Codesmith

I'm very grateful to Codesmith as it accelerated me from junior to mid level in my time there and provided me the tools and mindset to jump from mid level to senior at my first full time job in the time span of 2 months. YMMV but you will at least be a mid level developer out of Codesmith.

From what I know, the hiring support and tips and tricks to get mid level positions even without any developer experience puts Codesmith head and shoulders above any other bootcamp out there. 

The only downside is having to listen to the CEO's speeches every Thursday night. But in spite of that, it still makes Codesmith more than worth the cost and the 12 weeks of intense learning.

Codesmith was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. As an electrical engineering graduate from USC, I definitely had a more enlightening and fun academic learning experience at Codesmith than in college. The staff is super friendly and supportive (Especially Haley, she cool. Watch out for Brandon though…haha).   Everyone's journey to and through Codesmith is a little different, so I can only tell of my experience. I actually had around 1-2 years of coding experience from both college and self teaching through other resources such as Coursera. But the curriculum at Codesmith was still challenging and greatly invigorating. You'll get your hands dirty with algorithms, data structures, http, react, angular, node, express, testing, and much more! You'll also get the chance to meet real professional software engineers who occasionally give mentor talks. The best part about Codesmith isn't the specific content though, but the overall experience of learning web development fundamentals, working with your peers and emulating what it's like to work on an engineering team in the real world (something which isn't as easy or plausible in a CS program in college), developing the skill on how to learn to solve problems autonomously, and…gaining new, lifelong friends!   I don't think I needed a bootcamp/academy/whatever you want to call these things to get to where I'm at ( because there's this thing called the internet). But Codesmith definitely accelerated my learning experience and also made it more concentrated, focused, and structured. Before Codesmith, I was working as an EE when I wanted to switch careers. I had done basic programming in college but nothing close to the level needed to get hired as a software engineer. I decided to teach myself through resources such as Code Academy, Coursera, MIT OpenCourseware. I was all over the place trying to teach myself things. When you self teach you tend to learn stuff that you're only really interested in. I then landed an internship at a small startup, but even then, I felt like I was learning Python and Django specific things to get the job done. Plus, I didn't have the greatest mentorship. I was basically a code monkey. Codesmith helped fill my knowledge gaps, whether they were about fun or boring topics. Plus, I learned a lot from my peers that I could not have learned on my own. You can trust that you're in good hands at Codesmith. They have a great staff with backgrounds from Harvard, UCLA, Yale, and more big name prestigious schools (if that really matters to you). They also have a great alumni network with graduates working at places ranging from small startups to the big companies (Google, Microsoft).   Now I wouldn't be me if I didn't keep it onehunnid so I will also talk about things that Codesmith can improve upon. Codesmith says that they can help get you to become a mid level software engineer. Depending on what type of software engineer, this is definitely possible but you might have to do more work for topics that are only lightly touched upon in the curriculum. Regardless, I feel that Codesmith can improve in its basic computer science portion in its curriculum. Things like stack, heap, how different types of data are stored in memory (in a computer not just how JS does it), and deeper OOP (it is touched upon but quickly switches to JS OOP which is different from Java, Python, Ruby, etc...) can be expanded upon. Now to be fair, when using javascript you don't need to know these things but it is definitely something a software engineer, especially mid level, should know. Butttttt that's my opinion.    With that said, Codesmith overall is still a 5/5 star program. Some of the things you aren't deeply exposed to at Codesmith you can learn on your own. After all, their mission is to help teach you how to become a software engineer that can adapt to different environments and not be a code monkey. Codesmith doesn't hold your hand, but you will have support. You'll still be a mid-level engineer (or at the very least, will have learned to think like one) by the time you're done. You just have to do a little more work if you don't want to stay in javascript land or want to do advanced back end engineering. Codesmith is an expensive investment. Worth every penny, but expensive nonetheless. I hope my review will help who ever is reading this. If you have any doubts, the result of all my hard work was a position as a software engineer (back end) in Santa Monica, CA. Maybe that helps motivate you. Maybe not. In the end, it really is up to you and how much you want it. I still teach myself stuff after work that college, Codesmith, and my job didn't expose to me. There isn't any one program, school, or job that can teach you everything. Without a doubt though, Codesmith helped me get to where I am more than any other learning experience. And it was fun. =)

Coming from a .Net background I was looking for a way to accelerate my training of using Javascript throughout the full stack and to familiarize myself with modern frontend frameworks.  After attending a couple of Meetups hosted at Codesmith including the wonderful, ‘JS: The Hard Parts’ lead by Will Sentance, I knew that Codesmith was the place for me.  Even as a guest, I could already feel the genuine excitement for tech and self-improvement just by walking around the space.

