Coding Dojo

The course is awesome! The teachers and TA's are awesome and very dedicated to making sure that you succeed and understand the material before you are able to pass on to the next course. If you know little to nothing about coding and are taking this course, you'll want to make sure that you take the time necessary to do the reading and practice assignments. Also, try to find a group of people to do group sessions, this also allows you to get ready for the real world as well!
All in all, I would recommend this to anybody that is looking to get into coding and has the time to give this course 150% Read less

TL:DR {
Coding Dojo is an awesome program but not without a few rough edges. If approached with a good mindset and strong work ethic it can turn you into a very competent and self-reliant programmer. This is important and something to emphasize - Coding Dojo teaches YOU how to be a self-reliant and curious software engineer by laying a solid foundation of skills and concepts and providing a structured and vetted educational approach (rinse and repeat) to get you oriented and familiar with the terrain. It will not give you all the answers. They help teach you how to learn and be resourceful, and I found that extremely helpful. Overall, I thought it was an amazing experience, extremely valuable in helping me transition into the tech industry, and a lot of hard work - but the rewarding kind. I would certainly recommend it if you're a hard worker and serious about learning software development on an expedited timeline.}

Long form - A bit stream of conscious:

I chose to participate in Coding Dojo's full-time 14-week online Full Stack Web Development Bootcamp after reading reviews on Course Report, so it only makes sense to follow up with my own report.

Overall, I had a really positive experience. "The Dojo" as it's called, is a quality program that has clearly been vetted, and it's going to give you a wide, but somewhat shallow, understanding of 3 prominent tech stacks and Web Fundamentals (full-time). I chose Python, MERN (React.js) and Java. There's A LOT of information packed into this course. More than you really have time to fully digest, thus the "shallow" perspective. It's not that the information isn't there to be absorbed, it's the amount of hours in a day and rapid pace of curriculum that somewhat limits the depth you can absorb of it. Thus, the title of my post. You will get out of it what you give, and they're not kidding when they say it can be 60 - 80 hour weeks. Not all weeks are like that, but definitely expect that to be the norm not the exception, and get yourself ready. Get your life in order and commit to the learning process by diving head first in. If you do, you will be absolutely stunned what you learn in 14 weeks. I came into the program with 0 coding experience sans some FreeCodeCamp.org (very basics), and I feel like I can now swim in the big-blue-bottomless ocean of web development. That's saying something.

In general, the instructors can be hit and miss, some are clearly looking for their own foot hold in the industry and teaching in the mean time. It can feel like those folks are phoning it in at times. Others seem to be there because they love teaching people how to code and they've found their niche. However, I feel this split will be anywhere you go. Heck, they felt more engaged and more interesting then most of my college professors. And I will say, they all new what they were doing and/or where committed to finding an answer to your question if they didn't know it. The LEARN platform (the virtual textbook you use during the program) is PACKED with solid information and additional resources that you can explore on your own beyond the baseline curriculum. It also has some minor mistakes and incongruousness, which can be annoying, but the organization as a whole is super feedback focused. They request your participation in surveys frequently (almost annoyingly) but the saving grace is that they actually put that feedback into practice and you can see it happen before your eyes. Again, this means communicating and filling out the surveys.

Passengers will drown on this ship - you must embrace being a crew member and take accountability for your learning. To this point, there is a good amount of self-directed learning involved. Let's be honest, you have to get into the weeds, do your own research at times, and lean into exploring what you don't know to better understand concepts or material not as thoroughly covered. Ironically, some of the things I didn't understand at first, I became the best at (SQL queries) through my own volition. However, I feel the Dojo does do a good job of framing this ahead of time. It's like riding a bike or learning to skateboard. Sure you can watch video after video of how to ride / skate. You can even have someone hold you up, but if you're not out there on your wheels exploring new terrain and trying new tricks, you'll always need the training wheels. The students who expected it to be spoon fed to them struggled with the pace of the FT curriculum, and not all of them made it out. That's a heavy bill to swallow if you don't complete, so it's worth putting in the time. On the other hand, the go getters made some really cool apps that will be awesome to show off to future employer prospects.

