Codesmith Reviews
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Chris Verified via LinkedIn
A One-of-Kind, Immersive Accelerator
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Codesmith’s Software Engineering Immersive was one of the most demanding, rewarding, and unique experiences of my life. I entered the program after 10 years as a professional musician, with no technical background, and am leaving with the skills and confidence to work alongside seasoned software engineers.
In my search for a software engineering immersive, I went through considerable research to find the ‘best’ option. For options in Los Angeles, the search led me to Codesmith and Hack Reactor. To evaluate these programs I worked through their respective online prep materials, attended in-person info/coding sessions, and spoke with company representatives. While I experienced Hack Reactor as high-quality and professional, Codesmith was a cut above. In the areas most important to me, curriculum and culture, Codesmith impressed.
CSX, Codesmith’s online prep platform introduced advanced JavaScript topics and provided challenging exercises to reinforce learning. (It took me 2 days to solve Intersection on the Callbacks & Higher-Order Functions module! This was my introduction to one of Codesmith’s teaching paradigms, learning through struggle.) Their live workshop series, ‘JavaScript: The Hard Parts’ provided an opportunity to connect with aspiring engineers, current residents, and faculty. The people I met were personable and encouraging. They didn’t make me feel self-conscious about my lack of prior experience but created an environment where I could build confidence in my nascent coding skills. These observations, of Codesmith’s high technical standards and supportive community, convinced me to enroll in their full-time Software Engineering Immersive.
My time at Codesmith as an engineering resident was intense, in the best possible way. The pace moved quickly through advanced material. As students, we were constantly being stretched to the edge of our ability, which served to accelerate our learning. Every two days we were assigned a partner to pair-program through various units on Algorithms & Data Structures, React, Redux, Node, and SQL databases. We were provided high-level lectures and support from Engineering Fellows, but much of the learning came through reading documentation, struggling through prepared challenges, and collaborating with other students. This helped me to see that Codesmith has designed its process to not only teach software engineering, but to build meta-skills of collaboration, navigating uncertainty, and learning how to learn.
Codesmith balances its academic rigor with a supportive, inclusive learning environment. Prospective students are screened for cultural fit and soft-skills like empathy and cooperation. It shows. My cohort consisted of brilliant, driven people who supported each other through the process. In a setting that might easily become competitive, my peers were humble, team-focused, and committed to helping others.
Lastly, Codesmith’s hiring program is incredible. Hiring lectures are thorough and battle-tested. Students receive detailed feedback on resumes, online profiles, and outreach strategy, along with one-on-one support for salary negotiations. CEO and co-founder Will Sentence personally reviews and signs-off on each resume. I was so impressed by his investment in the success of every resident!
I realize a review so positive might be met with skepticism, but I’ve found Codesmith to be exceptional at every turn. (Time and again I felt the value provided far exceeded the cost of tuition.) For those who are determined and willing to push through every obstacle, I’d recommend Codesmith without hesitation.
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Jason Wong Verified via GitHub
Inspiring
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I don't know where I'd be if I had chosen to attend any other bootcamp instead of Codesmith. As a recent grauduate from UCSB with a Financial Math and Stats major, I was unsure of my future as I began having second doubts of my career that I had selected. Codesmith took my interest in coding and turned it into a passion to learn more about the technology that is affecting our world today. In such a rigorous yet rewarding course, I've constantly been challenged to improve myself in critical areas, technical and non-technical. From tackling problems with the right mindset to the ability to communicate clearly to colleagues, I consider every skill I've picked up critical to to myself and the future of my career.
Getting into Codesmith isn't easy, and it doesn't better once you get in. However, with such a careful selection process of cohort members and supportive staff, I found myself so immersed in my work that I didn't mind staying longer than regular hours. It'd be a mistake not to consider Codesmith.
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Frank Verified via LinkedIn
Student
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This program is parallel to none. I went to undergrad at Berkeley, and my three months at Codesmith was more academically rigorous than any semester during college. But there is a great deal of support. The instructors, TAs, and fellow students all put in the extra hours to support each other and make this place feel like home.
I had another friend who went to a different coding school in the same city two years ago, and he's been working as an engineer in industry since. I'll be commanding a higher salary than him upon my graduaduation here from Codesmith.
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Serge V Verified via GitHub
Extremely Challenging and Rewarding
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To me, CodeSmith can best be described as an accelerator. If you're a self-driven learner, CodeSmith will challenge you with a very intense and in depth JavaScript based Computer Science curriculum. Every day, you'll be pair programming with a group of like-minded students and pushed to explain your thinking and build up your technical communication skills.
By the end of the experience, you will have multiple projects in your portfolio and feel confident going out to the search for a mid-level or senior-level software engineering role. More than teaching you Node.js, React and Redux - Codesmith teaches you how to tackle and conquer any new technology.
While the computer science education is fantastic, perhaps the greatest value CodeSmith provides is its rich career development program. The insights you get from the founders of Codesmith - who teach the career development curriculum themselves - is worth the price of tuition alone.
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Eterna T Verified via GitHub
Elite Coding Bootcamp
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Codesmith is probably one of the top 3 bootcamps in the US. I was skeptical about their average starting salary report, but now that I've graduated and begun my job search, I definitely believe it. The way that you talk about technologies and the level of code you write when you leave is really impressive.
I initially became interested in Codesmith because I was really impressed with their curriculum. After researching and attending an in-person workshop at both Codesmith and another Los Angeles bootcamp, I was pretty sure Codesmith was the best program in Southern California. I highly advise attending free workshops at whatever camp you’re considering! I attended a Codesmith JavaScript Hard Parts (JSHP) Meetup and was very impressed at the level of detail they went into how JS works under the hood. My mind was left reeling, trying to understand the single thread of execution going through the code, how execution contexts were being popped on and off the call stack, how closure worked due to JavaScript’s lexical scope, etc. I also saw that some residents were actually C.S. grads! So I knew that Codesmith was pretty technical and probably had a decent filter for admits. When I joined, a number of my cohort-mates were actually bootcamp grads from other bootcamps! Codesmith was their 2nd bootcamp. :O
About the culture/people: there were definitely times I felt our cohort was warm and fuzzy and supportive. Each cohort is very different, but they do a good job of picking the right people and building an inclusive, collaborative culture. They also support women/minorities in tech and educate about imposter syndrome and gender/race biases, with the hopes that we as future senior-level engineers can be cognizant about these issues. Thumbs up.
That said, I don't think Codesmith is necessarily for everyone - there is a high degree of autonomy in the last 6 weeks, and you have to be strict with yourself. In the first 6 weeks, the curriculum also moves quickly in 2 day units. The instruction is excellent and I think the curriculum is extremely well thought-out, but since you only get three 1-hr lectures for each unit, you must challenge yourself. You learn to read documentation and problem solve aloud via pair programming. This mirrors real-life and sets you up for future situations in work. For future improvement, I did wish they enforced punishments as it'd be good motivation! I also wish they provided a teeny bit more guidance as we struggled through the challenges haha~ but the on-site fellows were amazing and often nudged us in the right direction whenever we needed help.The hiring lectures and job preparation/resumes were phenomenal. The advice they give you is gold, and it's quite a transformative process when you look back at what you were like before. You make back your monies in those workshops right there.
I don't think you'll regret it - it's a worthy investment in your own future. Just attend a JSHP and check it out for yourself! :)
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J Verified via GitHub
Believe in Yourself
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I was going nowhere, not even fast. I was going nowhere slowly. I was making 30k, with no room for career advancement.
Then, I came to Codesmith. I just accepted a 100k+ offer as a Software Engineer. Trust the process. This is real.The market needs what Codesmith helps you become.
I researched 4-year universities, I researched grad programs, I researched AA degrees, and I researched bootcamps. Then I found Codesmith, which is none of those things. Codesmith is indeed a resisdency, which asks more of you than a bootcamp and offers more to you than any other program.
Personally, I have a 4 year degree. I had it prior to Codesmith, yet I was never challenged to work as hard as I was during my time at Codesmith. I was never put into a box a Codesmith, the way I was at my university.
Codesmith is not making cookie-cutter repeat devs, Codesmith is looking to help you identify your personal strengths/interests and bulid them into a marketable skill set. Codesmith is looking to evolve you. Every graduate who comes from Codesmith is great in their own way, powered by their own strengths, and moving forward by the strength of their own legs.They do so by challenging you to accomplish impossible tasks, or at least tasks which seem impossible...until you find yourself completing them.
Over and over again you will surpass what you thought you were capable of understanding. Over and over again, you will discover knowledge which was earned through problem solving. Over and over again, you will find yourself lifted by an amazing community.
You will struggle. You will get stuck. You will feel like you can't do it.
However, Codesmith and the community of learners on the journey with you will do literally everything they are capable of doing to help you along the way.
This place wants you to succeed, wants to help you succeed...the only question you have to ask yourself is, "Am I ready to succeed?"
If the answer is yes, come to Hard Parts.
Success is waiting for you there.
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Garron M. Verified via GitHub
What can I say that hasn't already been said... ?
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"Transformative." "Easily worth the investment." "Unlike anything I have or will have ever done in the best possible way."
Believe me... I was sitting in your position just months ago reading through the reviews and contemplating which one of these software engineering immersion programs was a fit for me, if at all.
