Coding Dojo Reviews
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Cheryl Chotrani
Coding Dojo graduate in DC
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I recently graduated from the Coding Dojo bootcamp at their DC location. I signed up for the bootcamp because I was looking to transition to a career in tech, though not necessarily as a developer. However, I wanted to gain coding skills because I know it will be helpful for me with whatever I end up doing in the field.
I really enjoyed my time at Coding Dojo. The instructors were all extremely knowledgeable and supportive, and all of my cohort mates were helpful as well. The curriculum is challenging and intense, but if you put in the time, it is possible to get through it. I really liked the balance between algorithms, lectures, group work and individual coding time.
One thing that makes Coding Dojo unique, in addition to the fact that you learn 3 languages, is that the instructors will support you at whatever level you are with coding. Though you are encouraged to keep up with the fast pace of the curriculum, you are not penalized if you fall behind or struggle. There are many resources to help you catch up though the instructors really do a great job making sure that everyone leaves with the ability and confidence to be a self-sufficient developer.
The only challenge I faced with the program is that one of the languages we learned (Java) was new to their curriculum when I joined, so the materials for that language had some gaps, which made it harder to learn Java. But, they are continuously refining and improving the content, so that probably won't be much of an issue for future classes.
All in all, my time at Coding Dojo was a great experience. Now I am working at a digital innovation agency leading product strategy and account management for clients seeking to grow their businesses using digital technologies. I actually received two job offers even before completing the bootcamp. My bootcamp experience helped me take my career in a new direction and I learned a great skill and made great new friends in the process.
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Erick Lui
Success and Failures
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Before enrolling for Coding Dojo in San Jose, it's probably good to mention where I was coming from. I graduated from SJSU in Dec 2015 with a degree in Computer Engineering. Typically you can get a full time job 3-6 months after school, but I unfortunately did not take advantage of school career fairs or apply for internships so I was already at a disadvantage. I did however receive a short 2-month contracting role working as an IT Consultant for Rogers Benefit Group where I got a bit too comfortable with an extended contract and stayed for the entire year. By the beginning of 2017, I had to make a decision whether to become a full time employee as a service rep for an employee benefit service company or go back to my coding roots and actually make use of my degree. Ultimately I stuck with my gut and decided to return to coding. However, my coding was rusty.
I needed a quick and efficient way to improve my coding skills as I had trouble teaching myself on my own without getting distracted. One of my close friends and almost mentor, Bryant Luu, was from the mid 2015 cohort and knew I wasn't in the best situation. He highly suggested applying for Coding Dojo as he was able to land a web developer position at a startup within 2 months of graduating. I knew myself that I wasn't going to get anywhere being indeceisive so with enough convincing from Bryant, I decided to enroll for Coding Dojo in San Jose since it was the closest option. From what I've heard about most bootcamps, they're fast-paced and difficult. However I had experience coding back in school so I knew I could pick up syntax and concepts much quicker compared to a first time learner. Mentally, I knew I was well prepared.
Those 3 months flew in a blink of an eye, and my expectations were pretty well met. The curriculum covered just enough of the fundamentals and depth (save for the Full MEAN section, some code snippets were outdated and there wasn't any mention of importing FormsModule in app.module) to move at a moderate pace. The instructors were also able to break down complicated concepts way better compared to some of the school professors I had prior. The difficulty felt perfect for me, but I can't say that for some of the cohort.
The #1 biggest complaint I heard from many of the cohort were instructors losing patience while trying to help debug and would speak in a much more condescending tone, up to the point where some students were demotivated and actually left the venue for the day to cool off. They were unlikely to ask some instructors for help again and would rather only ask cohortmates. Some instructors did have enough complaints where they would publicly apologize to the cohort about their impatience, yet I keep hearing the same complaints even afterwards. Perhaps during the instructor interview process, try testing the interviewees' patience by throwing them in a pretend situation where they have to teach someone who doesn't know how to code and see how they handle it.
For my job search, it's been 2 months since my graduation and I've only been getting about 1 response (typically rejection) per week. I could complain how difficult it is after the bootcamp, but I could also easily identify my main problem. I'm not applying or networking enough, which is the same situation I was in back when I graduated from school. However, my toolbox is much larger than when I started the bootcamp, and I'm definitely in a much better position than I was prior to the bootcamp. Even my friend/mentor Bryant says it should be easier for me since I'm coming from an engineering degree. Bryant's first time coding was when he started the bootcamp and he came from accounting, yet he got a job within 2 months. Why is that? He was aggressive. He applied to at least 30 applications per day and put himself in uncomfortable situations where he'd fail, but everytime he failed, he also got a little better. If Bryant could do it, I can do it, too.
I feel like those who come out of the bootcamp with a negative perspective perhaps came into the program with the wrong mindset. It is kind of like learning how to swim. Here are the different strokes. Here is how you do each stroke. Then by the time students finish their 3-month lessons, they expect to compete in the Olympics. Well, you still have to do a lot more swimming after that, and I feel some students don't see this perspective when enrolling. Why is that? Perhaps we are so focused on success stories like 94% job placement rate and 1000+ graduated students in 2016 that we forget that it takes a lot of failure to succeed in something. The hardest part of the bootcamp is not the bootcamp, but afterwards where no one is holding your hand. There's no daily goals written on the board for you, and you have to pick yourself up after every rejection. In a way, I think it would be nice to remind newcomers that they will encounter hundreds of failures and missed opportunities, but also remind them that they're doing great. It is completely normal to fail, and I feel like that is a good indicator that life is moving in the right direction.
