I entered Code Fellows with no knowledge or expectations. I was desperately overdue for a career change in order to provide for myself and my family. My last experience with coding education was left far behind - a year of college Computer Science back in 2001. After a long period of self discovery, I finally knew that this was the career that I not only wanted to do, but had to do. It was all or nothing now. College was no longer an option, given tuition being the grotesque beast it is now compared to then. Thankfully, I was in the midst of a dawn where coding boot camps were finally getting the respect and recognition they deserve, even by the biggest names in tech. And I was fortunate enough to have a friend who recommended Code Fellows highly.

I couldn't be more grateful for the experience I had there. We began by learning the fundamentals of web development, using the latest tools in HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. As we progressed, we learned more about server side development and API integration. It was such a sense of accomplishment the first time learned how to pull down data to tell the weather, or render a google map with search results; all on our own websites built from scratch. In the final, advanced course, I chose to learn ASP.NET Core, which added even greater depth and power to how we developed our web apps. Our instructors and TAs throughout this curriculum were excellent in helping us all understand the material, and we eager to answer any questions we had. I can honestly say I am amazed at the amount of material I learned in my relatively short time there, and to know that it's just the tip of the iceburg.

I should also mention that during this entire time we were also learning skills to help up break into the industry. Whiteboard questions were almost a daily exercise, with a final one-on-one whiteboard with an instructor being necessary to graduate, and rightfully so. They also brought in guest speakers every week from different fields to share their personal experiences on their work life, where they started, and how they got there. We were taught how best to market ourselves to employers, to network and make connections, to know our worth as developers. I'll never forget how they explained the average time for a graduate to land their first job is 9 months. If you already have a degree of any kind or pervious experince then that time is significantly shorter, as many of my own classmates have proven already. But true to their word, after a great deal of effort, I got my first offer just before Christmas, almost exactly 9 months after graduating.

I would highly recommend Code Fellows to anyone looking to start a career in programming. I still stay in touch with the community on Slack just to hear the chatter, events, and all the improvements they've made after my time. Not only do you get a degree's worth of technical education, but also the knowledge to prepare you for the job hunt, and give you that edge needed to get that first big offer.

Attending Code Fellows was a game-changer for my career. There are lots of technical training resources out there, but the staff at Code Fellows understands where the rubber meets the road.

By that, I mean both:
1) How to meet students, new or seasoned, where they're at in their learning and technical ability; and
2) Understanding the quickly changing opportunities and needs of the technical industry. 

My experience at Code Fellows set me up to be 'job-ready' and able to jump into a major tech company with some skills that were both needed, and that my more experienced colleagues had not yet learned, allowing start offering value straight-away as I gradually got up to speed with the specifics of my new job.

There is a requirement to do some independent (online) learning in order to be admitted to a non-intro Code Fellows course... so there is some natural filtering before classes begin. The actual course-time always seemed well-spent... offering a very high level of challenge, fast pace, and individualized support. Much of the work is collaborative -- another aspect that was very well-suited in preparing me for the jobs I transitioned to. 

I can't sing my praises loud enough -- Code Fellows was a FANTASTIC experience that changed my life, transitioned me into a new career (after completing graduate school and working for 8.5 years in a completely different industry), and lead me into a new network of friends and colleagues.

My 201 experience was amazing at Code Fellows. Scott did an amazing job of taking a group of students with a broad range of technical abilities and forming them into a cohesive unit. He was able to very sucessfully assess all of the different students and individually help them. 

Code Fellows changed my life following a period of long term unemployment.

The staff and instructional team are outstanding. Course material is challenging regardless of skill level. It begins with an introduction to basic web technologies -- HTML, CSS, and Javascript. This is followed with an intermediate course that delves into practical skill sets including REST APIs, web frameworks, and design patterns.The experience culminates in a Full Stack Development course. A Student may choose Javascript, Python, Java, and C#. The exposure to modern tools and concepts is extraordinary. Algorithms and Data Structures are emphasized heavily in order to prepare for technical interviews. Students are also exposed to Cloud Infrastructure, Test Driven Development, and even Data Science -- dependent on which course they choose.  There is a balance between lecture and hands-on labs. Students have the opportunity
to truly explore and develop their own projects.

Pair programming and team projects are essential to the curiculum -- this is an opportunity to connect with so many extraordinary people. The Student body at Code Fellows comes from all walks of life. Diversity is greatly valued by this school. This school accepts the GI Bill creating a large representation of military veterans. There are a great many inspiring stories learned by coding together.

