Turing School of Software & Design

I knew that Turing was the bootcamp for me after I attended their Try Coding class where I was able to get free hands on learning with both JavaScript and Ruby. From the beginning it was clear that Turing was a community dedicated to diversity, community building, and a well rounded learning experience. 

After having gone through the Back End program, where I learned Ruby on Rails, I eventually landed a job as a data engineer working primarily with SQL and Python. The only reason I was able to get a job in languages I hadn't used was because Turing teaches universal principles like OOD and TDD. I cannot express the amount of times I spoke to someone else who attended a different bootcamp and was told that it was unheard of that we were doing such a deep dive into programming fundamentals for a bootcamp, which is one of the main things that set Turing apart for the better. I am forever grateful to the instructors, fellow cohort-mates, and staff at Turing for providing one of the most difficult, rewarding, and supported learning experiences I have ever had.

I know there are a lot of options out there for bootcamps, but I would highly recommend Turing based on my experience from start to end. It was one of the most challenging, life changing experiences of my life, and I am so grateful for it.

Definitely the most complete bootcamp education out there. Fully accredited, non-profit, with a focus on inclusivity. This program is longer than most, and very challenging. Because of this, your depth of knowledge is much more complete than other bootcamp grads. The teachers really care about everyone. I had vulnerable conversations with them along the way because of imposter syndrome, and they gave me honest opinions of where they thought I was and how I was progressing. Even graduating into the start of the pandemic I was able to find a job, which kickstarted my career in tech. Couldn't say enough great things about my time there. 

I attended the Turing Front End program from 7/22-1/23. I had very little prior coding experience. I absolutely loved my time at Turing! It is an intense commitment and requires diligence and effort, but was completely worth it, in my opinion. Instructors are caring and knowledgeable, and I really felt that I got a good amount of attention and connection with instructors and peers, even though it was a fully remote program. I graduated with the skills I needed, and got a developer job within 3 months of graduation.

I graduated early this year, and I can't begin to express how much this program has helped me. Beyond teaching me to code, Turing provided valuable professional skills that allowed me to find a job quickly after graduating. When I was going through the program, I often treated professional development as a secondary priority; now, having graduated, I understand why there was such an emphasis on it.

To be clear: this program is not easy. Turing is a full-time commitment that will challenge you daily, and it can often feel overwhelming. However, this difficulty is mitigated by a faculty of skilled, friendly, and encouraging instructors that want nothing more than for you to succeed. Even remotely, Turing has an environment of shared success where students and faculty alike celebrate each other's wins, motivate one another to overcome hurdles, and work together to solve complex coding issues.

It's hard to imagine that one year ago, I didn't even know how to declare a JavaScript variable; yet today, I am working as a full-time software engineer for an established company. The best part? I love it! I never could have landed such a fulfilling and financially rewarding job without Turing.

If you consider applying, rest assured that it will be worth it. It will be hard, but it will be worth it. Attending Turing was, in all senses, truly life-changing.

While considering a few schools, Turing caught my eye for two reasons: 
1. I considered it the “best bang for my buck” - it is the longest bootcamp I could find (7 month) at similar prices to much shorter bootcamps
2. It is a non-profit which made me feel confident that they would prioritize student success over revenue

I was right on both counts. The length of the bootcamp allowed me to really dig deep into topics that some bootcamps don’t cover like a heavy focus on testing, developer empathy, and personal career development. Additionally, the ethos of the school was a good fit for me. The curriculum is designed to not leave anyone behind no matter what educational background you start with. 

The result of my experience there was incredible. I was hired as a Software Engineer I by a major social media company a month after graduation and have been successful at my role for over a year now. 

I recommend this school to absolutely anyone who is thinking of making this career move. Especially to anyone who is doubtful and maybe doesn’t see themselves as a Software Engineer. 

I heard about Turing through a good friend who's an alum. A few of the things that really pulled me in:
- It's a non-profit so i wasn't concerned with it being a scam
- I deeply agree with their social mission
- The social mission means the students self select and are a really solid group to be going through an intense program with
- The instructors are paid better than other bootcamps and do it because they enjoy helping others learn and succeed
- Bang for your buck. Many camps are the same price for half the time. 7 months is long but totally worth it. 
- You're setup with a mentor from week one
- They don't just pass everybody, many students have to repeat mods, but I think this is beneficial
- Their job and alumni network is extensive
- They have an on staff therapist and support groups for students struggling with different things

pros
- Great education that's thorough and from experienced instructors, including more CS education than other bootcamps
- Focusing on BE or FE allows for a deeper dive into a specific part of the stack
- The program builds resiliency and resourcefulness(it's not without painful struggle)
- Made some awesome lifelong friends i still keep in touch with
- Got a job offer within a month of graduating
- Healthy focus on non-technical skills like communication, empathy, and genuine collaboration
- How well they were able to educate and build community via zoom

cons
- It was incredibly difficult(also super satisfying)
- Sometimes the line between instructors wanting you to figure it out on your own and not being helpful felt blurred
- The therapist is only available for Colorado residents


The program is not without it's challenges. I had many long nights troubleshooting staring at a screen in a zoom room with 3-5 group mates. At times I was frustrated that I was trying my hardest and still felt like I wasn't going to succeed. It can be lonely spending so much time staring at a screen when you don't have a lot of other time to be social. The stress and pressure could occasionally be overwhelming(there's also a lot of great support built in too). Instructors wanted you to struggle with the content so sometimes they weren't super helpful(this is in cons because in the moment it's frustrating but overall it's a pro because it made us better programmers).