The takeaway from all of this is before enrolling in the bootcamp, actually spend an hour doing some self-reflection. Not just whether you can put in the 10+ hours everyday to code, but how much you really know yourself. How much failure can you really endure? How do you handle rejection? What are things you do to motivate yourself? Are you willing to put pride away to ask for help? If you have answers to these questions, I feel like you know yourself well enough to decide whether the bootcamp is for you. -
Jon S.
Jon
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I had an amazing experience at the Dojo! It was an extremelly well-rounded program providing three full-stacks, daily algorithm practice, and collaborative projects with other students. The professors ranged from former students to veterans with decades of experience -- all of whom were very knowledgable and willing to help. They also stay very involved after the program, whether you are on the job hunt, or even if you have secured a programming job. Also, I was able to find a coding job within 3 months of finishing the program. I would definitely recommend Coding Dojo to family or friends.
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RAJAMATHANGI(MADHU)
Software Test Engineer
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I had an opportunity to attend full stack developer boot camp program at Seattle Coding Dojo and my overall experience is very good and would surely recommend Coding Dojo for anyone who has the interest to work in Software engineering.
Following were the some of the things I liked in Dojo.
- Algorithm lecture are conducted everyday and they cover data structure concepts in detail
- Course curriculum is well constructed and there are assignments that helps students to have hands-on knowledge on the concept that was covered
- Exams are conducted for every stack and helps students to strengthen their knowledge.
- Instructors are very dedicated and help students to learn the concepts
- Facilities/Infrastructure provided are very good
- Speakers from various disciplines in software engineering provide tech talk and that is beneficial
- There is a system where students can provide review on the course curriculum and the instructions delivered and any constructive feedback provided is acknowledged and is acted upon in a timely manner.
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Jimmy Park
My Experience @ Coding Dojo Washington, DC
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I wanted to make a career change to better my life and provide a better future for my children. Technology was always facinating to me so I searched around for careers in the industry. I found free online courses for html, css, and javascript. Now that I got a taste of what its like and it was something that I enjoyed doing, I need some kind of accelerated program to get caught up. Didn't have the time and money to be able go for BA in Computer Science. Started to look at these bootcamps that were all over the country. I came across a few that I really liked. Coding Dojo was the only one that really stood out from the rest. The offered 3 full stacks. Did more research on Coding Dojo and applied for the full on-site program.
I was nervous as one can be for taking 4 months off from work and taking out loans while still trying to provide for family and ensuring bills are taken care of. Kept thinking, "did I make the right choice?".
5 months later... No regrets. I graduated in July 2017. I'm amazed with the program and all that I have learned. The best advantage that Coding Dojo has over all the other bootcamps is that they train you on 3 full stacks. By getting exposed to all 3, you can really pick and choose a stack that you really like or one that your really good at. The instructors are focused, serious about your learning, and want you to succeed. Tim Chen (instructor) really help me to dig deep and tough it out. I did have a moment that I said "I'm not sure if I can do this". Tim kept giving me confidence that I could. He did take some extra time to help me out. He kept me a float, kept me in the game sort of speak. He is a true example of what an instructor should be. Another is Marco Molina (instructor) who in which is the has help tremendously. He is also what an Instructor should be. His tenacious energy and great attitude was felt by everyone. He made everyone smile and laugh. Just like Tim, he as well is an Excellent Instructor! Thank you Tim and Marco for your passion, patience, dedication, and determination. Other honorable mentions are Mihn, Dan, William, Bobby, and Herman.
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Tommy Thai
My Coding Dojo Experience (with no prior coding experience)
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Coding Dojo does an excellent job of preparing you to land a position in the tech field of software development. Many of my friends (15+) have went through coding dojo, and have landed very well-paying jobs. It took them about 3.5 months to land their jobs. More of my friends will enroll in Coding Dojo in the future.
It is very hard though. It is very possible as well. I had no prior experience and am a slow learner so I was on campus from 7 AM to 11 PM regularly. You put in what you get. And some of you will have to put in more time, and it was worth it. In my opinion.
If you had some experience or a lot, Coding Dojo will be good for you. If you had no experience and plan to attend, you should go to their info session and prepare yourself by studying coding right now. Coding Dojo has some free lessons and challenges on their site for you that you should know by heart before you attend to be prepared.
Yes, it seems as of right now, the instructors don't have loads of corporate experience, but they KNOW what they are teaching you and more. I find them to be helpful, kind, and they reach out to you if they see you are behind.
Coding Dojo is worth it, in my opinion. I think of it as less expensive and shorter time to get a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. Not the same of course, but still great. Be prepared. Be ready to work hard and put in lots of time. Don’t be embarrassed or scared to ask lots of questions. Know that you will need to continue to study as you look for jobs after Coding Dojo is over. I hope that this doesn’t scare you but it prepares you. With technology nowadays, AI technology, automated machines and cars, your creativity is your only limit! Think about it. This will just be the beginning of your tech career!
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Mikayla J.
A Solid Path to a New Career
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I attended Coding Dojo with the intention of changing careers. I had almost no experience in coding prior to starting the program, just the small amount I'd been able to pick up trying to teach myself. And teaching myself was a struggle, even with all the online resources.
Coding Dojo provided me the structured learning environment that I needed to kickstart my education. Their curriculum is based on the principle that a good developer is a self sufficient developer. Not only was I learning the nuts and bolts of programming, more importantly, I was learning HOW to learn, so that once I'd completed the 14 week course I could continue to deepen my knowledge and improve my skills - which I've done.
The instructors are knowledgeable and attentive. The curriculum is constantly being updated to stay relevant. And it's hard. Every challenge that I overcame felt like an achievement and kept me moving forward.
But most valuable to me was the community of overwhelming support that Coding Dojo fosters. Everyone is helpful, students and staff alike. Though there are varying ranges of experience, from people who've been in the tech industry for years to complete noobs like myself, no one is made to feel inferior because they don't have experience. They promote a culture of teamwork throughout the organization.
