Codesmith is a coding school redefining the way software engineering is taught. Codesmith offers full-time (13-week) and part-time (38-week) remote software engineering immersive programs as well as a full-time NYC Onsite program. Codesmith focuses on concepts and technologies such as full-stack JavaScript, computer science, machine learning, Dev Ops, React, and more. The immersives are advanced residencies designed to help individuals launch meaningful, high-level...
Codesmith is a coding school redefining the way software engineering is taught. Codesmith offers full-time (13-week) and part-time (38-week) remote software engineering immersive programs as well as a full-time NYC Onsite program. Codesmith focuses on concepts and technologies such as full-stack JavaScript, computer science, machine learning, Dev Ops, React, and more. The immersives are advanced residencies designed to help individuals launch meaningful, high-level careers in software engineering.
The Codesmith admissions process involves a written application with optional coding questions, a nontechnical interview, and a technical interview. Codesmith offers a number of free resources for preparing for the admissions process including in-person and online coding workshops, a 2-week online prep course (CS Prep), and an online JavaScript learning platform (CSX).
Codesmith offers extensive career support that guides residents through resume development, interview strategies, salary negotiation, and more. Residents receive career support for life whether they are on their first job search, second job search, or beyond. Plus, the supportive Codesmith community encourages learners to tackle unique and unfamiliar problems, important when preparing for the ever-changing tech landscape. As shared in the most recent CIRR outcomes reports (July-December 2021), more than 82% of Codesmith graduates were employed in the field within 6 months of graduating. Across all full-time immersive programs during this period the median salary for Codesmith graduates was $130,000. The median salary for the part-time remote immersive program was $137,000.
When it comes to tuition, Codesmith payment options include upfront payments, monthly installments, and financing through Ascent Funding, Codesmith’s loan partner. In addition, eligible students can apply for several different scholarship options at Codesmith.
Codesmith also offers a two-day JavaScript for Beginners online course, as well as CS Prep, a 2-week program offered online and designed to prepare you for Codesmith’s Software Engineering Immersives. Further, you can join their free CSX learning platform and attend any of Codesmith’s free weekly workshops to learn more about its programs and build software engineering fundamentals.
If you are looking at Codesmith's Software Engineering Immersive Program, but feel that you are not quite ready yet, CS Prep might be exactly what you are looking for. I was in that position a few weeks ago, in which I was familiar with some Javascript fundamentals but did not feel that I could pass the entrance interviews due to a complete lack of technical communication. I had done coding challenges by myself, but never really had the chance to communicate this to anyone else.
If you are looking at Codesmith's Software Engineering Immersive Program, but feel that you are not quite ready yet, CS Prep might be exactly what you are looking for. I was in that position a few weeks ago, in which I was familiar with some Javascript fundamentals but did not feel that I could pass the entrance interviews due to a complete lack of technical communication. I had done coding challenges by myself, but never really had the chance to communicate this to anyone else.
I recently finished my CS Prep cohort at Codesmith after having dabbled in Javascript for a couple of months before starting. I worked through all of CSX - CodeSmith's own online free learning environment - to prepare myself for the concepts that would be covered in CS Prep. The focus within CS Prep lies heavily on technical communication. Examples of this are found in the daily opportunities to pair program, to pseudocode well during the problems, to share a video where you walk the viewer through a problem and when you work with your group on your final project. Those could sound like daunting tasks, but you get used to it quicker than you would think.
The lectures themselves followed a similar format each day. Typically we started with a problem of the day, then the instructor would walk through the problem of the previous day. After that, a new topic would be introduced and explained in-depth. Lastly, we would be assigned a pair programming partner, which allowed us to work through the problem sets related to that day's topic together. The use of technology (mostly done with Zoom and their own CSBin to write code) made for a seamless experience. The lectures require a lot of diagramming so that you get a deeper understanding of why the code is doing what it's doing. Students are called upon (students join with microphone and camera) to analyze the lines of code and to technically communicate what is happening. The instructors are extremely engaging and approachable.
My cohort consisted of about 30-35 students and we had an active slack channel going with the instructors actively participating as well. This way, there was always someone to answer your questions as you were working through your problems. A sidenote here is that I was unemployed, so I was able to spend a lot of hours daily to practice and to get the most out of the experience. However, there were many people that were doing this next to their studies/full-time work, and they still performed very well.
I am also happy to say that I got into the Software Engineering Immersive Program and will be starting in the NY March Cohort. I practised by myself before CS Prep and I probably would have gotten there in the end, but CS Prep helped accelerate the process and made everything much more enjoyable as well. If you are near either of the two Codesmith locations, you are also likely to run into other people from your CS Prep program if you visit the JavaScript the Hard Parts workshops, which is an additional benefit.
