The Best Marysville Coding Bootcamps Of 2023

This program was fast-paced from start to finish.  What made it manageable was the constant support of the instructors, TAs, tutors, and other services offered by the school.  Success is achievable with that support team.  The material remained engaging - homework assignments were varied and interesting.  Projects were a fun way to flex what you've learned with a subject you have interest in.  

As an individual coming from NO computer background what-so-ever, I want to  share my experiences.

First of all, I have a great support system at home that allowed me to focus 100% on this course for 4 months. I was able to take a recourse to prepare me for the full-time program. 

The first month was HARD. I thought I was going to give up. The assignments are fast, and I spent all of my free time studying. It was difficult not to compare where  I stood to others in my class. At my toughest moment, I reached out to my Career Services Manager and my TA. They both helped encourage me and offer support when I needed them. 

I would say the most important take-aways for those looking to join the bootcamp: Make sure you have a support system. Don't compare yourself to others in the class. Stay dedicated and find the motivation behind why you're doing this. 

Coding Dojo has great resources throughout the course, that continue on for 6 months after you graduate. There is also an option to pay more for a yearly alumni pass. 

Pair programming and building a network in the tech community was extremely helpful. Our cohort will have lasting and supportive connections together. The curriculum at Epicodus was thorough and put me in a solid position to look for work in tech. I’m very grateful for the experience.

I started my tech transition from trucker to tech about a month before attending Code Fellows. I learned the basics on my own and was able to test into their 201 program, and attend 301 and 401 full stack JavaScript. I went from little knowledge in technology to a confident full stack developer with the ability to build, troubleshoot and deploy applications. I graduated in Feb of 2023 and I feel confident as I enter the job search.

Nucamp provided me with a unique opportunity to further my skills as a full-stack developer. The curriculum was challenging and kept me engaged, but the hands-on projects and supportive community made it a fun and fulfilling experience. Not only did I secure a certificate in fluency of Bootstrap as a result of completing the program, but I also gained confidence in my abilities and a solid foundation for future growth in the field. I highly recommend Nucamp for anyone looking to break into tech or upskill in web development.

16 weeks may seem like a daunting time commitment, but the course is so worth it! The way the Data Science Dojo crew runs their bootcamp program is very thorough. The lessons and homework flow very intuitively. The modules covered build on concepts in a way that really helps with understanding. The instructors really promote class interaction which is good for tackling these topics in such a short time, getting our engagement rather than simply lecturing at us. They also encourage participation in a class Kaggle competition, which helps with additional free-form practical application of the concepts covered in class (plus some friendly competition for motivation). Most importantly, the instructors are very interactive, hands on, and passionate. They want to see every cohort succeed in their learning and you can see the labor of love that goes into teaching us, providing quality content both in the sessions and via the course site. This really sets them apart from other bootcamps, especially those provided online.

The course covers all the hot topics in the Data Science field, grounding in the perspective that the bootcamp is looking to prepare students with a broad range of experiences. I appreciate the context they provide and the thought that went into exposing us to a little bit of everything and the skills to jump in. 

I went to college for CS and graduated in 2020. I was applying to every single entry level developer job out there but got very few call backs for an interview. Without having industry level experience, I could not get an entry level developer job. I ended up working at a help desk and hated it. I went to college for programing, and that is what my passion was in. When I got a call from a recruiter about the JUMP program and how they will teach me exactly what companies what and have the connections to get me in front of an interview I leapt at the opportunity!! JUMP turned out better than I imagined! The instructors were amazing, they taught us from scratch how to code, build full stack apps hosted on the cloud, and practice interviews. I was finally able to get in front of interviews and knew exactly how to get the job!!

Product school was a great resource in helping me with my industry transfer into product management. My instructor, Toby Martin Hughes, was very informative and is definitely a very talented product management instructor. I am pleased to have attended this class, and look forward towards my career as a PM.

This is a long review, but I know how intense this process can be for those of you looking at attending a bootcamp. It has now been about a year since I decided to attend a bootcamp to change careers. I looked everywhere online when I settled on going to a bootcamp; I read every review, I watched every video on Youtube, I even messaged alumni of different bootcamps on LinkedIn, and eventually, I found my way to Codesmith. For the last 3 months since the program, I’ve considered myself lucky everyday I made the choice I did.
 
