted . The  people in the class are mostly high school drop outs looking for a fast way to make money. So there is no way a person will be successful in theat type of environment.

I found the same course online which is totally free and you can learn at your own pace . Homework is not graded, feedback is not given, and when they do help they do the work for you which defeats the purpose of learning . Save your time and money don't make the same mistake I made.  During the entry process they make coding some easy and it's not. They don't offer books and everything they teach is not even used in today's market. I graduated received my certificate and every job offer I received was 14-16   Dollars an hour as a entry level developer. Spend the extra money and go to a real school

The student success manager is very manipulative she will sweet talk you all the way through and let you continue drowning . Once the course is over they will tell you, that you do not qualify for job assistance since all the course requirements were not met.  The rules are made up as the course is made. The name is Rutgers but is actually a 3 Rd party who runs the course. They offered me to teach the course after I graduated which goes to show how desperate they are for help. I have a masters in mathematics so I know I am not dumb. My instructor that was teaching the course was a front end developer which is a entry level developer.

The instructors and tas come in 5 minutes before class starts when they are suppose to come in 45 minutes earlier before class starts to help students but they don't . The deadline to drop the course is 2 weeks. The first 2 weeks are the best, after 2 weeks when you are locked in to the contract that is when they really show you the course is going to be. 

I have shared my experience read all the reviews before making a commitment. The positive reviews look like inside reviews.

This so called bootcamp is such a dissapoitment. I should have done my research before starting. This school only has about 20 reviews when other schools have thousands of reviews which are all mostly positive. Evertything that was thought, was thought from google. When I asked where the restroom was they told me to google it. That is their answer to everything. No books are provided and the instructors and assitants dont know much about coding. The whole course should be re evaluated. 

Save your time and money go else where or teach your self. Please dont make the same mistake I made.

The student success manager really needs to be trained better or she should find a new job. She is the main reason why the course is runned the way it is. 

What a dissapointment. I cant understand how they have any positive reviews.

I'm going to make this review as detailed as possible, I feel as though there aren't many testimonials for RCB out there and thanks to some SEO magic, this pops up first. 

First of all, long story short, I was in the January 2016 cohort of the New Brunswick class and by the fifth month of the program I was fielding a number of job offers by a number of companies ranging from small startups to big corporations. I came into the program with zero coding experience and took this course along with my college coursework (I was in the final semester of my senior year at Rutgers). No, my degrees were not in computer science. Yes, my offers were more favorable than a number of my friends who graduated with a degree in CS. 

Every single line of code I typed was taught to me by my instructors: John and Ahmed. John was my main instructor while Ahmed instructed both sections of the January cohort on Saturdays. It cannot be overstated how incredible these two were at teaching us the beast that is Javascript. John was extremely patient with all of the students and kept us all engaged into the wee hours of the night on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He even stayed after class was finished on most nights to further aid students that needed extra help. John's teaching abilities surpassed that of the tenured professors that I studied under at Rutgers University. He also has a sense of humor that helped keep things light when Node or MySQL were beating us into the ground. I would not be at my job, in my apartment or in my social standing right now if it were not for John. 

This sounds like a cinderella story, which is why you're probably wondering about the one-star in the Job Assistance category. I would give it zero stars if I could. The reason why I decided to pay $9,000 for this program was to not only learn how to be a software developer but to also enmesh myself into the network of connections that was advertised to me when I inquired about the program. At my initial inquiry, I was told that we would eventually be working with companies on projects to see what it would be like to be a real-life developer. Didn't happen. During the first few weeks, we were actually shown PowerPoints listing various companies who were connected as hiring partners to the Rutgers Coding Bootcamp. It pains me to say that these hiring partners were non-existent when it came time to look for jobs. 

During the entirety of the program, career services would take literal WEEKS to answer my messages about any topic at all. No matter how small or big the issue. By the fourth month, I felt as though I was ready to begin applying for jobs. Due to the negligence of career services, I sought advice from Ahmed about how to approach employers, how to negotiate a fair salary, and other important things about the technological job market in which I was not familiar. Thanks to Ahmed's advice - I was able to prepare myself for technical interviews, salary negotiations, as well as just giving me a a confidence boost when I initially started at my new job and started feeling overwhelmed. Ahmed, John, and Quincy (John's teaching assistant) were the sole proprietors from this entire experience of getting me from noob to full-time, salaried software developer. It is because of them that I personally felt that this program was worth it.

