Codesmith Reviews
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Gabriela Jardim Aquino
A path to success!!!
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For start I was already amazed the first time that I attended my first free workshop with Codesmith. The didactic, the levels of complexity and the passion that they have for teaching and building a community is a life lesson itself. After that I was sure that it was the bootcamp for me, I complete all they free challenges CSX and started to attend the pair programming workshops (best learning tool for me). Since I had zero background on code I also decided to attend they paid prep courses JAVASCRIPT FOR BEGINNERS and CS PREP, both really good to accelerate your understanding of the fundamentals, guiding you to a path of success and building a since of community. Now I’m starting my journey on the Immersive course and It’s not for someone that what somebody holding your hand as you learn how to ride, but definitely for who want to embrace the unknown having a community to support to back up when you fall. Highly recommend. -
C T
Codesmith Works. Complete Beginner -> Full-time Engineer
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When I found codesmith and saw the CIRR salary numbers, I was a complete newb, having written zero lines of javascript before and felt inspired by the idea of a lucrative career switch. I started by going through their free online CSX curriculum. A couple weeks after starting on CSX I went to a javascript the easy parts meetup and left excited that I had learned a lot and had connected with driven people. I continued in the pipeline, taking CS-prep, going to Javascript the Hard Parts, and then taking the Full-Time Immersive Program in NY.
Both CS-prep and the full-time program are high quality. The codesmith way is to give you a basic understanding and then give you problems that are outside your current capabilities/knowledge. So there is a lot of sifting through the unknown (READ THE DOCS!) and there is NOT a lot of hand holding. I resonate with this teaching/learning approach and think it leads to developing useful problem-solving skills and a gritty attitude of... I can figure this out if I stick with it.
Leaving the program, my resume was full of technologies that I had used, but was not a master of. The advice in this post-graduation stage is where I found Codesmith to be worth it's weight in gold. They recommended I apply immediately out of the program and start interviewing, which I did. They told me to get as many offers as I can, I ended up with 2 offers within 6 weeks of the program ending. They told me to send out an email when I got the first offer to all other companies I had started the interview process with... This advice landed me a full-stack engineer position, making 6 figures, having started coding only 9 months prior.
I also made some very good friends, my cohort does virtual happy-hours every couple weeks... I had never been surrounded by so many inspiring people that are willing to work hard to improve themselves. -
Kenneth Trang
Codesmith LA
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It was less than a year ago that I was on track to applying and getting into dental school, something I’ve worked so hard for all of college. But after discovering that Software Engineering was my true passion, I was so glad a program like Codesmith in LA exists. Now I’m starting my first Software Engineering job less than a year after making the decision to drop dentistry.
To the best of my knowledge Codesmith is one, if not the only, bootcamp-style program a person should consider. The curriculum is amazing because it does a great job of giving you foundational knowledge but trains you to become autonomous in learning new concepts/technologies on your own. One of the things I enjoyed the most were the projects we were able to create during the program; they’re truly something to be proud of by the end of the 12 weeks. Last but definitely not least, the hiring support during and after the program is something that blew me away with constant advice, checkins, and availability for interview practice or feedback.
Thank you CS LA! -
Scott
Late Choice but Great Choice
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After 10 years as a Graphic Designer I realized I had plateaued and wanted to focus more on building great products and less on minor aesthetics. Uncertain of how to begin, I found my way working through The Odin Project online for free. It was a great stepping stone for learning how to code, but I often found myself up against a road block and avoiding pushing through.
Then I went to a free JS meetup (and almost talked myself out of going) at Codesmith. Their whole approach to code, from the computers perspective, is one of a kind and sold me right away. I cannot imagine being a part of a better community of such strong, interesting like minded individuals. It's simply amazing being in an environment where everyone is constantly learning and teaching one another.
Here I am, just over 4 months after starting this journey with a great job paying almost 70% more than I was making before. And what's better is I now spend all my time solving complex problems. -
seungho baek
JavaScript for Beginners
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I leave a review after taking the class.
First of all, I was impressed because I understood well unlike when I studied by myself .Also I liked the contents of the class so much ;
Second, we could communicate with each other and have a pair programing.
It was great that the instructor explained the class clearly ;
Thirdly, I did not do it personally, but I was given the opportunity to study more as an option even thought lecture is finished and I loved the feedback from the instructor ;
It is a program that I want to recommend to people who want to study like me ;
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Jose Borbon
CSPrep Program
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Codesmiths CS Prep program was helpful in giving me the exposure that I needed in order to help me understand the things that I had to improve on to become a better me. The best part of CSPrep was the group project. It was amazing building something from scratch and applying all of the things that we learned in CS Prep in order to create a project that we were able to share with our CS Prep Cohort. If someone told me a few months ago that I would be able to complete something from scratch by coding it out, I would've never believed them, which is why I highly recommend everyone do CS Prep.
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Dom
Best Decision I've Ever Made
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Early in 2019 I was working in the entertainment industry and unhappy with my career. I did not enjoy my job, so I began looking at other options. I wanted to find something that I would enjoy, and could do without going back to school for a new degree, that would pay well, and allow me the income and freedom to pursue a full life outside of work.
I had always enjoyed technology, so I began looking into computer programming. I was very unsure at first as my experience was limited to setting up Wordpress and SquareSpace websites. As I begin to learn Javascript from a variety of online resources, I quickly realized I would need a more immersive and guided experience if I wanted to reach my goals, so I begin looking into bootcamps. I was extremely wary of most bootcamps, as they were expensive and I wasn't sure I could trust anonymous online reviews. I had almost decided against attending one at all, when I came across the CIRR report for 2018 that listed verified employment and salary outcomes for a variety of bootcamps. From that alone, I narrowed my search down to the only two camps that had strong, verifiable results: Codesmith and Hack Reactor.
So I began doing research into both of them. This research included attending a live workshop at Codesmith, Javascript: the Hard Parts, and it was there that I immediately knew this was the place for me. Everyone was so friendly and helpful, but not so much that they just gave you the answers. Instead, they explained complex concepts in easy to understand terms and then let me apply that knowledge myself to get a hands on understanding.