I would recommend Coding Dojo to anyone who wanted to break into development. The skills I've learned here have real world value that translates to callbacks, interviews, and job opportunities. It's not perfect, but in speaking to people who've gone to other coding bootcamps, the issues seem pretty consistent across the board. So for my money, I'd rather go somewhere that wants me to be successful and doesn't make me feel like an idiot in the process.
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Michael
Great Curriculum, Requires a Driven Individual
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I enrolled in Coding Dojo during the early part of 2017, after having self-studied programming for a few months prior. This self study was invaluable - getting exposed to basic programming concepts really helped during the early weeks of the bootcamp. However, the bootcamp itself did a great job of efficiently explaining concepts, from the most basic programming knowledge to really in-depth data structures and algorithms.
Coding Dojo offers you everything you need to succeed, but you still need to work hard. This program does not hold your hand; you need to be confident enough to seek help when needed, and always focus on understanding core concepts and building knowledge on that core.
I would really recommend this program to anyone who thinks they're passionate about web development and programming in general, as they taught both prior-experienced individuals and brand-new students equally well, as long as the students were willing to seek the always available help. -
Nishant Aggarwal
Coding Dojo and My Journey
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I began my journey into the complex and often daunting world of coding and coding boot camps towards the end of 2016. After spending a great deal of time researching boot camps in my area and visiting several campuses, I decided Coding Dojo was best suited for my needs and the best equiped to help me acheive my goals as an aspiring software engineer and developer.
I began Coding Dojo's 14 week on site program at the end of January 2017 with very little background in coding and programming languages aside from an Introduction to Computer Science course I took at George Mason University and the Pre-Bootcamp work I completed for Coding Dojo. I immediately found the instructors to be helpful but very up front about their expectations - my success in the boot camp was entirely dependent on the time and effort I put into the program; the instructors are there to guide you but you have to take the initiative and take responsibility for your learning.
The three stacks taught at Coding Dojo when I attended, Python, Ruby on Rails, and MEAN (MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, Node.js), are in very high demand in today's job market. Each stack is taught over a four week period with three weeks dedicated to instruction concluding in a rigorous, four and a half hour Black Belt Exam that allows students to demonstrate their level of competency in a given stack. The last of the four weeks alloted to each stack is designated either for make up exams or personal projects. This project week is something that sets Coding Dojo apart from many boot camps because it allows students to build projects that they can add to their portfolios and demonstrate practical application of the skills they have learned beyond those covered in a Black Belt exam. Students can work in small teams or individually. I graduated the boot camp with a personal project in each of the three stacks and that gave me a huge edge when it came time to enter the job market; I not only had a Black Belt in each stack but I had a project that I had built from scratch that demonstrated to employers that I could build a full stack web application from scratch.
Coding Dojo equipped me with the skills and the ability to pick up new skills quickly and efficiently. Attending Coding Dojo truly was a life changing experience. Before Coding Dojo, I couldn't imagine that I could go from coding beginner to a fully fledged Software Engineer in the span of four months. With the help of knowledgeable and very helpful instructors I left Coding Dojo with the confidence that I could not only compete with but overcome many university or college graduates with four year Computer Science degrees. However, in the end you get out only what you put in. If you put in the time and effort you will be rewarded but I did see several students who expected to be hand held throughout the program and they were not successful in their endeavors after leaving Coding Dojo.
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Kevin Bundi
Full stack web development
good training on being self sufficient and picking up things fast -
Laura
A fantastic experience
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I loved my experience at Coding Dojo in Chicago. We had great students and amazing instructors. I found my passion for backend development, and I am so happy that I had the experience of learning three full stacks. The alogirthms every morning helped me learn computer science fundamentals as well. I found a job within a month of graduating doing the exact job I want to do at an incredible company. I would highly recommend this course to any person who desires to change careers or wants to learn web development for any reason.
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Abbey
The Perfect Way to Jumpstart my New Career
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After years of working as a copywriter, I was looking to learn a new skill and was particularly interested in learning to write code. After the company I was working for shuttered its doors, the thought of adding a new skill set was even more appealing. After a lot research and thinking things over, I made the choice to leave Colorado for a few months to attend the full-stack program at Coding Dojo Chicago. The skills I learned there were absolutely invaluable. Two months to the day I left Chicago, to head back to the mountains, I started a job as a Digital Producer. I work on the UX team, where I not only get to hone my front end skills, but also work with content management. It's the perfect blend of my skills, and I know that my time spent at Coding Dojo is what gave me the edge over my competition.
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Bee
Interesting experience, but more could be done
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I picked this place in Chicago because they teach 3 full stacks.
Pros:
-You will practice algorithms daily.
-The location is perfect, near to the train, and the new campus is cool.
-End of stack assessment and "project week" to help you build a portfolio.
-They update the learning platform regularly.
Cons:
-They underestimate how much prep work students need to do, when my cohort started, some of us were CS grads, some with cs classes, some are equipped with self-learning, few were just doing it for the first time. Definitely, more work than the Algorithms App need to be done, so you can hit the ground running.
-In this location, more work needs to be done to make the place inclusive.
-Alumni support is still growing, and I hope to see more improvements.
-Each new group members need to find a way to work together and support each other as a team, both during learning and project work.
-Some students will face tougher time while learning, and not much support will be provided in that case.
-The program is intense, and they encourage you to put in many hours, so you may fall behind on self care if you did not have a plan to keep the balance.
