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If you are reading this and considering joining Wyncode, I was in your shoes a couple months ago and had some of the same questions. How credible are web development bootcamps? Is paying $10k (cost as of cohort 3) for a 9 week program really worth it? And most importantly, will I be able to land a job once I have completed the program?

My background is unique, but I was in a position many people find themselves in. I had an engineering degree from a great university, but I had pursued an entrepreneurial path. While being out of school for a few years, I found that employers did not find my degree to be relevant. Too much time had passed by, and I was now in a position where I needed to return to school to gain a skillset that would make me employable.

This is where Wyncode does a great job of filling a niche. I had two choices in my mind: to go back to university and earn a Masters, or to join a web development bootcamp. The decision is a matter of time and money. Pursuing a Masters is a multi-year endeavor and costs multiples of the amount of a program like Wyncode. On the other hand, Wyncode is a 9 week program, only costs $10k, and will develop me into as good if not better of a hiring candidate. During my time at Wyncode, I would also build out a portfolio of projects and receive assistance from the co-founders in obtaining a job through their hiring partners and other resources.

The staff is the most valuable asset that Wyncode can offer you, from the top down. The co-founders, Jo and Johanna Mikkola, are great people. Wyncode is not just a business for them. They are about helping people achieve their goals, and they go out of their respective ways to make sure it happens. The lead instructor, Ed Toro, is an MIT grad with over ten years of real life development experience. He is StackOverflow condensed into one human being. The TAs, Frank and Walter, are Wyncode alumni. They have been through the program and are very skilled Rails developers. They have seen several cohorts go through the program, know what it's like to struggle through a 9 week program, and help guide you through it. They have interacted with hundreds of junior developers. They have seen the story play out hundreds of times. They know exactly what it takes to get you to where you need to be to get hired as a junior developer. They are the soldiers in the trenches.

A final selling point is the space that Wyncode is in: The LAB Miami. In the space, you will interact with tons of young developers. This gives you an opportunity to network and receive advice from people who are more than willing to help you, give you guidance, and potentially put in a good word for you with an employer. You have access to these resources 24/7 while you are in the program.

So would I do it all over again? Absolutely! Wyncode has an almost perfect placement rate for their graduates. If you put in the required time, you will be relatively guaranteed a job within 1-2 months of graduation. The people are amazing and an invaluable resource to your education. And as far as the $10k for 9 weeks of education? It is an investment in your future and a drop in the bucket compared to more traditional learning routes. Even if you attempted to learn on your own, it would take far more time. That's time you would otherwise be getting paid while being employed after your 9 weeks with Wyncode.

I came into Wyncode with no coding experience at all. I had completed some basic codecademy courses on (HTML, CSS, and Ruby) but apart from that, I had never written an actual line of code. Through 9 weeks of Wyncode I was able to develop skills in HTML, CSS, Ruby on Rails, Git, Javascript, Jquery. During Wyncode I was able to build several websites, half a dozen web apps, and our own API that was later released on Mashape. Another critical skill that was taught in Wyncode is using Git and Github properly, something that is used throughout every branch of coding and is a must for anyone wanting to work as a web developer.

Wyncode doesn't end when you complete the course.  Its a community that is always there to help you obtain your dream job or continue your education. 
After completing Wyncode , I kept exploring new languages and frameworks. Since graduating, I have added rubymotion and objective-c  to my skills as well as successfully built and deployed an iOS app to the Apple AppStore, and It all started with a visit to Wyncode.

Wyncode is composed of a dedicated group of people who will give you everything you need to succeed in tech, all you need to put in is the hard work. Its an intensive coding bootcamp that delivers results. 

The course offers an extreme way to get into what is a developer's world as a student while you are squashed by the amount of material you have to understand in a limited amount of time. 

Wyncode is the first licensed brick and mortar institution in the state, and they have already developed deep connections and a strong track record in the South Florida tech scene.  Their curriculum won't teach you everything you need to know in nine weeks -- that isn't realistic for any nine week program.  What it will do is give you the skills you need to land an entry level programming gig at a local tech company, or to build an MVP for your business idea.  You will also leave the program with the tools necessary to keep learning, which to me is the most important thing.        