And on that note, I too think the Dojo puts an appropriate amount of emphasis on career services and personal projects - after all, that's what will get you hired. The career services team was great and frequently held workshops that were relevant to the career search. The whole career services process is very regimented and well designed, and although the career services team is bogged down, they make time for you and are very resourceful as long as (** apologies for being a broken record here)  you are putting in the effort and consistently communicating with them. The project weeks themselves seem to be taking on more structure to help support students, because it was easy to take your foot off the gas and relax after intense course weeks, but like I said, these are what make you stand out in the work force, so project weeks are not the time to relax. Double down in fact. Currently, I'm ~ two weeks out from graduation (minus the holidays) and I'm on the job hunt. It's intimidating for sure, but I think the hardest part is knowing that I have the skill set but not perhaps not the shiny credentials.... yet. So it will continue to be a grind and hard work, but that's this program. I know what I learned at The Dojo will put me on to rewarding career in software development because I'm confident in what I learned. Additionally, I've felt like I've been picking up traction this past week. Career services and the resources provided by the Dojo have helped me improve my response rate. I'll try to check back in with an update on how the job search goes, but overall, the prep by the Dojo for job hunting has felt adequate and much appreciated. But, (... last time I'll say it), they aren't going to hold your hand through it. This program takes commitment and discipline. They will put the resources and structure out there for you and it will be up to you to go and get it. Be a crew member, not a passenger.

My 3 tips of advice to any future student:
 - Get your life right to focus on school. Warn your friends and family that you won't have as much time during this period. Frame it early so it doesn't become an issue. 
- Find a small group of friends / study partners that you can hang out with to complete assignments. Many nights my buddies and I stayed late on Zoom and helped one another. We all took our exams on time and passed w/in 1-2 tries. This is the most important tip. Find a group that you can enjoy this experience with. They will hold you accountable / allow you to vent / and make it so much more fun. 
- Lastly, kick ass on the projects. Have a few ideas when you come in - it can be hard on the spot - or talk to other students / instructors about ideas. Google it. Maximize your time actually working and learning during project week, and try to have an MVP complete to show off during the week-end graduations. Treat it like a sprint. It will help in the long run. 

If you found this tip helpful, give it a like. If you are really considering Coding Dojo and want to learn more, hit me up on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/dkearns11/ or twitter @TheKearnol and I'd be happy to talk more about my experience. I can also help you save $500 bucks on your admission fee by making a referral ( I benefit from it too, so don't be shy). 

Thanks for reading, and happy coding! 

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Really recommended for people coming with no prior experience, kinda expensive but instructors really we're putting in work, very. 4 stars un curriculum cause Front end curriculum was a bit outdated by teaching jQuery but still pretty good at everything else. Recommended. Read less

I came to the program with just a little bit of knowledge from Code Academy 2 years ago. (your basic HTML, CSS, JavaScript) But hadn't touched coding in since. The curriculum was structured well and the instructors were always open to questions and problem solving. 

The pace was maybe a little slow for me at the end of the 14 weeks, but I put a lot of work in outside of class to make sure I understood the concepts and explored new concepts. 

For most people the pace was just fine, and pushed some along. It was challenging and stimulating for those with no experience as well as those with little experience. 

Career Services did great on helping with crafting a great resume, LinkedIn, and GitHub. The only thing that would have been better was more networking opportunities with hiring professionals.  Read less

I attended Coding Dojo the spring of 2021. I really enjoyed my time there and learned a lot. A few things I really liked about the curriculum. They teach you algorithms not just for interviews but to learn to take a part a problem. Instead of teaching you a language they teach you how to code and how see the parallels between languages so you can learn any language. 
I went fulltime, completely online, and it was great that I had an instructor and a TA(teachers assistance) through a whole stack. Not to mention that through their Discord I had access to to other TA's through most of the day and night. Read less

I really liked this course. I started it in June and finished it in September, they taught me to develop 100% functional applications, the teachers were super functional and I liked the relationships with my friends and the projects that we developed as a team. Read less

It's a great course to learn the foundations of full stack web development in several languages. The instructors are great and it's a great networking opportunity. The curriculum does have some gaps in terms of some language fundamentals (like access local files or directories or using the assert() function for unit testing). I think it would be great if they offered an advanced or part II course for a given language if you wanted to focus on a particular language rather than learn a few. Read less