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Lory Sanchez
went from bad to GREAT in 24 hours
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I was scheduled to attend a Coding Dojo Intro Workshop on a Saturday, due to miscommunication problems, the course didn't take place and I still showed up. I was upset that I did the drive to attend this course. I complained and I received a call back the following Monday, and Danny was just beyond nice and apologetic and we bridged our communication gap. His kindness and quick response changed my perspective about Coding Dojo in a matter of minutes.
If this is the customer service that they deliver, I'm excited to see their approach to working with students and the follow through with students. -
John K.
Serious School for Serious Coders
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If you want to be a coder and your looking for the most direct route then Coding Dojo Dallas is the place...I just completed 14 weeks of the onsite bootcamp and it was an awesome experience!!!...I was absolutely amazed at what I learned and was able to accomplish in just 3 1/2 months!! All the staff are "Top Shelf" people and go above and beyond the call of duty to get you were you need to be as a coder...regardless of your prior experience.The instructors are right there everyday to anser all your questions and guide you through the whole course...It is however no easy task..from the very first day your gonna start the learning process and they dont let up tell the last. So dont think for a second that its just gonna be one of those "if you show up, you'll pass" schools(not gonna happen).. Youve gotta really want it!! There not gonna ask you to do something no ones every done before..but to say its a challenge would be selling the program short...bottom line is this school and these instructors are for people who are seriuos about becoming professional coders....Really , I cant say enough good about the staff or my experience at CodingDojo Dallas!!! John K
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Nate
Leave your ego at the door
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I had a great experience at Coding Dojo Burbank/LA. I came to Coding Dojo not really sure how well I would grasp core competencies, computer science, or ‘coding lingo.’ However, the time the instructors, teaching assistants, peers, and even some grads poured into me helped me realize not only can I do well here, but I have a pretty solid team available to support me.
My key to success (earning three black belts) was leaving my ego at the door. I did not approach the languages like a know-it-all, I humbly received feedback and correction, and I was willing to learn in a new way. Coding Dojo believes that anyone can be a successful coder, and if you are willing you really can be a successful coder.
If you are the kind of person who is willing to put in the time and effort then you will do well. The Coding Dojo team will do anything in their power to help you succeed as a student and alumni. The student who shows initiative, determination, and a ‘never-say-die’ attitude will go far. Are you up for the challenge? Are you ready for life change? If so, the Coding Dojo will be a great fit for you.
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John
Scam Bootcamp with Sleazy Sales tactics
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Please do not attend this bootcamp. I'm giving a fair warning to anyone who is thinking about attending. Online instructions with outdated videos on old technology stacks with old versions with unproven instructors without industry experience, what can go wrong? Absolutely everything about this bootcamp experience has not been up to par considering that I learned 95% more from FREE sources online and plus the fact that there is no Job Assistance in the program. I will give one star for some instructors giving more Effort than others, but having them shuffled or fired, and the overall lack of professionalism throughout the whole experience leaves me wishing i never stumbled on Coding Dojo in my bootcamp search.
Beware of the sales tactics and supposed discounts for minorities and bring a friend? Seriously, this is suppose to be about programming and bringing more tech individuals into the workforce.Speros Misirlakis of Coding Dojo
Head of Instruction
Feb 27, 2017
Hi John,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on our program. We believe our curriculum is one of the best in the industry, and we are constantly working to update and improve the experience for our students.
I want to note, however, that we do in fact offer career support and have a full staff of Career Services professionals to help prepare students for their job searches post-graduation. They have expertise and offer guidance around resume building, networking, job searching and interview best practices.
Additionally, we strive to provide under-served groups like minorities, women and veterans the opportunity to learn, as we hope to do our part to remove barriers and encourage more diversity in the industry. As a result, we have a number of scholarships available.
If you'd like to discuss this further and share more details on your concerns, I'd welcome the opportunity to speak with you directly. If you feel so inclined, please contact me directly at speros@codingdojo.com.
Thank you,
Speros Misirlakis
Head of Instruction
speros@codingdojo.com -
Marco Molina
Amazing Bootcamp
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My experience at Coding Dojo was nothing short of life-changing. The program is designed to change people's lives and after completing it, I can say it did just that for me. The combination of online material, in-person demos/lectures, and being able to work directly with other students truly make for a perfect learning environment.
The online material you work through daily is challenging and really helps you become self-sufficient. The content is delivered well and the projects help keep you coding while learning.
The instructors also make a huge difference providing support and in-person demos. The instructors here in Washington, DC were knowledgeable and very helpful.
Lastly, the "classroom" environment is fantastic. Having people around you working on the same things and helping each other really allows you to cope with any feeling of being overwhelmed. It is a tough program, and you will learn a lot if you can stick with it and put in the work.
Coding Dojo enabled me to acquire skills that are literally changing my life. Simply one of the best choices I have ever made.
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Karen C
A great experience
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After a lot of research and a few interviews I had decided to attend CodingDojo in the DC area. I did not know what to expect, especially since I was in the first cohort of that area, however I cannot express how grateful and fortunate I was. I had awesome supportive teachers as well as a small group of classmates that were all very nice. Maybe I got lucky but it made coming to class a lot more appreciable and I was very motivated to learn more code and dive into specific subjects that particularly interested me. I found that the instructors and other students encourage you and get you excited to work on a certain project. What was most unbelievable was that I learnt so much material in such a short amount of time!
Please do understand that everything you do in the program has to be from yourself. No one is going to push you, you have to be self motivated. Also be aware that it's not like an instructor is going to baby you through everything. One great takeaway is that this program is trying to teach you to become a dependent coder, which is a glimpse into the real world where you should be checking stackoverflow or google first when you run into a problem. The teachers are super useful and if you are stuck on something for a while, they will sit with you for at least an hour or longer to help you debug.