Do this instead: Attend a JavaScript: Easy Parts then a Hard Parts Workshop (cost: always free) this upcoming week. Then go back again over and over.
Why?
No one goes into as much depth about the intricacies of how JavaScript works, especially with respect to asynchronous features, the event loop, and the microtask queue. You will learn so much from the Codesmith faculty as well as from your peers, because pair-programming is a huge part of it.
Still lost? Don't worry, I was too. But believe me, the effort this place puts in guiding you through the core pillars of software engineering is one-of-a-kind.
Now onto the program. It's phenomenal in every sense of the word. Bright engineers from the residents you'll be building amazing open source projects with, the stellar fellows who will stay late in the night to help you debug, to the instructors who have an incredible track record of molding you into the model mid-level / senior engineer you will soon become.
So again. If you're thinking about heading down this route, do yourself a favor and attend a workshop. You've got nothing to lose.
Thank you, Codesmith!
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Edward R Verified via GitHub
Codesmith has been one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences I have ever encountered.
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The level of this curriculum far surpasses the rigor and standard of any educational curriculum I have experienced. Even as a Neurosci graduate of the number 1 ranked public school in the US, I found this core curriculum more challenging and more intensive than the premedical courses I was taking back then. There definitely is very little hand-holding that occurs in this curriculum because of course, if you are to accelerate your career in a matter of three months (+some preparation prior to Codesmith) and learn everything you need to truly become a software engineer, you have to truly push yourself and get beyond just the typical Javascript knowledge bestowed upon normal graduates. However, while hand-holding is not part of the curriculum, there is a huge support system among your classmates as well as the staff who will help you out if you ever feel like you are drowning. The support from the staff is truly incredible and will truly help you out if you are ever in dire need. They are always monitoring your progress throughout the curriculum and will make sure you are getting what you desire from the program. While the curriculum can be quite difficult, what you get out if is a true insight into what a software engineering life is like:- To be constantly presented with a large number of technologies but learning to become comfortable with the unknown
- To not be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge because you develop the confidence of diving deep into a technology you have no idea about
- To break down any overwhelmingly difficult code, documentation or challenge one by one showing you that you are capable.
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Oscar Chan Verified via LinkedIn
Honestly more than you could ever ask for
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I can honestly say that the amount of improvement I've seen in my development journey has increased dramatically as a direct result of the supportive, and encouraging community at Codesmith. I went from someone who could just copy + paste code while following video tutorials, to be able to create fullstack web applications with ease. The best part about Codesmith is the community, the amount of attention they give to the students are insane.
If you come here, you will be put into the most intensive, stressful, wonderful, and fun time you will ever have in your coding journey. It will all have been worth it when you realize how far you've come, how many amazing people you've met, and how much you can do when you just push yourself.
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Maya Verified via GitHub
CS prep
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Cs prep helped strengthen the weaker areas and gaps in my software engineering knowledge and helped me feel more confident in applying for the full-time Codesmith program. The instructor did a fantastic job of covering each topic in a way that was engaging and inspiring. He also was open to answering questions and made sure that some of the more challenging concepts were understood at a foundational level. This was helpful because the people within my cohort all varied in their level of experience. Cs prep also put a strong emphasis on pair programming as a learning tool and I couldn't agree more with how beneficial it has been to my overall growth. The program ends with the building and presentation of a group project. During this time, you get the opportunity to apply what you learned to something more tangible and although it is challenging, it is really nice to see it all come together in the end into something you and you group can feel proud of. I would definitely recommend Cs prep to those who are serious about applying to Codesmith but are still on the fence about their technical communication and foundational software engineering skills. I am happy to say that after I attended cs prep I got accepted into the December 17 cohort and I am really looking forward to all that is to come.
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Emilia Brizuela-Nothaft Verified via GitHub
Propelled into Javascript
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I chose to enroll in CS Prep because I had started to learn to code on my own, but with no prior experience or community of fellow programmers I felt stuck. I was drawn to the part time schedule and short time frame, along with small group size of CS Prep, and the syllabus seemed thorough in covering the fundamentals of Javascript.
I appreciated that there were students of all different experience levels, and the instructor (Ryan) was incredibly encouraging while still pushing everyone to extend their individual knowledge. The class was structured around empathetic learning which helped everyone feel at ease, and encouraged all of us to really care for the learning of others, not just ourselves.
By far the most effective part of the course for me was pair programming. Since I had only learned to program on my own, it was amazing what working with one other person could do for the growth of my learning, and it especially enhanced my technical communication. I think it was important to pair program in the context of this course because we were easily able to check in with the instructor or other classmates if we had questions or clarifications. I learned so much in two weeks that I decided to take the course again and learned so much more because I had created a solid foundation to build on. I highly recommend this course to anyone who is starting to learn Javascript or needs to brush up on fundamentals. -
Hubert Verified via GitHub
Best bootcamp prep course out there
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This review is only for the CS Prep Course but I look forward to reviewing the full immersive. As a person who has completed 3 bootcamp prep courses - including CSPrep - I can honestly say CS Prep had the most advanced curriculum, was the best taught course, and had the best people. I took Fullstack and HackReactor's prep courses before and I'll outline the differences below
FS
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- Too easy, instructor didn't care and just recited from powerpoint slides, students weren't serious and dropped after a few classesHackreactor SSP
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- Literally 100 people in a videochat with instructors that can't explain concepts well even though I don't doubt their coding ability. No structure - you're left on your own. The only thing I really got out of it was doing the 150 toy problems which really helped my ability to use array methods but I could have done that myself.I am glad I went through those 2 first because it really prepared me for CS Prep. CS Prep is NOT for beginners! You learn things that go past beginner javascript like ES6 syntax, execution/callstacks, closure, recursion, HOF, AND Big O Notation, concepts either rarely or never taught in other prep classes. The curriculum was great but the best part was the community. Ryan, our instructor, was one of the most eloquent, funny, and understanding teachers I've ever had the pleasure of learning from. The members were also great and made the learning environment enjoyable where we all helped each other. Even after taking the class, I still keep in contact with the instructor and students who I pair program with as we continue to become software engineers.
Every program has its cons however and I would say the price is one of them. It is way steeper than every other program but it's really for those serious about the full program and so in that case, it is pretty much a free class.
The second thing is the duration. The concepts taught are way too advanced for beginners so either they need to increase the standards to get in or make the classes longer (which I believe they are considering). I got a lot out from it and was able to keep up but I also took 2 other prep courses before. I believe some of my other classmates were struggling toward the end unfortunately. -
Joel Pratt Verified via LinkedIn
Just What I Needed
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After 2 years of self-teaching, I stumbled upon Codesmith while going to meetups to fight the isolation of my solo pursuit. As soon as I walked in, I immediately knew it was exactly what needed. I had been to a lot of meetups and often found myself in an awkward in-between space of not being a super beginners or long time engineer. Codesmith was the first place that I felt challenged without being lost. And the community was hands down the most warm and welcoming I experienced in any meetup.
By the end of the program I'd learned way more than I had in the previous 2 years of self-teaching and felt ready to jump into a career as a software engineer. More importantly, I had tons laughs and made lifelong friends. Codesmith truly changed my life and I'm incredibly grateful for my experience there.
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Eric Carrillo Verified via GitHub
I got my remote dream job
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It's hard to put the Codesmith experience into words. This whole process is hard, really hard. Getting accepted, the course, and getting a job will all test you but there is no other place I would recommend someone to. As I write this I'm looking at my bags, packed and set for the Caribbean where I'll spend the winter earning a sweet salary, working for a great company and surfing fantastic waves. Here's the thing about other programs and about Codesmith, the proof is in the pudding. These guys know what they're talking about, they've produced the goods over and over again. Make sure to look at the other programs outcome reports and go to Hardparts. Do your research and your decision will be easy. See the staff talk and feel the vibe there, you'll see what everyone is talking about. It's a supportive welcoming community of hard working people. I've been at hiring events with people who've attended other programs and the difference is stark. Trust me, you want the cards in your favor. It's hard, it is and they make it that way on purpose but you'll learn the most valuable lesson there is in engineering, how to learn. And when it's hard you'll find the support you need. The learning curve is steep and the job market for your first tech gig can feel impenetrable. Knowing that your buddy got Google (true story), knowing that your mentors from the program are superstars in their own right and knowing that the answers and support that you need through the process is always there is invaluable. This program changed my life. I'm a better person for what I endured through this process. Buy the ticket, take the ride.
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Paul Valderama Verified via GitHub
Codesmith was life changing! From the network you build, to the friends/support you meet, to the engineering experience you go through.
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I am a career changer and found Codesmith at a crossroads in my life. At the time, I was thinking if I should position myself for grad school or look into transitioning to tech, and that's when I attended my first JavaScripts the Hard Parts with Will Sentance. Codesmith was so welcoming and supportive that I kept coming back. The more JSHP I attended, the less I wanted to work at the Medical Office was at and decided to stop working in order to study coding full-time. I studied and interviewed and was able to get in the June Cohort. One of the biggest things about Codesmith is it's community. As I was studying, I made more and more friends that were studying and setting the same goals as I was. Some of these friends joined me in the same cohort while attending Codesmith, some started at later dates, but all were supportive.