I came to Wyncode at 32 as a career educator and small business entrepreneur with zero coding experience.  In all honesty I wasn't sure at first whether this would be a career change for me or just another hobby I would tinker with over the summer.  I came to love the challenge of building something out of nothing, and I am sure this is because of Wyncode.  Their greatest strength is in their teaching staff and executive team.  They take the time to get to know each student's strengths, weaknesses and asiprations, and work hard to make sure each graduate finds what they are looking for.  It is beyond evident that the entire team is personally invested in the success of each student.    

Is the curriculum a little lecture heavy?  Yes, it was, at least for me.  However, the amount of knowledge you have to cram into your head in a very short time period will leave you with little room to quibble about content delivery.  The bottom line is that you have nine weeks to learn Ruby, Rails, JS and SQL.  At the end of the day, your success will be determined by the work you put into the experience and the one-on-one time you spend with TAs.  Luckilly, the professor and TAs on staff are generous with their time and knowledge.

The ecosystem here is not as developed as CA or NY, and an entry level job here will not pay the six figure salary often quoted in newspaper articles about the nationwide code school phenomenon.  However, the community here is small enough to be navigable, and it is more than possible to land an interesting, fairly compensated first job out of the experience.  Wyncode is based in the LAB, which is the unofficial capital of the Miami tech scene.  Their Fort Lauderdale cohort will be hosted at General Provision, which plays the same role in Broward.  The owners of the school have made a concerted effort to place their students in an environment where they can't help but learn by osmosis.

Codecademy Labs has partnered with Wyncode to offer a more basic, low-cost, low-commitment weekend course -- this was not available when I was a student but I think it makes a lot of sense as a supported environment to test the coding waters and see if it is a viable career path for you.  In my case, I know I needed the in-person support of a full time code school to help me get my bearings.  Overall, I would definitely recommend Wyncode to anyone considering a code school in Miami or Broward.  My only regret from the experience was not making the jump earlier.

I learned a lot at Wyncode. It's an amazing experience as well to study with Ed Toro (the head instructor). He challenges the class daily, and his insight/expertise in the field is invaluable. One of the highlights of attending Wyncode is learning from Ed. 

The staff at Wyncode provides excellent job assistance after graduation. In fact, thanks to Wyncode’s help I was offered a job only a month after graduation. It's clear that Wyncode will do everything they can to make sure their students succeed and achieve their professional goals. 

The atmosphere at Wyncode is also close-knit, and everyone communicates with one another. Everyone wants to see each other succeed, and I found that to be very motivating. By the end of the cohort, I had made a lot of great friends.

If you want to get into tech (especially Miami tech) and learn the necessary coding skills, Wyncode is the place to go.

I was a student at Wycode and graduated from the third cohort. Everyone in the Wyncode team are not only extremely helpful and knowledgeable, but also amazing people. I learned way more than i expected to and the course definitely prepared me to enter the development field as a junior dev. I had the opportunity of meeting and getting to know not only the wonderful Wyncode Team, but also many great people who were also students learning and working through the course as well. I made friends, learned how to code, and i am now employed full time as a software developer. Wyncode is easily the best investment i have ever made.

If you want to change your career and be a part of a growing industry, definitely look into Wyncode. That being said, be prepared to truly challenge yourself to persevere and plan to practice coding for hours day in and day out, including weekends, if you want to succeed.

I was part of Cohort 3 and just completed the program in December 2014. Prior to Wyncode I was working as a Sales Assistant before I was laid off from my job. After hearing about Wyncode, I chose to invest in myself and my future rather than finding myself another dead-end job, and I am so happy I did.

You LEARN. Not only about different languages, APIs, Gems, and all that good stuff, but also about how you can creatively solve problems, make magic happen on a browser, and tap into a creative outlet that you probably never knew existed. More than anything else, you learn that with time, effort, and practice, you are capable of accomplishing some pretty incredible things.