There is so much material and there is no way that you really become an expert in a certain thing unless you put in the time. Even after I graduated I still am taking it upon myself to learn more everyday, because technology is always advancing and once you stop trying to learn you might as well quit the programming profession in general. Anyways after a couple of months out of the program I did find a job! So I honestly recommend this program for those who are really seeking a life changing experience.
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Michael
Do your Research
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Do your research and you can see this is a very flawed curriculum, from the founder, to the instructors, to the staff, look at their LinkedIn profiles and make a decision from there,
Plus look at Coding House and Coding Dojo, you see why these are at the bottom.... eerily similar....
The students who are successful, well, why haven't they shared the negative aspects, not even one, makes you really question the curriculum....?
Go to an info session, I've been to a couple from different bootcamps, everything here is a Sales Tactic. That many languages in a short amount of time? Ask a working developer, Ask a technical recruiter? Ask a graduate about Coding Dojo -
Jerrod
Worth it if you're willing to work for it
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While the learning platform is not perfect and can sometimes be confusing, overall, my experience was a very positive one. The Dojo does a great job of teaching you things that would take much longer to learn on your own, providing a great learning environment. While somewhat hesitant about joining the coding work, I feel very capable having made some real world applications. The things they say about this place are true, in that you get out what you put into it. They won't hold your hand, if you want to excel you have to put in the time, effort, and determination. And that definitely should when you compared those that would consistently do algorithms and those that wouldn't or comparing how well they do on the belts, moving forward in the platform, ect. This is especially true in debugging your programs, there was a huge difference by the end in those that tried to do it on their own and those that always asked for help. In closing, If you want to get your money's worth out of Coding Dojo, you have to put your all in to get it, you can't just sit back and expect them to somehow magically give you these skills, do that, and it'll be worth it.
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john
great experience
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After realizing I wanted to grow my technical knowledge in coding I decided to enroll in Coding Dojo. I have had little experience here and there and wanted to boost my skills to further my passion in to web development. Being at the Dojo for three months taught me a lot about fundamentals and multiple stacks where I feel it would have taken longer had I done it myself with out the resources and support they provide. The instructors have been great motivators and support through my whole process here. And the platform is always improving, providing more detailed instructions and descriptions to follow. Personally, I have had some struggles and there were times where I really wanted to give up, but being able to talk to classmates and teachers really kept me on track. I also really like the fact that the Dojo is open 24 hours allowing me to spend extra time on holidays and weekends. Since there is so much to learn I often found myself spending over 10-12 hours a day including weekends. I really enjoyed the algorithms as well, doing them in the morning provided daily exercises to start your brain up in the morning.
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Ryan C
Excellent Experience
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While I was there I learned incredible amounts, had more than enough networking opportunities and was able to land my first dev job after leaving the Dojo at a company that is doing a lot of good for the community. Not only that, but what I learned while at the Dojo transcends the content itself as I learned how to truly learn. My first job is using a framework that I had never heard of before and in a language I had never used. Since I was able to go through the 3 full stacks, I got a big picture view of a typical full stack and was able to apply that to learning the things I needed to. I've had a lot of positive feedback at work with how quickly I'm moving and the quality of my code for a Junior Developer. I feel confident that I got all of the skills I needed at the Dojo.
Other opportunities developed out of my time at the Dojo which have had a positive impact on my development and the community. First Hack Dallas was started as a collaborative effort by 6 other Coding Dojo Alumni and myself as a way to help new developers get more comfortable with the tech scene, have something to add to their portfolio, and as a way to serve a local organization serving the local community. www.firsthackdallas.com
As a former teacher, I didn't have the means to pay for this without a loan. My investment was well worth it, though and will be paid for within about 6 months of employment. Thanks Coding Dojo Dallas! -
Aaron K
Well worth the investment
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In 3 and a half months I learned HTML, CSS, JQuery, BootStrap, Pythong (Flask and Django), Mean stack, and Ruby on Rails. You not only learn a lot by coding 10-12 hours a day you also learn how to read documentation and use stack overflow to help solve coding problems. Today I am starting a job an a contractor for Microsoft using the mean stack. I found a job in less than a month and a half after finishing the program
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Valentyna
It was worth doing that!
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When I started look at the different boot camps Coding Dojo was the best fit for me. I was looking for the fastest way to pick up new technologies I was not familiar with. And I loved their approach of teaching - "Strength trough strangle" and they bought my attention with doing algorithms every day.
I remember my first day at the Dojo. I was so frustrated, a lot of going on, so much material to learn, new people around, do this and then that and so on. I realize that I have to adopt really fast. And I did.
The things to remember going through the program are have enough of rest, eat on time, do your best to understand the material, look at your classmates code, see different approaches to the problem, work in groups and remember why you are doing this, remember your goals so you can keep going!
I have learned a lot during the last three months. A lot of new technologies, how to use them. But the best things that happened to me during this time is meeting so many great people and getting to know them.
I would totally recommend having this experience to everyone, remember to value people around you, remember why you are doing this and love coding!!!
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Josephine Mccarthy
New Beginning
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NO Turning Back!
The healthcare profession has always been my ultimate dream and success means nothing more than landing on a stable job in one of the best hospitals in the country, well paid. However 10 years in this field made me realize that there’s more to success and life than living one’s dream. What compelled me to reinvent my career and venture into the Tech Industry is the thirst for personal growth and professional advancement to meet the growing demands of the constantly changing and advancing times. No doubt technology is taking over the world and to ensure survival and security, one must try to fit into this modernization. Thus, my decision to get into coding!
