devCodeCamp

Summary: I went from working in janitorial work for almost a decade, with minimal development/coding experiences to accepting a job at a Fortune 500 company as a Full Stack Engineer. The instructors are great. They are relatable, accessible, and generally fun to be around. 

The funding options seem to be very flexible, especially with the ISA option (income share agreement). My plan was to attend devCodeCamp back in late 2017/early 2018, but I couldn't make the funding work. When they introduced the ISA as an option, I returned and am very glad I did. With the ISA, they only get paid if I get paid over a certain threshold and there are limits (both in time and amount). 

The program was challenging and engaging. Every time I felt like "I got this! No problem!" we would get a new assignment and I'd be right back to "I guess I have no clue what I'm doing." It's a constant up and down as you are introduced new topics. And make no mistake, there are a LOT of areas covered. 

After graduation, the support was excellent. When I received my Associate's Degree (in a different field), it felt like I graduated and got thrown to the pits. This was NOT the case at devCodeCamp. In the month it took me to interview/accept a position, I was in constant contact with the individuals involved with the program, including being able to stay in the classroom and continue working/applying for jobs.

The environment they cultivated is truly impressive. It's collaborative, challenging, and there's never a dull moment. It is hard work and some weeks will require you to work beyond the normal class hours (looking at you, capstone projects), but it is worth it. With my new role, I will be almost doubling the salary I was earning just 16 weeks ago (12 for program, 4 to find job). 

HIGHLY recommended

Going into the program I was a bit skeptical like most people I'm sure. However, this camp is outstanding and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to get into coding/developing as a career. I came into the camp with no coding/developing experience and after 3 months I am able to build a full application with front end and back end functionality. The camp is intense and does not give you time to procrastinate on projects, but is still kept at a pace that you can still learn if you put in the effort. The major benefit of a program like devCodeCamp is that the instructors are all really knowledgeable on all the languages/programs that you learn. If you get stuck or don't understand something they are all willing and able to answer pretty much any questions you have and explain it in a way to help you understand it. If you are a veteran you can use the GI Bill to pay for the program like I myself did which helped support me so I didn't have to work in my free time so I could focus on the program. I recommend at least coming in for a tour to check it out and ask any questions you may have about the program.

I went into devCodeCamp with no real knowledge or experience. I am still floored by how much I was able to learn in the 14 weeks I was a student here. The entire course is built around teaching the technical aspects and the abstract ones. This means that instructors will help you learn code languages, structures, and techniques as well as learning new ways to approach problems and where to look to learn new things and solve issues yourself. My advice to anyone thinking of coming is to take the leap and gamble on yourself. With the experience and staff at devCodeCamp it's a sure thing.

From day 1 you will dive right into coding! This isn't the traditional "sit down and learn from a textbook" classroom environment, this is very hands on and you will always be learning something new. After finishing college with a 4-year degree in something that has nothing to do with coding, I was looking for a change. I heard about devCodeCamp from word-of-mouth and decided to give it a try and I never looked back. There will be times where it feels like a roller coaster,  you will have days where everything is clicking in your mind and there will be days when you will need to focus a little bit more. When there was times where I felt like I was getting lost, the instructors was there to help me with each project. They want you to succeed! Looking back 4 months ago I never thought I would accomplish this much! Going in without a coding background, and now looking back I am glad I took the leap of faith and joined devCodeCamp. The process to enroll into the program  was very smooth and easy! In devCodeCamp you are provided with a great knowledge of coding as a foundation to go forth and learn any other language or create more applications. I was able to find a job quickly, jump starting my career as an engineer. If you are on the fence about this program, jump off the fence and dive in!

I had a rather unique experience at DevCode Camp as I entered as both a veteran and had significant schooling in Computer Science prior to attendance. 

AS A VETERAN:

Support could not have been better. There were many former service members like myself from all different branches that were able to easily transition into careers with the skills obtained from DevCode Camp. As one of the few programs that accept the GI Bill, tuition was fully covered and I was even able to take advantage of housing on-site in one of the Pritzloff's Loft apartments with other students at no cost.