The team is amazing. From the instructor, Ed Toro, to the TAs, you have a wide pool of knowledge and experience to learn from. Juha, Jo, and Diego offer a ton of support both throughout the program and afterwards on your journey to finding a job, and they always keep you informed of events, networking opportunities, and of people you should know about who are involved with Miami tech.

Though I personally did not accept a job in tech, the opportunities to were available to me, which is a sure sign that the Miami tech scene is active and on the rise. And though my new job does not involve coding, the ability to say "I can build websites and create apps" definitely makes my employer's ears perk up. Wyncode opened up a new world to me that I would never have been exposed to before, and it gave me the skills and foundation I needed to continue exploring this world.

I'll keep it short incase you dont want to read the other long reviews.  I graduated from the University of Miami with a business degree and ZERO coding experience.  After 9 weeks, I was able to build a prototype for an app i've been wanting to build and have landed an awesome job at a startup in Miami.

Coding will be relvanant, Miami is on the rise, and Wyncode puts you in the position to succeed.

Also, if you truly are considering joining, YOU MUST put in the work.  You will be coding non-stop for 9 weeks and beyond.  Wyncode provides the best support to make it!

When I saw Wyncode's first cohort final presentation, I was so impressed and decided to apply to their second cohort. Fortunately, I was accepted and it was one of the best decision I ever made. The team was absolutely amazing. They all really cared about my success. Ed Toro, the lead instructor, is a genius. Not only is he great programmer, but he is able to teach in a way that any beginner can understand and quickly catch on. The TAs were also phenomenal teachers and support system. They were always available to help. 

I was amazed at how equally involved management was in my success. Jo and Juha regularly checked in with me. They provided me with honest feedback about my progress and devised a plan to ensure my success in the program and getting hired as a programmer. Today, I am a junior developer at a tech company with proficient skills to do the job. That would not have happended if it weren't for Jo and Juha, Ed, and the rest of the team. 

When I started Wyncode, I couldn't even type faster than 25 wpm,  By the end, not only did my typing increase to 50 wpm, but I gained the skills I needed to be an effective coder. I know that I am still at the beginning of a life-long journey of knowlege and growth but I am excited about my future. 

9 weeks goes by really quick. If you dedicate the time, you're open to honest feedback, passionate, persistently communicate with the instructor, TAs and managment, you will succeed. 

To conclude, I remember the exact moment I knew I had made the right investment. We built a dummy twitter app during class with just a few features. It was ugly, but it worked. I had gossebumps by the end of the lecture. Thanks to the Wyncode team for changing my life. 

I would first mention that paying to learn how to code was one of the best investments I have made in my life.  Because not only do you get the skills necessary for you to get a job as a developer, start your web development shop or develop that idea that you want to see happen, but it also teaches you how to sell your ideas, how to develop a product and how to be a better team player. Wyncode involves you to the tech community and grants the opportunity to connect with the people you need to put your app idea out there. My result out of Wyncode was to start my own Web development shop and now I am living in Venezuela a country where developers and web development shops are scarce currently. So don't think twice, coding will change your career and open doors to an amazing and profitable industry. 

I was part of the third Wyncode cohort. I had an experience that was both educational and enjoyable. I thought the people involved were really wonderful. It's a great team. On the educational side, I learned a lot from the instructors. Ed Toro is amazing. He's a great teacher, a phenomenal coder, and a fun person to know. The TA's consistently went above and beyond to help me out when I needed it (which was often). Frank and Walter, especially, both helped me a lot. I've been coding pretty regularly since the cohort ended (a month ago), and Ed, Walter and Frank, all three--have responded to help me with things when I've gotten stuck. And this is in light of the fact that they're busy working with another cohort. 

The business team is also wonderful and always available to help. What's impressive is how overwhelmingly positive they are day in and day out. Juha, Johanna and Diego approach every problem smiling. Jo and Juha regularly checked in with me during my job search to see how things were going and to offer advice. Whenever I've stopped by the lab, they've been generous with their time and interested in what I was doing. 