After I had made up my mind to apply for Codesmith, I signed up for their CS Prep course. The course was difficult and gave me a taste of what was to come, but it also made me hungry to dig down deep and push forward into the unknown. Ultimately, it gave me the foundation I needed to pass the rigorous technical interview for the immersive program.
The immersive program itself was one of the hardest things I've ever attempted, and also one of the things I'm most proud of completing. There were many times that I felt like I just wasn't understanding all these concepts enough, but with the help of my cohort-mates and the instructors, I was able to push through until everything started clicking for me. By the time we reached the project portion of the program, I was ready to dive in and start building applications, the last of which, a dev tool made with cutting edge tech, I am very proud of.
Finally, the hiring program during the last couple weeks of the program was vitally helpful. We learned how to convey our strength in our resume, and over phone interviews. Codesmith provided instructors to not just teach us how to best apply to jobs so that we could maximize our interviews, but also made themselves available to help us post-graduation, even going so far as to advise us in negotiations.
I was extremely unsure about taking out a big loan and quitting my job to pursue something I had little experience with, but Codesmith's top instructors (especially you Augustine!) and the wonderfully supportive community helped turn that into the best decision I have ever made. I would make it again in a second. -
Philip A Rodrigues
CS Prep
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I found the CS Prep course very worthwhile and surprisingly fun. I've been teaching myself JavaScript from the Team Treehouse curriculum, Udemy courses, and Leetcode; CS Prep however, took my learning to a practical level I feel I couldn't have gotten alone with a course. That has to do with the community involved with CS Prep.
Pair programming and code review were by far the most beneficial aspects of CS Prep for me. Working with other people pulls you out of your comfort zone and forces you to appreciate perspectives and implement solutions you otherwise wouldn't have investigated.
Also, the soft skills of communication, listening to a person intently, or explaining a solution clearly are in fact skills that must be practiced and developed.
Support throughout the course was very impressive. Any questions I had or assistance I needed someone was always available through Slack. My instructor Chris was great, very knowledgeable and down to Earth and always ready to help out or answer questions.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this program for anyone interested in attending CodeSmith. There are PLENTY of free resources online, but none were you have to ability to interact with other would be engineers and work on the soft skills of doing so professionally. -
Noah King
CS Prep
I went through CS Prep and was very impressed by the overall curriculum. My instructor, Dave O'Sullivan crushed it! I am now in the full time immersive LA and can say that without a shadow of a doubt I got in because of the things I learned and solidified in CS Prep. -
Tom
From Marketing to Software Engineering
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There are a lot of things to consider about bootcamps, but one thing that can't be challenged about Codesmith is results. Less than six months ago I was working in SEO - yes, that's kind of web development but not as much as I'd like it to be when I'm on a job interview. As of last week I was hired into a mid-level engineering role. I have a BA in journalism with a concentration in Cinema Studies - yes, really - and a year of studying JS and other languages to my name. I owe my current position to the course at Codesmith.
There are cons to the program, as there are with anything that takes up 70+ hours of your week for 13 straight weeks. It's stressful and has a throw-you-in-the-deep-end mentality, but it works. Maybe that level of stress and commitment isn't' for you, that's something to consider, but it is also what leads to a most people landing mid-level positions. Some grads even get senior level roles, though those are rare without some kind of direct tech background prior to the course.
Pros:
The hiring program at the end is outstanding - they work with you until you finish negotiating
The course teaches students how to figure things out on their own
The community is incredibly supportive, both with work and emotionally
They create a fun environment to unwind with Thursday night drinks, ping pong tournaments, and relay races
Cons:
The people teaching the courses are sometimes recent grades - they know their stuff but it would be helpful to have a larger staff of experienced engineers. To be clear, there are experienced engineers on staff, it's just not everyone
The schedule is grueling. There is a good argument that this is what makes the course so effective, but there can be a mentality that working all night is the best way to show work ethic. For some, it reduces productivity and has other negative effects.
Some of the courses need to be updated for bugs. Only one caused a problem for my group, and it has likely been resolved, but it put a big delay on work.
The pros out weigh the cons, it's as simple as that. I think they are easy to overlook considering the outcomes and that no program will be perfect. If you want to work very hard to fast-track yourself into a role as an engineer, likely passing over entry-level, this is the course for you. I have recommend it to friends and family who are considering career changes. It has been an amazing experience.
Would highly recommend checking out their free courses in NYC, LA, and online. I went to several before joining and experienced engineers go to them along with people just getting into it. Get a feel for it for yourself. -
Scott
My CS Prep Experience
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I had a great experience with the CS Prep class from Codesmith. I attended Cohort 23 from Jan 6 to Jan 22. I'm expecting to take their Immersive program, and took the CS Prep course as it's recommended to learn what's needed in order to learn the skills and concepts required before entering their program. It also provided me the chance to try out Codesmith remotely, since I don't currently live in either New York City or LA.
My experience prior to the course had been self-learning through a book that had been highly rated by several websites, FreeCodeCamp, and YouTube videos. I also used CSX, which is the free lessons provided by Codesmith at csx.codesmith.io. The lessons provided good exercises and explained many of the basic concepts and keywords used by JavaScript. Only about 50% of CSX is necessary to be ready for CS Prep. Going into the class, I felt fully prepared to make the most of the class, having completed all of the CSX exercises.
I was a little anxious going into the class. I was unsure of how the lessons would go, considering I have never taken an online course. I was also initially nervous about the class size. My cohort had about ~35 participants, and I was worried I wouldn't receive individual attention should I have problems or questions.
These concerns were quickly relieved after the my experience on the first day. The instructor, David, alongside an assistant, Chris, did a great job of making sure everyone was involved and felt included. During the lessons, they rotated asking questions of everyone involved. They answered all the questions we had in the chatroom, and made sure that people were clear on everything they were teaching before moving on.