From day one, the support from the staff and fellow students was outstanding.  Whether there be a technical issue or something else there was ALWAYS someone there to pick you right back up and steer you in the right direction.  I really loved hanging out with my cohort mates and to be honest asked myself more than once if I was enjoying it too much.  Don’t get me wrong, long nights and stress were part of everyday life but it really helped knowing that everyone had your back.

Overall, my 12 weeks at Codesmith was a life changing experience and I am incredibly proud to be part of the Codesmith family.

The Decision

I was a Front-End Developer in the Bay Area before Codesmith, but wasn't getting the exposure to Back-End technology that I desired.  I tried teaching myself, but couldn't find reliable resources to get me where I wanted to.  At this realization, and also knowing I wanted to level-up my career, I started looking into "coding bootcamps" that could get me the fulfillment I wanted.  I had money, so I intended on going into the best one I could get into.  I particularly looked into the LA area because I had family over here.  My choice ended up being between Hack Reactor and Codesmith for me.  I chose Codesmith because not only were they doing better in LA, but they showed such an exceptional care for their residents, including the aspiring residents.

The Culture

There are many work places, clubs, bands, and organizations that claim to be a family, but very few that claim to be actually are.  At least, this was always my experience.  Because of this, I was very surprised in experiencing that family feeling over at Codesmith.  Seriously, no BS zone here.  It's clear they are very careful in not just selecting the brightest for the residency, but the best for the culture at the residency as well.  I can honestly say the people in my cohort are some of my best friends today.

The Search After

Because let's be honest, this is probably the most important part.  I probably could have been done very quickly, but because I wanted to get into either full-stack or back-end engineering, I bit the bullet and chased what I went to CS for.  As mentioned, I was a Front-End Developer before CS, and seriously had recruiters emailing me several times every day for Front-End positions.  On top of that, I wasn't interested in working in the Health Care industry, and I didn't even go to my previous employer during my search.  Fast forward to decision time, I ended up with 3 offers, two of them being full-stack, and one of them back-end.  Much of my thanks has to go out to the staff for helping me sell my skills, chilling out my type-A personality (often times I had the desire to followup too fast), and giving me mock interviews on whatever topics I felt like I needed polishing on.

Conclusion

I made an unregrettable decision to change my life.  I put a lot at risk by quitting my job and moving to LA.  I joined CS to level up, and I got exactly what I wanted.  If you're considering CS to level up like me, or change careers like most, it's definitely worth it.

I will keep this short, as there are many other reviews talking about the curriculum in depth and the amazing resources that Codesmith provides. My review will be about what I gained the most during my time there.

Codesmith is a valuable investment in yourself and your future. During Codesmith, I genuinely learned how to learn and now I am confident that I will excel at any software postition that I enter. My background is in Civil Engineering and I previously coded in Java, but I had never experienced this level of intense learning until now. 

Codesmith got the philosophy right and you are surrounded by people who are asking in-depth questions about the most interesting emerging technologies. A small group of students, engaged instructors, and projects that challenge you to think critically... this is what all school should be like!! 

I did get a great job at a startup working on the technologies that I love (React), but what I really got was a new mindset on software that will take me far. Shout-out to the Codesmith staff, keep it up!

TL:DR: I had an amazing exprience with Codesmith. Although my program ended a few months ago, I feel I'll always be a part of the Codesmith Family.

Like most of you, I did my share of research before I applied and committed to Codesmith. You can read all of the reviews, compare all of the other programs, but nothing compares to actually attending the JS The Hard Parts classes and meeting the folks that you might spend the next couple months with. Like many of my classmates, I was offered a seat at a couple of the other popular coding programs, but the family-atmosphere at Codesmith is what ultimately brought me in.