 Codesmith is without question, the best educational environment I’ve had the privilege to learn in. I’ve been lucky enough to go to good schools in the past, but I’m really proud, frankly, to say that this online bootcamp has really left them in the dust in key ways. I’ll make a note here that I was hired as a fellow by the program after my time in the immersive program, so if you need a grain of salt to start, there could be one. 
 
 - Admissions: It is worth making a comment right away that getting into Codesmith is not easy, but it is NOT an unjust process like I experienced in other programs. I speak from experience as someone who applied elsewhere, tried to go through admission processes at other places (everyone should have options), and eventually conducted the literal technical interviews for Codesmith myself, the admissions process is doing its job well. I won’t get too lost in the details, but I will say that if you can pass the Codesmith technical interview, you have what it takes to become a software engineer. They test on every quality and detail that I was tested on in a real technical interview for the job I have now. That all said, don’t rush into this process. It is possible, having seen both sides of admissions, to brute force your way through, with time. Do NOT throw $20k into something before you are ready. If you understand, for example, how to add methods to a prototype so they can be inherited by other objects, you could be ready. If you have no idea what I mean by that, do not stress even a little bit; just take your time to learn is my point (:
 
 - Curriculum: The curriculum is fantastic. You will touch all the technologies you need to get a full-stack developer position: Javascript (you’ll be a pro), React, Node.js, Git/Github, etc. However, what you come to appreciate and feel confident in by the end of the program is that you could see any tech, any framework, even any new language, and given realistic timelines / expectations by your team “in the wild” could learn what is needed to solve a problem in whatever tech stack. This is really because — Codesmith doesn’t create cookie-cutter engineers; Codesmith creates first-class problem solvers who communicate empathetically and technically like senior engineers. If you want to understand why outcomes seem so high for this program compared to others, the answer begins with these 2 qualities above all the rest.
 
 - Portfolio: Not a ton to say here, although a ton could be said. It is worth noting that you will have a better time job hunting when you have real open-source products on the resumé. And Codesmith focuses on making you build real, open-source projects before you leave. You don’t want to pay for a program that is tutorial style really, because why not just spend $2k (at most) in Udemy courses and be done with it? Codesmith makes you build in small teams of engineers (like in the real world), on projects that are technically impressive and that are REALLY challenging. You’ll hear “hard learning” thrown around a lot in and out of the program, and there is no form of better learning than solving a bug you’ve been stuck on for 6 hours with a team; this makes a good portfolio for sure.

- Hiring Support: I have so much love for the hiring support team answering every ridiculous, anxious question I ever hit them with, day or night. Codesmith really points you in a direction at the end of the program and teaches you how to carry yourself in interviews in the tech industry. Tech interviews and getting hired generally as a software engineer is honestly very formulaic. It’s almost entirely behavioral / very ceremonial, which was somewhat surprising to me. Codesmith guides you through all of these processes and really do their best to ensure you have support networks (during and after the program) to guide you through the idiosyncrasies of the tech industry. I would NOT have gotten a job as smoothly as I did if it wasn’t for their mentorship.

- Management/Team: This part could be a never-ending rant. I think what you will find, even will find just by attending the free workshops, is that Codesmith is a community of really passionate people that are putting in the work for the right reasons. I truly believe Codesmith only works because the instructors and the management of the organization are people who are passionate about seeing people change their lives. Will Sentance is the founder and owner, and not only will he give your cohort a lecture at the end, but you will get several chances to hear from him throughout the program; could not be any more apparent this person cares about fostering a space for people to change their lives. Eric Kirsten is a senior board advisor that will lead you through the hiring program. Eric is another huge element of the “secret sauce” of success at Codesmith. Takes a certain level of tailored mentorship to get an engineer to negotiate $15k in base salary after only 8-12 months of studying the industry, and Eric will take a hands-on approach to make sure you get that. Phillip Troutman, he’s the chief academic officer, is another key player you’ll hear from often. Let me tell you, part of the secret of Codesmith is convincing students every day they can do everything and anything so that they actually go out and attempt insane feats of engineering; Phillip is the key to that happening. Every program has different instructors, but in the central remote program — Katrina Villanueva and Jared Lewis are *the* reason students understand the core curriculum so well. Their compassion and attention towards student success is without question what makes the CTRI immersive so effective. For the sake of not making this piece of the review endless, I’ll stop here, but yes, there are that many incredible people in this organization.