Each day was about 3-3.5 hours. Other than the first day, each class begins with a problem you tackle individually. The next portion deals with the previous day's problem, going over a couple of different ways of solving it. The next hour or so is instruction over a concept of JavaScript. After the lesson is over, we split into pairs and programmed together, splitting the time between being the "navigator" and "driver" roles. The navigator takes care of most of the conceptualizing, while the driver is the one actually writing the code, but there is always discussion about the best approach to take. Each days lessons were recorded and provided in the Slack channel everyday, as well as the slides from the presentation.
Speaking of the Slack channel, this is really where I think the course goes above and beyond. Alongside a general room, we were provided with a #pair-programming to find partners to practice outside of class, a #questions room for any code related questions, a #code-review room where we could post our solutions to the previous day's challenge (or really any code problem we tackled and wanted to share). We were also assigned a #tech-comm channel, which I'll describe below.
One of the five things Codesmith looks for in a student is technical communication. We were all required to record ourselves tackling a problem. Some of us chose easier challenges. and others tackled more difficult ones, but the key thing to do is to explain your thought process while going through the problem. Rather than think about issues silently (as we all so often do), we were encouraged to speak through our thinking, even if we are totally wrong about the approach. The instructors reviewed everyone's recordings (which is no small task for a class of 35).
The last day of the course, we presented a final project that groups of 4-5 worked on. It was very freeform, and it was great seeing all the different ideeas people had to show off their skills. My group worked on a JavaScript-themed text adventure with a Rock-Paper-Scissors combat system. I was proud of the work my team did, and how well it was received.
I had a great experience in the class. While I already studied some of the things taught prior to starting, it was great to go over them again and even stuff I thought I knew would be better explained. My cohort is still active weeks later, pairing up to continue learning JavaScript. I'd encourage anyone thinking about taking a dive into coding to give this class a shot. -
Jackie Mok
CS Prep @ Codesmith
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The two weeks of CS Prep has been an unforgettable experience. Overall, I've learned more in a day of CS Prep than in a semester of coding class in college. The instructors put in huge amounts of effort in teaching the course and are always available in and outside of class. All students and instructors in CS Prep are extremely commited in learning and teaching and going along this journey of improvement. The techniques that they teach throughout the course of the two weeks really helps boost the learning process of each student going through the course. In the course, there are students from all walks of life and different types of experience with coding. The instructors made it really easy to understand the depths of coding and how to work together to graps concepts rather quickly. The course in general is well worth anyone's time whether it may be with experience in coding or not.
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Kelsey Metter
CS Prep
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I just finished my CS Prep class and had the best experience! I've learned so much more than just coding. My teachers, David and Jinsung, were truly amazing and were always there to answer any question! Just seeing how the two teachers did things differently was good for skill. Learning how to go online and pair-program with other students from all over the world was an experience in itself, not to mention all of the in-depth coding that was done. Then using the Javascript in a real application for the final project was probaly the best learning experience I've had. I am very sad that it ended. Glad to still be connected with my group and continue building upon my Javascript developer skills. I will continue to go to hard-parts on Thursday nights and get accepted into the remote class soon.
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Joju Olaode
CS Prep 23rd Cohort
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I began my journey into programming around November of 2019. My undergrad had been in BME but I knew at that point I wasn't looking into going that route. I'd done a brief course online on python and knew that I'd enjoyed that experience so I started searching for free ways to learn more. I discovered GA and freeCodeCamp first and spent my first week tinkering around there mostly with CSS and HTML.
Then I found out about Codesmith through the Meetup.com just looking for free ways to really break into learning JavaScript. After about a month and a half of going to JavaScript Easy parts and the JavaScript Hard parts classes, and since I loved the way topics were taught in their meetups and just the environment and people I met, I decided to take the plunge and invest in the CSPrep course.
The two weeks passed by in an amazing symphony of what I can divide into two categories: lecture times (theory) and programming (practice) times. The things that I think CSPrep does great are as followed; creating a community for everyone in the cohort to pass around information, providing well trained instructors who are great at really simplifying daunting topics, having that time were you can pair program with someone else and practice technical communication, and providing a final project where you can really flex what you’ve learned and see the real life applications (this might even continue afterwards, I am planning another mini project with one of my final project partners). Something that I think is not very usual, but happened in my cohort, is that we had two different instructors; one for the first week and another for the second. I would have preferred to have had only one instructor. Other than that I have no complaints. Loved it and am in the process of applying for the Software Immersive program.
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Courtney Kwong
Changed my life!
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I come from a non-technical background and once thought that I was just not technical and that was that. However, in coming to the Hard Parts, learning from passionate instructors, and being surrounded by a community made up of people who come from very different backgrounds, I had the courage to quit my job and dive into this full-time. I wrote my first line of code in April 2019, graduated in October 2019 and now am a Full Stack Engineer.
Codesmith changed my life. Many like to say that bootcamps are "get-rich scams", but this was never the vibe. This was an immersive experience. The instructors care about the community they've fostered, the students, and engineering as a lifestyle. The 13 weeks was one of the most challenging, yet rewarding times of my life. I never imagined of going back to school as I always thought I was just "not smart" and coudln't learn, but the community shows you by example that you simply need to dedicate the time and energy and trust the process - you really get what you put in. Codesmith teaches you how to learn - not just spoon-feeding concepts and walk-through tutorials to make you feel like you did something at the end of the day. Most days you walk away from lectures without understanding anything, but the community emphasizes pair-programming and hard learning. Every unit is set in that way purposefully and encourages struggling through problems - the same way you would/should on the job. At Codesmith, you learn to be an empathetic and thoughtful engineer and the community gives you the space to be the best that you can be. I'm grateful to have stumbled into the Hard Parts, met the passionate instructors, and struggled through 13 weeks with my cohortmates. Truly life changing.
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Liza L.
JSB - JavaScript for Beginners
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Great course! My background: I came here after learning C++ for 6 months, I had no background in JavaScript, and no other languages/no functional programming experience.