The program itself was very challenging to say the least. I definitely felt overwhelmed at times, but it really helps that you're surrounded by other engineers that are just as passionate and just as driven as you are. As some of the staff would say, "The challenges will be there to push you down, we'll be right here to lift you back up".

Unemployment can be a dark time for many, but I was tremendously fortunate to have the Codesmith staff to help me every step of the way. From the emails to the phone calls to the negotiations, Eric, Hira and Haley really showed me how to succeed.

Codesmith by far is the best bootcamp out there. Plenty of bootcamps teach you how to code, but only one brings a family along with it. The Codesmith family is what brings you to the next level as an engineer. They push you to solve problems and challenges you never thought you could achieve. They give you the tools to find problems and solve them on your own, all while teaching you how to learn better, and faster. But it doesn't stop there. They work very hard to prepare all of their students for their life after a bootcamp. Codesmith really will prepare you to be an incredible engineer. 

All the instructors are very kind and helpful.  You can tell they want you to succeed but they also don't just give you the answers.  They make you work for it and are more mentors than teachers.  That is good though because now I feel prepared to learn anything coding related on my own with maybe a little help from someone more experienced than I am.  They really simulate the working environment where you won't be 'taught' per se but more mentored by an more experienced manager.

I was also very impressed by the social aspect.  I was at Codesmith for about 80 hours a week, which sounds crazy but honestly it wasn't that bad for two reasons.  One, I knew it was only for 3 months, and two, the social aspect of Codesmith was amazing.  They plan fun activities to make sure we don't get burned out and they also make sure to only accept people who won't be jerks.  The second is really important because when you're spending that much time with people, you want to make sure you enjoy the people around you.  Everyone from every cohort I've met has been a really nice and supportive person.  That's pretty incredible if you ask me.  They take culture very seriously there and it shows.  

They also take engineering very seriously and if you don't believe me just look at the types of projects Codesmith grads produce.  That is really the best predicter of how well the program is if you ask me.  I looked at the projects of grads from other schools when I was deciding where to go and they didn't even come close to what Codesmith grads create.  

So in sum, I would highly recommend Codesmith.  Go to the JavaScript the Hard Parts and meet the people.  By the way, that's something other schools don't do.  Other schools might say, "come one time on this one day to check out the program and then make your decision".  Codesmith is a lot more transparent in that way by  hosting all kinds of events from Thursday JavaScript the Hard Parts, to Saturday trainings, to JavaScript meetups, etc.  They have nothing to hide and you'll immediately feel their warmth, bredth of knowledge, and ability to train excellent engineers.     

Codesmith is an amazing community of passionate, like-minded, software engineers.  Kudos to Will, the visionary leader, who is orchestrating this life changing movement in the Los Angeles and now New York area.  JS the Hard Parts Prep is a another example of the Codesmith organization giving back and creating opportunity for those aspiring to grow more in this field or considering coding bootcamp.  

I have been a part of the Codesmith community a little over a year and a half now.  Looking back my growth has been incredible.  As a student, with the beginners mind, I have immersed my self in the coding bootcamp world despite having education in Computer Science.  The first thing I noticed attending JS the Hard Parts was the amount of passion in the room.  It is the perfect environment to meet other like-minded engineers who are passionate about learning. Will is an superb teacher with in depth knowledge of JavaScript and Software Engineering. The combination of attending JS the Hard Parts and being around other Engineers definitely heightened my understanding of JavaScript in a short amount of time! 

Everyone has a different journey.  JS the Hard Parts really took my understanding to a new level.   I can personally say, JS the Hard Parts is the best place to start and will add value, skills, and useful tools to your plate.  It is an excellent place to sharpen your skills to get into coding bootcamp.  From my own experience, the knowledge and skills I have gained attending JS the Hard Parts and being a part of the community has contributed to me landing an entry level role in the Software Engineering Industry.

Codesmith provides great programs that not only focus on coding, but the necessary communication skills to be successful and get hired as a Software Engineer. Every program I have attended has shown how important CodeSmith considers communication. Many programs have centered around the correct way to  express highly technical concepts in a clear and concise manner utilizing proper parlance.