Coding dojo is far more concerned with their public image than they are with actually providing a good service. 
The program is essentially being told to do an algorithm each morning, then a short demo, then read these walls of text on your own, and finally meet up and the end of the day to go over questions. The TA's are inexperienced so much that they more often than not just tell you they have to check with an instructor. All of that would be fine if the instructors were disciplined. We constantly got off-topic in all my stacks but, especially in my java class. You had to be present for all the random conversations because you didn't know when they are getting back to the material so you end up learning a lot about your cohort and instructors' golf habits that don't matter at all! The conversations are fine, just do it after the material so those of us that don't care can go learn code like we paid to do. The worst part of all is the career services... or the lack thereof. They like to brag about how great they help place students in jobs when quite simply, they don't. The extent of career services is resume review and interview coaching. They do NOT place students at jobs. I understand a job shouldn't just be handed to us, but they don't even place you in interviews. They review your resume, and that's it. IF you land an interview they can help with mock interviews, but if you don't have a college degree, it doesn't matter. A Bootcamp is not a college replacement, companies still need to see the degree, work experience, or a portfolio far beyond what you could realistically make within a month of completing the program. 

Overall my experience was awful simply because they lead you to believe that finding a job after will not be too difficult you will still have to put it work, but it's doable when in reality, unless you have a degree or experience, it's next to impossible. With all that said, the walls of text are pretty detailed.  Read less

My personal experience of Coding dojo was phenomenal. They have amazing Student support, Career support, Instructors, TA's, and even students(your cohort essentially).
They are fully prepared to assist you and get you learn what you need.
They key to succeed in this program is that you put your 100% effort and most importantly NEVER GIVE UP.
I can't thank all the people who helped me through this program! Read less

Very intensive training program, where I started of with Web Fundaments. Then I went through 3 Full Programming Stacks (Python, Java, MERN). The typical day starts with algos of the day, then a morning lecture session/demo students work on assignments, until the evening session. Then the  evening session is the same. The stacks go in this order until graduate: w1: Fundamentals of the language; w2: Framework and Database Language; w3: Putting in all together (fullstack)...Exams ; w4:Exam re-takes and Project Week!  Read less

I looked, sampled and experimented with a few learn to code avenues during the pandemic. Lot's of starting and getting stuck in the weeds. I am very glad to have entrusted Coding Dojo with my time and money. The bootcamp curriculum moves you through with considerable knowledge quickly backed by talented teachers (MERN hats off to Kevin U. and a solid CSS thank you Platt!). Yes it is a brisk pace but this is what is needed. Software programming is one of those careers where smart guidance can save you much time going down the wrong rabbit hole. After you finish the camp you realize that you have the tools to continue the journey. They don't give you a fish they teach you how to fish. I'm off to hunt the (software opportunity) whales...  Read less

I wasn’t sure if a boot camp or traditional degree would be the right choice for a career change into software development. Career services answered all my questions and solidified my choice in joining the program. I I think that the value in the Coding Dojo experience is that you do heavy hands on coding that will solidify your knowledge in any program you choose. It’s an amazing collaborative community that you get to be apart of and continue to have after you graduate. My time in the bootcamp was challenging, pushed me to learn new things, enforced meeting deadlines, how to rely on your cohort, and taught me not to be afraid to try! It was one of the best decisions I could have made for my career path.  Read less

Coding Dojo was a great boot camp! I came in knowing nothing about coding at all and left with the ability to build my own website from the ground up! The learning platform was great as well as the support I got from my cohorts, instructors and TA's! Definitely one of the best decisions I have made!  Read less

I would like to give them props on amazing platform. great program to get you started in web development and they teach WEB FUNDAMENTALS will walk you through from start to finish. TA and Instructors are knowledgable enforcing all the materials and lesson. although bootcamps are naturally challenging but you are not alone. i would recommend this bootcamp. i dont even think i would learn and get started to create real life projects. give props to Intructors Platt, Kevin and Zack. I am almost done with the program doing Projects and algos. also Career Services provided great stuff and support to prepare you for job interviews.  nothing i could really say but it's worth investing my time here in Coding Dojo Read less