In 12 hours over two days, all online, the curriculum covered JavaScript in an extremely helpful way. We approached JavaScript as though truly for beginners, which meant starting with ideas like variable declaration and data types. Since I had already encountered these topics while learning C++ it felt a little slow at times, but even then, I enjoyed being sure that I had all the basics covered before approaching more difficult JS-specific topics.
Moreover, I felt as though our instructor, Camera, was letting us in on her thought process throughout her coding journey, and helped to make the idea of working in the field feel less alien and impossible. In this imposter-syndrome heavy field, that's a valuable insight to glean, especially for a beginner course. Camera was always kind and supportive in her explanations, and was able to convey her ideas in both a technical way (teaching you how to use industry-specific terms intuitively) and an empathic way (being aware of where you are in your learning, and meeting you there and gently prodding you towards progress).
Overall, I highly recommend this class as an introduction to both programming concepts and as a launchpad for studying JavaScript. Also, the community at CodeSmith is truly supportive and positive, and is absolutely the kind of place that I've been looking for and would strive to receive the acceptance of!
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Josh
Software Engineer
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I had an amazing time at Codesmith this summer and started my career as a software engineer a couple of weeks ago. I was very lucky to stumble upon Codesmith at one of the ‘Hard Parts’ meetups and immediately fell in love with their approach to learning javascript, fostering an open/inclusive community, and navigating the job market.
1) Learning Javascript the right way
Codesmith really emphasizes the importance of understanding how Javascript works under the hood. By the time you graduate, you will not only learn various frameworks such as React and Express to build applications but also have a fundamental grasp of how Javascript works that will allow you to pick up any other tools/framework in the future if need be. As the name suggests, Codesmith teaches you how to become mastery of code, giving you the ability to create anything with it. The best part is that you can attend one of Codesmith’s free offline/online meetups and see for yourself.
2) Fostering an open/inclusive community
Codesmith’s culture is something that I had not known before joining the program but has proven to be an integral part of the journey. The 12 weeks you will be spending at Codesmith is going to be harsh and you will be struggling. However, Codesmith does an awesome job of creating a supportive environment where everyone will be there for you when you need it the most. Once you are in the program, you become a part of the Codesmith family where everyone holds each other up and, more importantly, celebrates with you when you finally get that software engineering offer.
3) Navigating the job market
This is probably the most underrated part of the Codesmith curriculum. Codesmith constantly updates its curriculum to reflect feedbacks they get from the alumni network. It allows them to quickly respond to the current trend in the job market and tell you what works and what doesn’t. The greatest trick, however, is deeply ingrained into your day-to-day life at Codesmith. Communication skill is something that all employers are looking for in engineers and Codesmith makes sure that you have it by the time you graduate. In fact, you will be talking so much during pair-programming sessions and group projects that you will acquire it unconsciously.
Overall, I cannot recommend Codesmith enough if you are seriously thinking of becoming a software engineer!
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B
another review about how amazing codesmith is
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I’m coming up on the one year anniversary since starting my journey with Codesmith in January 2019. And, looking back at this past year, the amount of personal growth and experience I’ve gained in such a short amount of time, is incomparable to anything else I’ve been able to achieve before. For several reasons.
*I will note that my experience at Codesmith is a bit different, I attended the immersive Codesmith Bootcamp and then joined the Codesmith NY staff for 3 months as an “engineering fellow”. An engineering fellow is essentially a mix between teacher’s assistant (TA) and engineer. I spent six months in full at Codesmith NY between my bootcamp residency and fellowship.
The bootcamp is difficult, exhausting, and relentless. Thank god it was, I wasn’t looking for a bootcamp that was easy, rejuvenating, and relaxed. However, as EVERYONE is mentioning, Codesmith is also fun! So, how does something that is difficult and relentless remain fun? The community. Codesmith has a strict policy against people with a superiority complex. I couldn’t imagine working at Codesmith (often for 14 hours+ a day) with people that I couldn’t sympathize/have fun with.
I am now a “real” software engineer and the outcome statistics are real. As I accepted one of the several six-figure offers I received, I knew that I would never experience the same level of commitment, passion, and companionship that I had witnessed and experienced within the Codesmith community anywhere else. Something special happens at Codesmith, I've been trying to figure out what that secret ingredient is for months, and I still can't put my finger on it. It's the perfect mix of acceptance, humility, and determination.
Looking back a year later, I cannot believe how much I was able to accomplish with Codesmith. I’m so grateful to be more than financially stable now. And, I’m sure that if I went to one of the other bootcamps that I was accepted to, that I would have a job by now too. However, I’m 100% certain I wouldn’t have the ability to walk into my job and be fearless about learning a coding language that wasn’t part of Codesmith’s curriculum (Python). I’m certain that I wouldn’t have made long-lasting friendships that still exist five months after my bootcamp finished. I’m certain that my salary would be anywhere from 1/2 to 1/3 less than it currently is.
Read the other reviews if you’re still thinking about going to App Academy or Fullstack.
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Solomon Moon
CS Prep
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The search is over. I've been struggling to make serious headway in my solo journey to learn Javascript. This is where CS Prep came along to help me improve vastly than I would have alone. Ryan, the instructor, made learning fun and exciting with his pop culture references in each examples of his lessons. I would definitely recommend CS Prep to others who would like a structured and fun way of learning Javascript. If you are a beginner I would also recommend Javascript for Beginners.
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Evelyn
JSB
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This is a great course for beginners just starting out on their JavaScript journey. JSB along with CSX, was what helped me to better understand the fundamentals of JavaScript. My instructor was very helpful with clarifying any issues we had with the material and answering questions. The best part is that you'll continue to have access to the instructor and the community even after you have completed the course. They're always around if you have questions.