From my observations, the cornerstone of CodeSmith is to make their graduates as marketable as possible. I recently attended the presentations of the latest group of graduates capstone projects; I was blown away. Many of the projects presented used a combination of very popular technologies and a few of which I had never been exposed. Every project would impress any hiring manager, and will be powerful tools in assisting the graduates acquire great employment opportunities.

 

My life has changed so much since I started Codesmith. I can confidently say that I grew more in the past 3 months than I had in the past few years. Before Codesmith started, I was incredibly anxious. I was worried that I would’t be able to keep up with such an intense program. Being on the other side of that, I feel confident in my ability to pick up new things. Not knowing something is no longer scary. I know that I can figure it out, and that has been so empowering. One of the reasons for my growth has been the amazing community at Codesmith.

Codesmith attracts driven, smart, and empathetic people. I believe the community is one of the driving forces behind student success. It’s easy to stay and put in long hours when the people around you are just as driven. It’s an environment where everyone pushes the people around them to be better than they were. Even when it gets to be past midnight, there are still people around to work through some code with.

The teaching style at Codesmith is not at all like a ‘hold-your-hand-tutorial’ Codesmith focuses on fostering problem solving ability and independent learners. Struggling through the material is where the learning happens. Sometimes that feels overwhelming, but it works so well. If you come to Codesmith remember to trust the process, because it works.

This course teaches the most fundamental principles of JavaScript that any aspiring engineer or seasoned veteran should know.  It is done via three 2 hour workshops.  It also helps prepare junior developers for CodeSmith's Residency program (not a bootcamp).

There is tremendous value in the course material and pair programming excersizes - you'll learn what goes on under the hood of JavaScript and learn techniques for just-in-time learning (a necessity of our industry).

But the real impact is felt through the passion and genious of the instructor himself - his style ensures the information will stick and is well understood, and you feel as if you are going down this new road together with him.  You leave the workshops feeling like you want more.  

I've attended each several times. Despite having been a software engineer for over a decade, I still learn something new on every visit.

Are you stuck in a career that you aren't passionate about? Are you thinking about making a career change? Are you skeptical that a 12-week immersive coding bootcamp can transform you into a software engineer that is capable of being hired after graduation? Well, until I made the best decision of my life by attending Codesmith, so was I.

I had no prior experience in Computer Science aside from a basic computer class in high school. I even failed my first interview at Codesmith after studying my butt off for several months. But my determination went a long way. I cut nearly everything out of my life (would take time to stay physically fit by going to the gym, which I highly recommend after gruling programming sessions) to focus on my career change. I knew these sacrifices needed to happen in order for me to succeed.

If you are considering to do it, be fully ready to live and breathe Codesmith for the duration of the program. If you do not fully commit, you will not succeed. I am living proof that, as long as you give it everything you got and don't look back, anyone with no expereince in the field can come out of Codesmith with hirable professional programming skills. After graduating and accepting an offer at the current company I'm at, I doubts that I wasn't smart or knowledgeable enough to pick up new technologies and/or be able to keep up with the demands of the job. To my surprise, that was not the case. Codesmith does a great job of training students to be able to go into any environment and find solutions.

My time at Codesmith was very enjoyable. They do a good job of screening prospective students during interviews, which is why the Codesmith community is so awesome. Everyone is enthusiastic and excited to be there. Engineering fellows are extremely helpful for students. Intructors are top notch. 

Codesmith provides all the tools necessary for your success. Even after your graduation, you are able to seek guidance on things such as salary negotiations and referrals for new opportunities. 

Overall, this is an outstanding program and I am very happy and satisfied that I went through with it!

Prior to Codesmith, I was enrolled in an online program. While the online program was a great start towards accomplishing my goal of becoming a software engineer, the program was missing something. After several months of the online program, I discovered Codesmith through one of their meetups, Build With Code. I immediately realized what I was missing was a community of like-minded software engineers. Long story short, I dropped out of the online program, prepared myself to get into Codesmith, and got accepted. 