One of the best aspects of Codesmith, is it's ability to create engineering environments where students are able to experience real life engineering situations to build out projects, collaborate with engineers, practice engineering empathy, and learn how to solve problems. As a developer, running into blocks and being able to withstand and overcome them, is one of the essential keys to succeeding in this field, and Codesmith makes sure to drive this lesson throughout your time in the program.
Everyone I talk to, I tell them Codesmith is a wrap around service, because they not only teach you how to build projects like an engineer, but they teach you how to think like one/learn like one/ and have a work ethic like one.Everything is earned at Codesmith, It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, so get ready to work.
Codesmith make's sure you're equipped with mindset of an engineer, and then take it a step further by equipping you with interview skills and application strategies. The network you walk away with alone is worth the price of admission. I am fully confident, anyone who fully invests their time and commitment into Codesmith, will leave with a stronger network, engineering experience, and the correct mindset to start their career as a Developer in the tech industry as they graduate. By the end of the program you will leave knowing Codesmith is family. Codesmith positively changed my life for the better, it's only been 10 mos since I started studying full-time, I'm already working post graduation and very excited to see what's in store for my future in Tech.
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James Edwards Verified via GitHub
Life Changing!
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Just to qualify myself, I graduated from Codesmith and do not work for them. Also, I rarely write reviews unless my experience was exceptional. I have 2 words to describe this experience, Life Changing!
When I started my Codesmith journey, I attended “Javascript the Hard Parts”. Here I met Will Sentence and the Codesmith staff, who where very welcoming. I was absolutely blown away by in-depth, under the hood explanation of the language.
While attending Codesmith, I learned more than I ever thought; let’s say it exceeded my expectations and then some! It’s a lot of work, but their curriculum is designed to help you succeed and have the confidence to be a great engineer. It also taught me how to be more of an autonomous developer and have the ability to push through challenges. They won’t spoon feed you, rather give you the tools to be able to solve problems yourself. You’ll have the ability to dive under the hood and have a deep understanding of the latest, cutting edge technologies. This is part of what separates a junior engineer from a senior.
Not only did I gain the knowledge to be an amazing software engineer, but I gained a community that will be with me for a life-time. Being part of the Codesmith network is the most supportive, encouraging, and powerful group in the developer community.
Once I graduated, the support I got from Codesmith during my job search was unbelievable. They touched base with me every week to see how my job search was going and offered to help in any way. There were times I needed one on one help and I had to go on-site; the staff went above and beyond. Even though you have graduated, the staff is there to help you as if you’re still a student; they care about everyone who walks through those doors. Additionally, I needed some help on my job search approach, and Will called me to create a strategy. Shortly after I got my dream job as a Senior Software Engineer.
I am forever grateful to Codesmith as it has changed my life.
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Stacy Verified via LinkedIn
A Journey I Would Absolutely Take Again
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Choosing to attend CodeSmith is a choice that I am extremely grateful to myself for making. Let me start of by saying that it is NOT an easy path. Many days are long and arduous, but IS extremely worth it. Going into CodeSmith I was told that it would be difficult but rewarding. You spend upwards of 10+ hours a day there during weekdays and and additional 8+ hours on Saturdays. Throughout your time there you get lectures on the topic that you are going to cover for the next 2 days. Then you work on your own for half a day on beginning to understand the concept that you were just taught and the remainder day and a half with a Pair Programming Partner to help each other cement in said concept. For the second half of the time spent at CodeSmith, you get broken out into teams to work on a project that allows you to dive deep into a topic of your group’s choosing allowing you to more fully develop your ’T’ shaped skills.
Throughout this whole process you have a wonderful support system there to help you out. Not only do you have your peers that are learning right alongside with you to help you out, but you also have the staff (both technical and non-technical) and community of alumni by your side. These amazing people are not going to hold your hand and give you the exact answer that you are looking for but they will give you an answer that will help guide you to the exact answer that you are looking for. Some people may find this as unhelpful and uncaring, but I believe it to be the exact opposite. In life we cannot expect everything to be hand fed to us without really knowing what it is, but instead to expect people to be there to help us understand what we are being fed (I know, probably a weird analogy). But if people just give you the answer to your problem, chances are that you wouldn’t have learned as much as if someone helped you to find the answer out yourself. Plus the feeling of satisfaction one gets from finally figuring out a challenging problem and having that ‘aha’ moment is such a great feeling.
Another important piece of CodeSmith is Pair Programming. Every two days we would be paired with a fellow cohort mate to help each other go through challenges and cement the information that we were just taught. Some really important pieces to this is that everyone learns differently and takes in different pieces of the same information at different rates. By pairing with new people constantly a person could see the same thing that they were looking at but from a different perspective allowing for the broadening of one’s own way of viewing things. Also importantly, is being able to speak out loud what you are thinking/viewing in your own head (technical communication). This is extremely important because it is such a difficult skill to master, yet something that is used everyday in an average workplace. Something that should be practiced all the time even if you don’t have another person to speak your thoughts to, there is the Rubber Ducky approach. It may seem silly but speak out loud to a rubber duck (or any other inanimate object - or a pet if you have one) to work on getting the thoughts out of your head and spoken in an understandable way.
Once completing CodeSmith they don’t just kick you out the door and have you be on your way. Their doors are always open! They really encourage their alumni to drop in and say hi or come by and do any work they may have. There are two checkins that they conduct to see how post-CodeSmith life is going. And additionally, they have started post-CodeSmith interviews. So if your going through your job search and seem to be running into any issues, you can schedule an appointment with CodeSmith to help you do a mock interview, resume review, or some sort of general Q&A to help you move forward. They really love having their alumni be active in helping their current cohorts to succeed.
All of this so far has been about being a part of CodeSmith and in a Cohort. But even before that, CodeSmith offers many avenues of learning to code and preparing people to be a part of CodeSmith if they choose. They have many free workshops that anyone can attend, both in person and online. They also offer shorter courses that aren’t as stringent but still extremely helpful and effective. CodeSmith gives the tools for people to pick up and use.
I personally do not consider myself to be of a Computer Science/Software Engineer background. I got my BA Degree in Criminal Justice. Afterwards I started self studying computer programming and did online courses through a Junior College to get my AA in computer programming. From there I attended many months of CodeSmith’s HardParts every week. This gave me the basis of getting into CodeSmith and they have brought me to where I am today.
Thank you so much to all of the wonderful and amazing people that work at CodeSmith to help people realize and make a reality their dreams to be Software Engineers. You all have helped me so much, way more than I could ever put into words or express to you all. It is such a treat to be able to walk back into CodeSmith and always be welcomed so warmly. Also a huge shoutout to my Cohort!!! You all made everyday a fun and amazing learning environment. I miss you all and proud of everyone that have already gotten amazing jobs and can’t wait to see where everyone else ends up.
A final note to anyone considering CodeSmith and it may seem like a cliche but it is true. You get out of CodeSmith what you put into CodeSmith. It is a journey that you can take from it what you will. For me it is a journey that I would gladly take again.
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Hayden Fithyan Verified via GitHub
Unlike other boot camps in which the fear of getting a job at the end creates competition, CodeSmith’s outcomes mean that it is an environment of cooperation.
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COMMUNITY:
Everyone coming to CodeSmith is looking for a change, and this makes for an environment that is unrivaled by any other that I have experienced in my life. By design, CodeSmith is a cooperative experience and cultivates a culture in which everyone is helping each other to succeed, be it the senior cohort providing voluntary lectures to help the juniors or one of your own cohort mates taking time to walk you through when you are stuck. The community that develops is truly inspiring and entirely made up of people I wish to stay in contact with. Unlike other boot camps in which the fear of getting a job at the end creates competition, CodeSmith’s outcomes mean that it is an environment of cooperation. At boot camps where 50% of graduates get a job, there is a need to be in the top half in order to have a chance for a job in the end. However, when the outcomes are high enough the environment changes from being one of competition to one where everyone is trying to lift up those around them as much as possible, creating a group of friends rather than a collection of competing classmates.
Every single person in my cohort provided value, not only to my time at CodeSmith but to my life. I have fond memories of every person I interacted with, and I intend to keep in touch with all of the people that were a part of my CodeSmith experience. The staff also played an important role in shaping my CodeSmith experience, through the warm emails when I was just starting the application process to all of the people that taught. Everyone on the staff is happy to be there and outwardly projects their love to help others succeed. It is not the cold cookie cutter environment that many boot camps have become, but one driven by people who want to see a wonderful change in the life of everyone who comes through. The personal touch here really does a lot in creating an environment where you feel great about putting your time.
I am not a fellow, but the idea thrown around in reviews that reviews by fellows somehow don’t count is misleading. Becoming a fellow is a way for CodeSmith graduates to give back to a community that has already given them so much. Reviews left by fellows show those that are truly dedicated to the CodeSmith community, willing to give so much back to the community that they truly love. However not being a fellow doesn’t mean I love that community any less, I can honestly say that coming to CodeSmith was one of the best decisions of my life.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:
The great community isn’t the only part of CodeSmith that sets it apart from the others. CodeSmith also shows a dedication to understanding that isn’t seen at colleges, let alone other boot camps. They provide in-depth explanations of the way the Javascript and the libraries that you learn work, rather than the typical explanation that only provides how to use it. It is this dedication to teaching how they work, rather than just the how to use them that drew me to CodeSmith and it is the reason that I will always recommend CodeSmith to others. CodeSmith is the learning environment that I had been looking for my entire life, and as is repeated at CodeSmith all the time they aren’t trying to teach you, rather their goal is to teach you to effectively teach yourself. Of all the multitude of skills that one must learn to become a programmer, none will carry you further than the ability to effectively teach yourself as the technologies that you work with will change it is important to be able to quickly pick up new technology.