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Michelle Herrera
Life Changing Expereince
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Short Version
Pros: AMAZING HIRING SUPPORT, solid curriculum, amazing people, friends to last a life time, challenging experience,
Cons: Beginning to outgrow their current spaceLong Version
If your are anything like me you might be reading this review with a little bit of skepticism. Four months ago I was that person -- I was tentatively hopeful that Codesmith would be experience I need to radically change the direction of my life but was skeptical of the claims that they made. I was not a person who attended the Hards Parts series in their NYC classroom or even someone who joined in on the online class -- I discovered them through CSX (great free course by the way!). After working through about 60% of CSX I decided I was going to give Codesmith a shot. I applied, passed the cultural interview and attempted the technical interview. I failed my first attempt, but It was the catalyst I needed to take CS Prep, a three week online prep course. This course when way beyond the basics and ended with me building my first ever project from scratch!! It gave me the confidence to say I can do this. Right after CS Prep I did my second attempt at the Codesmith interview and passed -- little did I know what a difficult and fantastic journey this would be.The Codesmith Immersive program was the difficult thirteen week I have ever had. LONG LONG days packed with lectures, coding challenges, and amazing conversations with my cohort-mates. Codesmith not only teaches you how to write code but also how to THINK about code. It teaches you the tools to approach any problem with a mindset that is determined to figure out the answers. Learning the toolkit of a fullstack developer (JavaScript, Node/Express, Databases, React/Redux) was just the beginning --- mixed into this first half of the program are daily coding exercises designed to promote understanding of algorithmic approaches, coding units which taught not only skills but more importantly TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION, code presentations and a Hackathon!
In the second half of the Codesmith experience you work alongside a team to build a dev tool that is open sourced to the community at large. This is a daunting task but, obtainable because Codesmith has already taught you how to breakdown problems, find solutions and not give up. While building this tool you also begin an amazing hiring prep program which covers everything from how to apply to jobs (cover letters and double downs), create your resume (thanks Will!) but also how to negotiate (thanks Erik!). On top of all this work in the second half of the program you are expected to give a public talk on a tech topic!
This brings me to the part that you have been waiting to read about. After one month on the job hunt I have secured my first ever role in software engineering. The hiring support that Codesmith offers is amazing -- there are people guiding and supporting you every step of the way. You can get support for everything: interview practice, resume reviews, cover letter help, double down help, technical tutoring, whiteboarding or even just a pep talk. When I first landed my job the offer was just a tiny bit lower than I was hoping for, I reached out to Erik and with his advice and support I was able to increase my offer!! In short, if you having doubts that bootcamp experience can work, trust me when I say Codesmith works! They understand what the industry is looking for in engineers and how to help you frame your journey to tech in a way that is honest, real and more importantly competent. I can not more highly rate this program and would encourage anyone who is considering Codesmith to go for it!
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Justin F
What a great experience. It works.
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Cannot recommend this place enough. Felt more like a summer camp than school. Was super challenging and learned about 1-2 year's worth of self-taught material in 3 months. I had a very strong background in analytics prior to coming here and had applied to over 100 jobs with no success. After the program was over, I received 2 very, very good offers within weeks after having applied to just a handful of jobs. I am now working at my dream job, a job I would never have landed without this experience.
The people make this place- everyone is very nice and facilitates an amazing learning community. Job assistance is top notch.
This is not a bootcamp- it's a life-changing engineering immersive. If you love being challenged, being surrounded by some of the most talented people in the country, while having a good time doing it, come here.
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Jun Lee
Stop thinking, just do it
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Just apply Codesmith. I’m a graduate from cohort 29. I guess many of you reading this review might have concerns. Maybe it’s not about 3 months of curriculum because anyone would’ve invested 3 months if they could become a decent software engineer within; I believe it must be the 18k tuition fee and some doubts that if it would work that way. However, results are just right at you. Almost every one of my family (cohort 29) and previous graduates are doing great in IT industry as a software engineer (can be easily found on LinkedIn). During 3 months, they taught me not only cutting-edge tech stacks (Javascript, React, and Redux), also how to think, speak, and behave like a software engineer. Everyday challenges made me develop my communicating and cooperating skills with my cohorts people. The system of Codesmith is just well-organized to help you in every single step to initiate your software engineer career such as how to write a professional resume and how to handle interviews with even negotiation skills. Now, I’m working as a full stack software engineer with full of satisfaction. Applying Codesmith was the best choice I’ve ever made in my life, and I would’ve definitely applied to Codesmith again if I go back. Don’t hesitate, be one of us. -
Sterling
More than just coding
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Although I’ve never attended another bootcamp, based on my experience with talking to other friends that have attended other big name bootcamp (like App Academy), and by what I see the Codesmith staff do, I can confidently say Codesmith is likely one of the best if not the best program out there.First, I’ll talk about my thoughts on the curiculuum, life at CS, and the staff.The production project is what sets Codesmith and their graduates apart from other coding school graduates. Instead of creating a CRUD app, you spend 1 week as a group diving deep into various parts of the tech stack to learn at a deep level something that full time developers may not know much about. (Remember that the surface area of tech is very large and no one can be good at everything). As you research, your group will try to develop an application/library that helps with that particular technology. Once you start building and coding, you’ll get much more familiar about that piece of technology, which allows you to speak at a much deeper level and carry better conversations during your interview. If your team is interested in backend technology, your team might look into message brokers, such kakfa or rabbitmq, or look into new api technology, such as graphql. This is great because in your interview, you can now talk about that technology confidently because you spent a decent amount of your time learning and coding an open source project for it.In terms of landing your first dev job, the core curiculuum, which is done in the first half of the program, covers everything you need to know and more. The “and more” part is their unit on AWS, Docker, and Devops. I’m not sure if theres any other program that talks about devops.Life at CodesmithWhen your at Codesmith, you’ll be surrounded by people trying to achieve the same goal. At first, I thought that it was going to be super competitive since everyone is essentially competing for the same job. However, you quickly grow out of that mentality and everyone begins to help and teach each other what they know or learned from reading articles, etc. It’s much more effective for everyone in the cohort to help each other out because everyone will learn so much more and get there so much faster. A rising tide brings up all the boats.The staff is very helpful, is constantly working to improve their curiculuum, and just seems to do a lot of things well.In terms of improving their curiculuum, the devops/aws/docker unit is an example of how they consantly work to improve their curiculuum. Another example is that they will take feedback on the curiculuum and will act upon it and incorporate it into the lectures. No curiculuum at any bootcamp is perfect, however, if you decide to join Codesmith, I can guarantee you that your lectures and curiculuum will be better than when I went there.They were also able to coordinate community talks with very senior developers about their work at the Codesmith locations. A notable example is that they were able to get Felix Rieseberg, a senior staff software engineer and one of the founders of Electron to talk about Electron and also have a more private Q&A session with only codesmith students. Although people may overlook this bullet, since it really has nothing to do with whiteboarding, coding, etc, for my particular experience, it provided great insight for me into how an extremely senior developer thinks and talks about technology. This non-technical knowledge that you might learn just might give you an edge during an interview (remember that they are interviewing you for BOTH technical and non-technical aspects of the job)And of course the most important part is everyone that you meet during your stay at codesmith. The network and friends that you gain are invaluable to your success.
