Bloc

I am currently halfway through the iOS development track and would definitely recommend enrolling in Bloc! I started out with basically no programming experience (besides doing various online exercises and videos over the past few years). I always had a desire and interest in learning to code, but didn't get far until I had the structure and mentorship that a Bloc program provides.

As others have said, it is critical that learning to program be something you are committed to and enjoy given the investment that this program will require (with both time and money). I have found that having a very tangible goal (such as getting a job or launching an app) to be a helpful motivator when you hit a tough patch.

Though there are a lot of resources for beginners available for free online, the Bloc curriculum and mentors are invaluable as you get further along and the amount of resources drops off. My mentor has been so helpful when I get stuck or want to think through how to best tackle a problem. The mentor sessions also help to keep you accountable and moving forward each week (I am enrolled in the course with a full time job - it is important to set time aside for Bloc).

I selected bloc based on reviews like this one and I have not been disappointed. The mentor led self paced learning is a perfect for my needs. My mentor is empowered to customize the course as needed to fit my exact learning needs as well. I am not looking to get another job, only to expand on my existing career, but the job focus that Bloc provides is excellent. Everything is about you. Making sure that you know the concepts and teaching what to expect when looking for a job and preparing you as best as possible. It is a very well rounded course and I have enjoyed it immensely. 

 

 

Like you, I was out there looking to take my love for programming to the professional level. I did a lot of research about the various boot camps out there and Bloc was the perfect fit for me.

I wanted something in depth, but also flexible, as I could not afford to relocate and spend weeks going to seminars at a traditional boot camp. I needed something that worked around my schedule and Bloc provided just that.

While that was the main thing that drew me to Bloc that certainly wasn't the only thing. I really liked the mentor style teaching that they do and I believe it is a lot more effective than a traditional classroom setting. Not only are the mentors extremely knowledgeable but they're very understanding and friendly.

Not only do you develop a great relationship with an experienced programmer, but you also have access to the entire Bloc community of students and staff that you can discuss literally anything with. (This was a huge unforeseen plus for me)

As for the curriculum a lot can be said but, I'll just hit the highlights. Probably the best part about it is the amount of project/portfolio-building work you do. You can jam through tutorials just about anywhere and feel like you know how to program, but it's the projects where you really get to see what your made of AND where you get to really exercise your creativity. And this is where Bloc excels.

Even though the development stuff is mainly Ruby on Rails, your mentor can probably help you learn about other popular frameworks that you might be interested in, so really the sky is the limit in terms of what you can learn. (But trust me the curriculum will give you PLENTY of good stuff to learn so you will not be left wanting in knowledge)

There's so much more that I could discuss but I just wanted to make sure I covered the stuff that was important to me when I was at your stage. The bottom line is: Bloc is a great program and well worth the money (especially if you choose a job guaranteed track) I highly recommend it.

If you want a more thorough discussion of boot camps in general, here's a great video of some the big names in the industry talking about them vs. CS degrees (which you might also be considering) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=48D2ZcBHunQ

If you want get more info on Bloc I definitely would encourage you to sign up for an info session on the track you're interested in. They're immensely helpful.

Mentor, Mentor, Mentor…

It’s all about the mentor you have. I’m doing the full-stack course and changed my mentor twice at the beginning until I found my current mentor. The experience very different depending on your mentor. Just try to get a mentor who cares, because they are all skilled to teach you the material.

Material

Mentor is super important because the curriculum is extremely well designed and will teach you fundamentals thoroughly.  I believe the biggest growth happens during the project section and it’s the hardest part. But you will be amazed how much you learn.

 Support

I was able to reach a human being every single time I have a question or issue. They really care and seem to want to do everything at their disposable to help you out. I bet you they would try to find you a babysitter if that’s what’s keeping you from coding. 

I've been doing my research on boot camps recently and I just wanted to advise people that Bloc's Front-End Web Developer is $8800 base plus financing. 

The 12-18 mo. Software Engineering/Software Development Track is now a whopping $24000 with financing taking it up to $30,000! For an online bootcamp. This is a 25% increase over the most recently listed tuition on their website and here. The timings has also changed from the website: 40 hrs/28wk 25hr/72wk and 15hr/144wk (nearly three years).

I am going to take a pass -there are other much more affordable programs reviewed here. I think Bloc increasingly sounds like it's for the person who simply "has to have the best" and measures that quality on price/cost. 

5Star reviews are not applicable.

 

 

I've had an overall pretty good experience with Bloc so far.  I love the curriculum and the fact that I can do it all online (I have a 4 month old baby, so anything else was not an option).  I really feel like I'm learning things both well and in the right order.  It took my mentor and I a little while to "click" but I really get a lot out of our weekly sessions now and I feel like the face-to-face (or face-to-screen-to-face) interaction is what makes this different from doing projects on sites like CodeAcademy.

Bloc was one of the best decisions I've ever made. They've taught me so much that I certainly wouldn't have thought to learn if I was self taught. Of course they go very in depth on using Figma, Sketch, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and so much more. The feedback I get on my submissions is invaluable, and being able to ask questions on Slack is a game changer. Trying to Google answers is a nightmare but having one on one help for 12 hours a day is making my education relatively low stress and fun! They've helped me grow as a designer and I have nothing negative to say. There's also a scholarship for women, so sign up ladies!!!

Bloc was one of the best decisions I've ever made. They've taught me so much that I certainly wouldn't have thought to learn if I was self taught. Of course they go very in depth on using Figma, Sketch, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and so much more. The feedback I get on my submissions is invaluable, and being able to ask questions on Slack is a game changer. Trying to Google answers is a nightmare but having one on one help for 12 hours a day is making my education relatively low stress and fun! They've helped me grow as a designer and I have nothing negative to say. There's also a scholarship for women, so sign up ladies!!!