Being a newbie in the field both entailed courage and determination. It took me so much bravery to risk my stable job for something promising but completely unknown to my intellectual being and skills. I had to be determined to get out of my comfort zone and try something challenging and different. But what made it hard for me to shift career is finding a place where such opportunity is worth taking. I’ve looked into various bootcamps, read good and bad reviews about them, visited their websites but could not see myself into any of them until I came to know about Coding Dojo from a friend. She’s a career shifter like me and seemed to be satisfied, happy and changed with her decision. I was encouraged to try the “3 stack in 14 week immersive onsite program” and experience for myself what my friend had. The negative feedback posted in bootcamp sites didn’t stop me from enrolling as this is expected in any field, even med schools and hospitals do get bad remarks from their students, patients and clients. Nothing is perfect in this world and it all depends on us as to how we perceive, embrace and deal with imperfections. Oh well, those criticisms somehow made me skeptic and a bit critical on my first day at the Seattle campus. But I was relieved by the warmth of the Instructor who approached me as I was quite timid that time and he helped me set up on the first day. The orientation and first class clearly intimidated me as it gave me the impression that this program is serious and demanding (not that I didn’t anticipate it as my pre-course email already gave me the idea). It requires more than just my time and money but my commitment, diligence, patience, sense of responsibility, discipline and motivation. It seems to me that this bootcamp is a “you get what you put into it” program. I wanted to quit the moment the expectations were set but I gave myself a chance. I thought I need to give my best at least for a week and see where it will take me. I took the initiative to introduce myself better to my Instructors, made friends with my cohort-mates, participated in the activities and acquainted myself with the platform which is equipped with awesome features, very organized and complete with the tools and stacks I need for the class. Of course I exerted effort to understand algo and finish the pre-course track prior to attending so my basic will be strengthened as advised by the Admissions and the staff over the phone who are all very friendly and swift in responding. It sure made it easier for me to cope than coming into class a complete idiot. I survived my first week and so I decided to push through the second… the third, to a month, then two until I graduated without even realizing how much insight I gained, how my confidence in the stacks I learned was boosted to a 100% and 1, and how my character was modified, my perception cleared - I was a totally different person but a fulfilled, competent and confident programmer! Surely it wasn’t all smooth sailing, I had those times when I get frustrated with just not getting it but the instructors always have a hand to help and to encourage, there are times when I get depressed because I had to compromise “me” times of rest, leisure and sleep to finish my assignments and to research but after completing the activities, I’ve never felt this much accomplished. And since the tuition is over $12k, I had other expenses and no other source of income other than my savings and a little family help, it was a bit embarrassing for me to have my overdue at the Dojo but they were very considerate that they extended my payment without taking it against me saying that the student’s goals have always been at the top of their interest and they don’t mind bending the rule a little bit just so I won’t get distracted and discouraged by financial incapacity in pursuing my goal. I was moved and energized to keep going, I felt like my goal was a priority to them and they put value in it as much as I do. Some bootcamps just wanted to get paid and the students welfare and concern are irrelevant. Not to mention, even as an Alumni they offer free career services to help me find a job. I am taking advantage of this right now together with my free extended 6 month access to the platform while I’m seeking for a job. The Dojo made me feel that I and my goals are important even when I’m not in the campus anymore; They played a big part in my growth as a person, in my advancement in my new chosen profession and they are taking part in my success (though I feel successful at this point in time).
To my fellow career-shifters who are curious and have been wanting to give coding a try, I highly recommend Coding Dojo - it sure is the place to be! It changed my life and there’s no turning back! Why not see for yourself, (I’m a living proof) it’s worth every penny but please be advised that you have to earn the prize in the end. There’s no easy way and shortcut to success and the greatest success you will ever achieve in your life is the one that you have invested and sacrificed yourself into. Go for and after it!
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Lauren Blake
It’s more fun in Coding Dojo
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My experience with Coding Dojo has been a great one! Solid curriculum. Solid platform. More affordable than the other bootcamps out there.
I had a lot of fun doing the HTML,CSS courses and especially jQuery. It was a lot of work but I learned a lot. I learned a lot about web technologies that I never knew about and never had a chance to learn on my own. The environment is casual, comfortable and collaborative, and the Coding Dojo team is always friendly and helpful. I also enjoy the design and layout of the platform that allows me to learn relatively well on my own at my own pace.
Overall, I feel like the experienced I gained were perfectly great. Coding Dojo helped me a lot in enhancing my programming skills. It served as my guiding star in learning different web programming languages. It helped me in pursuing my dream as an aspiring software developer.
It is an amazing opportunity to become part of this amazing and solid bootcamp.
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Jack Reese
Perfect for newbies
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Coding Dojo helped me hone my coding skills to a higher notch. I was a self-taught coder in my earlier years but only learned fundamental HTML, CSS, and a little jQuery. The bootcamp helped me understand the importance of vanilla Javascript as well as using advanced JS plugins that I can utilize in future projects.
Within 14 weeks, I was able to improve from the basics to learning three stacks of software development. This made me confident to find a stable job as a web developer, too.
Would definitely recommend Coding Dojo for entry-level software devs and non-coders alike.
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Tyler Charles
Best Price
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My Coding Dojo experience is very good. The structure and flow of the courses are good, and the learning is accessible even if a student has done very little previous work with web development.
I really like how attentive and helpful both the staff and other peers are. Coding Dojo does a great job of fostering such an environment. Instructors are always available and willing to lend a hand or answer questions. The Instructor's willingness to help is probably my favorite part of the entire program and the resources provided on the learning platform are valuable and very helpful. The same can be said for remote instructors as well. And finally the price is one of the best.
Overall I am very happy with Coding Dojo.
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Lily Olson
Coding Dojo is a life changer
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Being stuck on a profession that seems to be a routine is tiring and depressing. It is known that one of the most in-demand job right now is to be a software engineer and that is why I decided to take a risk and apply for a bootcamp accelerator in Coding Dojo. I didn’t have any coding/programming experience but Coding Dojo taught me that anyone can learn how to be a programmer. During the bootcamp, some of my cohort mates were people with programming background and some didn’t have just like me. This motivated me knowing that I wasn’t alone.