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Duane M.
My Time at Codesmith
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When I first came to Codesmith's "JavaScript the Easier Parts" I thought I had a decent foundation. I knew how to do a "for" loop. I knew that constant variables cannot be re-assigned. I felt like I was going to crush that workshop. And then...I heard the lead instructor Phil talk about 'execution context' and I had no idea what that meant. And what the heck is a call stack?
It was at this point that I knew Codesmith truly went under the hood in explaining core Javascript concepts. So I kept coming back, week after week. Easier parts. Hard parts. CS Prep (their online 2-week prep program to help get you admitted to the 13-week residency).
Before I get ahead of myself, let me say this: Codesmith is not easy to get into. I don't have a tech background. All of this was new to me. But I finally got admitted in July 2019. If you're thinking about going to Codesmith I highly recommend it. Just know, that it is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to spend 12+ hours a day 6 days a week for 13 weeks. The true growth comes after the day technically ends at 8pm. You'd see juniors and seniors working in the conference rooms, going over data structures, algos, etc.
The main reason why I chose Codesmith was the culture and the inclusive community. Everyone in the building is here to help you. They actually walk the walk. From the fellows, instructors, and your cohortmates, the support is there for you when you struggle. (Trust me, you will struggle). But the struggle is where the growth happens.
Before this goes too long, I'll just say this. If you're looking for a school to push you past your limits, apply for Codesmith.
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Adam Keen
Codesmith's JavaScript for Beginners course
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JSB is a great course to learn the fundamentals of Javascript. The environment is an immersive online room where everyone is participating and learning together. There are breakout sessions where you work one on one with one or more partners. JSB is perfect for someone who needs to get the fundamentals down. If you go on to do Codesmith's CS Prep course or the immersive program, the tuition you paid for JSB rolls over to those programs. JSB is an excellent way to start to get comfortable with techincal communication ,which would otherwise be difficult to do on your own. You also get tapped into an amazing community of people who are striving for the same thing that you are. I believe right now they have a free tuition opportunity for female identifying students. If that's you or you are just getting started with Javascript, you have no reason not to take this course! You will learn a lot and it will inspire you to continue your education towards becoming a software engineer!
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Michele Moody
Truly Life-Changing
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Coming to Codesmith has been one of the best decisions I've made. The program makes a concerted effort to bring up students that are underrepresented in the STEM community. As a female and a member of the LGBTQ community, I felt absolutely at home at Codesmith. Not only do they make an active effort to include women in their cohorts and staff, but they tackle issues that women frequently face in engineering programs by including lectures on imposter syndrome and implicit bias in their curriculum. The effort that the program puts into inclusion shows - women and engineers from underrepresented backgrounds thrive here. I have made friends and allies at Codesmith that I plan on keeping in touch with for years to come.
Through the 13 week program, I built applications that provide real utility to developers onboarding new technologies. I come from a non-technical marketing background, but I’ve always loved problem-solving and wanted to move into programming. After completion of the program, I have grown in ways that I never predicted and I feel prepared to enter the workforce as a technically strong, highly communicative, passionate software engineer.
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Devon Vaccarino
Resident
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Codesmith has been a life changing since I've been here. Not only have I grown extremely close to all of my cohort mates but I've had the chance to build some incredible technology.
The curriculum has an enormous focus on learning through pair-programming and solidifying that understanding through building apps/dev tools. Without Codesmith's mentoring, guidance, and structure I don't think I would have had either the motivation or the engineering prowess to build a cli tool, npm module, and web app to convert React class components to functional components with hooks syntax.
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Taylor
Well worth the time
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I attended the Codesmith coding school, and I was appreciative that event the intial entrance process required me to grow as an engineer, but gave me the resources to do so. Throughout the program, I not only grew exponentially as an engineer, as a systems architect, as a problem solver, but also as a person. I'm thankful for the entire codesmith community I have around me, and the network this program has given me to move into my dream job. The hiring portion is so well-informed and so intentional, and I look forward to using these tools well into my career.
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Miguelin Suarez
JavaScript for Beginners
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I’m a total newbie and I want to be a software engineer. I want to be prepared as much as I can before I dive deep into coding bootcamp. After intensive research (ranking more than 15 schools), I concluded that Codesmith was the one for me. I enrolled in their JavaScript for Beginners and was excited to take that first step in my coding journey.
I know that there’s a lot of free materials out there, but here are the reasons why I paid for the course (and why it’s worth it for me):
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the tuition fees from Javascript Beginners get deducted when you take Codesmith’s next course (CSPrep or the 12 week immersive). Since I’m going all the way to immersive, than I’m basically getting a free Basics course.
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The experience of doing pair programming which you can’t get by studying alone. Pair programming brings a lot of benefits:
A) it helps you get unstuck if you encounter a problem that you can’t seem to solve. As they say, 2 heads are better than one.
B) it helps you develop those soft skills (communication) that are in high demand in software engineering jobs. In fact, on day 1 our instructor (Jinsung, she’s awesome) insisted on these soft skills and helped us develop them. Now, I automatically think not only on how to create code, but how to communicate it effectively to others.