Overall - Nothing but good words for CS Prep and the instructors: David, Chris and JinSung. I came out with a much better understanding of JavaScript, am now able to communicate my thought process much more clearly, made some friends, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I have to admit, I’m usually skeptical about online bootcamps. When I decided I wanted to learn Javascript, I did everything I could to learn for free and in a self-paced manner. I took online courses, some live classes, meetups, study guides, and bootcamp prep exercises from Full Stack Academy, Hack Reactor, the whole 9 yards. I did this for about 3 months part time. I will admit that these resources were a great introduction into learning Javascript, but up to a certain poin...
I have to admit, I’m usually skeptical about online bootcamps. When I decided I wanted to learn Javascript, I did everything I could to learn for free and in a self-paced manner. I took online courses, some live classes, meetups, study guides, and bootcamp prep exercises from Full Stack Academy, Hack Reactor, the whole 9 yards. I did this for about 3 months part time. I will admit that these resources were a great introduction into learning Javascript, but up to a certain point I hit a plateau. The new surface level knowledge I gained from these courses were not contributing to my overall fundamental understanding of Javascript. In other words, I was spinning my wheels with these courses.
I didn't realize this until I was sick and didn't code for two weeks and then tried to jump back into coding and realized I forgot half the things I “learned”. It was clear I had deep holes in my fundamentals that I needed to address before advancing.
I enrolled in CSPrep after I took a FrontEnd Master’s course called “Javascript the Hard Parts”. The first thing I noticed about both instructors were that they had a very distinct way of teaching.
They always diagrammed everything, especially how the Javascript engine processes the code ‘under the hood’. They would speak in a very precise manner and have students weave this vocabulary into their understanding of the subject. This specific emphasis on technical communication and deep understanding is what I think makes CS Prep a worthwhile investment.
My CSPrep instructor, David, flowed seamlessly through the course making sure everyone was on the same page and that we continuously hit a deeper understanding of the topic at hand. I believe this “training style” is what led to me to pass the interview for the full time Software Immersive Program at Codesmith. After all, the interview topics (Closures, Higher-Order Functions) were not necessarily the easiest resources to find online.
I would highly recommend checking out CSPrep and Javascript the Hard Parts. If I had to do it over again, I’d go to their free in-person Javascript the Hard Parts workshops held every week before jumping into CSPrep, that way the new knowledge is built on strong fundamentals.
Hey, so most of the other 300 reviews here are going to give you a great overview and tell you what it's all about. I want this review to help tell you that it's all true. I'm just a more skeptical person by nature so even taking this plunge into software engineering boot camps was a crazy idea but I felt that it was the right path for my life.
I originally got into Hack Reactor SF but in final review I wanted to look over my options one last time. I came acro...
Hey, so most of the other 300 reviews here are going to give you a great overview and tell you what it's all about. I want this review to help tell you that it's all true. I'm just a more skeptical person by nature so even taking this plunge into software engineering boot camps was a crazy idea but I felt that it was the right path for my life.
I originally got into Hack Reactor SF but in final review I wanted to look over my options one last time. I came across Codesmith and I'll admit, the first thing I noticed were how amazing the outcomes were compares to everyone else. But, getting me to move across the country required a little more. I watched the free online JavaScript the Hard Parts taught by Phil and Will - who are not just figureheads and truly a major part of your codesmith experience - and I felt the passion and the energy that no other place had. I realize that may sound a little ridiculous but join one of the weekly classes and give it a shot. There is no better way to no if codesmith is right for you.
Lastly, yes the curriculum is solid and if you put in the effort you will come out with everything you need and the culture really is that amazing - you'll make great friends along the way. So yeah, all those reviews under me are telling the truth.
I was lucky to get an offer so fast after graduation but the stats don't lie and it does work.
To start off, my background was actually in Finance. I went to college down in southern california and really didn't see myself pursueing the tech field; due to some personal circumstances, I made the abrupt decision to pursue the software engineering industry. The choice of going to Codesmith actually stemmed from a friend referring me to this bootcamp, he had only good things to say about this bootcamp.
With that, I begain studying for Codesmith about 1.5 months before the app...
To start off, my background was actually in Finance. I went to college down in southern california and really didn't see myself pursueing the tech field; due to some personal circumstances, I made the abrupt decision to pursue the software engineering industry. The choice of going to Codesmith actually stemmed from a friend referring me to this bootcamp, he had only good things to say about this bootcamp.
With that, I begain studying for Codesmith about 1.5 months before the application deadline, studied for about 8-10 hours a day. Throughout the application process, the staff was extremely friendly and supportive - I didn't pass my first technical and received feedback and was able to pass the second time around.