AS A COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJOR:

Being just short of my degree with no software development or engineering experience I found it hard to compete with peers in my field. Despite the shortage of developers and programmers companies rage about, finding a job even with a degree is extremely challenging without the skillsets or experience desired by each specific company. Through DevCode Camp I was able to hone already learned skills, learn best practices, and gain some very intense experience in technologies I never would have touched in an academic environment but are common practice in today's industry. The ability to properly apply skills/technologies learned is crucial and yet severely lacking in most academic programs but is instilled in each graduate at DevCode Camp. 

I checked out devCodeCamp a while ago and was skeptical at first. I saw some reviews that turned me away. My friend decided to sign up to later in the year and showed me what he was working on. I was amazed to say the least. I had two classes under my belt; languages not taught at the camp, and was still hazy on actual programming and software development. 

I signed up and was blown away at the help the instructors gave, how they taught, and how the curriculum was laid out to give us the foundation and stack on it. You really don't need any experience before coming here, but you do have to work hard. I am glad I signed up, now I can deliver quality software and begin my journey as a software engineer.

Well, to be honest, I was really scared to start with this. Knowing that it is a fast paced learning environment and would have to leave my job and invest my savings into it and me personally have never studied in any American institution before this(I am from India), I was risking everything. But now I am glad that I took the right decision as the knowledge that I have now would not have been possible without devCodeCamp.

The team of Instructors led by Mike, is a really awesome team. Not only they helped me with my questions but also encouraged me, and brought me back up whenever I would feel little low. Environment in the camp is positive and each of the instructors are available anytime of the day to help you.

devCodeCamp teaching philosophy is learning by doing, and that's exactly what one would get. I got real hands on experience on coding in industry standard projects. Overall, it is worth your money as it would not only teach us the technologies but also prepare for the future.

I came to devCodeCamp (dCC) with vary minimal experience with code, only having dabbled with it. That experience got me through the first couple of days before I found myself being challenged and given new things I've never been shown before. Overall dCC was a huge game changer for me and my life. I went from driving a forklift in a warehouse to being a knowledgeable job-ready developer in just three months. 

The course itself was challenging but very rewarding. One of the most important skills they will teach you is the ability to learn. You are given a lot of information very quickly and then given hands on projects to work on to apply what you just learned. When you run into issues or have extra questions, the instructors are always there to help guide you in the right direction. You are their first priority. However, you are still responsible for doing research on your own and this becomes a more apparent as you continue the course. The curriculum is always being updated and modified to match what is currently in demand, so you will always be learning relevant technologies, design patterns/principles, and skills.

When it comes to post-graduation, they keep in contact very will. As a graduate you are always welcome to come back to dCC anytime you would like and talk to the instructors or use the space to work. dCC can not guarantee you a job and they will tell you that up front. However, they will help you every step of the way to your first developer position. They help with resume building and writting. They will give you resources to help look for job, and help guide you through what the process will look like. You can even schedule mock interviews with the instructors to practice for upcoming interviews you may have. dCC partners with a wide variety of companies, and will help give you an inside scoop on certain avalible positions or let you present your final project. Even when they help get you in contact with certain companies, it is still up to you to follow through and land those positions. 
 

If you are thinking about going to devCodeCamp or are worried that it might not be for you, I would highly recommend scheduling a tour and at least seeing what they have to offer, because dCC can be life changing.

There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of what you read online... truth is, you never really know until you try it for yourself.

For me, it was the chance I was looking for and the structure was exactly what I needed.  The instructors are there to help you get going, point you in the right direction, and guide you when you get stuck, but they are not going to give you the answers and they won't do the work for you.  If you are looking for hand holding, this won't be the right fit.  You have to put in the work, and you have to be willing to fail.

The course work is fairly fast-paced, but for someone with no coding experience, it wasn't too much to handle.  I certainly wasn't the top of my class, but with effort and time, I was able to learn and became a Junior Software Developer.  At the end of the program, I was put in touch with contacts at many companies around the area and got a great jump start to landing the perfect job for me.

Yes, I would recommend the program, but I'm just a random person on the internet. Take a tour, talk to the current students and recent grads who are there, ask the instructors what to expect, then ask yourself if you're ready to get to work.