Codesmith Reviews
Page 13
-
Anonymous
A Computer Science student's experience with Codesmith
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I had just graduated from college with a B.S. in computer science when I stumbled upon Codesmith. Looking to get some web development experience, I decided to take the course and am very happy I did so.
As many people will tell you, there is a gap between industry expectations and what you learn through computer science classes and projects. This is a gap that can be largely filled by experience, and Codesmith does just that. At Codesmith, you receive a balance of computer science fundamentals and practical skills. Among other things, you will become intimately familiar with data structures, basic algorithms (sorting and path-finding) and Big O analysis. You will use what you learn in development so that you have practical skills to accompany the theory.
The web-development curriculum provides excellent exposure to full stack web development. At Codesmith you will learn many things the hard way first, for example, learning to use Node to set up servers without any frameworks before learning to use Express or Hapi. This will give you a deeper understanding of both what’s going on underneath the hood, and in the bigger picture of your application.
One of my favorite things about Codesmith is that they value holistic growth, meaning you won’t just be taught to be a developer who can create websites with ready-made tools. You will be encouraged to become an engineer, who can architect systems beyond websites, and to modify or create your own tools as you see fit. You won’t just be an engineer with team experience. You will be encouraged to lead through empathy, and follow industry workflow with version control and testing. Additionally, Codesmith holds “tutorials” where you will have moderated discussions on tech. One of my favorite discussions was on Client side vs Server side rendering. You will be encouraged to form a strong understanding of whatever technologies you’ve been exposed to so that you can communicate your thoughts coherently to laymen, as well as anyone else in the industry.
It does take commitment and hard work on your part, but if you want to be a full-stack developer and like what you have heard so far, I recommend checking out Codesmith to find out more.
-
Anonymous
Great Overall Experience!!
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I am a recent graduate of Codesmith, and it was an incredibly rewarding experience. I came to Codesmith looking to make a career change, and the experience was way more than I expected.
Codesmith teaches you to be a full-stack developer, and you are challenged constantly throughout the process. You build a deeper understanding of data structures, algorithms and fundamental javascript concepts with daily hack hours. There are lectures daily on key technology topics as well as application-specific concepts. Most importantly you will also learn Angular, React, Node, Express as well as database applications like MongoDB, PostrgreSQL. The days are broken up in a way that you are always going and the time really flies. As you learn new technologies, you are challenged to build both group and solo projects of your choice utilizing those technologies. The projects are both challenging and incredibly rewarding as you solve real problems encountered while building and deploying applications.
Beyond the coding - there is an incredible community at Codesmith. Guest speakers from major companies like Facebook, Netflix, NFL.com and NPM just to name a few were great additions. Most importantly, the friends you make, and relationships you build are amazing. The engineers/instructors are genuinely invested in your development as an engineer and are always willing to go the extra mile to help you. If you want to learn something - they will help you get there!! -
Anonymous
Codesmith Review
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I completed the 8-week Summer academy at Codesmith this past summer and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. At the time I had just finished my MBA at USC Marshall and was looking to continue learning and challenging myself in the available months I had before I began my new role. I was familiar with Codesmith from their weekly Javascript - The Hard Parts sessions, meetup.com/build-with-co…, and it was immediately apparent this was a well-designed program with serious promise.
It was an intellectually challenging experience. My previous programming experience was limited, so the initial learning curve was steep. The full 12-week program is designed around a 30% - 40% working familiarity with Javascript starting day 1, so I had some ground to make up, but I did. Within a few weeks I was working on teams building full-stack applications, browsers games, and a hilarious web scraper that kept you alert of everything Donald Trump was tweeting. The progress I made in a matter of a few weeks was pretty remarkable.
Learning by building is the approach at Codesmith, and it's effective. The first weeks of the program cover computer science fundamentals like algorithms, data structures, APIs, and databases, but they are taught via coding challenges and mini projects that merge theory with real world application. Some topics come more easily than others, and some days require an inhumane volume of coffee to finally debug an application, but the rate of concentrated learning is unlike anything I've ever experienced before. The remainder of the program is dedicated to working in teams on group projects. The Codesmith engineers kick off each day with hack hours as well which help you continually hone your coding chops.
The building is spacious and crackling with a palpable feeling of enthusiasm and hard work. Everyone is there to help, and you can feel it. I highly recommend the Codesmith program. -
Anonymous
So impressed by Codesmith...
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Their program is all about mentorship, and yet at the same time, they create students who become independent problem solvers. It's an intense course, but the instruction and the people at Codesmith are all truly first rate on every level. Not just awesome at teaching Javascript, but also just incredibly nice people who I enjoy being around. Best program going if you're serious about becoming a software engineer...
-
Joshua Satterfield
Codesmith is the best!!!
Read more Read less of Joshua Satterfield's review
Currently, there are only a few bootcamps located in Los Angeles. I have attended meetups and online questionnaires at a few of them e.g MakerSquare, General Assembly, and Codesmith. My favorite of all is Codesmith for the following reasons...
BTW, if you don't want to read this article, you can watch a video summary below... :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hToEL-nNtyM
For those of you who don’t know about Codesmith, it’s a 12 week immersive Software Engineering program teaching Computer Science, Full Stack JavaScript Engineering and mobile development.
They also teach you how to think like an engineer, and give you that mindset so that you can invent and build the projects that you want to.
There are 3 key components that adhere to Codesmith. They are Community, Curriculum, and Passion. Now these aren’t necessarily mantras of Codesmith themselves, rather what I have noticed in attendance of their meetups, and this is one of the reasons that I am fascinated by being there and around that energy. Which in turn, leads me to the first component...
Community:
Talking of energy, It’s probably safe to say that it is highly unfathomable to know what it must have been like being around in the beginning of Apple, or Facebook, or any other major company that started similarly, but the feeling that I get being around Codesmith is what I would imagine that experience to be.
- The people! Everyone is so nice and welcoming. They make you really feel like you are a part of the family.
- The Instructors! The CTO Will Sentance and Lead Engineer Alex Zai are probably two of the most brilliant gentlemen that I have had the pleasure to meet. Not only are they entirely genuine and remarkable, but they are revolutionizing the Software Education Industry along with the Tech Industry. Aside from Codesmith, they have also developed some extremely, amazing things. One of those is Icecomm. Icecomm is an WebRTC based, Peer to Peer feature that allows you to add serverless video chat and data transfer to your application in, I believe under 10 lines of JavaScript and 4 lines of Angular. How great is that? Now to go a step further, they are going to open source it, so that in itself speaks to their wonderful character. If I could pick their brains all day I would. haha
- The Environment! The building is like a spaceship. It’s really cool! When you get off of the elevator you are met by these multicolored, fluorescent lights that resemble something from the future. The whole area is one large circle with several nooks and cranny’s for you to explore. The views are also great. There are balconies with a panoramic view of water and a large portion of Silicon Beach.
