Codesmith

I began looking into software immersion programs in the winter of 2016. In searching for pair program partner to study with for technical interviews, I came across a person on Reddit, who was at the time a Codesmith student, who offered to help me study. Only at the end of our studies did he ask what program I was shooting for. I told him Hack Reactor, since it had a solid rep, and I was already living in the Bay Area. He pushed me to look into Codesmith, telling me he too had looked into HR. He moved all the way from Florida to LA to attend.

I applied to both, and got into both. I chose Codesmith, because my Reddit buddy praised the school so highly, and believed in the program so strongly. Since graduating, I firmly share his beliefs, and know I made the correct choice. There are three major factors that make Codesmith such a standout; an especially capable and talented student body, an emphasis on technical communication, and the strong sense of community the program fosters.

The student body at Codesmith is carefully selected . The standards for admission are tough. The technical interview was harder than HR by a long shot - it took me a couple of tries to get in. This was frustrating at the time, but this system results in a cohort with stronger technical abilities, so the material and the rate at which they teach it can be upped. There’s a cultural interview too. It’s not enough just to be really smart. Empathetic, team-focused, communicative, and social personalities are sought from applicants. The curriculum revolves around pair programming and project teams, so people who fill this criteria are strong fits for the program. This combination of technical abilities and conducive personalities results in learning environment where you can maximize your growth.

The most powerful skill set I was able to develop at Codesmith wasn’t learning JavaScript really well (though I did that, too), but technical communication. I can’t stress how important this ability is. When you’re interviewing for mid and senior level developer positions, being well-spoken and concise is sooo important. After all, asides from a coding challenge or two, the only way these interviewers can judge you is by the words you share with them. Being able to answer questions in an elegant, precise, and confident way is the best way to shine. But the perks of a strong technical communication ability don’t end there. After you’re hired, you’ll have to communicate with your team, both technical and non-technical members, in an efficient and approachable way. This’ll make you an especially valuable asset to your team.

The most enjoyable part of the program is the community and culture the Codesmith team has created. Graduates consistently maintain relations with Codesmith. Whether it’s coming back to for mock interviews of current students, host an open forum that details their job search story and their current roles, or just dropping by to hang out, alumni are a big part of the culture and are always looking to give back. Thursday nights are special night each week where students, staff, alumni, and friends put aside their work a little earlier than usual, and have a few drinks with each other. Very often the karaoke machine gets busted out. You haven’t seen anything until you’ve watched half a dozen engineers singing along to some N’Sync. There are beach days, bonfires, family-style dinners, kickball. And all of this fun happens alongside some of the most intense and rapid-paced learning you’ll ever have.

I really can’t say enough good things about Codesmith. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it has been a bit of a life-changing experience. I’ve gained a large group of friends I’ve bonded very strongly to, an amazing job I feel proud of, and a new perspective on communication, problem solving, and life in general.

Codesmith was the only place for me - coming from about 3 years experience as an AngularJS developer, I was looking for a way to quickly get my skills up to the next level.  Codesmith did that not only by teaching the newest technologies (React, Node), but by making sure students also truly understand the fundamentals and principles underlying all those great technologies.  The pair programming style of learning was extremely appealing and rewarding for me and has taken my technical communication and ability to program with other to a whole new level. 

Codesmith's immersive program truly is a cut above the rest.  There are a few things that I considered when making my decision to attend:

Material - not only is the course material relavent to the current job industry, it's extremely well structured.  All of the units that the Codesmith residents work through are laid out in a logical manner that builds upon your experiences in previous units.  By the time you know it, all the pieces connect and you come out with a wealth of knowledge that's highly sought after.

Instructors - as it turns out, the couse material, although important, is only a small factor in why Codesmith works. The team members here are amazing, explaining highly technical concepts and code walkthroughs with perfect technical detail and clarity - and it's not just code that they teach you. Codesmith specializes in honing your problem solving capabilities. This is a skill that trumps all others. During your software engineering journey, you're bound to run into countless scenarios where you just don't know the answer, or perhaps have no knowledge of the technology you're working with. How do you overcome those blocks? How do you tackle not knowing something? These are what the instructors are truly teaching you.  As you work through the material, the team is there to help you work any blocks or challenges that you may face, all while never revealing answers so you come to solutions on your own might - adding another notch to your belt of coding skills with each challenge you've solved. Eventually, you'll have enough notches to work through scenarios you thought previously impossible, regardless of the technology you're working in.

