Codesmith

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

Codesmith is truly a transformative experience. Prior to Codesmith I didn't have a technical background or any prior tech experience, and was looking for a career change. I began to assess all my options available to make the switch to a new career in tech. There were the numerous for-profit trade/career colleges, most of which seem great at first, but then as you dig deeper are very gimmicky, poor quality, and most are extremely expensive. Of course there's the traditional route of going to a community college & a state school or university, but being in my mid twenties, the extended time it takes to complete a degree, plus the limited career help and lack of modern in demand technologies, was not an investment I was willing to start. I decided I would continue working and self-studying in my free time with ambitions of making the switch on my own. The amount of resource online these days is amazing but starting out it can be very daunting. Without any prior programming experience, knowing what to look for, what to learn, and the quality of what you were learning was rough and a very slow process.

After a few months of learning html, css and the fundamentals of javascript, I wanted to speed up my learning and level up. I didn't want to continue this way on my own and began to look for Meetups to attend and learn with others. Through attending multiple Meetups is how I discovered coding bootcamps! It was awesome, and I felt energized and excited at this new approach to learning. I looked into all the Los Angeles bootcamps and I recommend you do the same to find what would fit you best. I went to many Meetups but the one that stood out the most was Codesmith's free Javascript the Hard Parts meetup offered every Thursday. You get a glimpse into the Codesmith mentality and community and is a perfect opportunity to see for yourself what Codesmith is all about firsthand.

The reason I favored Codesmith over the others was that it was clear it wasn't another coding bootcamp. Codesmith is an immersive residency and has 3 core values that sets it apart. Complete dedication to every student, an autonomous and deep understanding for learning, and a devotation for the community. Community is such a huge aspect of Codesmith and one of the many things I loved most about Codesmith. Codesmith hosts and sponsors many weekly and monthly events, is always looking to give back to the tech community in LA and beyond, and is an extremely diverse and inclusive space. Plus the alumni support is great and very connected, and they even have multiple times throughout the program when alumni comeback and share their stories of life during and after Codesmith.

The team and staff are amazing. Everyone is extremely nice, thoughtful and there to help you succeed. I felt comfortable sharing and expressing any concerns or feelings throughout the program. The curriculum is top-notch and well rounded. It still amazes me the amount of content I learned in a short amount of time. Spending six days a week and more then eleven hours a day onsite, it becomes more then just a program or school, you become a tight knit family with your classmates, the staff and the other cohort. Everyone is there with the mindset to help one another, and so should be your mindset going in.

With all that said, Codesmith is intense. It is challenging, tough, inspiring, motivating, and rewarding. Codesmith is an extremely fast-paced fully immersive program and is very demanding. Best way to succeed is to fully dedicate yourself for 3 months and make the tough sacrifices necessary to give your all during the program. This is truly one of those kind of experience when "the more you put into it, is the more you will get out of it". Take full advantage of everything offered, your classmates, the instructors, the staff, the connections, the networking, the events and will be amazed at how far you've made it. 

Your journey doesn't stop either after program. It is key you keep the same intensity going during the job search phase. A wonderful standout experience at Codesmith is the hiring day event. It provides such an awesome space to meet companies to network and jump start your hiring process. It is vital to stay in touch with the staff at Codesmith during your job search for endless amounts of support and guidance they provide to help you improve your interviewing and networking skills.

If your looking for an experience that offers top-tier challenges & curriculum, a thriving community, and a location that is in the heart of it all and only a few miles from the beach, you'll find it and more with Codesmith.

I went to Codesmith from August to October of 2016. Honestly, it was the best decision I ever made. Not only was I able to get the skills I needed to become a professional software developer, but I was able to meet some of the most intelligent, humble and interesting people. In addition to your fellow students being magnificent, the staff at Codesmith is always happy to help you out with whatever you need, be it emotional or intellectual support.

If your goal is to find a bootcamp that will help you learn the skills you need to be a web developer, look no further. There isn't a better option out there.

First I will mention what convinced me of Codesmith over any other bootcamp in LA -- I watched Will Sentance give a free talk called Javascript the Hard Parts and hung around afterward to chat with students in the program. You will get to see a glimpse of how Codesmith instruction works, the supportive community, and also get to tour the beautiful space. I promise you will not have to read another review after experiencing it for yourself, but here are my thoughts:

A few weeks out from completing Codesmith, I've fully realized the impact this program had on my life, and I want to share with those who may find themselves in a similar posotion. Before attending, I had a B.S. in Electrical engineering, some programming experience from undergrad/codeacademy/etc, but no projects built to demonstrate my skills. I had been struggling for over a year to land any kind of software development position. My resume was rife with the rookie mistakes many make -- too vague descriptions, not technically challenging, no underlying story marketing myself as a software engineer. My interview skills were weak, I would lack confidence in my answers and be lost for words when salary negotiations came up. Furthermore, my answers to the technical interview questions were often just wrong!

This all changed thanks to Codesmith and I'm happy to report I'm currently in negotiations for software developer positions at two companies which came to our hiring day! Codesmith will teach you the technical and career development skills you need, plus support you throughout the hiring process. 

This is probably all the review you're looking for, but read on for more details :)

The most unique things about Codesmith are the tight knit, brilliant Community and the proven Pedagogy. Your cohortmates will absoutely become your family. You spend many hours solving problems and supporting eachother through demanding challenges. Of course we work hard, and we also play hard! Thursday nights are a chance to socialize and let loose -- really any time is good to challenge someone to a ping pong or Magic the Gathering match. It's a lot of fun being there, I miss it!

The pedagogy takes you through basic software engineering skills all the way up through react/redux workflows and advanced git. The steps are mostly the same throughout -- get a high-level overview of the topic from an expert lecturer, then struggle to build something with that new skill. This is highly effective! 

I hope this helps you make the right decision for your future as a software engineer.