Curriculum
This is one of the things that sets Codesmith apart from everyone else in the software education realm. Also what places them at the forefront of technology because they are using what is now on the forefront of technology. The core of their Front-End curriculum is with React.js. WHAT???
- React.js ! If you don’t know what React.js is, React is an open-source JavaScript library for creating user interfaces that aims to address challenges encountered in developing single-page applications. (or simply put, “The Future of interwebs development” ;) “
- React Native! React Native enables you to build world-class application experiences on native platforms using a consistent developer experience based on JavaScript andReact. The focus of React Native is on developer efficiency across all the platforms you care about — learn once, write anywhere. Facebook uses React Native in multiple production apps and will continue investing in React Native.
- Distributed Systems and Some Machine Learning! Seriously, it couldn’t be better. These are the things that are powering the technology around us all today, including, but not limited to Gmail, iCloud and Google knowing what you want to search before you finish typing. No one is teaching these things in any bootcamp or program currently.
Here is a photo of the curriculum for a more in depth view:
Passion
One of the most important features of Codesmith and everyone there is that they are endlessly passionate about what they are doing. It’s highly evident in everything that they do. They actually want to help everyone bring their dreams to fruition, to build the projects and companies that they envision, and change the world for the better. This fact is something that I cannot stress enough. I only mention this because I have been to some of the meetups at other places like MakerSquare and I cannot say the same things. I really can’t even say anything remotely close, and I don’t want to go into a barrage of Makersquare or anything like that. This was simply my experience and mine alone, but it was quite uncomfortable. When I walked in everyone just kind of had an attitude and they weren’t welcoming. Everything seemed fabricated. You could tell that at the end of the day this place is just a business and they seem to only care about one thing: money. That is not an environment that I welcome, nor should anyone else. With Codesmith it’s different, not just for the aforementioned reasons alone, but also I am beyond enamored with the devotion of everyone involved. It’s a really special place and I suggest that everyone experience it for themselves.
Build With Code
You may ask, “how can I experience it without going to the program?” Well, I’ll tell you! Every Thursday from 6:30 - 9:00 pm Codesmith offers a free Meetup called Build With Code. I can’t emphasis enough how great this place is and especially the Meetups. Who doesn’t like free drinks? Who doesn’t like free food? Not only do they offer those things, but you are able to build cool things and learn about programming in JavaScript. We’ve built a video chat app. A YouTube app and currently we are learning about the hard parts of Javascript, which for anyone trying to get into a bootcamp is essential. Last week it was Callbacks & Higher Order Functions.
The way that it works is, in the beginning you go around and introduce yourself, then tell everyone a little about you, what you’ve been building (if anything) and what your interest in JavaScript is. Subsequently the instructor Will goes into a lecture with slideshows and breaks down everything to first principles, which if you are a fan of Elon Musk (I am) means that that is how you get the job done. Will’s teaching methods (Socratic, I believe) are fantastic. He makes everything so clear and concise that the light inside your mind goes off and you finally understand what it is that you have been making so complicated. You see the solution simplified… Especially in dealing with two of the most misunderstood objects (no pun intended) in JavaScript.
After the lecture, you are split up to pair program. I know you may be thinking... "I don’t want to pair program! I won't go just because of that," but It really is great! Not only can you possibly make a new friend, but you also get the chance to see how other people think, and how they arrive at a solution. That is invaluable in itself because it can help you approach a problem differently one day. When you are pair programming the EIR’s (Engineers in Residence) come in and walk around to offer their assistance to anyone if they get stuck and also to answer any other questions you may have. These guys are really great. Super friendly and helpful. Will then wraps up with a summary to help solidify all that you have learned and then you can wander around the facilities, grab some drinks and food, and hang out and talk with everyone there. If you don’t want to do any of that, you don’t have to, but I can’t recommend that you should enough.
I hope that I am able to clear a few things up for anyone, and if not you can message me or get in touch and I will gladly answer any questions about my experience. If I can’t answer those questions Joseph at Codesmith is also a really great guy and he will be glad to help you. Below are some links to where you can find information on the topics I covered here in the postings...
- Codesmith
- Build With Code - Los Angeles
- Icecomm.io
- A JavaScript library for building user interfaces | React
- React Native | A framework for building native apps using React
-
Anonymous
Love it!
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
It's tough for me to write this because it almost sounds contrived, but I love Codesmith most because, it's become my home.
I am currently enrolled in Codesmith's 12-week immersive program. We have just finished week 4 and I am excited to get started on the project portion in just 2 more short weeks. I can't say enough good things about this place. The community is the kind where we spend Sunday together even though it's not part of the program. The people are amazing, passionate and incredibly smart. I haven't felt this happy, excited and welcomed in years.
So far we have learned: HTML, CSS, Javascript, jQuery, React, Node, Angular and MongoDB. We also learned a bunch of ancillary things like Express, Mongoose, Bootstrap, Ajax, etc., but those aren't really concepts so much as tools you learn how to use when you need them.
It's tough to recognize the progress you're making while immersed in the program because you're comparing where you are today to where you were yesterday. Fortunately, every now and then you get a reminder of just how far you've come. The most recent moment for me was just after presenting my first full-stack project when a student in the junior cohort asked me to help him with understanding hash functions.
Before entering codesmith I was barely understanding closures and callbacks and I didn't even know what a hash function was or what it could be used for. Now I'm deploying a full stack application to Heroku and using a hash function in conjunction with a database to implement my own authentication! It's an amazing feeling!
In short, I love this place. I'm learning a ton and If you're serious about becoming a full-stack engineer, apply today!
A deeper dive on the experience here:
Things I love about the program:
Community
The community here is amazing. Everybody is super friendly, hard-working and always willing to help you understand a concept.
Instructors
The instructors here are top notch. Will Sentance, the CTO teaches a bunch of the tough concept lectures. I don't know if it's his british accent or friendly demeanor, but I find him incredibly easy to learn from. Even with my ADD, he keeps my attention and his explanations are really really clear.
The pace I'm learning
When you start the course there is a large disparity in the knowledge between students with a computer science background and those without. Coming from economics and business, I was really far behind! After the first few weeks, however, the disparity is much smaller and you start learning things like React and Angular - topics that nobody has seen yet. Although I don't expect to understand computer science theory as well as some of my fellow students, I'm just as good as them at building apps!