It truly is a shame that the incredible work done by these men are overshadowed by the incompetencies and utter disorganization of the career services. I was under the impression (and given the impression) that we would be connected with a wide array of companies to hopefully be placed with at the conclusion of the program. "Career services" has consisted of students being told to apply for ten jobs a week and a Google sheet with seemingly Google'd job postings for software developers. A big number of the postings actually ask for candidates who are seeking a mid-level developer with years of experience or a developer who has experience with frameworks that we were not taught at all in the program. Absolutely NOTHING like the connections they boasted about at the beginning of the program.

In conclusion, I am grateful for this program. Only for the fact that I have learned so much and have enjoyed every bit of learning during this experience. It has provided me with a skillset that will aid me for the rest of my life. At the end of the day, my gripes are very specific and if I could go back I would absolutely choose the same path that I chose in the beginning of January. But, hypothetically, I would hope that I would possess the knowledge I have today about who in the program actually cares about each student's learning / overall success in life and who simply does not care and will feed you anything on a silver platter to get your check in the mail. 

I will be completing the RCB in about 4 weeks. The program is excellent and the staff has an enormous energy and ability to teach dense and detailed subject matter. Anyone considering the RCB must realize that it will take real dedication and a lot of hours but the payoff will be worth it. This curriculum can turn you into a full-stack developer in a mere 6 months. Try doing that on your own!

Besides a dedicated staff and a well-organized curriculum, the career services component and staff is second-to-none. They go the extra mile to make sure you are setting yourself up for success in the job market.

All in all, the experience has been very hard work with many, many hours of learning on my own, going to many classes, and doing tons of coding for homework and group projects. But at the end, there is tremendous satisfaction that the RCB delivered on what was promised.

First off, I just want to start by saying that this was the best academic experience of my life. I have struggled with staying excited and motivated in the traditional university experience for years. Ahmed, my instructor, was the best teacher I have ever had. The TA's Peter, Faisal, Dan, and many others were some of the best mentors I have ever had. Career Services has brought me so many different exciting opportunities I would have never been able to find on my own. And my fellow students were some of the nicest, most helpful people I have ever met. Okay, with that being said, here is my breakdown of the 6 month adventure that was Rutgers Coding Bootcamp. I was in Rutgers Coding Bootcamp and graduated about a month and a half ago. It was a great experience. I felt like I have a group of people that I will be friends with for the rest of my life. That includes the students,teachers, TA's, and career services people. On top of the great social experience, I had a great experience academically as well. I am definitely at the level of a junior level web developer. When going into this I did a lot of research on coding bootcamps and a few pieces of advice I listened to helped me a lot. Many people that had negative reviews on bootcamps said that the pace was too much (not from RCB but from other bootcamps). I am in no means the fastest learner. Going into a 6 month part-time program and coming out a competent full-stack developer was definitely a daunting task. What I did that helped with the pace of the program was actually did all the prework, plus I went over the curriculum and did some of my own additional work (html, css, light js). So going into the program it was if I took a prerequisite for the bootcamp. So in the program I definitely struggled but with the help of my fellow students as well as TA's and awesome instructor Ahmed. I can't describe how amazing they were. So before the program was over I had one freelance job and than since the program was over I have done contract work with one company, have had numerous clients contacting me for freelance work and have went on two interviews. Remember that this has only been a month and a half out of the program. Nalani and the rest of career services have been working their a**es of to get us jobs and it really shows. Ultimately, it has been said time and time again. These people are giving you great resources and amazing staff  and providing you with a great platform and experience... What you do with it is what will determine your success during and after the program. 

(For reference, I was in the January 2016 cohort at New Brunswick). I have to say, that I am so blessed that I applied, was accepted, and had the experience that I did.  I will admit, prior to starting the course, I was scared.  Not only scared, but anxious that I would fall behind, nervous that I didn't have the "brain" for this kind of work, and regretfully filled with "what ifs" about my personal success in the course.  But guess what? I did fall behind - and I got through it.  I must say, that though these past six months were incredibly challenging, and through the tears (yes there were tears!), I came out more successful than I ever had expected after just six months.  Rutgers Coding Bootcamp was an amazing experience.  It's super difficult to learn new material, especially material that you have never once seen or touched before (my background is in Clinical Counseling), and so you have all these anxieties that you won't succeed. But trust me, you will. At RCB, you have the MOST help and support, not only by the teacher (I had Ahmed, and I will say he is a fantastic teacher! I don't doubt that John, the other teacher, was great, but I can only speak for Ahmed), but also by the TA's. I have never felt more sense of security and generosity than I did in this course. With also the help by the career team, you can be sure you will be helped every step of the way. If you are stuck on a homework assignment, or just need help, or even if you're having a break down and need a pep talk, you will have access to your teacher and TA's every single day (trust me, I know from experience), and I can promise you, you will come out the other side more successful, confident, and capable than you ever thought beforehand. If I could re-do these past six months, I would do so in a heartbeat. Go RCB! 