All of us were taught equally by the instructors and guided us throughout our bootcamp. The challenge was hard but they equipped us proper motivation and guidance. Their platform is well designed and is easily understandable even for people who are new on programming like me. Being in the environment that Coding Dojo has offered changed a lot in my way of thinking. I became more independent and confident on things that I can do. Being surrounded with people with the same drive and goal helped me to push harder on things that I want in life.
I learned three stacks in 14 weeks and now have a software engineer position in an IT company. The only thing that I regret is that I didn’t take the risk earlier. If only I had known Coding Dojo earlier, my time wouldn’t be wasted on my past job.
I will really recommend Coding Dojo to people who wants to remake their career and have a better profession.
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Oliver Rice
Amazing experience
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I can't say enough about Coding Dojo bootcamp. The overall experience there was amazing!
Coding Dojo is designed for beginners. In fact, they even strongly believe that anyone can code and be good at coding as long as you have these 3 requirements:
- time
- patience
- and the love and passion to solve complex problems
Except patience, I already have the other two key requirements. But still, I was able to survive, and was able to learn all the concepts and best practices the dojo has to offer.
The instructors are amazing because they are always there to provide hands-on support. I did great with MVC but got really stuck with Ajax, but thanks to hours of pair programming and extended support both from instructors and from the remote Instructors, I was able to push through with the whole LAMP stack course just as scheduled.
The curriculum is very well designed as well because as you learn a new concept, you will then have the chance to understand and experience how these little concepts work and interact with one another through assignments. Almost feels like solving a puzzle where every piece is for every concept learned!
I highly recommend Coding Dojo to students who can commit 80+ hours per week to learn because the bootcamp is going to be intense!
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Kristine Coleman
Challenging environment and great curriculum
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I could not imagine learning technologies in few weeks without Coding Dojo's program. On my previous job, our trainer got frustrated because we were not able to understand MySQL even after weeks of lectures and exercises. With Coding Dojo, I learned it in 2-3 days.
I was envious of those people who could easily learn web programming and could easily understand how a language works. My brain was not wired that way. Coding Dojo taught me how to adjust and learn new languages while helping me believe in my potential.
Things I appreciate about the program and curriculum:
- Platform has continuously been evolving. I appreciate that they are open to feedback and are making the necessary adjustments.
- The curriculum/teaching is adjusting to the level of the students.
- Challenging the students to be self-sufficient while assuring that help will always be available.
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Frank Turner
Worth it!!!
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My three months at Coding Dojo was so worth it. I was able to learn three stacks! They taught me the fundamentals of coding, the good practices, and advanced concepts that will be helpful in the real world. The assignments and projects we made not only test our ability and understanding of each track but are also helpful when finding a job as they serve as sample works for our portfolio.
I believe Coding Dojo is perfect whether you already have a background in programming or new to it because they teach you the basics first and then guide you as the course progresses to more complex contents/materials.
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Melissa Dance
Solid Foundation
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After taking Coding Dojo bootcamp, I was able to learn other web technologies easily. More than programming, Coding Dojo also taught me how to learn. The bootcamp is not perfect but far better from learning alone and arguably one of the best coding school in the industry. I consider my stay in Coding Dojo as one of the best decisions and adventures of my life (I met new friends too).
In the Dojo, you reap what you sow. Building solid foundation on the fundamentals has been extremely helpful in learning the advanced topics. The way courses are structured is perfect for beginners, it begins with lessons followed by demos and quizzes, then an activity that will really test your ability with the recently discussed topic.
Instructors are great! There are times that I fall behind the lessons but I was able to catch up by putting more time at night. The instructors and TAs are very helpful as well, but trying to solve the problem on my own first has really helped me a lot in solving the advance assignments. If you are planning to switch career and get into becoming a software engineer or developer, then, you should really consider enrolling to Coding Dojo. If you are teachable and can work under pressure then this is the perfect bootcamp for you.
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Edward Ben Simons
Best Bootcamp
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I can’t imagine how I was able to learn 3 stacks in the span of 3 and a half months. It’s crazy! Coding Dojo onsite program is really worth it. You will get more than what you pay for! I am glad that I did not waste my 4 years in college. With Coding Dojo I was able to change my life in less than 90 days, and here is the catch, there are other Coding Bootcamps out there but you will just learn 1 web stack in 3 months which is not a good investment. I am now employed on a startup and knowing 3 web development stacks is really an advantage. I am now training my co-workers on how to use other web languages. I wrote this review because I am really overwhelmed with the technologies I have learned in a short period of time, it’s crazy!