Another major focus of CodeSmith is technical communication. Being good technically with the material isn’t enough at CodeSmith, which has a focus on enabling its students to be able to succinctly explain complicated subject matters. It is this focus that makes CodeSmith graduates stand out; while engineering prowess is important, being able to easily carry a conversation about technically challenging concepts means CodeSmith graduates are able to pass technical understanding to others an invaluable skill. CodeSmith accomplishes this growth in technical communication through the way its units are designed.
CodeSmith structures its units to grow, community, technical communication, and technical understanding. CodeSmith’s use of pair programming enables each lecture to be a practice in technical communication and technical understanding. In every unit, you are faced with a challenge in understanding new material, and effectively communicating that new material to another person. It also grows the community aspect of CodeSmith, as approaching new technical challenges with another person is an immense bonding experience forming a new connection and further engrossing you into your cohort.
RECOMMENDATION:
Everyone’s journey with programming will be unique but if you are serious about learning it, I wouldn’t recommend any other place than CodeSmith.
TL-DR:
CodeSmith provides a community of people looking for a change, those interested in progressing forward. Additionally, it provides a team of people who want to help you on your journey for change, and it provides an environment for learning deeply about the intricacy of the tools you use, rather than just an overview of how to use them.
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Greg Domingue Verified via GitHub
A family
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I thought attending Codesmith would just be another educational experience, but it really is so much more. Everybody at Codesmith is dedicated to not only helping you learn but making sure you succeed. The people that they let in are amazing and everybody brings everyone else up. It will probably be the hardest you have ever worked, but what you will gain is a deep understanding of not only coding but how to learn how to code. Oh, and you will have a community/family for the rest of your life. If you are on the fence do yourself a favor and come talk to the people at Codesmith and I guarantee that you will be blown away by the culture just as much as the technical knowledge that everybody learns and has.
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Jeff Verified via LinkedIn
A Worthwhile Investment
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To give you some background of me and what I came to Codesmith with: I graduated with a dual major in Computer Science and Business in college and had worked for startups in business roles after graduating. I got tired of being on the business side of things and wanted to get my hands dirty and use some of the CS skills I gained in college. But having had no technical internships or professional coding experience, I knew I needed something to give me credibility to get a technical job as a post-graduate applicant.
Codesmith gave me that baseline credibility and a lot more. Being able to speak in depth about full stack frameworks and develop projects that are based around bleeding edge technologies was really important in my job search. The critical difference between Codesmith and college CS courses is that Codesmith gives you practical skills and understanding while my college courses always stayed at a more theoretical level. You need to be able to talk about ways to build a system and their benefits/tradeoffs if you want to break past the junior programmer level, and I don't believe that's possible with a pure undergraduate degree.
For people considering Codesmith who have a background like mine (technical degree, no technical experience) I think the numbers make a lot of sense. You may be thinking that devoting 3 months and the cost of tuition is a big investment (and it is), but if I would have tried to get a job without Codesmith it would most likely have been a junior level job and paying much less than the offer I got now. Given that programming jobs don't always promote very fast, going it on your own and starting with a junior level job means you could be stuck at a lower salary and wouldn't get to work on meaningful technical challenges for years. Before Codesmith I did try to self teach some web development, and I have to say there's just no feasible way you could teach yourself as much and as fast as you would learn from Codesmith.
So to me, it's a logically good investment. And as you can see from other reviews, the support network you get from being in this community is something really priceless. I plan to keep in touch with my cohort mates and the Codesmith staff for years to come. It really is a life-changing program. So for those of you who aren't happy with your career and dream of getting a cushy, spoiled developer job, Codesmith is the path for you.
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MIa Huynh Verified via LinkedIn
So thankful for Codesmith <3
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My first experience with Codesmith was from attending a JavaScript: The Hard Parts workshop taught by CEO Will Sentence -- and man, like everyone else, I was blown away from the depth of knowledge was being taught under the hood of JavaScript. I came from a non-technical background (Sociology major), and initially, I was set on attending another school, but after that workshop, I knew Codesmith was right for me.
The underlying principle that Codesmith embodies, providing a welcoming and supportive network to grow engineers to their greatest potential, is so simple yet at the same time elegant and substantial. It’s beautiful -- the process of exponentially growing engineers during this short period of time is impressive, but fostering an environment that creates a community of individuals who care for one another and support each other after the program is far more powerful.
The depth of knowledge Codesmith challenges individuals in their capabilities in programming is wild (from personal experience). But the foundation of moral support Codesmith community exemplifies is even wilder. The amount of responsibility the staff takes on to make sure every individual succeeds does not go unnoticed. They have open office hours to check on your progress, dedicated fellows assisting with help-desk questions, a stellar mentorship program, and a supportive community of engineers that will help you through the process. This isn’t to say they will hold your hand every step of the program -- you gotta work for it on your own. But when you hit a roadblock, either technical or non-technical, Codesmith is there to help. My cohort and I would not have grown because of the challenging curriculum taught, but because of the positive environment that Codesmith demonstrates. The mentorship Codesmith has given has been a core feature of our success.
Each day of the curriculum was a technical challenge on its own, but working through the blocks with pair programming and support of each other made this experience so enjoyable. Every engineer exemplifies the five core skills Codesmith vets for during their admission process (technical communication, problem-solving skills, engineering empathy, handling technical and non-technical blocks, technical knowledge) and is always there to help with your growth as an engineer. Codesmith is special not just because of the rigorous curriculum it offers, but the close-knit community of engineers it fosters with every cohort and beyond. For myself, after three months of trusting the process, I was fortunate to receive a job offer as a Software Engineer (Front-end) less than a week after graduating Codesmith. This career change has made me euphorically happy to know putting in a dedicated amount of hard work and perseverance with this program gave me so much more than what I was looking for. 11/10 would do it all again ya’ll
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Alex M. Verified via LinkedIn
Couldn't have asked for a better experience
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Reasons I'm glad I chose Codesmith:
1) Their teaching methodology and depth of understanding of Javascript as a language is 5 steps above any other bootcamp or online program I had taken part in previously - they show you what's going on under the hood.
2) I took part in and paid for pre-bootcamp prep courses at other highly rated bootcamps and had a better experience at the free meet up called Javascript the Hard Parts - they truly care about their contribution to the larger coding community
3) I'm a self taught developer, had no professional technical experience, and there is no way I could have learned at this level by myself. They teach you to learn and push through challenging blocks - you will not be spoon fed anything and you will be forced to learn things the hard way. That being said...
4)You are never 'on your own' in terms of learning. There are frequent check ins to make sure you understand the material and they will sit down with you and go through your challenges to help you
5) Their focus on technical communication also stands out from other bootcamps and makes you more likely to be considered for mid to senior roles after graduation - you are able to communicate your skills and mentor others much more effectively
and last but not least...
6)The people here are some of the best people I've ever met. Residents all share a deep curiosity and drive to become the best developer they can be but also an astounding empathy and willingness to learn by teaching others. I was someone with the least amount of technical experience and I never felt judged or belittled by others - only encouraged and supported. The staff is also incredibly dedicated to resident's learning.
I couldn't recommend Codesmith more highly to someone from my background (no professional tech experience) though I did have to hustle a great deal.
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Manjeet Verified via LinkedIn
Resident
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A little bit on my background, I am a computer engineer who has worked at IBM. Two weeks before I came to Codesmith, I was browsing the web to leverage the online community and expand my knowledge of Javascript. I somehow landed on “Javascript - the hard parts” and was mind blown on the simplicity with which under the hood aspects of the language were explained. If such in-depth content was served to the community for free then I was CONFIDENT that if I got admitted to Codesmith, my technical mindset would accelerate multifold.
Fast forward to today, I have one more day left in the program and I am so thankful for taking the decision to join Codesmith. At Codesmith, they nurture curiosity and pay a strong emphasis on understanding why a technology works the way it does. They focus on imbibing a growth mindset that helps you become a great problem solver who can learn any technology on the go. Everyone on the staff is AMAZING, super supportive and they go above and beyond to ensure that every person in the program succeeds.
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Rebecca Verified via LinkedIn
Codesmith NYC, a Transformative Experience!