I recently graduated from the Rutgers Coding Bootcamp and I couldn't feel more proud of myself.

Going into this, I knew the program would be intense and a lot of responsibility would fall on me to keep up with the workload. I was able to complete this program while attending work full time and dealing with the many ups and downs that life likes to throw at us.

The first two months of the program were met with feelings of hope, excitement, frustration and an overall feeling of being lost.

While the instructors do their best and will go above and beyond to help, it is up to us as students to help them guide us. I realized this a few weeks in. Learning to code is nothing like sitting in class for four years to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

In order to make the most out of the class, reach out to the instructor, go to office hours and practice a little every day. If you do this, you will be off to a great start. Also, reach out to your peers and learn with them; they are probably just as nervous as you. The work can be intimidating, but let go of the fear and be open to having your mind challenged in the best of ways.

Halfway through the program is when I started feeling a little more comfortable and looking back at everything that I had learned and accomplished. Take pride in even the smallest steps because they will push you even further. At times, I still felt lost on some concepts, but all I needed to do was put in more time to learn on my own and ask the instructor for a one on one.

Towards the end of the class, almost everyone was still nervous and worried about being prepared for a job in this field. This feeling is okay, after talking to people in the field, even they still feel lost sometimes. Coding is about accepting the fact that you will never know everything, but being open to learning anything. Follow what your interest are and stay passionate. Even if you don't find a job right away, keep at it and stay positive.

All of the instructors for this program have been amazing. I have worked mostly with Ahmed and he has been an inspiration to me. He was always positive and helped lift my spirits when I was ready to walk away. Don't be afraid to reach out to the instructors if you are having a hard time and need support, they are understanding and want you to succeed.

As for the career services portion of the class, they put together a lot of networking events to attend; however, I personally couldn't make some of them due to work constraints. Even with this, they do offer many networking experiences to take advantage of as well as assistance with your resume and portfolio.

Something to keep in mind is that this program is constantly developing and growing stronger with every month that passes and every class that graduates. While the program isn't a smooth easy ride into the hands of a successful job offer, I would definitely recommend it to everyone interested in coding. This program challenges you as a person, as a coder and as a student. There are many lessons to be had. Take advantage of all the resources they provide to you and make the most out of it. You get what you put in, much like the garbage in garbage out expression.

Another huge positive for me was the flexibility of the course and being able to work full time while furthering my education. I’d also like to add a personal note from my experience as a woman in this field/program to other woman. There is a great amount of support for us in this field if you know where to look. Reach out to the instructors and career services as they will guide you to helpful resources. Don’t be intimidated if you walk into a class with only a handful of woman. Once everyone gets to know each other and the walls come down amazing things happen. Everyone was great and willing to help. Even if you do happen to come across a not so pleasant person just remember maybe they are having a hard time themselves.

For anyone interested in this class, don’t let your mind trick you into thinking you are less than and that you can’t do it. I know I struggled with that and looking back now, I am very proud of myself for the applications that I have built and the knowledge that I take with me. As well as the friends and long term support that I have come away with. Don’t give up - follow your dreams.

Update: I was able to find a lucrative job shortly after the program, while the job doesn't focus on coding alone, it is in the IT field and there will be times that I can use my coding skills. The decision to take this job over a strictly web based development job was a personal one, as it combined another passion of mine. I am very grateful for the coding bootcamp as this showed the interviewer that I was dedicated, hardworking and willing to put in effort. The excellent recommendation from the instructor helped greatly!

I’ll leave you with a cheesy yet feel good quote - I know they have helped me keep going when I least expected it.

"If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough" - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Taking this course was honestly the best decision I ever made.  I was in a career I was not happy with and I always wanted to learn to code, so that's when I choose to apply to the bootcamp.  The instructor was fantastic, the TAs are always there to help either in person or through the internet.  I learned so much through the course and now I have a full-time job as a developer and I am so much happier with my career.  The curriculum was very good and focused on teaching students technologies that the market needs developers for.  The job assistance was fantastic as well, the student success coordinator I was assigned stayed in touch and set up phone calls to talk about my job search often and didn't stop until I had got an offer.