Thursday night happy hours
This is an incredibly hard program. Everybody here is really driven to succeed. People stay late every night to finish their projects or study up on concepts they're struggling with, but on Thursday nights we party... It's awesome.
Things I get frustrated with:
Workload is very heavy
I understand why the workload is so heavy. We're going from 20% to a full-stack engineer in twelve weeks. There really isn't an easy way to do this.
Hours are really long
We work 12 hours a day, minimum. My typical day starts at 8:55 AM and ends around 10 PM. Again, I understand this is necessary, but I do miss free time.
Things I have a love-hate relationship with:
Pair Programming
If you haven't pair programmed yet, you should. Find a friend who is about the same level of programming as you and pair! There is more to it than this, but essentially you don't touch the keyboard ("navigator") and they take directions from you ("driver"). After twenty minutes, switch roles. This is likely going to be an incredibly frustrating experience for both parties. However, it is absolutely the best way to accelerate your learning. I love learning quickly, but in the moment I get frustrated because I just want the answer!
The Socratic method of teaching
The Socratic method of teaching essentially boils down to this: the instructor does not give answers they just ask you questions to guide you to the right answer. This is super effective because it forces you to make the connection yourself. Pretty much all law schools teach this way as well as Harvard, Darden, and Tuck Business Schools. -
Anonymous
Outstanding Long Term Career Support
Codesmith really makes a difference in the job search afterwards. There's tons of alumni resources to pull from, and there's tons of mock interviews, system design, and phone screen practice sessions. The assistance is invaluable for any prospective graduates looking to make their leap into a career in software engineering. -
Anonymous
Helped to transitioned to SDE
I applied to Codesmith last June, started last August, Graduated Late November, and Got my first offer late Jan.
I had a wonderful experience as a Codesmith.
I love the sense of the community and the support it has. I also love the workshops and events it has.
Those are the factors that kept me going and eventually helped me hunt a job! -
Anonymous
Not Easy, But 100% Worth It
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Codesmith was inclusive and engaging from day one. I got very close to my cohort mates and the instructors/teaching fellows showed a lot of care in my growth and development as a software engineer. The program has two phases, which they split out into the junior portion and the senior portion. The junior phase consists of structured classes and learning modules, teaching you the MERN/PERN stack. The senior portion consists of projects on your own and with your cohort mates. This is where most of the learning happens.
Getting a job post Codesmith is a grind, and graduating is only the beginning of your journey. However, the Codesmith support system is incredible and really helps you get through the process. The alumni network is huge and everyone wants you to succeed. If you're serious about pursuing a software engineering career, I recommend digging deep and getting very comfortable with javascript, react, node.js/express before going through the immersive program. This will put you in the best position to maximize the program.
I personally know people who have gone through other bootcamps that have struggled to get a job post bootcamp or given up altogether. I really believe Codesmith's biggest value lies in the alumni network and post-grad support that is available to you for the rest of your career. I recently landed my first role post Codesmith and I was able negotiate a great offer thanks to Eric (Thank you Eric!) who is one of the senior advisors.
-
Anonymous
Fantastic Technical Learning And Career Support
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
My experience in Codesmith was fantastic. The technical learning (with a focus on full-stack applications with React & Javascript on the frontend and Node/Express on the backend) was excellent. The structure the program provides really helped me to maximize my learning during my time there. The empathetic support Codesmith uses was instrumental in helping me to succeed in the program and beyond. Codesmith's career-support was amazing by providing practical strategies that helped me to land a job as a software engineer. -
Anonymous
You get out what you put in
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
As a graduate of Codesmith, I found the program to be highly rewarding yet challenging. Like many intensive learning experiences, what you gain from it directly correlates with the effort you invest. Codesmith provides a rigorous curriculum and ample resources, but succeeding requires dedication and resilience on your part. The program offers excellent support through various accountability groups and resources, fostering a community that encourages growth even after program completion. However, securing a job post-graduation demands continuous hard work and perseverance. If you're willing to put in the effort, Codesmith equips you with the skills and community needed to succeed in the competitive tech industry.
I also enjoyed the tech support in particular from Cassandra and Eric. They were kind, helpful, and informative in my job search struggles and negotiations. On the other hand, I had some mixed experiences with some of the interview prep "fellows". While some provided valuable insights, others seemed overly interested in specific details about my interviews, such as departments and contacts, which made me feel uncomfortable at times. -
Anonymous
Life-Changing
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Codesmith was the best environment I could imagine for setting myself up for this life-changing career change. Their instructors and career-support helped me immensely and while not everything is perfect, Codesmith is constantly iterating and improving as an organization. Going with them was the best decision of my thirties. Their instructors shaped me and their advice helped me negotiate a higher salary and signing bonus than I would have dared to hope going into the camp. -
Anonymous
Strong Entrance Polices + Great Job Search Resources
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Codesmith does a great job of providing students with resources before they begin the immersive program. Even though I had been studying JavaScript for a few years before applying, the CSX program really helped me better understand important topics like closure, asynchronicity, higher-order functions, and recursion. On top of the CSX program, applicants also have to do live coding interviews with Codesmith faculty which encourages applicants to practice coding and get real-time feedback during their interviews. To me, the lead-up to the immersive program is one of the things that makes Codesmith stand apart from some of the other bootcamps / immersive programs. I think it would be very difficult to find a SWE job if you start any three-month immersive program without any prior coding knowledge.
To me, it seems likely that Codesmith's curriculum isn't vastly different from other programs. And as a former educator, I wasn't impressed by the actual teaching methods. It's mostly just an instructor narrating over powerpoint presentations (whose material seems to come mostly from the documentation for that particular technology), asking a couple questions to check for understanding, and then dismissing class for pair programming on the topic. During the pair programming, you might get an instructor or TA's guidance for five minutes, but because of the ratio of TAs to students, their time is quite limited. They will call this "hard learning" where you need to lean into being stuck, looking up documentation, and considering different approaches. These are worthy habits, but it's also "hard learning" because the lectures are hastily done and simply a pretty ineffective pedagogical approach. By the end of the program you have a decent understanding of a lot of the common tech stacks, but, for most students, further study is definitely needed to be fully job-ready.
The crown jewel of the program is their job search portion. They pour a lot of resources into helping students with their resumes, interviewing skills, and networking. That on top of the time and effort they put into building a community (I'm still a part of the Codesmith slack today) really helps students find a SWE role right for them.