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The camaraderie you develop with your cohort. Codesmith’s values are about helping each other and forming a community. And all my cohorts were very supportive and helpful. One group built a fantastic project using codes that were new to me. So I asked if I could study what they did and they immediately sent me the code for my reference. We all have our group in slack and everyone is willing to help quickly.
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Time. Yes, I got to study the basics and build an adventure game in just 2 Saturdays. If I studied on my own, then I wouldn’t have been able to achieve so much in such a short span of time.
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Bonus: our instructor (Jinsung) and the intangibles she taught us in class. She’s a great teacher. She taught us how to create code (not just learn how to code), to think like an engineer, and communicate our codes well. I learned diagramming and technical communication. Things that are hard to learn from self study.
So, there you have it. My 5 reasons as to why Codesmith’s JavaScript for Beginners is a great way to start your coding journey.
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David
An incredible journey
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Before committing to Codesmith, I’ve researched and considered a lot of different programs. I had realized that there were some reputable programs, while there were some questionable programs. I was accepted to two reputable programs, but I knew that I wanted the most challenging experience and knew Codesmith was the right program for me.
First, the outcome speaks for itself. If you need objective evidence, review the CIRR report.
Second, the production projects really stand apart from other programs. The residents tackle and solve real problems faced by software engineers. You develop a deep knowledge in one area of the technology (not working on projects like Facebook, Yelp or Airbnb clones which seems pretty popular at other programs). This part really made a big difference in my decision.
Third, the admission process was rigorous so I knew that the standards of the cohort would be high. I wanted to be around smart, high potential people.
Fourth, I didn’t know much at the time, but the hiring support has been amazing. I can’t speak about other programs, but Codesmith been great so far in this aspect. In fact, I think that the outcome of this program is the result of its hiring program. Every program teaches open source technologies like React, so what differentiates Codesmith from the rest is its hiring program.
If you want to take you skills from zero to 60, consider other programs. But if you want to take your skills from 20 to 120, this is the program for you.
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Tayvon
Codesmith Residency
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I can't say enough good things about my experience with Codesmith. After graduating with my Bachelors in Computer Science, Codesmith was the next best step for me to go from a junior level to mid-level engineer. The atmosphere and learning environment that they've been able to create through the curriculum and JSHP shows their deep dedication to building and supporting the best engineers in the market. As a Codesmith Resident, I went from not being able to build out a full-stack application, to building out 4 of my own as well as a developer tool — working with bleeding-edge technology. If I had a chance to do it all over again, I would. After graduating, they helped me secure and negotiate a six-figure job with an amazing company in the heart of New York.
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Hao Phan
amazing people
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I’m not sure I can do justice to the amazing people at CodeSmith but I’ll try my best. I remember reading the awesome reviews about the CodeSmith program while I was in living abroad several years ago and I wished that I had the opportunity to be a part of all the awesomeness that was described. Fast forward to today and I can say that the I had a chance to get a small taste of the real thing and it is richer and more impactful than I could ever imagine. I cannot say enough about the quality of the people - the teachers are caring, smart, and go above and beyond to help students. The students, prospective students, and staff that I met at JS the hard parts were intelligent, kind, and really nice to be around. The people at CodeSmith have done an excellent job of attracting the kind of people who you could imagine having life-long friendships with. What you’ll find are people from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences. One of the instructor at JS the hard parts was once homeless, another was a DJ, and another was a college dropout (and I’ve learned since that he was accepted at Google). To me, this is a place of second chances. In my technical interview, I wasn't asked about my previous work experience or my college degree or my age. It seemed like the tests and questions were only to gauge my motivation and merit and I appreciated not having to talk about the bad decisions that I have made in my past.
So I didn’t pass my first technical interview because I didn’t prepare well enough for the communication component. I was given resources to help me prepare for a retest (you’re given 3 opportunities to pass) but because retaking the test meant missing the cohort that I was applying to, I had to give up a small dream I had of joining the immersive program altogether(I have a wife and child so I couldn’t wait). I’ve since found work at a small startup doing some application development and machine learning. Yet, I do feel a sense of missing out on what I could have been and how much better I would be as a software engineer in the long term. I have read so many books and watched so many tutorials over the years to be able to hazily understand Javascript but it took only a few hours at CodeSmith to finally truly understand callbacks, classes, prototypes, functional programming, and other javascript concepts. I can easily see how someone who has finished CodeSmith’s program can qualify for mid and senior level positions because they really do teach on a deep level in a way that helps you extend what you know and apply it to solve different kinds of problems. If you are lucky enough to ever have the opportunity to study at CodeSmith, I would encourage you to do so. I wish I could. -
Dominic
CS Prep 2019
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My first experience with Codesmith was with CSX and the weekly L.A. workshops, Intro to Javascript and Hard Parts. At the time, I was brand new to coding, my only experience being Code Academy's "Intro to Javascript" course which I had completed in the previous weeks.
It didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to apply for the three month immersive program. But as much as I had learned attending Hard Parts and working through CSX, I knew I wasn't at the level I needed to be to pass the technical interview.
So I signed up for CS Prep. The experience was great, and it definitely prepared me for the technical exam. Our instructor Shane was brand new, and there were a couple times when his inexperience was apparent. But overall, he was an excellent instructor - very familiar with the material, attentive and helpful, encouraging, etc.
I definitely recommend CS Prep if you plan on applying for the immersive program.
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Mohtasim
CS Prep @ Codesmith
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I took CS Prep from June 22nd - July 9th with the hope of getting into the Codesmith Software Engineering Immersive Program; with its money-back guarantee + tuition rollover, applying seemed like a no-brainer. After getting in, I very quickly realized the curriculum was a lot more difficult than any curriculum (mostly Codecademy and FreeCodeCamp) that I had encountered before. CS Prep did a great job of providing information on a lot of difficult concepts that these courses often skip entirely/gloss over, while still managing to make it accessible for a JS beginner such as myself. Also, the curriculum focused heavily on developing skills such as technical communication, pair programming, and problem-solving, all of which are super important for the immersive technical interview.