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Before I began Codesmith, I was practiced and continuing to push my limits with JS algorithms and working my way through building my own apps. Codesmith definitely took my skills up to the next level and maybe even helped me go up multiples and multitudes of levels! Wherever you're at, it's definitely a place to level up with your technical skills and knowledge. It is true what people say, it is a place to "learn how to learn." I now feel confident that with a little time and reading up on documentation, I can figure out nearly anything in code. That is not a feeling I had before I started the immersive. I also feel that Codesmith pushed and continues to push me to think about code in a sophisticated and nuanced way. It's not just about building fullstack applications, it's about developing a deep understanding of how code works, how the data structures and algorithms are built, and which context favors which technology/stack. There's also an aspect of continuing to move the goal-post further and further as you're getting more skilled, so it keeps you humble. If you have the time and opportunity to familiarize yourself with various JS frameworks and libraries before starting, that can make a big difference in your experience, or just go in with a feirce can-do attitude because you will need it! Very rigorous and challening curriculum. Overall I'm very happy with my experience! Particularly the fellows and instructors are very helpful even at late times in the evening and over Slack at random times. The cohort was such a talented and phenomal bunch, the type of people you would want to spend 12+ hours a day with. It is also worth mentioning that Codesmith was very accommodating to myself and others who had extenuating circumstances throughout the 3 months. Life can be unpredictable even for these isolated 3 months and it's good to see that they have their students' backs. Overall very grateful to Codesmith for an amazing experience!
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Eric Fithian Verified via LinkedIn
Beat My Expectations
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I had an incredible time at Codesmith! They truly go above and beyond for their students by not only meeting with everyone until late in the evening and during meal breaks to help them with any material that's challenging, but they also are amazing at helping when any unforseen circumstances come up for the students. Additionally, they truly prepare you for having a great career where, for example, just this morning I spoke to a recruiter about a job at a large sports company (ideal for someone like myself who is a HUGE sports fan) that uses the exact technologies we've spent a ton of time on here and I was disapointed by the fact I won't take the job unless they move up from the $90-100k a year range they offer candidates for the position. I could not be happier with the experience I've had here at Codesmith!
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Stephanie Fong Verified via GitHub
Best time of my life
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If you want to be a better software engineer that knows how to tackle any problem and at the same time be surrounded by brilliant, empathetic individuals, Codesmith is the place to be.
Attending Codesmith really taught me how to learn any tech stack and apply it with confidence. There were several times I doubted myself and my ability, but I trusted the process here and it really worked because they teach you to question why and how every line of code works so that you come out of it with a solid foundation to solve any problem. Not only did I gain foundational knowledge, but technical communication skills as well—I love that they really emphasized technical communication here because it’s truly invaluable when it comes to interviewing and working in teams.
The moment I first checked out Codesmith during one of the hard parts workshops, I was truly blown away by the outstanding community, which was another reason why Codesmith in particular really stood out to me. It was almost unbelievable how much everyone here genuinely wanted me to succeed and was willing to answer any questions I had, as well as offer their time to pair program and learn alongside me. Even during + after my time as a resident, I received continual support from the staff, which also helped to foster a supportive culture and collaborative learning environment amongst my peers—something I really welcomed after having been a student/working in highly competitive settings. Because the interview process is so rigorous, you really do have the fortune of growing alongside people who are talented, intelligent, hardworking, kind, and empathetic individuals that will magnify your own abilities as an engineer.
Phillip Troutman of Codesmith
Senior Software Engineer and Lead Instructor
Sep 13, 2018
Hey Stephanie! Thank you for the feedback. It was an absolute pleasure having you in the program. The growth that you showed in your technical communication in just 3 months was extraordinary (and your ability to always dress like someone else in your cohort hahah 👯). -
Gordon Yu Verified via GitHub
Best Decision Ever
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I graduated from Codesmith about a year ago. Before I choose Codesmith I did a lot of research. I went to almost all the coding academies in Los Angeles and scrutinized everything. I nailed it down to two of the most elite schools and made a spreadsheet comparing them on every aspect. I went as far as to talk to the CEO of both of them and compared the glassdoor reviews that their employees wrote. I reached out to alums and asked intimate questions about their salary, work situation and whether the investment was worth it. The alums, students and guys/gals getting admitted to Codesmith seem to be of a higher caliber than anywhere else. I visited schools that were clearly BS, ones that will baby you and tell you that your bad code that you just wrote is great. (I remember going through a tour of one school and they were saying things like “oh our walls are whiteboard, you can draw on them!” Why the would I care about that?) I didn’t want that, I wanted to be challenged, I wanted to learn Javascript deeply and know about all the nuances. If I was going to spend my time and money on anything I wanted the best of the best and I wanted results.
Before I came to Codesmith I was already pretty good at programming since my undergrad was in Mechanical Engineering. I had a job for 2 years coding in MATLAB so I understood the fundamentals. It took me about 4 months of preparation and getting used to the Javascript syntax to get good enough to pass the admission interview. My cohort mates were excellent, even though I had years of programming under my belt I felt that it was hard to keep up. I remember Data Structures and React were particularly brutal to go through. But I got through it with the help of the staff and fellow students. They were very supportive but at the same time they weren’t there holding my hand and spoon feeding me.
The second half of the 3 months were dedicated to projects. The projects helped cement the concepts learned in the first half of the course. The final project was to build a developer tool. In other coding academies, teams are given free reign on what they build. I’ve seen some horrible ideas being implemented. At Codesmith they vet your ideas, making sure that they’ll be good enough, challenging enough to impress hiring managers and Senior Developers. My team had most of our project ideas rejected. At the end, our project ended up being a huge success. We were trending on Github for a whole month. When it came time to look for jobs, the engineers at some of the companies that I applied for knew about my project and have used it. That really helped in having something to talk about during these interviews.
Today I work at a Fortune 100 company, making a salary that is in line with the typical Codesmith graduate. I’ve been here since January 2018. I was hired on as a Mid-level Front End Engineer. When I first got there my coworkers gave kudos on how fast I was able to learn the codebase and create value.
Recently I’ve joined a new team within the company and I learned that there are several coding academy grads in my area. I found out that they’re making about half the salary that I am making. Two of my teammates have masters degrees in Computer Science and I’m keeping pace with them. I’m being trained in the J2EE stack and even though I had no experience in Java my teammates are surprised at how fast I was able to pick it up. This is all because I’ve developed solid programming fundamentals and the skills to learn new languages and concepts fast at Codesmith.
Codesmith was the best decision that I’ve made in my life. It literally transformed my life and career. The last time I checked, my cohort mates are all happily employed. Big Thanks to Will Sentence the CEO and the staff for creating a coding school that is so effective. I’m sure they can expand to every city rake in huge profits from their current reputation but they’re not because Will and his staff obsess over the quality of the program, making sure every student hit their potential.
Will Sentance of Codesmith
CEO
Sep 12, 2018
Hey Gordon - I just want to thank you for all you brought to codesmith - before, during and after the program - I remember your spreadsheet well :D
Webpack monitor was an outstanding project - I highly encourage people to use it http://webpackmonitor.com/
Keep up the good work at USAA -
David DeStefano Verified via GitHubAn amazing experience
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Before learning about Codesmith I was actively researching web development programs in NYC to see which seemed like the perfect fit for me. I applied and was admitted into some of the more familiar ones, but something about each didn’t quite fit what I was looking for.
While doing some research, I came across a comment on Quora that mentioned Codesmith. I wasn’t familiar so I did a quick Google search and read over their site. After going through the curriculum description, I was pulled in - it had everything the other programs seemed to be lacking. More so, the projects students were producing were tools made to solve real problems egineers face. Projects I could never fathom students producing in a 12-week bootcamp. I was hooked and decided to apply.
After going through two rounds of technical interviews, I was admitted to Codesmith’s April ’18 residency. It was challenging, but it was the best experience I could’ve asked for. I left with skills I never imagined myself having, and close friends I can’t imagine myself without. The curriculum is set up in a way to give you the training needed to hit the ground running day one on the job as a software engineer, and the community is built in a way so that you constantly feel surrounded by a group of peers who support you and, believe me when I say it, after a week together you'll consider some of your closest friends.
If you’re looking to accelerate your career from being a junior to mid/senior level engineer, or are coming from a different background entirely (like me), Codesmith is the place for you. In just 12 weeks you’ll leave with the experience qualifications of a seasoned engineer.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding the program, its curriculum or my personal experience at Codesmith.Phillip Troutman of Codesmith
Senior Software Engineer and Lead Instructor
Sep 12, 2018
Hey Dave, shout out to your resolve in the interview process and in the program itself. The growth that you showed over 13 week was outstanding! -
Annette Verified via LinkedIn
JSHP Workshops
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As someone trying to break into an engineering role, attending the JS Hardparts workshops has been invaluable to my growth as a programmer. Spending up to 2 hrs breaking down snippets of code line by line helped me understand why JS works the way it does. I could have read multiple articles on specific JS concepts but none of that would have been helpful if I didn't firmly grasp the fundamentals and truly understood how JS works underneath the hood. Spending the time digesting and truly breaking it down allowed me to see connections between specific JS features more clearly. What really makes Codesmith special it seems is the emphasis making engineers understand the why behind programming instead of just saying that's how JS works. Will is also an extremely engaging and passionate instructor, which makes the learning experience that much better. His teaching style and informal nature of the workshops is a big part of why I've repeatedly attended these events. Even though I am not a part of the CodeSmith program, I always feel welcomed and am extremely grateful and appreciative of the support Will and his team has given me!
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Alex Egorenkov Verified via GitHubQuality
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I was a Codesmith resident coming in with significant experience. I was mainly looking for a good tech community in NYC and a chance to catch up on some JavaScript trends that I had missed out on. I left with much much more.