Overall, if someone has really tried to get a SWE role through pure self-study (Udemy, YouTube, FreeCodeCamp, books, etc.) and is feeling like they're spinning their wheels, I'd recommend Codesmith as an immersive program that can help direct your learning, connect you to a community of other aspiring developers, and prepare you for the job search process. -
Anonymous
Happy to strongly recommend
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
A little context, I was part of a much smaller cohort than the normal 22-27 (my estimate) which may have affected the amount of help/attention our cohort received from instructors and our Senior cohort (that were 1.5 ahead of us in the curriculum).
Getting into Codesmith was a major challenge but I appreciated that they laid out a path to prepare to reach their level of javascript expertise for you to progress through the program at its pace for 6 days a week, from morning to night. The "Hard Learning" method they use is a great approach to learning these difficult concepts with limited time. I wasn't sure about this approach but now when I hit a block, getting to a solution takes me significantly less time and my frustration is much lower than when I was self-learning. -
Anonymous
Grateful for my experience
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
As of May 2024, the job market continues to present challenges for CS graduates, self-taught developers, and non-traditional engineers alike. It currently is more difficult for ANYONE to get hired right now, but that is a reflection of the current market and not necessarily on Codesmith. Thus, my review will reflect on the quality of Codesmith’s curriculum and my personal growth as a developer during and after completing their program.
Background:I hold a B.S. in Management Information Systems. During Codesmith, I completed two software engineering-related internships, and graduated from University. Post-Codesmith, it took me six months to secure a new 6-figure job offer, with an additional three months before the start date, in a new graduate role.
Curriculum:Codesmith has a really solid curriculum that is continually refined in response to student feedback. The program includes daily hack hours, and learning full-stack development in a way that equips students to easily adapt to new technologies. Regarding the content, the curriculum is really good and helped me to understand web development on a much deeper level.
My only real critique here concerns the group projects. NOTE: This is not necessarily a fault of Codesmith, but more so a consequence of certain team dynamics. Some students may “fall through the cracks” and miss out on crucial learning opportunities if their team dynamic favors delivering impressive results over collaborative understanding of the codebase.
Advice to Codesmith: Have instructors emphasize the educational purpose of early projects. The smaller projects are invaluable for mastering the core fundamentals. Students will have PLENTY of time to show off their coding chops for the OSP/Reinforcement, so really take advantage of solidifying the fundamentals before then. This gives everyone an opportunity to fail and learn on the core aspects such as frontend, backend, databases, testing, etc. After that, moving on and expanding on your knowledge becomes So. Much. Easier.
Instructors:The quality of an instructor goes beyond industry experience; teaching, guiding, and mentoring are equally important. The Codesmith faculty, including Matt Severyn, Sam Arnold, and Erika C. Reynolds, along with a dedicated group of fellows, excel in these areas. They challenged our cohort by prompting us to find answers rather than providing them outright, and ensure comprehension of solutions they suggest. Their approachability and commitment to student growth significantly enhanced the learning experience. A special thanks to Erika for her excellent engineering book recommendations.
Job Assistance:The support from Codesmith extends well beyond graduation. It includes regular check-ins, post-grad groups, access to an alumni Slack channel, and various Codesmith events. Career Support Engineers, often alumni, offer a range of resources such as resume and LinkedIn reviews, technical interview preparation, and job search strategies. The ongoing support from the Codesmith community has been invaluable, especially when the job search got grueling. The community is very wonderful and I find myself frequently going back to offer tips, ask advice, or just chat with alumni that weren’t even in my cohort! I’d love to shout out the many alumni that helped me since before starting the program to now, but there are just way too many to list. The community is truly one of, if not the, best part of this program.
Overall Experience:For me, Codesmith has been an unparalleled learning environment. I can’t imagine getting where I am today with just self study. The program offered a structured path to learn full-stack development, and now my confidence has skyrocketed since graduation. I have a deep interest and ability to explore more in the field of Computer Science, and going through Codesmith was a catalyst for that change.
-
Anonymous
Intense, but the results speak for themselves
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
After the burnout of working in hospital administration/fundraising during COVID, I knew I wanted to pivot to something different after my 10+ year career. I had briefly floated the idea of attending a coding bootcamp before, but the timing just was never right. In 2021, I made the decision to quit my job and pursue software engineering, but had the task of deciding which school to attend. My research led me to Codesmith - while it had a much more selective acceptance criteria, I knew that it would give me the best possible shot at landing a job after graduation. From the moment I sat in a free online coding workshop, I knew this process was going to be special. I attended the early 2022 remote online immersive program, and my life changed forever. The curriculum was absolutely intense and difficult, but the results speak for themselves. Within just two months of graduation, I had secured a position as a full-time software engineer. Attending Codesmith was truly the best decision I ever made. -
Anonymous
The best investment
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Joining Codesmith was one of the best decisions I've made. The bootcamp really dives deep into JavaScript and front-end development with a curriculum that's both challenging and incredibly rewarding. The instructors were not just knowledgeable—they were truly dedicated to our learning, always ready to offer extra help when needed. What made the experience stand out was the sense of community; everyone was eager to help each other out, making those tough coding challenges a lot more fun to tackle. The job support from Codesmith was phenomenal too, guiding me through the job hunting process with practical tools and advice that landed me a tech job faster than I expected. I can't recommend Codesmith enough for anyone eager to get serious about a career in tech. -
Anonymous
Just the best.
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Codesmith is super intense, but seriously was the one thing that got me where I am today—a senior software engineer at a successful start-up. It doesn't just teach you the most important technologies you'll need to know, but also teaches you how to think, how to work in teams, how to think about software from a product perspective—all sorts of things you don't learn with a CS degree but are absolutely vital to success in software engineering. One of the most critical aspects of all this is the job search module they do at the end—I was skeptical going in to the program about how useful that would be, but the job search skills I learned at codesmith are a lot of the reason why I found a job within 3 weeks of getting laid off, and many of my former colleagues are going months without bites. I'm not getting paid to write this review, I seriously rave about codesmith to anyone who's not sure how to break into tech. The price is definitely higher than a lot of other bootcamps, but for a good reason. I got my first software job three months after graduation, with total comp of about $160k. (I was definitely on the higher end of starting salaries, and the market was a bit better when I graduated in 2022, but I was also by no means an outlier.)Go for it! -
Anonymous
I got a job
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I graduated from Codesmith at a terrible time for entry level software developer jobs (they try to push you to apply for mid to senior level roles, and that works for a select few but the vast majority, including myself, are not qualified for that after just this program). Their application and interview style is honed and specific, so it must work for a lot of people, but I ended up kind of lucking into my job. But at the end of the day, I did get a job which was the point.