Codesmith isn't just a program that produces graduates every 12 weeks. Codesmith is a team of the most dedicated individuals whose first and foremost responsibility is to support its students, and ensure each student is successful and becomes a leader in software engineering. I personally have benefited from their support and commitment. 

Additionally, the culture Codesmith has cultivated makes it an ideal learning environment. Within minutes you become part of a family and everyone is devoted to helping each other become the best software engineers possible. Not to mention, the curriculum is extremely challenging and increases your capabilities exponentially truly preparing you to be a leader in software engineering. 

Wow! Did I get my butt kicked. I went into Framework not knowing absolutely anything....so green...so unbelievably green. And I have to say this was sooo challenging for me. I had one week to do the precourse work and then I dove head first into Javascript in Framework.

For 4 weeks I went through the course pretty behind compared to everyone else... The course moves fast. But I never felt so inspired at the same time in my "not knowing".  And both instructors Tiffany and Isaac were so knowledgeable and warm, they really made me feel ok that I was struggling and kept me inspired to give it my all.

What I recommend for anyone considering this course is to really get your head around the prework they assign. Focus in on Javascript....I made the mistake of only having one week and just focusing on the HTML and CSS aspect of the precourse during that week. This course challenges you on your knowledge of the Javascript precourse information and moves at a higher thinking level than your normal fill in the blanks and hold your hand Codeacademy exercises.  I believe if you have a good grasp on the Codeacademy and Codeschool Javascript precourse material, you will really step up your whole game with Framework.

What's so crazy is that before Framework - I was just flirting with the idea of coding and had no direction. Here I am 2 weeks out of my framework so a total of 7 weeks of coding overall and I have such direction and am working on a web application using the same structure I was taught in Framework. It's hard to believe what can be learned in 1 month. I really do miss the community of class. I feel like I have a new coding family. It is so much better than learning to code on your own in my opinion.

THUMBS UP!!!!!!! DO IT! AND DO THE PRECOURSE JAVASCRIPT to really get the most out of this course!!

Codesmith is hands down the best software engineering immersive program around. Do some research and you'll quickly find that only a handful of these coding immersives are legit -- Codesmith is one of them. The quality of students is astounding, as seen in their projects reaching thousands of Github stars and being featured at Google I/O. It also has the best outcomes salary-wise compared to its competitors given that LA cost of living is far less expensive than SF and NY. 

I came in as a product manager and walked out a software engineer. I gained all the skills and technical understanding that I was looking for, met incredible people from all walks of life, and joined a warm community of empathic and talented engineers.

Whether you are a software engineer looking to enhance your technical communication and skill set or a self-taught programmer interested in picking up the latest industry technologies, Codesmith should be the program that you aspire to.

Codesmith is an amazing community of passionate, like-minded, software engineers.  Kudos to Will, the visionary leader, who is orchestrating this life changing movement in the Los Angeles and now New York area.  JS the Hard Parts Prep is a another example of the Codesmith organization giving back and creating opportunity for those aspiring to grow more in this field or considering coding bootcamp.  

I have been a part of the Codesmith community a little over a year and a half now.  Looking back my growth has been incredible.  As a student, with the beginners mind, I have immersed my self in the coding bootcamp world despite having education in Computer Science.  The first thing I noticed attending JS the Hard Parts was the amount of passion in the room.  It is the perfect environment to meet other like-minded engineers who are passionate about learning. Will is an superb teacher with in depth knowledge of JavaScript and Software Engineering. The combination of attending JS the Hard Parts and being around other Engineers definitely heightened my understanding of JavaScript in a short amount of time! 

 In addition, to completing my Masters of Science in Software Engineering last month, I decided to attend Framework also just to polish up my skills, learn more, and be job ready.  I was not disappointed.  Daniel and Issac provided stellar teaching throughout the course.  They really went in detail, under the hood, of many relevant front-end technologies.  I also met many great people in the course.  Over the length of 4 weeks, there was a real sense of community.  Through pair programming, building cool projects, presentations, and applying world class software engineering principles, Framework was a source of great value.