The true value in this school is what happens after the course is finished. The struggle for employment is very real. The Career Services staff is highly motivated to help all graduates find permenant positions. Instructors made time for me to assist with interview preparation and additional lecture at no cost. Graduates are allowed to work on campus free of charge -- it is an amazing environment to work in.
I recieved so much positive encouragement from everyone. I landed a position at Microsoft because of my experiences at Code Fellows.

The junior/entry level job market for developers is EXTREMELY oversaturated. There are 17 coding boot camps in Seattle, each churning out Web Developers by the dozens every month to compete for the few and scarce entry level/junior positions. Sure, anyone can learn to code, but will you be good enough to compete in a highly competitive market? It's far from impossible to find a job afterwards, just be prepared to lower your expectations and raise your technical skills higher as the technical bar has been raised for junior devs. It took me a year to find a job and I had to practice and teach myself to become a mid-level developer. 

For Codefellows specifically, they will teach you the basics of programming. Instructors are hit or miss, some good, some just mediocre. The curriculum was decent, it builds on top of things you learned previously but a lot of the lectures I didn't find very useful. 

If I could go back in time I wouldn't have gone through Code Fellows, and would of went the self taught route. There are tons of quality courses online that you can take and learn everything you need. Save your $$$, and teach yourself. 

The material we covered was modern and relevant, providing a realistic introduction to Javascript development in 2018. It gave me the confidence and hands on exposure to begin seriously understanding coding for the first time in my life. Additionally, the great classmates I met were an unexpected bonus. Many were very serious students coming from a variety of backgrounds and we learned a tremendous amount from each other. I have no doubts we'll be valuable industry contacts for each other in the future. The biggest disappointment I faced was our instructor was a recent bootcamp grad and although the instructor was a nice person and did indeed know much more than us students, there was a very obvious lack of real-world experience and gaps in knowledge that limited the range of context that was provided alongside the material. I still got my money's worth, but I also know students in other cohorts may have received a slightly more nuanced instruction than I did.

I attended code fellows (201, 301, 401 course) and had a positive, memorable experience. My success was in part because I spent a fair amount of time researching the program and if it would be a good fitfor me.

It is rigorous and intended to challenge students so they are job ready. The school does a solid job of teaching the core principles needed for an entry level role. I can tell you that if software development is a career you are serious about, it requires ongoing learning and dedication in this field of study. Code Fellows can provide you the introductory tools, but its ultimately up to you to ensure that this is continued before, during, and after completion of the coursework.

I’ve seen some of the negative post here stating that individuals were not ready when leaving the program or able to find employment. This is an investment and if you only take a 201 or 301 level course, be realistic of how much you can learn and practice in such a short amount of time. I still think these courses are a great option because not everyone requires the same level of training. I needed more of the advanced topics covered in the 401 level course.

I graduated from the program and wasn’t even the strongest developer in my class, but I showed persistence and motivation. If you are transitioning careers, having these qualities will help you find success. Be aware of how important networking is in finding your entry level role and don’t apply at companies that are looking for experienced Developers. 

Last, but important the faculty are beautiful people. They help create a safe space that fosters a collaborative learning environment. These folks work very hard in helping lead people to happy, rewarding careers. If you are considering code fellows as an option, I encourage you to check out a monthly 101 workshop, ask to attend an open house, or even meet with an alumni to see if a career in software is right for you. Hope this helps some of you peeps out there that are contemplating this decision. It’s within your reach...good luck!

** I took a very entry level role as an associate developer and was promoted to Software Engineer in 90 days :)

I really enjoyed this course! And absolutely would recommend it. The teacher (Brad) always showed a very positive and friendly attitude, and never showed annoyance when we askied the same thing over and over again (very hard thing to control).

Also, Brad express sincere caring for our future careers.I like the speed of the class, although I feel that we need more time for the lab exercises, but this may be just me. Related with this, I would recommend a 7min break arround 10:30, for coffee/bathroom and don’t miss anything.

Finally, I would recommend analogies on how loops and logic operations works, before seeing the syntax on code.Thank you very much, I learned and enjoy a lot this course.

Iris L.

Went through the school from Oct 2018 to Apr 2019. Took the 401 in Python. You get what you put into it. If you are not ready to be challenged or not ready to spend almost all of your time learning, this is not the place for you. It's very fast paced and make you question your life sometimes, but you do learn a lot. The insctructors are the best part. Wish we had a class on security though. 