I think Codesmith's curriculum is maybe more rigorous than others, which I appreciated. And the "final project" is much more impressive and technical sounding, which is what you're supposed to learn on when job hunting.
If you're gonna go the boot camp route, this is probably the top option. Their CS Prep and free workshops are also great to get your feet wet. -
Anonymous
Strong community, very good value for what constraints Codesmith is working within!
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I would say the social accountability, community and environment you're thrust into is #1 about the program. I did NYOI for this reason, to completely immerse myself and give it my all while I was there. Curriculum was alright, about what I expected but good nonetheless. It's very hard to formulate and cover a curriculum that checks all the boxes of core topics (React/Node/Express/DBs), as well as more advanced things that are also important (Typescript, DevOps, testing, containers, systems design) in a 12/13 week span while MOST people coming into the program just about know a decent amount of JS programming fundamentals and what HTML/CSS is + but never really built a fullstack client/server CRUD app before (maybe this should be a prerequisite before entering into the program?). Jumping from just learning React for the first time w/ basics like JSX and props/state and Express building out a few simple HTTP endpoints to building a developer tool involving tech like Docker/Kubernetes or Terraform is borderline insanity looking back 😂. Some corners were cut along the way to make it through. You never really feel like you understand topics 100%. But that's what it takes to become a dev and I think it primes your mindset to jump in and get your hands dirty - that's where the real learning in engineering comes from. I made good friends from the program, remained in contact with my postgrad group up to 6 months post-grad until I landed a job. Overall I'm happy with my outcome and what I got out of the program! -
Anonymous
Codesmith changed my life
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Being at the age of 36, I've made three best decisions in my life so far - and Codesmith was one of them.
On summer 2018 the restaurant where I was working as a bartender got caught on fire (true story). I was devastated because I really enjoyed working there, but at the same time I knew it was time for the change. I've been working in the restaurant industry for 4 years at that point, and knew it wasn't my career path. With that, having absolutely no background in IT, being an immigrant with English as a second language, I decided to become a programmer.
One of my favorite questions during the interview - "Why coding?". If I'm the one to answer, I tell the story from my childhood. In early 90s, my mom set a program to limit our computer time up to 2 hours. Me and my brother cracked it in one day. We played games for the whole day, and then reset the timer back to 2 hours before she was coming back home from work pretending we didn't even turn it on. Another true funny story that my mom still doesn't know :)
Once I decided I'd learn how to code, I did my research and limited it to the three best coding bootcamps in NYC. I started to prepare, and if you're just in the beginning of this journey, I FEEL YOU. Don't give up, it'll all makes sense soon, I promise! Only after 3 months since I wrote my first "Hello, World" I actually got goosebumps and thought: "Ah... so this is IT". This is when I knew I felt in love with coding.
I got into all three bootcamps, but that was just to test myself as I always knew it was Codesmith where I wanted to learn. They had the best outcomes, the best teachers (I attended their workshops), amazing vibes in that cute sunny Downtown office, and overall I just felt it would be a match.
I started in April, and graduated in July'19. That. Was. Hard. If you want to succeed, you gotta drop your normal life and give your full focus to the course. One of the most important things - you gotta trust the process. I can tell you about my hesitations and panic all night long. I actually couldn't believe I'd get a job, like, seriously. But there is a way how, and people at Codesmith know it. Just trust the process - you're not the first one.
In a month after graduation I had a part-time job. 2 months later I landed a full-time offer which exceeded my highest expectations. I've been working at the huge financial company for 4 years, growing, developing and using Codesmith advices on a daily basis. My love to coding was finally mutual, and I felt very grateful every day.
In the end of 2023 due to relocation I was in the job market again - now on the West Coast - and even though you probably heard it's tough right now and all, I was able to land three great offers. I felt the crisis too, it's no joke, but I simply followed what CS taught me - yet again - and it paid off. I'm now a Staff Software Engineer at a pretty cool software engineering company, and can't be happier in life. -
Anonymous
Great experience, got me a job!
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Attending Codesmith was a transformative experience that exceeded all my expectations. From day one, the immersive environment, comprehensive curriculum, and supportive community set the stage for success. In hindsight, attending Codesmith was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It not only equipped me with the technical skills needed to thrive in the industry but also fostered a mindset of continuous learning and collaboration that will serve me well throughout my career. If you're serious about leveling up your coding skills and launching a successful career in tech, I can't recommend Codesmith highly enough.
-
Anonymous
The Codesmith method works
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Could not recommend Codesmith highly enough. There is no way I would have been able to be as successful in interviews and at my current job so quickly without going through the program. In addition to a vast amount of technical knowledge, you learn how to collaborate with engineers of all backgrounds and experience levels, which is crucial, especially working in lead and management-level positions. You get out of the program what you put into it, so it's not a "sit back and relax" type of situation, but those in the cohort who went all-in saw major results post-graduation. One con is that they pitch you being able to waltz into senior-level roles making 140k+ with no prior experience. This may have been true pre-covid, but is very rare in today's market. The average salary of our graduating class is significantly lower than it was a few years ago. That being said, everyone in my cohort who is working seems to be very happy and comfortable with their positions, their leveling, and what they're making. -
Anonymous
Real World Preparation
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
The curriculum at Codesmith is extremely well-rounded, and introduces you to all of the parts needed to develop and deploy a full stack application from scratch. While there is a broad range of technologies covered, Codesmith encourages students to specialize in one area, becoming a T-shaped engineer (good at all, great at one). This lends itself to the best part of the curriculum: the focus on working in teams to build projects. Much of the program is devoted to building full stack applications; students are grouped together and work in an agile development process much like you would see in the real world, with certain team members tackling their specialized parts of the project. This gives you a great idea of what to expect in your future jobs.
The only thing I will say is that 2023 and onward are not a reflection of the CIRR outcomes that Codesmith posts, which (last I checked) only go through mid-2022 and don't reflect the current state of the tech market. It took me 11 months to land a job after graduation, and I am being paid much less than the "average Codesmith grad", and only about half of my cohort have landed jobs. I don't blame Codesmith for this, since the job market is now saturated with experienced FAANG engineers that have been laid off, but it is important to note that the CIRR reports are no longer reliable with the current state of the job market. While it is possible to get a job after Codesmith, and the career support resources from Codesmith are incredible, it is an extremely challenging and mentally/emotionally draining process that does not end when you graduate Codesmith. -
Anonymous
Codesmith taught me everything I needed to know to get a job
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Codesmith did a fantastic job of preparing me for my first job as a software engineer. As someone who did not have a background that was even remotely technical, it took me a couple of months to get a high paying job. Granted, this was during a very hot job market, but I was able to make an impact at my new job from day one. I attribute that to what I learned at Codesmith. I talk to new grads on a monthly basis, and I think Codesmith has done a good job of adjusting their guidance and instruction to students entering the job market right now. -
Anonymous
Codesmith was the best decision
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Transitioning from a non-technical background to software engineering was a daunting decision for me. The fear of regretting such a significant career change, coupled with the financial investment and uncertainties surrounding immersive programs, made me hesitant. However, in 2020, I took the leap and enrolled in the full-time remote Codesmith immersive, a decision I now cherish as one of the best I've made.