 - School / Life Balance: There is very little balance. This is my very real, very difficult con for the program that I would not hide from anyone. You will eat, sleep, and breathe Codesmith, which at times will be a lot to handle. This program is hard. You will watch your cohort go lows and highs of imposter syndrome almost daily. It can even feel a bit cult-like, I suppose, at times. But what can I say — you get a room of intelligent people together every day who want to change careers in a (seemingly) impossible time frame into a field that is really challenging and competitive. It isn't crazy to assume that process will be hard, but if you put the work in you’ll be so glad you did it one day. It took me about 10-11 months, from start to finish, from the day I decided to attend Codesmith, to the day I got a job offer.
 
 There are other great programs out there for sure, but if I was to do this all over again, I’d be right back at Codesmith.

This was a great experience for me. I would recommend this program to anybody who had any interest in web development. 

I started this bootcamp with little knowledge or understanding of what goes into being a web developer. I followed my instincts, took a risk, and I'm so glad I did. I have experienced the full range of emotions during my time in the bootcamp but the most prominent feeling at this time is one of accomplishment. This was the program I needed to help me break into developing myself as a web developer. This bootcamp gave me a path I can follow for my future success. It also gave me the tools to start creating. The foundation is set and now I can expand.

Some of my most favorite and stressful time was during the project weeks. This was a chance to team up with classmates, use the tech that we've been learning, and to be as creative as we possibly can. It could be very thrilling and stressful.

Speaking on the teaching staff, I thought they did a great job with teaching so many new developers. My instructor was great at teaching new concepts and getting ideas across. He was very professional and patient. He was knowledgeable and open about the realities of being a developer. I was stuck several times and he helped me get over those challenges. Also, the TAs that were part of my cohort, were awesome as well to work with. I always felt like I could reach out to them for help and get a response. Ultimately, the people you interact with the most help enhance the experience and shape what you take away from the bootcamp. I was very fortunate for my instructor, TAs, and fellow peers. As those are the people I had to lean on when I needed some extra help. 

To the curriculum, they introduced over 24 technologies to us that was outlined from day one. They definitely teach you the tech you need to build a full stack website or web app. These full-stack tools that I've come away with from this bootcamp will be my foundation that everything builds from. I am very excited and pleased with what I've learned in this short time. Now I need to refine what I've learned and curate my skills and style. In my opinion, this is where things get exciting for a developer.

The pace of the classes were just right for me. Any slower, and I don't know how we would have gotten through all the material needed by the end of the program. Any faster, and I wouldn't of kept up as well as I did. I was slightly behind the whole program but I was able to complete the program requirements with high marks. 

There are so many resources available for a student starting with your instructor, TAs, and peers. They have tutors available to students by schedule. I never took advantage of this resource, but I wish I had. I heard a lot good feedback from students about their tutoring sessions. You can also post questions to the bootcamp website and get a response in reasonable time. My instructor went above and beyond with curating resources to share on a weekly basis. These links definitely helped prepare me for the coming class or week of material. 

In addition to the material and resources, they also have a career connections service in the bootcamp. I wasn't able keep up my career connections during the bootcamp so I am tackling all of my milestones after the bootcamp. I am very grateful these services are available for three to six months afterward. This gives me time to build on my skills and confidence as I transition into the workforce. 

I have been a stay-at-home dad for the last 10 years with four kids at home. I am 41. I chose the part-time course (Felt like a full time experience to me) and I'm so proud to say that I have completed the bootcamp. If you're willing to show up and put forth your best effort, you will do fine in this program. Enjoy the experience the best you can but take it seriously. You paid good money for it and the people you are interacting with are professionals. No need to waste anyone's time. You definitely get out of this program what you put in. 

This was the program I needed to start myself on a developer's path. Now I just need to do the post work and transition work.