This program was a very well developed Full-Stack JavaScript course using Mongo, Express, React, and Node.  I learned a lot and enjoyed my time there.  The only problem I had was one of the instructors was still relatively new to teaching this material and it took a while for my learning style to be able to handle his teaching style.  Overall though, I would definitely recommend this school to someone looking to get into software development.

I also attended Code Fellows for their 201 and 301 classes. Overall, the experience has been spectacular. It is definitely intense, but it's very doable and you get into the groove of the course style fairly quickly. The amount of information you can absorb in such a short period of time is insane. All of the instructors are very knowledgeable and approachable, the curriculum is detailed and I love how quickly they're able to adjust it to include new technologies as the tech market changes. The environment is welcoming and supportive -- no one will ever make you feel inferior or out of place here. It truly is the ideal learning environment, in my opinion. 
Outside of tech, the curriculum for 401 includes a lot of career development -- learning how to properly craft a resume, how to handle "soft" questions during job interviews, and how to pitch yourself to someone you meet at a networking event. Post-graduation, there is a job placement assistance in the form of networking events, mock interviews with industry partners (from both big and small companies), and hookups directly to hiring partners. All of this has been immensely helpful. They prepared me for the market very well, both technically and socially.

As a small backstory, I have dabbled in tech and code my whole life, without any expertise of note. I had been in the service industry for about 20 years, and always known I could benefit from an immersive environment to really dig in and learn. Code Fellows delivered on that, and then some. 

These people that work here, from the greenest Teaching Assitant, to the admin staff, teachers, and the CEO, really love what they do, and get excited helping students to do whatever is necessary to succeed. The teaching staff - aside from being awesome people you would just want to hang out with - are incredibly empathetic and intelligent. They evolve curriculum to always be teaching what the industry is after, staying ahead of the tech trends so that the information doesn't grow stale. I really don't think I have ever been around so many people who and are stoked about what they do. Someone recently described the campus as 'just having an incredibly positive vibe', and I couldn't agree more. If you are considering going here, come in and see what it is all about! 

I completed the entirety of the full stack JavaScript courses at Code Fellows in August. 

I immediately began applying for jobs all around Seattle that fit my skill set, entry, junior, and otherwise. 

Companies would not even give me the time of day because I do not have a BA. I even utilized some high-level internal referrals at several companies and would not even get a look.

As a result I ended up taking essentially the same job I had before code fellows and am $20,000 poorer as a result.

The coursework is great. I think if you have a BA it is a great and worthwhile investment. However, if you don't have that BA, avoid at all costs. It's simply not worth it.

Additionally, they do not provide nearly enough follow-up job search support for the sheer amount of money you throw at them.

I'm a musician, an Army veteran and recently got my BS in audio engineering. When I entered the corporate world, I couldn't find anything that seemed like a good fit for me. I was in a dead-end job when someone sent me a couple links for Code Fellows. When I contacted Code Fellows I really felt like I was talking to a 'real' local person and was immediately comfortable and knew I would fit in. They helped me get set up with the GI Bill and before I knew it, I was on my way. I was excited and the Army really taught me the patience and willingness to work hard and fight through any challenges. My instructor Adam and classmates at Code Fellows were a great support as well. It was a really good feeling to know we were all in it together and wanted to help each other succeed. Code Fellows has given me the opportunity to create a better life for me and my family.

I was living in LA, planning to use my GI Bill funds to attend a code school that was advertising approval for GI Bill funds, turned out they weren't actually approved. I found out Code Fellows was approved, got in touch with them and it has worked out great. After my time in the Air Force, I became a day trader but wanted something more, there's no community aspect in that industry. In the coding world, it's all about community, it's awesome to be in such a supportive environment. The discipline I learned in the Air Force really helped me understand the time, rigor and dedication needed to code. The instructors at Code Fellows are dedicated and put in a lot of hard work to help you succeed - Brian is awesome. If it weren't for Code Fellows and their approval to accept GI Bill Funds, I probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to do this. Now I will be able to find a career doing what I enjoy most - coding!

I just finished the 401 Full Stack JavaScript class (having also taken 201 and 301 at Code Fellows). My experience has been phenomenal the entire way through. The staff and TAs are dedicated to student success, both in terms of the technical curriculum (web development) and preparation for entering the job market. Code Fellows instructors are not only experts in the field, they are also deeply attuned to how people learn to code, what works and what doesn't, and what students need from instructors to do their best work. Both of the instructors I had genuinely cared about each and every student and their progress. They also shared invaluable knowledge of the many aspects of what it is like to work as a web developer.