My journey with Codesmith began with their free JSX course, which not only provided me with a solid foundation in JavaScript but also introduced me to their supportive community on Slack. Their free online Hard Parts workshops further cemented my decision to join their full-time program, showcasing the community's commitment to building confidence and providing empathetic support to engineers.
Enrolling in their CS Prep course was the next step for me, serving not only as preparation for the immersive program's interview but also as a personal gauge of my commitment to the full-time program. The CS Prep course was fantastic, once again immersing me in their supportive community and affirming my decision to pursue software engineering with Codesmith.
Ultimately, I committed to their full-time online immersive. Though intense, the curriculum was exceptional, covering TypeScript/JavaScript to React and Redux, and Node and Express. While challenging, the hands-on projects and insightful educational lectures equipped me with the skills crucial for my first role.
What truly sets Codesmith apart is its community. Throughout the program, I felt supported, encouraged, and challenged, especially during moments of imposter syndrome. The post-program support, including resume assistance, mock interviews, and career guidance, further underscores their commitment to their students' success.
Four months after graduating, I secured a software engineering role with almost double my previous salary. Codesmith equipped me with the foundational knowledge I needed. While there were still gaps in my knowledge (which is expected in any SWE role for any engineer at any level at any point in their career), Codesmith instilled in me the mindset of continuous learning and problem-solving, which has been invaluable in my career.
Now, several years outside of the program, I continue to excel in my career as a Software Engineer and utilize Codesmith’s alumni resources. It's a community I know will accompany me for a long time.
While Codesmith offers the technical foundation for a software engineering role, achieving success demands dedication and effort. It's essential to recognize that success isn't guaranteed; Codesmith provides the tools and guidance, but it's up to you to put in the work. This entails committing to deepening your skills, practicing rigorously, and actively networking. If you're prepared to roll up your sleeves and fully commit, Codesmith will undoubtedly pave the way for your success. However, if you're expecting a passive experience and hoping to coast through the program effortlessly to land a job, I would advise against taking the leap.
If I were to offer one suggestion for improvement, it would be to provide more support on System Design interview preparation. While some time is allocated during the immersive, additional dedicated time in this area would be beneficial. Nonetheless, I was able to supplement my technical knowledge independently to excel in my interviews.
I'm genuinely grateful for my decision to join the Codesmith immersive. The strong community, comprehensive curriculum, and post-program support make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to transition into software engineering. -
Anonymous
An incredible program
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Codesmith is one of the best decisions I ever made. Not only does their unique approach to teaching engineering truly set them apart, but the folks I met along the way have become some of my most important friendships. Learning to code is tough, and the environment they foster and the standard of excellence they promote is second to none, allowing their students to grow and learn in ways most of my classmates doubted were even possible. Many of my classmates were changing careers, didn’t have a background in tech, and most had never seen any code before beginning their application process. While they set themselves apart by expecting students to work hard to understand the concepts, they also are incredible at tailoring the experience to make sure every student is able to succeed. Everyone struggled with one concept or another at some point, and yet, all of them came away from the program with serious, industry-ready skills that set them apart– even from folks with computer science degrees. Being a professional engineer means constantly facing new tech, concepts and challenges– one of Codesmith’s greatest strengths is that they teach their students “how to learn” in a way you simply don’t see elsewhere. I came away from the program not only with a really solid foundation, but also with the confidence that I’d be able to tackle anything new in my career. I learned how to break down problems and incorporate new tech and skills on my own As a student that went through the program and graduated in the midst of the 2023 tech lay-offs that happened world-wide, I was scared to say the least when it came time to hunt for a job. In the end, I found one within six weeks after completing the program. Not only had they prepared me, more than perhaps I even realized, but they also provide incredible post-graduate support that helped me every step of the way. I wholeheartedly would recommend this program to anyone, it sounds corny to say so, but it really changed my life. -
Anonymous
Worth it if you’re willing to work hard
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I didn’t love every aspect of my Codesmith experience but I will say if you are to do a bootcamp, Codesmith is your best bet.
Starting with the positives: The support and community is top-notch. Everyone from instructors to TAs to alumni to support staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and battle imposter syndrome. It’s cheesy and borderline cult-like but as much as people rag on it, everyone feels safe, supported, and seen. The emphasis on projects is where you get your money’s worth and is the cornerstone of your resume and interviews. You’ll learn the basics of git and have plenty of options for answers to behavioral questions during interviews. The hiring portion at the end of the program I don’t think is as amazing as everyone puts it out to be, but they really do mean lifelong career support. Plenty of alums still use their postgrad career services. There are also some opportunities to connect with alumni during the program which proved valuable on the job hunt.
There’s a lot that I wish were different about my experience. First, the weekly assessments I don’t think were a good measure of what I learned throughout the units. I was able to pass them just by copying a lot of the code from the units and changing them slightly. Just because I’m able to recognize a pattern doesn’t mean I have a deep understanding of the concepts. I felt like I skated by not really knowing the material. The TAs are previous alumni who just finished the program and it was obvious some of them didn’t know the material well enough to teach it and answer questions about it. (I did have some exceptional TAs though that I think deserve the senior engineering roles they landed after TAing.) There’s also no structure for the capstone project that you do. We were left to our own devices, tasked with building a solution to a technology none of us knew nothing about, and no one told us about good coding practices or did code review with us. I’m still proud of my group’s progress on the project and it gave me a lot to talk about during interviews, but I really feel Codesmith is missing out on a great opportunity here to teach us how best to code instead of just scrapping for an MVP.
Overall, I’m glad I did Codesmith because it helped me find a SWE job in a pretty brutal market between the career and alumni support but just know what you’re getting into if you go for it. Codesmith isn’t a golden ticket to a well-paying job. You’ll have to work hard to get through the program and you’ll need to supplement that with your own studying. If you’re not afraid of working hard and staying determined, Codesmith will be a good choice for you. -
Anonymous
Happy, I am employed as a software Engineer
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I initially started looking into a career change after not being happy with my previous career trajectory and consulting with a friend that was in the industry. After doing some initial research into another program, I noticed that Codesmith had superior analytics in regards to job placement and salary. It's very important to do your due diligence because you are spending big money so you want to make sure that those funds aren't being wasted.