Starting the journey
I first found Codesmith while looking for a great tech community in NYC. While there are many groups around and many people to meet, I found myself often dissapointed and frustrated for a variety of reasons. That is until I found Codesmith. The extended community around Codesmith is stellar and filled with people at all skill levels who are supportive of each other.
One of Codesmith's main events is JavaScript the Hard Parts, a introduction and pair programming session around common sticking points in JavaScript. People attend to: learn JavaScript, get practice talking about code, experience Will Sentance's excellent lecture style, network, and evaluate the learning environment for their junior friends. I was impressed with the event and it eventually dawned on me how difficult it is to have complete beginners and seasoned $200k+ leads working together, pair programming, and enjoying the experience.
It was surprising, but I could see myself growing in Codesmith's residency, whereas the majority of schools on coursereport could offer me very little in terms of growth.Application
I found the application process very balanced, transparent, and fair. A person with little experience, but lots of aptitude can pass, while a person with lots of experience, but little aptitude would be challenged.
It's strange, but I was very happy when I borderline failed the JavaScript technical knowledge portion of my interview, but passed overall due to problem solving and communication. That's exactly where I would have gauged myself. I've written JavaScript since the early 2000s, but it was never my main language, just something that was useful for building out front-ends and browser extensions. I had always been able to solve problems that crossed my desk, but I would not consider myself a great JS dev at that point.
CohortWhat drew me to Codesmith is their focus on excellence and quality. My first interaction with Codesmith staff was a message I received on meetup welcoming me to their meetup group. I replied with “This is probably a bot, but thank you for the welcome …”. The reply I received promptly summarizes my experience with Codesmith, “Alex, believe it or not, I’m not a bot. Here at Codesmtih, we do things right.”
The cohort sizes are smaller and the support from staff is tremendous. There is roughly 1 mentor for every 2 residents and the residents themselves are often quite astonishing in terms of technical ability, but also communication and working with team dynamics. The diversity of residents is a big plus and gives everyone a chance to struggle and learn. The teaching philosophy can be uncomfortable if you are not used to a strong focus on active learning, but, in my experience, is a phenomenal way to learn.
The experience is often uncomfortable and requires hard work and careful judgement in how you approach your growth and the growth of those around you. At the same time, the support is tremendous and the residents are carefully selected to thrive in such an environment. The general culture is one of “work hard, play hard” and does not get stifled by perfectionism.
Breaking Plateaus
Codesmith taught me new ways to communication, learn, present myself, problem solve, and put me in touch with an excellent growing community. I firmly believe that the trajectory of my growth has vastly improved for at least the next 5 years.
The hard parts
Every program has trade-offs. I think the major trade-off in Codesmith is that they put learning first and happiness as a close second. The people are wonderful and supportive, but the curriculum is not designed to make you happy. If anything, it’s designed to make you feel the stress and uncertainty of working in a production environment forcing you to develop consistent problem solving approaches with unfamiliar technologies. Watching your teammates struggle and figuring out how to constructively help can be difficult, but ultimately everyone seems to get through it.
On the other hand, it seems clear that this focus on real work is a key to Codesmith’s amazing outcomes.
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Patrick Stetz Verified via GitHubA Bit Surprised
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I was a student from cohort 1 for the 3-week Deep Learning course. I dropped out after two days because it wasn't worth the time investment. I had already spent my money by that point (no refund). Since leaving around a month ago, no one from the program has reached out to me for why I left. I was hoping the stellar reviews here would carry over for the new Deep Learning program, but that was not the case. My main concerns are in the structure of the curriculum (as of July 2018).
It’s a 3-week course, but taught at the pace of a 12 week course. Tensorflow is not covered in the first week, let alone the first day. We spent the first two days on a very basic NN with no backpropagation. No backpropagation means weights were decided manually as an exercise. That’s like becoming an animator by adjusting individual pixels. Like learning astronomy by counting the stars. Attacking someone by hurling a gun at them. Rubbing two matchsticks together to create a fire.
I will say there is nothing fundamentally wrong, it was just executed poorly. The idea of an online Deep Learning course is a great one and I hope Codesmith does not give up on this. Here are my suggestions.
- There are many excellent free resources like Andrew Ng's Machine Learning course, Stanford Computer Vision course, and Fast AI. The curriculum of Codesmith was similar, but at a lower quality and they charge money. This is my biggest concern. I wish Code Smith followed my next point.
- Leverage how young the field is. Advances happen so quickly that many resources aren't available on the cutting edge. What is posterior collapse or KL Divergence? Are Sigmoid's still useful or should I only use RELUs? Goodfellow just released his code for his latest paper, but I can’t understand a line of code.
- Use abstraction. There are many libraries in Python that can make an image classifier with over 90% accuracy in a few lines of code. I agree that a basic understanding of Neural Networks would help increase performance. However, a significant amount of our time was spent on coding functions that are included in Numpy.
- Math isn’t needed. It doesn't take advanced math to understand the basics of a GAN. Yet many resources teach it poorly with a lot of mathematics. Adam gradient descent can be explained with a momentum metaphor. Feature space can be visualized with Google Deep Dream. To explain matrix multiplication is a waste of time for both math background and no math background students (1 lesson is not so effective). I would suggest to either choose to not need advanced math or limit the audience somehow.
- The instructor did not seem extremely experienced. I don’t mind this, but if that’s the case I would prefer the fate of the course in more than one person's hands. It seemed to be hinted that the instructor was the sole creator of the course material. What?! Give him some help! Unless he got a degree in this field or has direct work experience, he can’t take on AI by himself.
- Create a big picture, work towards a project. The majority of people would be very satisfied if they create something cool. An AI that beats me at chess, a model that can classify music into genres, an RNN that can write Shakespeare-like prose. We coded a Neural Network from scratch in the course, but this is covered by so many resources and has been done by thousands of people.
- Furthermore, I would suggest the precourse include setting up cloud computing (like Paperspace) on a local device. A laptop is pretty limited in what it can do. Also, Cloud computing setup is not so straightforward and people may need help. Any course that does not teach this is seems behind the times and limited in scope.
Will Sentance of Codesmith
CEO
Sep 09, 2018
Hi Patrick as you share in your review you dropped out of the 4 week program on the 2nd day (experiencing less than 5% of the program). It’s unfortunate you didn’t get a chance to experience the program itself beyond the introductory content of the first day, as many of the suggestions you make in the review were covered.
The curriculum was designed by both the instructor Ryan Smith and Alex Zai, a machine learning engineer at Amazon responsible for building out Amazon’s MXNet machine learning framework.
The approach of Codesmith is to go under-the-hood of frameworks like Tensorflow so that you can think as an engineer. This was the goal of the deep learning program too - focusing on a first principles understanding rather than a lightweight use of tools where there are helpful youtube getting started guides available for free.
Understanding from first principles the intuitions of deep learning and specifically neural networks is what distinguishes machine learning engineers who really understand and can optimize the tools they use.
The team reached out to you a number of times after you stopped attending class. I know Ryan enjoyed the brief time you had working together in that first day and I hope you can keep in touch and keep cultivating your interest in deep learning techniques. -
Ben Israel S. Suarez Verified via LinkedIn
Before and After Codesmith: A Review
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Looking Back
If there is one thing that I can really say that I got from my 12-weeks at Codesmith, it is the fact that I had developed an engineering mindset. Having the ability to decompose a problem and break it down to chewable / understandable parts and then formulate a solution while knowing the pros and cons of that approach and on top of that being self-aware of when to ask for help is something that will always be relevant in software engineering.
Life Before Codesmith
I'm coming from a non-technical background (Nursing) who had a strong affinity towards technology. During my early teens, my class "volunteered" me to be a representative to an internal school website competition. Though the result was only a bare bones html page, the experience sparked a strong tech interest in me. This fascination, however, was "shelved" as I went to college but as I began to work in Nursing, I noticed patterns of how technology is creeping into my field ( paper charts are being converted to electronic medical records, and all analog instruments are being replaced with their digital versions, just to name a few ). This led me to investigate about where technology is heading especially in the context of web development, which eventually pointed me to to Javascript.
Codesmith Life
As I started to learn Javascript, I decided to attend a bootcamp prep that teaches Javascript basics. At the end of that one month program, one of my cohort mates mention "Codesmith" as one of the places to check out to apply for. Frankly speaking, I haven't heard about Codesmith before, so I curiously tagged along with my friends to a Javascript the Hard Parts session.
Due to my wonderful experience at Codesmith's Hard Parts Session and the high level of technical communication that I observed plus my further research that indicated that Codesmith residents will be making a developer tool to contribute to Open Source, it didn't take me too long to decide that I really wanted to go to Codesmith. Long story short, I got in as part of the first cohort of Codesmith NY.
The immersive (12 weeks) was grueling and yet had a "chill" environment. It's like "a work hard, chill hard" feel. LolThe first six weeks was all about learning Codesmith material. I had a difficult time grasping them as we were going by fast and had to context switch every two days. In addition, I kind of felt the Imposter Syndrome as I often compare myself to other cohort mates who were breezing the two day modules, but thanks to Codesmith's warm, supportive, and reaffirming culture I was able to bounce back and eventually diverted all my energy to the task at hand (Developer Tool creation).