When I first started, I had no expectation of the codesmith community or who I would be working with. That being said, I was blown away by the amount of passion and support shown by not only the staff members but my own cohort mates. I believe that for such a strenuous and stressful environment to succeed, everyone must contribute and collectively support each other - codesmith was nothing shy of supporting students through 'the crucible'. Not only were the staff members constantly available to support you through stressful situations but they also provided emotional and any other support you needed. Oh and the lead technical mentor, Augustine, is phenomenal - he has an answer for just about everything, and if he doesn't he will do his absolute best to push you in the right direction.
One thing to point out is that Codesmith prides themselves in letting you struggle. That means that there is little to no hand holding, everything should be figured out on your own or with others. I think this is the core of what software engineering is, being able to problem solve on your own feet.
Thank you codesmith, I couldn't have been more happy with my own outcome and would never forget this experience!
Enrolling in Codesmith last summer was a risk I was nervous about, but it has already paid off in so many ways. I received a job abroad with a competitive salary, and was actively interviewing in NYC for jobs over $130,000. I was in a career in which I felt stagnant and not mentally stimulated. I was always good at math and science growing up, but in college I found media/journalism and decided to give that a shot for 10 years. I loved it for a period but needed a change.
After d...
Enrolling in Codesmith last summer was a risk I was nervous about, but it has already paid off in so many ways. I received a job abroad with a competitive salary, and was actively interviewing in NYC for jobs over $130,000. I was in a career in which I felt stagnant and not mentally stimulated. I was always good at math and science growing up, but in college I found media/journalism and decided to give that a shot for 10 years. I loved it for a period but needed a change.
After doing tons of research, I had two finalists lined up. I'm sure I would have done well at the runner-up, but Codesmith stood out to me for a few reasons. The community is above all else. First, all the online reviews for Codesmith read differently than others, and I was very curious why -- there had to be something to it. Secondly: Just seeing people attend free Hard Parts lectures and seeing the bond beginning to form there was a big difference from other residencies. To that end, the personal touch goes from all levels. Something as small as receiving a handwritten card upon acceptance is something so easy that my other choice didn't do, but it's a great touch.
As for the curriculum: It can definitely kick your ass. It's a hard 13 weeks, but I went from 3 months of somewhat regular self-taught coding (along with a full-time job) to getting a full-time mid-level job in less than 2 months. While everyone will have their hard, frustrating days, yes. But your cohort will support you, and people learn way more than they think they are capable of. Similarly, the Codesmith staff does a great job at teaching and making sure everyone is doing OK. I do wish that some of the topics could be more refined, but I know firsthand that those discussions are always ongoing and that the staff is very conscious of staying in-tune to the dev community.
I couldn't have asked for more than a program. I'm fortunate my cohort was filled with great people and staff that I continue to speak to. It's a big financial investment, yes. But if you know you want to dive into software engineering, do yourself a favor and look into Codesmith.
I just got an offer that I will be accepting as my first Software Engineer role outside of Codesmith and I'm still in shock at how things worked out the way it did! I was a student in the Software Engineering Immersive Program back in May-August and had the privilege of becoming a fellow from August-November.
Many people were sharing how the job search will be difficult around the time I end fellowship but I am here to say that if you put in the hard work, you can get a job regar...
I just got an offer that I will be accepting as my first Software Engineer role outside of Codesmith and I'm still in shock at how things worked out the way it did! I was a student in the Software Engineering Immersive Program back in May-August and had the privilege of becoming a fellow from August-November.
Many people were sharing how the job search will be difficult around the time I end fellowship but I am here to say that if you put in the hard work, you can get a job regardless of the “best hiring” season. I am super thankful for the Codesmith community as I have made so many amazing life-long friends/engineers who are here to support me in my new journey, every step of the way. I can’t thank the staff enough for believing in me and giving me all the resources I need to succeed. Thank you Codesmith!
TLDR: Started researching how to improve my career in March and April 2019. Attended Codesmith from June to August. Currently writing/managing code in distributed systems handling over 20,000 concurrent requests a second, contributing server code for data worth millions. And I've made lifelong friends along the way.
Why Codesmith?: No other program puts so much emphasis on cultural fit. To attend Codesmith, you must show extreme empathy, willingn...
TLDR: Started researching how to improve my career in March and April 2019. Attended Codesmith from June to August. Currently writing/managing code in distributed systems handling over 20,000 concurrent requests a second, contributing server code for data worth millions. And I've made lifelong friends along the way.