Once I knew that CodeSmith would be my target, I started using their free JS learning resources (at the time called edx) and attending their free workshops. This gave me an introduction to some of the lead instructors, some of the teaching fellows and the format of the lectures. I also decided to enroll in both of the prep courses (since the cost was subsidized from the Immersive Tuition) and from there started to prepare for the interviews to get into the immersive itself. I ended the CS Prep course in mid-july and pretty much studied from then till I got accepted into the course in October of that year. There were two formal interviews, the first was a character interview where you spoke with someone over the phone to confirm your cultural fit, after you pass that you then need to pass a technical interview, which was done over zoom and was pretty much a coding interview. (One thing here is that this felt very similar to the actual job interview process). It took me three tries to pass the technical interview but when I did I had a call with the lead instructor who told me I had passed.
Once I reserved my place in the cohort (maybe 2 weeks before it started) I was given some pre-course work which was setting up my environment with ide, connecting to github and working on pre-course work to prepare me for some of the upcoming work. (again the whole prep process was very similar to what it would be in a professional environment).
At this point the course started, i believe there were 4 weeks of lectures/smaller partner projects, 4 weeks of group projects, 4 weeks of capstone project and 2 weeks of job searching preparation. I'd say my biggest takeaways from the learning/project side, is that Codesmith didn't necessarily pump all the information into me to make me a capable senior reaCT engineer, instead they more gave me a taste of technologies, and during the project phase, it was up to us to know how to research/read documentation to make things work (again very realistic to a professional setting). Drilling into us how to research and problem solve was one of the biggest benefits to the program. I've heard in other programs, people are just coding along and copying the instructor but with Codesmith we were literally building things from the ground up and figuring out how to do that. When I got my first job I quickly realized that the process of building and problem solving felt very similar to the project phases at Codesmith. And if you need extra help or are falling behind, the staff is there to help and assist. During the lecture phases there were weekly assessments and if you struggled during those, you would get 1 on 1 sessions with staff. I think I had a 1 on 1 session for every assessment I took.
The last 2 weeks of the program were also invaluable. During this portion Codesmith helped us build our Resumes and Social media presence as well as going through interview prep with each other and also Alumni. It was very similar to what I experienced during the job hunt. and the Career assistance is for life!
In conclusion, I would like to say that the journey through Codesmith and the job hunt were not painfree. I think I was interviewing and studying for a good 6 months before landing a job and even though there were some embarrassing interviews, I learned from each one and continued to learn and prepare for the next one. It's very Cliche but you get from Codesmith what you put in. The harder you work there the easier the transition will be into the workforce. I stayed at my first job for 1.5 years and recently got referred and hired to another company. I wouldn't say my life is stress free nor would i say software is easy, but I am in a much better place then before thanks to Codesmith. -
Anonymous
Codesmith changed my life
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Codesmith changed my life. Before Codesmith, I was working a dead end customer service job. I came into the program having studied for about 2 months to get into it, and then after the 3 month program, I was able to land a SWE position in less than a month, more than tripling my total compensation from before. In talking to some current students and even some of my cohortmates, it's tempting to think that you know better than Codesmith... but from my perspective, it's like why would I pay $20k to do this thing and not give my 100% and see it through to its finish? My advice would be to keep an open mind, give it your all, and then give it some more. Codesmith was one of the hardest things I ever did, and the subsequent job search even harder, yet it was all worth it in the end to get to have a career that I always dreamed of. -
Anonymous
Life Changing
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I attended Codesmith mid-last year, despite everything I heard and read about the market. All in all, between studying for and attending the program, and Job hunting I managed to land a job in just over a year. The entire process has been quite literally life-changing, I make nearly 4x what I made prior.
Is it easy?
No. The bar of entry is high, the program requires your entire undivided attention, and the job hunt is more difficult than both of those combined.
Is the market bad?
Yes, the majority of my cohort mates are still on the hunt, and
Is it impossible?
Absolutely not! I have no degree, and was still able to land a role and a salary that had you asked me 1 year ago I would have never thought possible.
Overall, yes the market is bad, and yes nothing is guaranteed, but Codesmith is far and away the best BootCamp on the market, and the skills that they teach absolutely prepare you to successfully switch careers. -
Anonymous
Life Changing Experience
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Before Codesmith, I was working on switching out of the medical field through self-learning but I quickly realized that a reliable bootcamp is a much better option. Having done research for months, I decided to go with Codesmith and the decision has been the best one I've ever made. The education I received at Codesmith in the short 3 months I was there made me a stronger dev than I could've become in 3 years of self-learning. I truly owe all of my professional success to the program and would recommend it to anyone I know as the education they provide is second to none. The community of people I met was truly amazing and has helped me still to this day in my coding journey. That support network of other engineers is by itself worth the price of admission. Even with the fast pacing, no one was left behind in learning as well all boosted each other, and the staff truly cares that everyone is learning and growing by providing whatever support is needed. Along with that, the way that the curriculum is taught was outstanding and truly gave me such an in-depth understanding of JavaScript and other frameworks were I feel that I have a better understanding of the technology than most of my coworkers. This is the best bootcamp by far that is out there! -
Anonymous
Life-changing decision
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
If you are wondering if you should attend a bootcamp for career switch, then I do not have the answer for you. However, if you have already decided to go to a bootcamp, but not sure whether or not Codesmith should be the choice, then my answer is absolutely yes.
I was a school teacher before I became a caregiver to my 2 children. One day I was thinking, you know what, maybe I can become a software engineer. So I started to shop around bootcamps online and discovered Codesmith. To get into Codesmith was not as easy as I thought, I started to prepared myself for 4 month and tried twice to finally pass their technical interview. The journey with Codesmith was very pleasant, everyone was so nice and supportive.
I am happy that the outcome exceed what I expected, while everyone was talking about how bad the market is this year. After 400+ application and 4 months after graduating from Codesmith, I landed my first role with a large bio-tech company with a salary that's 4 times more than what I made at my last job. I am sure there are other cohort-mates who's got better offer than me, since I am definitely not the smartest one, nor the one with the strongest background.
So, if you are a dedicated personal who has great passion for building, I would say just give it a try, it's a life changer for me as it might be for you as well. -
Anonymous
Highly challenging and rewarding. Thrilled with Results.