The second and final six weeks were all about our production projects (creating a developer tool as per each team's vision and MVP requirements). In this period, Codesmith gave us one week to brainstorm before each team submits their list of ideas. Once that process was complete, we spent the remainder of the last 6 weeks coding the tool out and beat bugs and solved technical challenges on our own.
Life After Codesmith (Job Search)After graduation, I wasn't confident about the things I learned in Codesmith as I felt like they went over my head. In spite of that, I just followed the Job Search tasks that Codesmith gave us to do and it helped me immensely. I soon realized that I knew more than what I thought I did. It was just a matter of choosing the right terms and phrases to accurately articulate the knowledge that is already in my head.
Having said that, the Job Search process was filled with its ups and downs. From my experience, it took me a while (~4 months) before I gained traction ( getting an offer) in my job search but Codesmith staff was there to check up on me and offer feedback. Also, I know for a fact that Codesmith will never leave you alone after you graduated. I had a first hand encounter with that because two months after graduation I was seriously contemplating to go back to my prior field and it was at this time when Will Sentance, the CEO, called me personally and asked me how I was doing and then gave me pointers regarding my job search moving forward. So I tweaked my approach a bit, and kept on keeping on and eventually got an offer about 2 and a half months after the call.
To sum it all up, even after graduation, you’ll never stop being a part of Codesmith. One way or another, they will try to assist you and you will always be welcome to hang out/ set a base camp for your job search. Lastly, you may hear that on average, grads typically get a job in about 3 months. It's a fair estimate BUT should you ever find yourself exceeding the 3 months, PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER YOURSELF AS A FAILURE. Just keep applying and learn from each interview that you have. Turn the grey squares to green. You'll get there.#Gogogofightfightfight!
Will Sentance of Codesmith
CEO
Sep 12, 2018
Ben we are thrilled by everything you’ve done man. The drive you had to keep iterating on your approach and then to get that mid-level offer at Kaplan from the prior background of nursing - it’s a great inspiration to others.
Thanks also for coming back for the alumni panel - your insights were excellent - of course -
Anonymous Verified via GitHubLife Changing Program
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I have always had a love for technology and, after 17 years at the same company, decided to make a huge career change and jump into software development. After vetting several Southern California programs, I decided to move forward with Codesmith. After having competing offers, and accepting a senior level position, I don't know that I could have made a better decision.
In addition to the recommendation from a few hiring partners I knew prior to applying to the program, one of the more impressive factors in this decision was the overwhelmingly positive experiences and outcomes of alumni. I don't know that I have spoken to anyone since beginning the program that would not recommend it to a serious, hard working person looking to make a change, myself included.
I doubt I could say much more than most of the other reviewers have but will hit on a couple items I believe aided in my journey.
Technical communication:
This is something they try to make everyone become competent in. It is such a valuable skill and they really ensure you are as clear and technical as you can be in order to fully communicate your ideas and thought process. Personally, as someone who initially struggled with this, all six of my interviewers (for the position I ended up in) commented on how proficient and clear my communication is.
Analytical problem solving:
By design, mentors will rarely give a straight answer. By guiding students to proper documentation or asking pointed questions, mentors are able to put students in a problem-solving mindset in which they are able to more adequately approach challenges and become independent, self-sufficient engineers, much like they would be in the wild. There are exceptions to this rule, however, the aim is to have students struggle and learn rather than go through a three-month tutorial.
Support and community:
Codesmith strives to create an inclusive and supportive environment which allows for an incredibly competitive culture in which everyone also wants to see each other succeed and grow as much as possible. This was very refreshing coming from an industry which maintained a dog-eat-dog, toxic mentality. Beyond this, you really do make your way in to a pretty powerful network of engineers, and a community of alumni which continue to maintain a presence after the programs conclusion.
If you have the opportunity, Codesmith is certainly one of the best programs you can go through. Be prepared for a lot of work, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.
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Alex Clifton Verified via GitHubMy Journey through CodeSmith to Web Development
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# Course Report
I attended Codesmith's 3month immersive program and loved my experience. I have a background in Hollywood post-production so I was comfortable with Graphics/Video software and basic unix operations but was never a professional programmer. I had been teaching myself web development slowly in my free-time over about 2.5 years prior to finding CodeSmith. I started to reach out to the programming community in Los Angeles and soon found the "Javascript: The Hard Parts" meetup and was hooked.
Will is a passionate speaker and the community of people was very encouraging. I knew pretty much right away that I wanted to be part of this program. Even once the material of the lectures was less fruitful for me, I still loved attending for the pair-programming sessions and the random people I met.
One JSHP meetup night in particular that stuck out to me was when Schno stayed after with 3 of us as we were going through a coding challenge. We got as stuck as we could and when we reached out to him, instead of giving the answer right away, he subtly guided us down a path then sat back with a grin on his face. He could tell when we had figured out enough and just waited for us to put the dots together ourselves. You could tell that he really enjoyed "the a-ha moment" that comes from this type of work.
I ended up attending JSHP meetups about 10 times before attending the program.
Writing software never came easy for me, and it took me 3 attempts to even get into the program. Once in, the program was a struggle for me the entire time so, to keep up, I was coding all day and night ( minus ping-pong breaks of course :) ) and was practically sleeping at the computer. I expected the program to be intense, but just a warning... If you would prefer more hand-holding and a slower pace, this is NOT the program for you. If you like being pushed and going through intense growth as an engineer, then consider Codesmith.
1 month after the program I got a job offer in San Fransisco to work on Walmart's customer facing website. One of the biggest React apps in the wild and at $125k/year! I've made more than a few life-long friends, all of which are now working on exciting projects.
The Codesmith staff is a passionate and intelligent group of people. You really have all of the support you need to succeed as you got through their program. Erik Kirsten, Will Sentance, Haley, Shanda, Master Schno and all of the other instructors are incredible people.
There is no guarantee of success of course, but if you put in the dedication, Codesmith can be an incredible stepping stone in a software developer's journey.
Will Sentance of Codesmith
CEO
Sep 12, 2018
Alex - we loved your verve and passion throughout the program - huge congrats on the Walmart Senior Dev offer 🙌 🙌 is absolutely outstanding. Keep coming back - we can't wait to see you at the next Thursday drinks -
James Verified via GitHubA life changing experience
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When I was researching avenues to enter the software engineering field, I was initially set on attending another school. I thought that every school was going to be similar. Boy, was I wrong.
I came across CodeSmith during my search and saw that Will Sentance (the co-founder of CodeSmith) gives talks every week at "Javascript: The Hard Parts". I attended the lecture remotely and was surprised to see the deep dive into Javascript and computer science. They did not hold back. You can see and feel the technical excellence that they are striving for and the technical knowledge that they want to impart. As part of the session, attendees teamed up to do pair programming. I was paired up with anothe remote attendee. We took turns practicing technical communication and directing the partner to craft a solution to the challenge.
Soon after that, I attended a Hard Parts in person and the vibe of the space, the CodeSmith team, and the attendees was really awesome. It seemed like a place/community that I want to be part of. It was really inviting, there's great diversity of people, and it feels cool and hip.
Needless to say, I eventually applied and was accepted.
Throughout the program these FIVE core tennets were reinforced.
- Technical communication
- Non-technical communication/Empathy
- Analytical problem-solving
- How to handle blocks...technical and non-technical
- Technical knowledge
Everyday was an opportunity to hone these skills, which are at the core for mid to senior level engineers.
There is not a lot of hand holding (just like on a real job), and you'll be pushed everyday. You're guaranteed to learn lots...whether its technology, working on a team, managing project scope, etc.
I won't talk too much about the course contents because that will evolve as technology changes. Having said that, during portions of the journey, you're free to explore and incorporate other technologies into your projects.
The team at Codesmith is super supportive, they really take care of things so that you can focus on learning. Also, lead technical mentors and fellows are there to help you think through your problems when you get stuck or to advise you on your Senior projects. No hand-holding...just a bump in the right direction.
Now for some other cool things about Codesmith (LA): There are lots of opportunities for fun...there's a Ping Pong table (during my cohort, there were lots of exciting matches), Venice beach is a few blocks away, Abbot Kinney is within walking distahnce, Codesmith organizes drinks after Hard Parts meetings, and more...
If you are up for a challenge and want to push yourself to the limits, Codesmith will change your life for many different reasons. You'll be honing your coding super powers (and can apply them to so many fields). You'll, forever, be part of a community and network of amazing individuals that share the same passion.
Phillip Troutman of Codesmith
Senior Software Engineer and Lead Instructor
Sep 12, 2018
James! It was amazing to read your review. It was an absolute pleasure having you in the program, and we are so excited for you to start your new Journey at Stardust as a Senior Dev! -
Max Verified via GitHubHey, you - don't miss out
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They said it best, but I’ll add what I can
As hundreds of these reviews attest, Codesmith is an amazing, demanding, aggressively worthwhile program that turns excitement and ambition into engineering success. I’ll echo the highlights – a lasting community, self-directed projects, passionate instructors, consistent job-search support – but rather than focus on what makes the experience awesome in general, I want to touch on the stuff that I didn’t expect while addressing the concerns that I initially had. My intent here is to answer the questions that I was asking – and the ones I should have been asking – when I was considering Codesmith.