Everyone has a different journey.  JS the Hard Parts really took my understanding to a new level.  Framework served as a great environment to better prepare me for the workforce and sharpen my skills.  Combining the two provides you with a solid foundation to pursue coding bootcamp or even get a job as a junior software engineer.  As a passionate, driven, software engineer, my journey does not end here, but it is only a step further.  Maybe you just want to level up, bring an idea to reality, gain deeper understanding for bootcamp, meet other cool people, or be more effective on your job.  Whatever the reason, I can personally say, JS the Hard Parts is the best place to start and  will add value, skills, and useful tools to your plate.  Thank you again Will and the Codesmith community and keep making impact one engineer at a time!   

Codesmith was pretty great and I now I am a Software Engineer that can build mostly anything web related that I can think of. One of the main benifits are the people, like everyone else says. They are really sharp and usually really kind. Naturally, learning from these people around you makes you sharper and makes coding for 14 hours per day alot easier. 

The focus on new Javascript frameworks is really important since basically every front end role out there loves React and Angular experieince. 

It was great that we had speakers come in and we became part of the community. 

The production project is great becuase the team makes you pick a project that is challenging enough to impress employers. 

Codesmith really makes you a strong problem solver. Many times now when an employer asks me to do something, I won't really know but I feel like I can just figure it out by reading the docs. 

They place a TON of emphasis on strong JS fundamentals and making you a great programmer, so that was good. 

Hiring prep is great too and has helped me get through to lots of companies. Post CS support is nice too since Eric helps you negotiate.

There are some cons too. Sometimes it felt a little too hands off, like we didnt learn best practices because we were supposed to teach ourselves. So often times, we felt like we were in the dark learning things. 

Parking when you are a junior, SUCKS. Sometimes it would take me 20 minutes to find a spot.

Hiring day is way awesome since companies come to you. One person in our cohot got a job offer on hiring day. 

Hello all,

My name is Anto Afarian, and I'm very happy with my Codesmith experience. I loved meeting other Software Engineers and building projects! These are some of the experiences I had throughout the course that I thought were worth mentioning:

• Algorithm challenges- We did so many algorithm challenges that solving them became more of a puzzle or activity than something that would intimidate you. Once you see enough of them, there are patterns that you will recognize and act accordingly.
• Working with modern technologies- Our projects were built using Angular, React, Javascript, Node, Express, and many different types of databases. We made our own choices for tech stack, but were encouraged to build full stack applications.
• Working in teams- One of the most helpful things as a growing Software Engineer is having experience working in teams. This means not only do you figure out how to sort out problems and make decisions, but also keep your code clean so your teammates can use it/read it.
• Comaraderie- Everyone at Codesmith looks out for each other. There were times where a team was not finished with their own project and it was 1 am, but they would go and help another struggling team before even completing their own project. Thursday nights are a lot of fun (Codesmith Drinks Night after the Javascript meetup, open to everyone!), and staying there from 9 am to around midnight 6 nights a week really helps you get to know the people that you're hanging out with!

After Codesmith, I felt a lot more confident jumping back into the job search. I had some high impact interviews, did well on most coding challenges, and felt like I had high value. Confidence was one of my biggest issues after my college degree, and I'm very happy that those days are long gone. I have recently accepted a six figure offer and Codesmith was there every step of the way. They were very supportive and always asked for updates on how my interviews were going, and what I was struggling with, even after I had graduated. Definitely would recommend Codesmith to any future Software Engineers!

Codesmith was a life changer for me. You will be exposed to the most in-demand technologies out there but you will not be hand-held. If you want to be a high level professional in 3 months you should expect to put in some work. 

What Codesmith offers is a system to help you rapidly approach your potential in this field. It’s intense but there is so much information that you need to have a grasp of. A very valuable thing you will learn here is programming fundamentals, principles that will help you succeed regardless of what frameworks or stacks you are working with.

You will also be (rigorously) prepared for the job search (mock interviews, white boarding, salary negotiation, etc). The end of the program is marked by a hiring day where you get interviews with several prospective employers and possibly get an offer right out of the program. 

I would do this again in a heartbeat. It’s a true investment in yourself and well worth the short-term sacrifice. You will meet some incredible people and the instruction is top notch. 100% recommended