This program was easily one of the most challenging experiences of my life and also one of the most gratifying. This was much more challenging than my undergrad. The program helped me rediscover a hunger for education(especially collective education) that i'm grateful for.  After Turing I feel more capable and motivated in other aspects of my life. One of the best parts of this program is people in your cohort. My cohort was a super solid crew with really awesome supportive folks. When things were hard I was supportive and also received support. Most cohort mates and myself were offered a job within a month of graduation. I've already recommended this program to friends who aren't satisfied with their jobs and If given the choice i'd do it all over again.  

The course was a non-stop thunderdome of learning but it was totally worth it. The instructors and staff are kind, knowledgable, and professional. You'll work somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 hour weeks, but you learn so much that it eventually gets really fun, even when it's stressful. They set you up pretty well with professional coaching and advice and wisdom with your job search. They won't give you a job or anything, but they will teach you how to make a fire resume, and you'll probably impress the interviewers with how much you know at your experience level. 

My overall experience was great.  The instructors were very knowledgeable and mostly great to work with—their feedback was consistently challenging, encouraging, and helpful.  Turing is laser-focused on helping you find a job in the industry and teaching you what you need to know to make it happen.

They’re quite political, which is the part that I could do without.  But without a doubt, their expertise/advice/coaching when it came to finding employment was worth the price.

Turing is difficult and you will be challenged every day—and that’s exactly how it should be.  Don’t settle for an easier curriculum.  Turing is effective because it is difficult—you’ll be required to learn how to program and how to think on your feet.  You won’t believe how much it is possible to learn in a short time. 

If you would have told me a year or two ago I would be able to transition from the wine industry as a consultant and wine educator into a career in software development in just seven months, I would've probably not believed you and turned down the opportunity. Having done a lot of research and having friends who went through the program and had attested it's curriculum as being a game changer in the tech industry, Turing, in every facet, changed my perspective on what a solid coding school is capable of offering and an assurance for career changers that you, too, will become a successful software developer despite your previous career background.

That being said, Turing School of Software & Design is no walk in the park. As many of the previous reviews allude to, it is a rigorous seven month program designed to teach you everything from the fundamentals of programming within your respective program(either the Front-End or Back-End track) to how to be more than just a software developer and focus on the interpersonal aspects of this industry. Most of this is organically learned and built upon through each module(6 week cycle) by interacting with cohort peers in small and large team projects and learning how to communicate these fundamental concepts to one another given one's perspective and understanding of the material. Aside from the work, there are many groups one can participate in to expand upon one's understanding of the tech industry outside of the Turing School community and how to prepare for the eventual transition from coding school to the job. In many ways, the curriculum at Turing sets you up for success beyond the programming language, and for that, I can honestly say I am truly grateful.

Turing at the end of the day is what you make of it; You get out of it what you put into it. While it certainly challenges you to expand upon different concepts, languages, frameworks, perspectives etc., you are never alone in the journey. The amount of support the community offers from instructors, mentors and alumni, to professional development coaches, community engagement coordinators and, perhaps most importantly, your cohort peers(mainly because you all dive deep into this experience together and are each other's crutches along the way) is unparalleled and unlike anything else you may ever experience. This community was ultimately one of the largest deciding factors for me to choose Turing over any other coding school or bootcamp across the country because of the connections made here are more than a seven month's term; Many of them are lifelong friendships. 

Having personally gone through the remote Back-End program, I felt the necessity of leaning on this community and my peers as I progressed through this program. There is this inherit sense of isolation and disconnect in the remote setting, so finding ways to engage with the community more by attending events, setting up coffee meetings to check in with peers and mentors, and finding time to connect with cohort peers outside of class and projects was critical to my success and well being in the remote setting, and made Turing more fun despite being timezones away from one another! 

To finish this review, I want to highlight one piece of advice that resonated with me the most throughout my time at Turing and thereafter: Trust the process. Everybody has their own story of how they got to Turing, what their strengths are, where they can improve upon in order to get them pointed in the direction they want to go. The more you choose to waiver and be apprehensive about your ability to do this, the more it will shake your confidence and result in a potential miss on such an awesome opportunity. While it might sound arduous to transition careers and start from a blank slate, just remember, you can do this! You just have to trust in yourself and your ability to persevere and continue pushing forward. Patience will fuel progress if you allow yourself time, an open-minded approach and forgiveness for those roadblocks you may eventually come across during your time at Turing. Learn to be kind to yourself throughout this process and realize that you have a whole team of folks cheering you on. We are all here in your corner to see you succeed!

So, if a wine consultant/wine educator could make the transition in seven months turn-around, what's holding you back? 

I decided to join Turing after I lost my job during the pandemic. It felt risky at the time, but now I truly believe it was the best decision I ever made and I wish I’d done it sooner! I came out of the pandemic with a new career in a high-paying field and am so excited about my future and the opportunities this will bring me. 

I chose Turing for 2 main reasons. First, I liked the length (7 months) and the focus on only front end or back end (not both). There is so much to learn as it is and other programs cram full stack into an even shorter amount of time. I started my first job as an engineer already and feel totally prepared for it. Second, the community at Turing really stuck out to me. I love Turing’s mission, I’ve made life long friends there, and the alumni network is SO, so valuable.