The Codesmith family – more than a bonus?
I sought out Codesmith because of the community – a network of friends and professionals really appealed to me, and I felt like I might mesh better with people who were drawn to this sort of environment. I was surprised to discover just how necessary this culture was, both during the program and after it ended. It didn’t just make the process more enjoyable – it consistently kept me around and learning new things hours after I would have left for the day. During the job search it was invaluable to have folks to meet up with for interview practice or to swap resources and encouragement.
Two heads better than one?
Pair programming is heavily emphasized for the first few weeks, and to be honest I was skeptical that the system would work for me. I felt like it would be intimidating and uncomfortable to problem-solve aloud in front of a stranger. What if all I did was slow my partner down, or visa versa? Turns out I was dead wrong – pair programming was a huge reason why I was able to join Google as a software engineer straight out of Codesmith. It not only builds your technical communication skills and makes you more introspective of your own thinking process, but also teaches you new ways to approach problems and diagram out solutions.
Deliberate curriculum
You’re too busy learning stuff to appreciate how far-sighted the curriculum is until you transition into the job search – then you realize how everything fits together. React and its supporting cast are definitely in demand, either as the core tech of a full JavaScript role or as the front-end framework of a more complex stack. Codesmith leaves you well-suited for a whole spectrum of engineering positions, but just as importantly it gives you experience that you can piece together into the compelling story of a really attractive candidate – open-source enthusiasm, production-level library, demonstrable React/Node/DB knowledge, speaking at a bona-fide meetup, etc.
A program for all coding backgrounds
I’ll join the chorus here and say that Codesmith is an obvious choice for anyone with minimal programming experience but a willingness to put in the extra effort and a genuine interest in software development. But what about those – like me – who have technical degrees, or those who already have a few years of development experience? I was hesitant to commit to the program because I wasn’t sure that I’d get as much out of it. Again, I was dead wrong. As a comp sci major, I was able to build up knowledge of real-world technologies that complemented my theoretical foundation and market myself as a problem-solving generalist with relevant development experience. To a current software engineer, Codesmith is a place to transition into a more in-demand tech stack while building the communication skills of a senior-level developer.
For those who are wondering whether they’d be better off trying to pick up the technologies on their own – I can personally tell you that you’re being dumb. It’s worth the investment to learn them faster, better, and in context. No matter your background, I cannot recommend Codesmith highly enough. You’ll stagger across the finish line but wish there were more.
Will Sentance of Codesmith
CEO
Sep 12, 2018
Thank you Max for being an incredible member of the Codesmith community and wonderful mentor to others. We're all super proud of you joining Google - see you soon! -
Shane Yao Verified via GitHubA life-change experience!
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I joined Codesmith in NYC at beginning of 2018 and it's by far the best decision I have ever made in my life. I came in with a technical background but minimal coding experience in Javascript. I have to say the first 6 weeks is challenging but all the team members and my cohort mates are so supportive and I would never make it through without them. After I graduated, the support never stopped. The team checks in with me regularly and there's a career coach available 24/7 and willing to answer any questions you have. I am so thankful that I made the decision to join Codesmith and it was really a life-changing experience.
Olivia of Codesmith
New York Director
Sep 12, 2018
Shane - you have been such a positive energy in the office. We love having you here and we are so proud of you for joining Amazon's machine learning team. We will miss you! -
Colin Verified via LinkedIn
Best decision of my life
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I have always had a passion for computers, hardware and software, but never had the training, encouragement, or courage to take the leap of faith in switching careers. I was looking at other schools in the LA area and was referred to Codesmith by a friend who had graduated and gone on to do very well. I feel blessed having gone in that way, as it helps to know beforehand that the program really works. It's incredibly demanding and it will make you doubt yourself at every turn -- overcoming those doubts is the very core of the program -- but with the support of passionate and caring mentors, you will come out the other end as the best software engineer you could possibly become in the time given. This crucible of overcoming blocks in understanding is one of many things that set Codesmith apart. It makes you a great software engineer able to tackle any stack you want to, and more importantly, engenders the technical communication and engineering empathy that makes you someone people want to work with. Codesmith is the Ivy League of bootcamps, and that means you'll do well when you graduate. It also means that you'll need to work hard to get in, so my advice on shooting for Codesmith is that there's no such thing as too much preparation. I went in without prior experience, but I put in many months of study beforehand, and I still struggled. It's all about the struggle. If you're looking for someone to hold your hand, walk you through "Your Very First Full Stack Application," pat you on the back at the end, and set you up with a nice, non-challenging Junior Developer role, then look elsewhere. If you want to become the kind of developer that other developers look up to, then go to Codesmith.
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Alesi-Andreya Ladas Verified via GitHubBest Decision Thus Far
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Codesmith was the best decision that I could have made for myself. I dropped out of NYU at 20 years old because I knew I could do what I wanted without paying $60K more for a degree. I wanted to be a software engineer. It didn't just teach me how to use frameworks and how to solve algorithms. It taught me how to learn efficiently. I left with a life long skill of adaptation.
I also left with really good friends, my cohort was like a big family. The whole team is such an amazing source of support. The instructors and the fellows don't give you the answer but they help guide you into figuring it out on your own. The environment just encourages support and learning together. I looked into a lot of programs that offered similar curriculum but I went to a hard parts and I knew that this was the place I wanted to spend my time learning. And I have no doubt that I made the right decsion.
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William Adamowicz Verified via LinkedIn
Incredible experience
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I just graduated from the most recent April '18 cohort and had a really amazing experience at Codesmith.
Many reviews on here have described the amount of work that is demanded from Codesmith residents, to which I would say it's a given that if you're looking for a complete career change in three months, you're going to have to put in a lot of time and effort. That being said, the community and the support that you get from both staff and other students makes that process much, much easier. It's obviously possible to learn technologies like React and Redux on your own, but coding is a collaborative process. And that's not something you can learn sitting on your couch with a laptop. I remember all the time I spent on Codewars, FreeCodeCamp, and CodeAcademy prior to Codesmith, studying to get in. I learned a good amount studying on my own, and I'm sure I could have learned how to put together a website myself with a few more months. But the kind of work that you do in order to get accepted has almost nothing to do with what it's like to work on a team, which is what you'll have to do once you go out and get an engineering job. The projects that you build at Codesmith ingrain you with that collaborative process. Whether you like it or not, you'll have to work with people who are stronger than you, and people who are weaker than you. You'll have to decide how to break up a project into pieces so that someone can put together a SQL database while another person adds OAuth to your app. You'll also have to also learn how to merge two, three, four different peoples' work together into a single codebase and not break everything (which inevitably, it will) in the process. You'll learn to code with other people, and that's what companies want from engineers. Someone in my cohort had an interview a few days ago and was asked 'Tell me about a time someone on your team underperformed, how it affected the rest of the team, and how you responded'. That's a question you absolutely cannot answer if you've only ever coded by yourself. Codesmith prepares you to confidently answer questions like that, because you spent months working with other engineers, constantly facing blocks and having to overcome them. To bring this back to the amount of work that is demanded from students at Codesmith—yes, it's difficult, but most of that difficulty comes from learning to work with other people, and that's an invaluable skill to have as an engineer.
When I was applying to bootcamps, I knew that I wanted to go to one of the top programs, and I only wanted to specialize in one language. That basically left me with Hack Reactor, since App Academy still teaches Ruby (at least when I was applying) for the first few weeks of its program. I was accepted into Hack Reactor and was pretty much ready to go, and found out about Codesmith in early March. Being a much younger program than Hack Reactor, Codesmith felt like it was more of a risk. I had never heard of it and I was very skeptical about the promise of getting a mid-level or senior position after three months. What convinced me was attending Hard Parts and seeing the founder, Will Sentance, teaching an introductory Javascript course on the whiteboard and going into an incredible amount of detail, more so than any other intro course I'd seen. After doing more research and reading some of the reviews, I applied and pretty soon bought my flight to LA. I think there is something special about the fact that much fewer people know about Codesmith. It brings together people who are not only incredibly driven and intelligent, but also people who are willing to take that same risk. It brings together interesting people, which is not something you can say about every software engineer out there. Attending Codesmith was one of the best decisions I've made in my life. I'm 27 now and after years of working in different industries, I can confidently say that I've found what I'd like to do for the next decade of my life. If you're also committed to becoming an engineer and you're generally a kind and hardworking person, you'll probably also arrive to Codesmith and feel like you've finally found your people. Some of the friendships I've made here will last me a lifetime, and I'm confident that everyone in my cohort will go on to do incredible things. All of that is only possible because of the level of commitment that people bring to that place, and that commitment shows when you hear about the outcomes that people get, when you hear people talk on the alumni panel about the careers they're currently in, and when you meet other people who have gone through the program. If you're looking for a career change into software engineering, I can confidently say that I can't imagine there being a better place to do that than at Codesmith.
Haley of Codesmith
Director of Product & Platforms
Aug 12, 2020
Thanks for sharing your story, Will! Loved reading about the pros you think come from an Immersive program vs. learning to code on your own. Especially enjoyed reading about your thoughts on the Codesmith culture and the types of folks you worked with in your cohort.