Culture - this last one seals the deal and puts Codesmith in a class of it's own. Codesmith is not just a coding school, it's a community. A tightly knit one at that. An environment of learning and self improvement with no judgement has been established here. This is the type of place where anyone and everyone is a resource to you, a place where you can flag any random person down in the hallway and they will drop what they're doing to help you. The community here is unlike any other you'll experience, you'll be surrounded by good natured, extremely friendly and highly intelligent people - it's honestly a bit addicting.

All in all I'm so glad I attended! It was truly a transformative process and I feel well prepared for what lay ahead.

If you are considering any kind of software engineering education, you must at the very least check out Codesmith’s free `JavaScript the hard parts`. Over the course of a few months attending these weekly sessions I became convinced that Codesmith was the right choice for me. I enrolled in July, graduated in October and by November had an excellent offer from a great company in the Bay Area.

Codesmith instills great confidence and ambition in its residents, which is reflected by the quality of the open source projects produced.

For me, this was achieved by focussing on technical communication - a core part of the Codesmith experience. Only by having a solid understanding of foundational concepts and what’s going on ‘under the hood’ is it possible to effectively communicate complex problems in an articulate manner. This is an invaluable skill for interviews.

Building on this foundational understanding, the second half of the program helped develop my skills as an autonomous problem solver. In requiring residents to engage positively with the open source community, it helped address the inevitable imposter syndrome head on, and validate ourselves as software engineers.

It is a combination of deep understanding, excellence in technical communication, ambition of projects undertaken, and the culture and enthusiasm created by the Codesmith team that has led to the success of so many graduates, myself included, as professional software engineers.

I'm a graduate of Codesmith who has been working as a software engineer now for about 4 months. I'm a naturally skeptical person, so I went into the program with a healthy dose of caution, trying to dampen my expecations on the promise of the program. I was so happy to discover that I have nothing but good things to say about the program. I was very surprised that Codesmith not only met my expectations, but exceeded them. The community is what makes it -- it's simultaneosly friendly, encouraging, and very supportive. The leadership and instructors set a wonderful tone for the whole program -- they're approachable, fun, friendly, and super knowledgable. It's such an amazing experience to be surrounded by driven, intellectually curious people non-stop for 12 weeks -- the dynamic is always so supportive, even during later weeks when everyone is burnt out, tired, and stressed to hit the next deadline. Sounds cheesy, but this place changed my life. I came out of the program with a whole new set of friends, and a job/career that I love. I couldn't recommend Codesmith more highly to someone who is cut out for it. 

I think it's useful to provide some context with any review - I have an engineering (not computer science/engineering) BS from UCLA with a non-engineering career prior to my career change. That said, the majority of the people in my cohort came from entirely non-technical backgrounds.

I went into Codesmith with some self-study Javascript experience - as much as I can cram without losing direction/getting overwhelmed with the amount of breadth that comes with Javascript. Definitely enough for a junior web developer role, but I wanted to work on the more interesting and fun problems that come with a mid/sr level role. 

Going through the program has prepared me for such a role for the following reasons:

1. A ton of hours pair programming - not only does this teach you to be a better technical communicator, but it also gives you a better in-depth understanding of core concepts and troubleshooting approaches. Not to mention - it also makes you better at reading other people's code (something that you'll need to do in your career)

2. Projects - the point of this program isn't to showcase how you've completed a 3-month immersive program to somehow justify that you are now qualified to be a software engineer. The point is to show that you’re able to perform and contribute as an engineer in a meaningful way. A reputable program should encourage you to come up with ambitious projects that directly impact other developers and contribute to the open source community (i.e. not CRUD apps). This signals to employers that you’re capable of tackling problems that real developers face.

3. Learning how to learn - part of learning to become a proficient software engineer is to be confronted with difficult and challenging engineering problems where the struggle is the norm rather than the exception. Codesmith goes out of its way to make sure that they're not just spoon-feeding you the answers for good reason. Make no mistake - it will be hard work before, during, and especially after the program.