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Seema Mishra
Life enhanching
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"It was a great experience and I have learnt a lot in three months of time framework. I was wondering about completing three stacks in 3 months before joining coding Dojo. But the design of platform are in such a way that will take you along without being overwhelmed and at the end of the you come up with so much informations and knowledge of technology. Surely a honest efforts for full determination are required from learner side. I believe teaching is two way communication which required a smooth transition of information and knowledge from teacher and student. On the other hand, the group activities give us so much opportunities to learn from each other. I must appreciate the algorithm classes where are given a challenging problems related with data structures and algorithms that will definitely help us for cracking technical interviews. I would like to recommend this bootcamp if anybody is trying to give his/her career a new horizon and it will certainly shape you understanding about real word problems and buzzing technologies. After three months of painstakingly hard word we are given a opportunity to participate in scrum projects. Last but no the least ""No matter how you feel, you get up, dress up and show up "" Happy learning code to all aspirants!!" -
Ali
Best people and good content
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I have never meet the people in industry like them. They are not hungry like other bootcamps. They even made for me a payment for 16 month. Yes their admission process is not challeging,but the content are above average. It is so pity that I had a family emergency and did quit it. However thet refunded my money in full amount. See what I have build on the second and third days. http://lubricants.herokuapp.com/index.html http://css-box.herokuapp.com/index.html http://priodic-table.herokuapp.com/index.html All above are from scratch and did not copy pasted. Bootcamp the place you should put extra effort and study on your own too. Good luck -
Mahesh Kumar
Content is average but instructors and delivery method is worse
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I enrolled the online course thinking for a new career shift. With great aspirations enrolled for coding dojo online course and paid $1000 as admission fee. One first 2-3 lectures, the instructor was not clear in delivery method, was wandering on topics around and was not designed to consider a first timer to coding like me. Either they should have made the expectations clear that this course is not for beginners or hire some instructors who has either interest or passion for teaching others. i am still following up with admissions team (to which they dont ever respond) for my refund but in vain. This is the worst experience for an online course i had.
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Armand De Asis
3 web development stacks to make you a versatile developer, lacks some depth and expensive for the curriculum, but very supportive instructors
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Intro: You know, I think I'll start this out with what a lot of people are really concerned about-- employment outcomes. The 92% employment rate I've seen thrown around hasn't been updated in over a year and always struck me as kind of shady, considering their lack of transparency about the data. (They did, however, address that and tell us they were working on collecting data to update it.) Anyway, anecdotally, everyone in my cohort who wasn't still in college and actually put an honest effort into their job search was employed within 3 months of graduating. Some actually started their search while going through the program and had job offers before they'd even graduated. This isn't necessarily representative of the program's success rate as a whole, but I just thought I'd give you some actual real-life outcomes to consider. This includes students who'd struggled and often lagged behind throughout the program, which you're allowed to do because Coding Dojo doesn't kick people out for lagging behind. This was because, what some students lacked in talent, they made up for in sheer effort and determination. To get the most out of this program, you need to be there from sun-up to sun-down. You need to be constantly learning, writing code, practicing algorithms, asking questions, and mentoring others if you can (while still taking occasional breaks to play ping-pong or go out to lunch with you cohortmates/new friends).
Do all that and, for 98% of people, you will get a job. It might be challenging and take a while, and you may have to start out in a less-than-ideal position, but you'll get a job. That's pretty much true of any coding bootcamp out there. So onto my review about this one.
My main review:
Coding Dojo essentially provides a good primer on 3 different stacks. You don't go into the depth you would at a bootcamp that focuses entirely on one stack, but I'd say they succeed in their mission of making you a versatile coder. They show you the common patterns between different technologies and frameworks, which makes it easier to learn new things down the line.
I call it a "primer" because even more popular bootcamps are criticized for not providing adequate depth for more than a junior-level position. Though CD only spends about a month on each stack, they do still get through a lot. Really, I think one of the main differences in curriculum between CD and other bootcamps is that CD doesn't fit in much time for projects, which is where a lot of the real learning happens. It's one thing to attend lectures and toy with sample code, it's another thing entirely to try to get an entire application up and running by yourself (or with a group).
When I went through the program, each month we spent about the first 3 weeks learning a new stack, which culminated in a "Belt Exam" (to go with the dojo theme) where you were tested on the material you learned via a challenge to build an application with certain features. Those 3 weeks and the subsequent exam seem really challenging when you're going through them, but in retrospect, they really only cover the bare minimum of building an app in that stack. The 4th week, project week, is where you actually go beyond basic things like login/registration and page rendering, and start working on integrating APIs and making an app like you'd see in real life. Luckily, you generally work with a group to do this. Figuring out Git/GitHub is about half the battle, particularly early on.
Personally, my main issue looking back is that, for all that we learned in the bootcamp, I probably (or most definitely) have found the same information in articles, tutorials, books, and (much, much) cheaper online lessons, such as on Udemy or Udacity. Of course, the reason I wanted to go to a bootcamp in the first place was that I had trouble self-teaching and wanted an experience with more guidance (and the credibility from attending some semblance of a school, the value of which might vary between employers). At that, the bootcamp was an excellent experience. It's just sort of rough knowing now that I could have found all the same (or more in-depth) material online for a small fraction of the price, but without the environment, support, and mentorship that comes from attending a bootcamp in person. It's also incredibly more helpful to be surrounded by other students who are struggling with the same things and can help and motivate you.
Case in point, a couple weeks in, we were joined by another student who was in Coding Dojo's "hybrid bootcamp", meaning that he went through part of the program remotely before coming on-site to complete the rest. He'd been at it for I believe 6 weeks already, but when he joined, he was at about the same place in the curriculum that we were. He'd made the same progress in 6 weeks that we'd made in 2.
So basically it's an expensive program, but if you're seeking a classroom environment and instructors/classmates to help motivate you, Coding Dojo is a good place.
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Alan Schambers
Coding Dojo Review
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I had trouble at coding dojo and struggled a lot, but also learned a lot through the process and would recommend coding dojo to anyone looking to get into the field of web development if they like a challenge, and enjoy working at a computer for most of the day.
Previously I had a college degree in Computer Information Systems, but did not feel like I was prepared for the real world at all. I liked how we had daily algorithms to help us become more critical thinkers, and all the assignments were geared towards becoming self-sufficient and becoming job-ready. I also had a lot of fun at coding dojo even though it was a challenge.
I met a lot of cool people, and the whole process is one I'll never forget. I love how accepting coding dojo is of students and will go out of their way to help you no matter what. It's different than college in that what you put in is what you get out of it. This is true for anything in life, if you are truly passionate enough about what you believe in and want to achieve, you can do anything.