The staff and instructors are constantly working to keep the curriculum relevant to current industry practices and making connections and deepening relationships with area companies that hire web developers. Code Fellows also places a big emphasis on using educational strategies that work, and despite already doing a phenomenal job in this area, they continue to strive to be even better in this area. They very much value and use student input to help improve their courses.

It is hard work to get through these classes, but Code Fellows gives you all the tools to do well assuming you are willing to invest the effort and time. For me personally, Code Fellows not only gave me the focus to learn what I needed to learn to become an entry level web developer, but additionally their dedicated and passionate staff made me love coding more than I thought possible. 

After graduating with a 4-year degree in the sciences, I got a great job at the Fred Hutch here in Seattle. It's a company with a mission that I care about, but I had ambitions to contribute more than allowed by my current role - I needed more skilled training.  So thankfully with the support of my manager, I started searching for code schools that offer night courses, so I could keep working during the day. 

I was referred to Code Fellows by a friend, and after reading about their courses, career development and their great reviews I knew Code Fellows was right for me. I'd been teaching myself how to code using online resources but wanted to work with other people to improve my collaborative coding skill-sets. Code Fellows provided the educational structure and instructional resources in a teamwork-oriented environment that helped me succeed. It took a ton of hard work and dedication, and now I'm graduating and ready to find a new career as a software developer. Thanks to Scott and Duncan for everything they did to help us get through it all - they're great instructors. Code Fellows is an excellent school and I highly recommend it!

I’m an Army Veteran, and after doing my service, I wanted to get into a career where I could create stuff as well as have a more flexible schedule. I was trying to teach myself how to code, using Code Academy, Team Treehouse,  and other websites. Then after attending a Code Fellows 101 in NYC taught by Brook, I knew this was the school for me, so I decided to relocate to Seattle and attend the school full-time since they took the G.I Bill.  Mindy and Maggi in Admissions were great and helped me get the GI Bill funds and the Code Fellows Diversity Scholarship for their 401 course.

I did very well and I think why I did well came down to a few things:

1.  I wasn't afraid to ask questions

2. I eliminated social media (a lot of students get distracted by social media)

The discipline instilled from my military experience really helped me meet the deadlines for projects and assignments, which was critical to my success. The Instructor, Duncan, and one of the TAs, Judy, were awesome and very tough on grading. Our final project was very cool (if I say so myself) our small team used a Raspberry PI with voice and facial recognition technology to build a security system - the Code Fellows CEO said it was in his top three favorite demos of all time! I highly recommend Code Fellows! They have helped me succeed in getting the skills, knowledge and confidence to go out and get a great coding job!

Code Fellows rocks. I'm an Air Force veteran, four years in active duty, building jet engines.  After deciding I didn't want the smell of jet fuel on me at all times, and after graduating from college and deciding not to pursue a law degree, I found myself at Code Fellows.  I took Scott's night-time 201 course (Scott is an awesome instructor), and with Gi Bill funds and a Code Fellows Diversity Scholarship was ultimately able to quit my job to take Duncan's 401 (Duncan is also a fantastic instructor, and I had an exceptional TA to help me too, Judy).  I had a great experience.  It was very hard, but I excelled. I think the combination of the discipline I learned from sports (I'm a powerlifter) and the military, the self-learning I did through Coursera prior to starting the 201, combined with my willingness to ask for help when getting stuck, and to work with anyone in collaboration (I enjoy pair programming) all helped me excel.  Now I'm ready for a coding job!  I highly recommend the school, but be prepared to work hard, collaboratively with other students, if you decide to enroll.  Also, any amount of pre-course self-learning will help you immensely. Learning how to use Git and work at the command line ahead of time will help dramatically in your success.

Overall Experience: Truly a great program, that teaches all the key tools needed for getting started on the JavaScript stack. From the get go, had a great time learning the material, enjoyed really digging into all the different topics, met some great people as well! Your mileage may vary, but if you go with a positive mindset and really try to learn the material, you'll find many helpful people. We were even able to get professionals in the field to come in and give talks/demonstrations on various topics from whiteboarding, AGILE development, etc. Code Fellows really does care about your professional development, but be prepared to work HARD! It's very easy to fall behind because of the amount of information coming to you, but you'll find that it all starts clicking and the topics become easier to absorb. I think it speaks volumes when a graduating clas decides to hold a meetup to help each other with the job hunt and to do lightning talks on topics that help each other (algorithms and data structures, development, design methods, etc.).