The outcomes? Most people in my cohort (who, again, came from non-technical backgrounds) are gainfully employed with the salary expectations that were presented to them. The great and unexpected side-effect of this program is that I made friends and connections with awesome people who I would not have otherwise have met or bonded with. Work hard but don't forget to take the time to make those connections!

I debated about whether or not to attend a coding bootcamp for over a year before finally making a decision to attend one. I knew that I wanted to change careers, but I wasn’t sure if coding bootcamps were worth the high price tag. I already had a graduate degree and felt like I couldn’t afford the time it would take to go back to school for to get another degree in computer science.

Attending Codesmith was a last-minute decision for me. I had been accepted into Hack Reactor, and was all set to attend. However, due to Hack Reactor’s fairly negative reviews at the time, I was doing some last-minute research before paying my registration fee. That’s when I discovered Codesmith, and decided to attend Hard Parts.

After Hard Parts, Will Sentence (the CEO/Founder) followed up with me personally to see how my experience had been. I thought that was great, and appreciated the personalization, so I started looking into Codesmith more deeply and it seemed like graduates’ starting salaries were higher than Hack Reactor or some other bootcamps I was attending.

I decided to apply, and was also pleased to find that the admission process was more challenging than Hack Reactor’s had been. I wanted to attend a program that would allow me to leave with the most advanced skills possible, so I felt like this was a good sign.  I had both a cultural and technical interview, and was admitted on my first try, although I hear this is not the norm.

Throughout the program, I never felt like I was learning. I was constantly afraid that I would never be able to learn enough (or learn fast enough) to land one of the amazing jobs that I had read about from other graduates, and I never felt adequate enough to call myself a developer.

However, 5 weeks after graduation, I received an amazing offer from one of Codesmith’s Hiring Day partners, one that is in line with Codesmith’s advertised graduate salaries. Not only that, but I LOVE my new job, the company and the team I work with. I honestly couldn’t have asked to land in a better situation.

Were there things I didn’t like about Codesmith? Sure. But at the end of the program, it landed me exactly where I wanted it to be, and for that reason, I would do it all over again. Could you learn everything Codesmith teaches on your own? Definitely. But in my experience, I would never have landed at the company I did with the salary I was offered in such a short amount of time without Codesmith. If you are considering Codesmith, I would say that the price is worth it if only for the career services aspect of everything. The resume building, personal narrative critiquing and Hiring Day opportunities are worth the price tag.

I’ll also say that throughout the program, Will, Haley and the rest of the staff were always ready and willing to listen to my concerns, work with me to shape the program to my specific needs and encourage me not to give up. I almost quit about halfway through the program, but I am so glad that I didn’t, because I know that I would NOT be where I am today if I had chosen to walk away.

I took a risk and moved all the way from San Francisco to attend Codesmith's August 2016 cohort. At the time, Codesmith was still a relatively new Software Engineer program and trying to build its reputation as the best in the nation. There were already well established and reputable programs like Hack Reactor and App Academy. I got into all 3 programs, but I chose Codesmith for the following reasons:

1) Small, intimate cohort size (15-20 students max). You will get a chance to pair with everyone in your cohort and connect on a deeper level beyond the curriculum. The staff and peers will not let you fall behind. 
2) Very selective. Codesmith only admits smart, motivated, empathetic, and thoughtful peers. You will meet amazing people from all walks of life and build relationships that will last beyond the 12 weeks. 
3) Projects. You build challenging and ambitious projects you are proud to put on your portfolio and speak passionately about when you are job seeking. 
4) Curriculum. Modern tech stack with emphasis on best practices.
5) Support. Routine check ins , interview practice, job search tips, algorithm practice, soft skill practice, etc. 
6) Hiring day. 20ish companies come out on the last day to hire you! What other program even has hiring day anymore?

Tips: 
Be prepared and committed work 8-12 hrs a day for 6 days a week.
Continue to work just as hard when the program has concluded. Remember nothing is guaranteed. 
You will have the confidence and knowledge to become a mid-level developer. 
Imposter syndrome is real. Just know it happens at every level. The more you know, the more you don't know.

Finals thoughts: 
It's been 1.5 years since I completed the program. I made a choice, and it paid off. Codesmith was one of the best experiences of my life and I would do it many times over.