As an ol'head veteran (11B Infantryman), I didn't believe or feel I could learn a new skillset. I thought learning something new would be nearly impossible. 14 weeks later Coding Dojo has proved that theory wrong. I am proud to say that after 14 weeks and self doubt that I have graduated. It was not easy by any stretch of the imagination. You have to work for what you want and they solidify this by implementing a 20 minute rule. Coding Dojo has given me the tools needed to be successful in the developer field. I looked into other bootcamps but what did it for me with Coding Dojo was there willingness to take an average Joe with absolutely no experience and make them into a self-sufficient developer. Coding Dojo not only gives you the necessary material to learn but give you the necessary tools (what questions to ask) to continue your growth. If you are a beginner with 0 experience don't let that stop you. If you are experienced developer and want to expand your knowledge and tool chest then don't hesitate on the call. 
Thank you Coding Dojo for the memories and tools you've given me. Read less

Coding Dojo offers an extensive course in building code in multiple languages. They teach you the basics, but then move you through more advanced study, by building actual programs. The curriculum is extensive and the instructors are very helpful, supplemented by TA's who are able to help you find answers on your own. It is a difficult course. The hours are long and it's a lot of intense study.  Read less

My experience from initial contact through graduation was great. Very prompt, professional, and helpful staff. They even found an answer to my question about which language was the most popular in scientific research (I am an aspiring physicist and inventor), which I don't imagine gets asked too much (I think most folks want to go into commercial tech and not science). They ensured I got put into the class for that language (Python). Instructors and TAs both were very knowledgeable and helpful. The academic standards are high, but fair and realistic. For example, exams consist of having 5 hours to build a completely functional front and back end application based on the info they give you. That's a lot, but exams are also open source and they will nudge you along in the right direction if they detect you know the info, or tell you where on the learning platform/recorded lecture videos to look for the answer (they don't expect a student to be able to do all this from memory after only a few weeks of exposure). Career Services (optional) has been helpful with resume help and interview prep, there also a lot of resources and training they will give you in that regard too. Read less

The Data Science program offered by Coding Dojo is rigorous but very rewarding and so worth the time and money spent! I joined with no background in coding and no understanding of what a Data Scientist does. The curriculum is in-depth, clear, concise, and fun to work around. During the course, you have to complete tasks by the end of the week like reading, assignments, projects, and exams. At times you will feel stuck but there are many code walk-throughs, videos, and solutions that will help you out. Plus the people at Coding Dojo like your instructor, the ta's, and classmates are more than willing to help you out. 

For now, I believe they have one data science instructor, Noelle and she's amazing!!!! Very helpful with explaining topics clearly, always offered a lot of support, and just wanted you to succeed! There is no such thing as a dumb question so make the most out of attending office hours and you will do great! 

As someone that is brand new to the field of Data Science, there is a lot you can add to your resume (tools, projects, portfolio)! I have to say though there's not enough support for job hunting after the program. I like that they offer career services but it's more for students that have graduated from the coding workshops. They don't have enough individuals that have experience as a Data Scientist to offer detailed workshops. 

Once I graduated I walked out with a lot of knowledge that I couldn't have done through self-studying and confidence to apply for jobs as a Data Scientist. Through the community of Coding Dojo, you build so many connections that stick even after the bootcamp. My advice is to make the most of the 12 weeks! Always reach out for help, dedicate time every day so you don't fall behind, and enjoy the process. The more you put into it the more you get out of it! Read less

I had tried a lot of self paced bootcamps and courses before Coding Dojo's Part Time Data Science Bootcamp, and I either quit due to being very confused and left without access to help, or I quit because the content was so long, drawn out and boring that I just couldn't pay attention.

Coding Dojo's style was perfect for me. Short explanations, decent code examples and then tons of immediate practice followed by a solution on completion of an assignment so you can immediately gauge how well you grasped the material and what you needed to review.

The instructor COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE AMAZING!!!! She was always helpful, never got frustrated with repetitive or 'dumb' questions, and gave positive reinforcement and encouragement regularly.

For what we were able to cover, I felt I grasped the content well enough to be able to venture out on my own. I only wish I could have done the full time course so I could have learned more material under their guidance. Read less