I developed real skills at Wyncode. I worked hard. That's a big part of it. No 9 week bootcamp is going to make you an excellent developer. That takes time and experience. But it's amazing how far you can develop if you put the time in. You can learn to code on your own. I think you can do a lot of things on your own if you want it bad enough. Wyncode is a short cut via cheat code. You get a package that includes people to help teach you, people to support you and help connect you to employers, and a class full of similarly positioned people who become your friends (a nice additional perk). 

Finding jobs is tough. It's competitive. But fortunately I found myself with multiple opportunities after the program ended (pretty amazing for a 9 week bootcamp, no?). I ended up accepting a job with a great company.

I'm not one of those "everyone needs to learn how to code" people. I actually don't think it's right for everyone. I happened to really fall in love with it. If you do have an interest in learning to code, I think Wyncode is a great place to do it. I'd recommend it. Good luck.

I was fortunate enough to be part of Wyncode’s first cohort, from May to July 2014.

I had virtually zero experience coding before I joined (I had just a base knowledge of HTML and CSS) but I knew that rather than spending 6 months struggling to learn by myself, I’d advance much faster learning from experts. 

Wyncode’s program is absolutely authentic in the value it delivers to its students, and I personally attribute this to its team. Head instructor Ed Toro is extremely knowledgeable with years of experience in the tech field. But more importantly, he’s able to relay complex information patiently and logically to students. In my opinion, his teaching style was essential to this program. Learning from an expert that enjoys the teaching process is a completely different experience than reading from a textbook or taking an online course. The access to that level of expertise is what I was looking for coming into Wyncode, and Mr. Toro definitely delivered.

The supporting staff is made up of Teaching Assistants that specialize in different areas – front end development, supporting languages (JavaScript, JQuery), etc. Their contribution is just as essential, because although Ed Toro is giving the lessons each day, your learning truly happens after the lesson, when you're working on assignments and thinking through problems.

This part of the program might be very frustrating to some students if they were to work on their own – but the Teaching Assistant staff was there every night to support and offer guidance. This level of commitment to your learning is unseen in any other environment – even at the university level, it's hard to have a full day devoted to you the way Wyncode has organized it. 

The final piece that really differentiates Wyncode from anything else are the founders Johanna and Juha. They bring an energy and passion to their program that sets the tone for the rest of the organization, including the students. Their vision of the program isn't just to create a coding school – it's to build well-rounded tech professionals. In my opinion, they are succeeding at this better than most universities.

The reason why I think this is because they offer something that often gets lost in a large university environment. They offer a personalized experience. Johanna and Juha are there every day, receiving feedback from both students and teaching staff. They are constantly gauging everyone's progress to make sure no one falls behind on the course content. But more importantly, they offer mentorship where most tech professionals need it the most – in social settings like interviews with employers. Johanna and Juha have years of experience in all types of professional situations, and they freely share that knowledge with their students. 

I was personally involved in several interviews with employers during the cohort, and for each meeting I prepped with Johanna and Juha. They offered guidance on how to build the employer-applicant relationship, what strengths I should promote, what weaknesses I could improve on. They networked alongside us, attending events where they could introduce us to tech professionals. I met my current employer at an event that Johanna and Juha found and attended with me.

The overall theme to Wyncode is a dynamic, well-rounded team offering you a personalized experience from start to finish. For me, that finish was landing full-time employment as a Rails developer. Wyncode's team guided me from learning the material, using it to build apps, showcasing those apps in my portfolio, and using that portfolio as an asset during networking events with employers. As straightforward as it sounds, that path takes a lot of work, and that's where the tone, energy, and motivation of the team is crucial.

Two weeks after my cohort ended, I was extended an offer letter from my employer. I'm now a Junior Rails Developer at MDLIVE. Its still mind-boggling to me that this all happened in about 10 weeks.

My experience at Wyncode was so rich and profound that I find it impossible to capture it in just a few paragraphs. I freely state that Wyncode changed the course of my career and it's easily one of the most impacting decisions of my life.