Why Codesmith?: No other program puts so much emphasis on cultural fit. To attend Codesmith, you must show extreme empathy, willingness to dive deep into the unknown, and a compulsion for great technical communication with your partners, mentors, and teams. In every way, being surrounded by so many hand-picked, brilliant, empathetic, and driven engineers — many with absolutely no prior experience — will fundamentally change you for the better. And residents come from all walks of life. And every resident must not only excel in pair-programming formats and team settings, but they also must mentor others.
I will quote someone I personally mentored in the program, who handed me a note the night before graduation — “Just wanted to leave a little note of gratitude instead of word vomiting a bunch of stuff at you the night before you ‘left’ CS. I truly appreciated the energy you depicted. I felt as if you were cheering me on even before I got there. To be honest at first I was super intimidated by you but in the end that environment of challenge was exactly what I needed to push through for you showed me that no task was too daunting for me to accomplish. Thank you for your words of wisdom and for sharing your worldview. Thank you for being there for me & for telling me over and over (and over) again that the underdog can and will prevail.”
Hiring Support: Self-advocacy. We teach people how to push themselves for bigger and better things. In total, I never once applied for a single company in my entire job search — I took 56 interview requests from external and internal recruiters. The primary reason was that the projects and codebases I had worked on in CS had such bleeding edge tech stacks — gRPCs, Protobufs, Docker, Node, Webpack, RxJS, Concurrent React, Redux, Next.js, SQL, Mongo, AWS, etc., — that I fulfilled nearly every mark on req sheets for huge numbers of companies. As I took more interviews and phone screens, tech screens, take homes, and on-sites, there was always a tight knit community of alumni and staff that supported me through every rejection and hard knock. So that by the time I hit multiple offers, I had gained so much perspective and self-confidence that I was able to negotiate my salary to above $170k.
Community: I still hang out regularly with dozens of people I met through the program. It’s an amazing thing to have so many friends that all have six-figure salaries in the same field who I can lean on and who can lean on me for the rest of my life. I will forever be grateful for this place.
My time at Codesmith was an invaluable experience in my journey to becoming a software engineer. When I initially decided to switch careers, I knew I wanted to attend an immersive program in order to accelerate my progress. I did tons of research on the full time programs available to me in my area (NYC). Many seemed promising, but as I learned more about each program and attended their public events it became clear to me that Codesmith was one a different level. When I attende...
My time at Codesmith was an invaluable experience in my journey to becoming a software engineer. When I initially decided to switch careers, I knew I wanted to attend an immersive program in order to accelerate my progress. I did tons of research on the full time programs available to me in my area (NYC). Many seemed promising, but as I learned more about each program and attended their public events it became clear to me that Codesmith was one a different level. When I attended my first Hard Parts I was so impressed by the teaching style and the energy in the room. I felt like Codesmith was really a place where people went to hustle hard and change their lives. I applied to the immersive program and met more members of the Codesmith team and they were all supportive of me throughout the interview process. I was accepted to the immersive program and dived right into the curriculum with 23 other lovely humans as cohort mates. The curriculum is formatted such that residents are constantly learning and building with new technologies at a rapid pace and are always coding with a pair programming partner. I found pair programming to be highly beneficial to my learning process because not only did it help me refine my own technical communication but it also made me more effective at interpreting and deploying my partner’s technical ideas, which is an essential skill for any engineer in a production environment. Beyond the curriculum, Codesmith also stands out in terms of community. All of my cohort mates were people who went out of their way to help one another all the time. The warmth of the staff, teaching fellows, and my cohort mates throughout my time as a resident made working through long days for three months truly enjoyable and these relationships have persisted for me even after graduation. For anyone considering applying to a Codesmith program, my best advice is to attend an event on campus and talk to the people you meet there. The rest will speak for itself.
Employed in-field | 83.1% |
Full-time employee | 82.0% |
Full-time apprenticeship, internship or contract position | 0.0% |
Short-term contract, part-time, or freelance | 1.1% |
Started a new company or venture after graduation | 0.0% |
Not seeking in-field employment | 0.0% |
Employed out-of-field | 0.0% |
Continuing to higher education | 0.0% |
Not seeking a job for health, family, or personal reasons | 0.0% |
Still seeking job in-field | 16.9% |
Could not contact | 0.0% |
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How much does Codesmith cost?
Codesmith costs around $20,925. On the lower end, some Codesmith courses like JavaScript for Beginners cost $350.
What courses does Codesmith teach?
Codesmith offers courses like CS Prep , Full-Time Remote Software Engineering Immersive, Global Part-Time Remote Software Engineering Immersive, JavaScript for Beginners and 1 more.
Where does Codesmith have campuses?
Codesmith has in-person campuses in Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland and Seattle. Codesmith also has a remote classroom so students can learn online.
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