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
The curriculum and schedule was super challenging, I was consistently reassured and supported by staff, for the first time started to feel comfortable enough to ask questions, met friends for life, gained a real sense of confidence, so overall, I would highly recommend. The part that blew me away was the support, advice, encouragement and hand holding that I received during the job search process, specifically Eric. I was able to negotiate a ~20% higher base and more senior title. Would never have been able to advocate like that for myself on my own. Looking forward to following Eric’s advice when it comes time for my annual (possible semi annual) review! I’m so happy with my new career. -
Anonymous
Great Experience, Highly Recommend
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I did the Part-time remote immersive program and graduated in March 2023. Overall, I am highly satisfied with my experience at Codesmith. The instructors are excellent, the content is challenging (you will learn the most relevant skills for the job search) and the community is fantastic.
Codesmith puts a lot of time and effort into its students; you will have biweekly assessments to gauge your skill level and determine if your technical skills are keeping up with the curriculum. If you do fall behind, they will give you 1-1 private sessions to fill your gaps in technical understanding. The interview and resume support is also fantastic, and this support extends beyond graduation.
That being said, Codesmith is just like any other educational program in that you get out of it what you put in. They don’t hand hold you or just give you answers - that doesn’t make you a better engineer. They teach you ways to problem solve. Expect to be challenged, work hard and you will see results.
For those curious about outcomes, I got two offers - one at 165k/year and the other at 180k/year. -
Anonymous
Well worth the effort.
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
If I were to recommend a coding bootcamp to anyone, I would undeniably say Codesmith is the way to go. It's high entry-bar ensures that you have a minimal knowledge of Javascript and programming concepts so that you and your classmates can dive right into the curriculum from day 1.
Curriculum
The focus of the program is not to make you into a 'code guru', but to give you an introduction into what it's like to be a Software Engineer. You get what you put in, both during and outside of class hours. They put you in an environment with other individuals who also have the same drive to want to learn to code and build out web applications. The curriculum presents you with a solid foundation of core technologies that are commonly used in the industry today, but don't just assume that is all you will need in order to land a job.
Instructors
Instructors are A+. They come in with their own personalities and passion, and foster a positive environment for everyone in the program. The staff outside of the instructors and fellows are amazing as well.
Job Assistance
The job assistance program is on point as well. Of course, nobody can guarantee anything in this 2023 landscape, but if you put the effort in, they will teach you how to write your resume, navigate the job market, set up your profiles, and apply to jobs. There is no one-size-fits-all process for landing a job in tech though. You will find yourself tweaking your profiles and resumes to what you think best works for you! Codesmith offers post-graduation support, so make sure to utilize those resources if needed.
Your classmates
This program is tough enough as it is, so embrace the connections! You will get a chance to work with everyone in your class, and build networks/relations/friendships that go beyond the scope of the classroom.
Overall
No bootcamp is perfect, but Codesmith will give you the tools and network you need to start on your own journey into tech. After graduation, it is up to you to continue the learning while looking for that first job in tech!
-
Anonymous
Supportive, Collaborative, Empathetic
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
I went through Codesmith in the latter half of 2022 and was placed within a job just under 3 months of graduating. Like many, I was transitioning from a non-tech background, but as soon as you even start learning about and integrating into the Codesmith community, you'll realize how many others like you there are. Also, it's one of the most empathetic and uplifting communities I've been a part of and I still talk to my cohort mates months after graduating together. -
Anonymous
Wonderful and Amazing!
Codesmith offers very broad and comprehensive course in Java Script for beginners. Instructors are great. They teach us all the concepts in very simple way and in very lucid language. Highly recommended course for students who want to begin their career in field of Java Script. -
Anonymous
Stellar, ivy-league quality bootcamp
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
If you're like me, you're probably creating a huge Excel sheet right now full of every bootcamp in the world and how good their outcomes are so you can try to feel better about a decision everyone else seems to think is so risky and dumb. I mean $20k isn't cheap, and neither is the 3 month commitment to a career you're probably not entirely familiar with.
If you want the best shot at curating a new career for yourself in tech, I'd wholeheartedly recommend Codesmith. I was lucky enough to receive a job offer after the program despite having very limited software engineering experience. More than the curriculum (which is great), they also teach you how to *think* like an engineer and embrace hard learning. This mindset alone is invaluable and probably the ultimate reason so many codesmith grads go on to receive amazing job offers. The job search hints are another invaluable resource codesmith provides - especially for anyone reading this who wasn't part of the elite circles in high school or college that received this advice beforehand. In some ways, it's just as valuable as the coding experience itself!
I won't say the program is perfect, no program is, but the fact that they can turn you from a beginner with no coding experience to a mid-level software engineer is incredible. My only suggestion for improving the program now that it's over is probably a stronger foundation in algorithms (but this is something you can learn on your own as there are TONS of resources online and it's something that doesn't happen in just a few short weeks). The curriculum is incredible and all three of the current frameworks I use at work now were taught at Codesmith. The opportunity to work in group projects on complex code is great experience to refer back to during the job hunt too.
If you don't want to waste your time or money, you want a top-notch bootcamp taught by very engaging & caring instructors, and you want to be working long days and late nights surrounded by other students (all of which have been screened for good energy) with the same goal as yourself - then Codesmith is the place for you. The program was hard, even excruciating at times, but it was honestly pretty freaking fun too. There were highs and lows for sure - what do you expect when you're trying to fast track 2-4 years of software engineering experience and Bachelors Degree in Computer Science into 3 months?
I'm really happy I chose this program. Not everyone I graduated with got an insanely high offer ($130k+), but many did, even some without proper prior coding experience or education like myself. And as someone who really did make that 100+ line Excel sheet a year ago, I can tell you Codesmith really is the place to be. -
Anonymous
Codesmith Review
Read more Read less of Anonymous's review
Codesmith is the best from the curriculum, instructors, all the way to job support. I was a full-time musician before this and had no technical background. I started by doing CSX challenges and attending workshops, taking JSB and CSPrep, all the way to the immersive. I took on the fellowship after graduation and got a job upon finishing the fellowship, WFH at a tech company in Silicon Vally. Every step of the way, I was supported by the most loving, passionate people, from Codesmith staff to graduates. It’s more of a family than just a community. I received so much love and support here that I want to give back. Many graduates felt the same way as me and went back to giving mock interviews for the current students, sharing their job-searching experiences... If you are on the fence about picking a coding school, I highly highly recommend Codesmith. It’s so beginner friendly. You can start from all the free resources it offers and take the free workshops from its website.