Curriculum: You start on JavaScript and you end in JavaScript. That's great because for bootcamps, you really want to keep hammering your skills in a few areas (limited time so master the important stuff). Since JavaScript is still the dominant web language out there, this is key. What's also great is the instructors are constantly keeping track of the latest developments in JavaScript/tech world and are updating the curriculum constantly. This is valuable for such a fast changing field like web development. I really appreciate the project weeks we have at the end of 201/301 and mid-401/end-401. You get some nice portfolio pieces and really get to learn how to code within a group of people.

Instructors: Extremely knowledgable. The head instructor, Marty, was formerly in the field as a developer and has a lot of understanding of professional development. This is extremely valuable to have when it comes to considering a code camp since professional experience says a lot and you start adopting best practices fast. Because of this, the other instructors also produce professional work and teach in a clear and concise manner. They are really cool people and I still keep in touch today.

Job Assistance: Super good. They brought in recruiters on the last day of 401 and we got to show off our projects. I managed to even snag an interview and ultimately an offer from a Fortune 500 company in the area ;). They bring in professionals who are currently in the field every week (during 401 class) who give talks on job hunting and how to present oneself, and even tackling white boarding. There are also a lot of job recruiters who connect with Code Fellows and contacts that are interested in CF grads. The administration also helps us with resume, cover letter writing, etc. as an ongoing process for those looking. Don't give up!

Summary:

The skills and resources Code Fellows taught got me a great job with promotion potential in the industry where I want to be working. It wasn't easy, but it was well worth the investment.

Background:

I took three courses from Code Fellows at the Portland Campus during their transition to the current curriculum in late 2015:

--Unix and Git for Everyone (now essentially Code 101); 

--Foundations I (a mix of Code 100 & 201); and

--Code 201. 

All the courses I took were nights/weekends, as I was employed full-time.

As a college graduate with some graduate training, I found the Code Fellows instructors and staff very accessible and personable; but most importantly they were enthusiastic about going the extra mile to help their students succeed. The courses are very challenging (but doable), so their willingness to provide guidance, feedback and mentorship off-hours (the instructors for my courses have other full-time employment) was indispensible for my classmates and I.

My IT background was in OS/Networking with no coding experience, but I was working in electronics maintenance at a regional medical center (thanks, Great Recession!) when I decided to improve my skillset to be more competitive in the job market. Code Fellows stood out to me because they had local, resident courses; their website is well designed, easy to navigate, and has informative, plain language content; but, most importantly, they offered both day AND night/weekend courses (which isn't common). ...I needed to keep my day job, so I could keep my house. 

Curriculum:

The coursework is accessible and well presented. The format is generally: See (lecture & examples); Walk-through (guided self/team work); Do (home/group work). Or, for fellow military: Crawl, Walk, Run.

Early assignments were pretty easy, but with the 'stacked module' approach our assignments grew immediately and continually more sophisticated. New assignments built on and expanded previous work. This is cool because you get a lot of reinforcement; it's difficult because you have to stay on the ball and caught up.

A word about the pre-work and homework: It was difficult. The prework made my life during the course MUCH easier. People who struggle completing reading assignments and homework will have a very hard time in Code Fellows courses. I had to dedicate 2-3 hours out-of-class for every hour in class. It was worth it!

Outcomes:

I didn't take the full curriculum because I was obligated to stay at my previous employer for another couple years. Job Assistance is, understandably, only available to students in the higher courses.

My personal outcome is that I was selected for a developmental IT position with the US Forest Service, in a unit that has developed and implemented data acquisition and analysis software and a relational database available for public access. My training with Code Fellows was the deciding factor for being selected for this position.

Not only was the Code Fellows training instrumental for being hired, but it also gave me a very strong foundation for beginning to learn Java and Python, which are required for my duties.

I'm very excited to be begining a new chapter in my professional life, and thankfull to Code Fellows for providing me the keys to unlock!

Prior to attending the 201 (Beginning JavaScript), 301 (Intermediate JavaScript), and 401 (Advanced JavaScript) courses at the Portland location I was wrapping up a decade-long series of jobs that left me feeling unfulfilled and unchallenged. I wanted to improve my skills so that I could provide my extended design and development services to a broader range of freelance clients and projects.

Despite feeling throughout the 4.5 months of instruction that I was struggling to keep up, the support from the teaching staff and my peers was unparallelled. Once I graduated and began my job hunt it was clear that, while I didn't know everything there was to know about JavaScript, I had a firm foundation to build on, my in-class experiences provided a wide array of applicable examples for interviews and, and all of that stress and worry about breaking into the development world paid off in the end since I ended up landing a software development role a month and a half after graduation.

If you're serious about getting into development, I highly recommend this program!