For me, the best part of CS Prep had to be the course instructor, Shane. Shane’s energy, enthusiasm for both teaching and JavaScript, and his dedication to the success of his students were what made the course such an amazing experience for me. Shane always had a great attitude in class that helped keep us all engaged, and was super easy to talk to when it came to asking questions, both relating to the coursework and outside stuff.
I ended up interviewing and getting into the immersive program soon after CS Prep ended, mostly because of how prepared the program made me feel for the interview. CS Prep's emphasis on developing better technical communication, problem solving skills, and pair programming ended up being a major help during the technical interview. While the actual coursework for the program is difficult, it’s possible to grow into a much stronger developer if you keep up with the work. Overall, I would completely recommend CS Prep to anyone who is hoping to further developed their JS skills and/or is considering applying to the immersive program.
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Chris Flannery
Highly recommend CS Prep
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I recently completed a cohort of CS Prep with Shane Taylor. It was an excellent experience for me - I had just come off the back of having failed the Immersive technical interview twice and needed to brush up on Javascript fundamentals, get more pair programming experience, and fill in the gaps in my technical communication vocabulary. Shane and CS Prep provided all this and more. Shane is a more-than-capable teacher and a very kind and empathetic person. Part of the course included recording videos of ourselves coding - and his feedback on our videos was thoughtful, rigorous and detailed. I would highly recommend CS Prep to anyone who has not yet passed their immersive technical interview!
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Drew T
CS Prep - great pre-cursor to a full-time bootcamp
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I just finished CS Prep, a two-week online program offered by Codemith. I recommend CS Prep to those searching for a pre-cursor to a full-time bootcamp.
CS Prep cohorts consist of 10 three-hour classes. Each class follows an efficient structure - first 30 mins are for individual coding practice; following 2 hours are for a lecture led by the main instructor; the final 30 mins are for pair programming.
The lectures are engaging and allow for active student participation. Most core topics are covered.
The pair programming sessions are invaluable. Students pair up and practice coding challenges together. Students alternate roles between challenges - one student verbalizes their thought process for solving a given problem, while the other student writes code to match the instructions. The routine reinforces comprehension and improves student's ability to logic through directives from others.
Zero complaints. Two thumbs up. Drew
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Jay
If you are going to do it, go all in
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I went through Codesmith immersive program from December -> March 2019. It was a very stressful decision for me, I left my pregnant wife and 2 year old in Montana and moved to Venice for the 3 months I was in codesmith. I needed to make sure that it was worth my time and money. I did extensive research (just like you are doing now because you're reading this review) and narrowed it down to a few. I was looking for THE BEST program period. It could have been anywhere in the country and price wasn't a huge factor. I just needed the knowledge as quickly as possible. The curriculum, community of people and staff took my skills to where they needed to be. 6 weeks after I graduated I landed a mid-level software engineering job at a very well known company with a total comp package of ~180k. And almost all of my cohort-mates had a very similar result at the time of writing this review. Keep in mind...I worked my ass off. But the hard work was contagious in the cohort and everyday I was excited to dive deeper and push myself and everyone around me. That's what Codesmith does best. By the end of the 3 months I was a sobbing mess, leaving people that have become lifelong friends after our time at Codesmith. Checkout easy parts/hard parts online or in person and it will give you a good idea of the curriculum. The x factor that codesmith has is the community that it breeds, job search prep and hiring support. If you work hard to get into codesmith, are able to put your ego aside go through this program working your hardest everyday, follow their advice on applying for jobs => You will succeed. Period.
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Jake
Definitely the best.
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Having done a TON of research on ALL the bootcamps, I feel very confident that 1) the Codesmith residency is the best 'bootcamp' availabile, and 2) I made the correct decision in choosing Codesmith (I applied and got into all the major alternatives). Here are the main reasons:
1) It's the hardest to get into. A lot of the program is pair-programming and projects. You have to struggle and build, and if you don't have smart, capable people around you, you won't get as much out of it,
2) The curriculum is geared towards projects. Not just 'build a commerce website', but projects that are impressive, applicable to developers, and look good on resumes,
3) Phil - the main instructor in New York, and Will - the founder - are both natural teachers and speakers that keep you engaged and help make complicated concepts digestable and relatable. But maybe even more importantly, they're both genuinely invested in you and your development and success.
4) The culture - it's a fun place to be, and if you're going to be spending 80 hours a week somewhere, that's pretty important.
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Joel
Software Engineering Resident
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I just want to mention how phenomenal Codesmith was during my time there.
Codesmith was my second bootcamp and it was an absolutely different experience compared to my first. The reason I'm writing this review is because I feel that Codesmith is a bootcamp that doesn't get the exposure it deserves in terms of their absolute dedication to software engineering excellence.
During my time as a resident, I had the pleasure of working on a major production project with three other engineers, one who graduated from Harvard in Data Science, specializing in Python and SQL databases, another who was the lead marketing manager for a technology startup, and the third had 10 years professional work experience as a DevOps engineer. Needless to say it was a different feeling here in terms of the type of residents/students coming to study here.
I was "partly" surprised about how patient all of my other cohort-mates/colleagues were, especially coming from their prestigious backgrounds. But the reason I say "partly" is because this is what makes the Codesmith community amazing. The community at Codesmith is as much about the culture as it is about the level of engineering. And that was something that made this bootcamp experience much more memorable and worth every penny and minute!!
The production project for me was the most rewarding piece because we built a developer tool to test the interoperability between a developer's different microservices. If someone was to tell me that I would have been technically able to build this before the program, I would have said they're crazy. But not only did I feel technically able to take on bigger challenges like this, I felt emotionally empowered too.
Lastly, I just want to say everything, from top to bottom was amazing. Who would of thought someone like me, who started to learn how to code less than a year ago would be able to say I am a Codesmith graduate and a newly hired Software Engineer within the same week of graduating the program.