I had completed General Assembly's 12 week Web Development Immersive prior to attending Codesmith, and wasn't having much luck on the job search.  After one session of Javascript: The Hard Parts, I knew that Codesmith was how I would be able to gain the requisite knowledge to do well in interviews and land a job.  The in-depth study of computer science fundamentals was crucial, and gave me the edge I needed.  Moreovever, Codesmith CEO Will Sentance is an amazing human being, and his passion for software engineering was something that I was so happy to have been able to witness. 

The hours are long, but there is a method to the madness; your future co-workers will be astounded by your work ethic!  I was particularly impressed with the job-preparation elements of the course; they share with you the tools to package and present yourself as a capable engineer (even with no previous experience).  The mock-interviews and practice white-boarding sessions were a great preview to the interview process.  The emphasis Codesmith puts on pair programming is also fantastic, as learning to work well with others will serve you well down the line.  

Two months after graduation, and about 5 or 6 on-site technical interviews, I wound up as a full-stack software engineer for Rotten Tomatoes. It's important to not slack off after graduation; the job-search is your job.  During the day you should be either interviewing or applying, and in the evenings, you should be learning/coding.  Don't forget to take care of yourself, eat well and exercise if you can.  

Like others have said on here, trust the process.  The curriculum is spot on.  Practice algorithm challegnes daily, I particularly like Codewars.  Also, try to have a personal website that showcases some completed and deployed applications you built; this was something I had from General Assembly coming into Codesmith that some of my peers didn't have, and I feel like it made things a bit easier for me, although as far as I know, all of my classmates have jobs now.

Will and his team lay out everything for you, they give you the knowledge and the tools to get what you want, it's just up to you to walk the path and put in work.

The primer for the program (JavaScript the Hard Parts) takes place Thursday nights in Los Angeles, and varies for other cities, and is a great introduction to/review of concepts that those learning the JavaScript language may struggle with initially. The class is interactive, engaging, and gives a good sense of what the program entails. In each session a concept is reviewed. First the concept is defined, then we examine what might make it a novel concept and especially important for the language, and finally review examples line by line to understand what is happening in each line that is executed. 

The Hard Parts sessions also include pair programming time (again, emphasizing communication and working in teams) and an opportunity for problem solving that might be from a different perspective. After trying online resources, a handful of books and other in-person bootcamps I found JS Hard Parts to sync best with my learning style, meet other people with my level of experience and interest, and the best overall explanation of the concepts being reviewed. This is in part because the classes are in depth, but the engagement of others in the room means more people ask questions I may not have thought to ask, and in turn gives me a better understanding of the subject.

Prior to deciding to pursue a career change and become a developer I had met and worked at a company with 3 Codesmith grads. My role was in operations, but everyone in the company knew one another and I had a handful of conversations with them about work/nonwork. Besides being generally great people they were often recognized for the things the Codesmith program equipped them with including: (naturally) a deep understanding of JavaScript and (importantly) effective communication skills that prepared them to work in a team with others. I have heard from a number of other developers who have been in the field for years that the ability to complete projects independently will only open up a bit of the professional world and prepare you success where you have complete control. Codesmith's emphasis on collaborating and effective communication prepares graduates to work in a group environment, and promotes synergy in a cognizant way. 

Coming to Codesmith for the first time can be a bit of a surreal experience. I remember when I walked through the elevator doors to attend "JavaScript: the Hard Parts," not sure what to expect. I was nervous because I hardly felt like I had a grasp on the easy parts of JavaScript and was certain I was in over my head. What's a higher order function, anyway?

6 months later, I'm writing scalable web apps and front end architectures using bleeding edge technology and I've got data structures and algorithms practically oozing out of my fingernails. I wouldn't be the Software Engineer that I am today without the support of my cohort mates who struggled with me through the program and the staff who guided me throughout the process.

The amount of attention paid to each student to ensure their success throughout the program and beyond is astonishing. I've seen staff stay long after their scheduled hours, just to work through challenges with students or give impromptu lectures, not because they have to but because they genuinely care about all things software and web-related and want to share their knowledge with others. That enthusiasm to dig deep into computer science and JavaScript fundamentals permeate the entire space, an awesome startup like environment where day after day people are coding late into the night.

Codesmith isn't a bootcamp. It's a community of people who are extremely passionate about learning and building new things- a truly special place I'm so thankful I was able to be a part of.