coding-dojo
About
About
Founded in 2012, Coding Dojo is a global technology education company that offers three full stack coding bootcamps, full-stack part-time programs, as well as courses on data science and other emerging technologies. Coding Dojo has campuses in Arlington, Berkeley, Boise, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Jose, Seattle, Tulsa, and online. Students can choose to learn one, two, or three of the industry’s most in-demand web development languages, including Python, Ruby on Rails, MERN, Java or .NET Core. An online option is also available for students who don’t have access to campuses. In addition to an extensive curriculum, students collaborate with peers, join interactive lectures with their instructors, work with career services, and have access to Assistant Instructors during lab sessions. Students experience building dynamic web applications, solving job-relevant problems, learning to think like true software engineers, and discovering how to become a self-sufficient developer.
To apply, candidates answer questions via an online form, schedule an interview with a Coding Dojo staff member, then if accepted, must pay a deposit to secure their place. There is no coding challenge or technical assessment, but depending on the program, students may take a placement assessment to see if they need to enroll in Programming Basics (a free ramp-up course) prior to the bootcamp.
Since 2012, Coding Dojo has endeavored to help individuals from a variety of backgrounds and skill levels transform into professional developers who go on to be hired by startups and companies like Amazon, Apple, Expedia, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, DocuSign and Skytap. Coding Dojo also offers career services, including one-on-one sessions with a career advisor, open forums with industry leaders, and comprehensive job preparation.
Coding Dojo welcomes Veterans and accepts the GI Bill at selected campuses, and provides various scholarship opportunities for qualified students.
Recent Coding Dojo Reviews: Rating 4.41
Recent Coding Dojo News
- How Steven Pivoted Into DevOps with Coding Dojo
- August 2021 Coding Bootcamp News
- July 2021 Coding Bootcamp News
Courses
Courses
Cybersecurity Online Part-Time Bootcamp
ApplyCompTIA Security+, Ethical Hacking, Network Security, SIEM Administration, Virtualization, Linux
OnlinePart Time20 Hours/week24 WeeksStart Date None scheduled Cost $16,495 Class size 24 Location Online After completing Coding Dojo’s Cybersecurity program, students are mission-ready to identify, assess, report, and mitigate technology and information security risks. Gain hands-on experience with a host of popular tools such as Wireshark, Kali Linux, Metasploit, and more within a sandbox environment. Learn skills applicable to certifications such as the CompTIA Security+, CySA+ , Network+, Linux+, Server+, Cloud+, and certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), and receive vouchers for the Security+ and CySA+ exams. Benefit from a comprehensive set of career services to help equip you for success as you work to change career paths or advance in your current position. Cover the latest real-world deployment of cybersecurity management practices, including defensive and offensive tactics, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and event & incident management.Financing
Deposit 1000 Financing Financing options include loans from Ascent & Climb CreditTuition Plans $1,000 deposit. Various payment plans available via Miashare. Refund / Guarantee Full refund up to the 1st day of class. Partial refund up to halfway through curriculum. Scholarship We have a range of scholarships available. Please visit our website to learn more. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level No previous coding or IT experience required. Students should have basic problem solving skills and a good understanding of how to navigate their computer. Prep Work Yes Placement Test Yes Interview No
Data Science Online Part-Time Bootcamp
ApplyData Analytics , Data Science, Data Structures, Data Visualization, Machine Learning, Python, SQL
OnlinePart Time15 Hours/week12 WeeksStart Date None scheduled Cost $8,995 Class size 30 Location Online This bootcamp is a deep dive into the fundamentals of data science and machine learning in Python. Throughout the course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire data science process from end-to-end, including data prep, data analysis and visualization, as well as how to properly apply machine learning algorithms to various situations or tasks. This course was designed to prepare you for the real world. Each week, you’ll tackle interview-style questions and weekly exercises as you learn new topics, so that you are building the skills needed to land a new job as you learn the topics themselves. What You’ll Get: • Learn the end-to-end data science process including data prep, data analysis, visualization, as well as use cases for both machine learning and deep learning algorithms • Walk away with a work applicable understanding of the Data Science process and how to use the methodologies and tools to solve real-world problems in business and academia • Learn how to retrieve and manipulate data using Python and SQL • An understanding of the importance of machine Learning and future growth of the industry • A deep understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different Machine Learning algorithms • A portfolio of projects to showcase to employers Eligibility: • No 4 year degree required • No previous coding experience required - really!Financing
Deposit $1,000 deposit. Various payment plans available via Miashare. Financing Financing options include loans from Ascent & Climb CreditTuition Plans $1000 Deposit Various Installment plans available. Refund / Guarantee All payments are refundable until day 1 of class. Scholarship $500 - $1000 available for those who qualify Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Beginner-friendly! Prep Work Yes Placement Test No Interview No
Software Development Online Full-Time
ApplyAlgorithms, AngularJS, ASP.NET, C#, CSS, Data Structures, Express.js, Git, HTML, Java, JavaScript, jQuery, MongoDB, MySQL, .NET, Network Security, Node.js, PHP, Product Management, Python, Rails, React.js, Ruby, SQL
OnlineFull Time70 Hours/week14 WeeksStart Date Rolling Start Date Cost $16,495 Class size N/A Location Online Our Online Full-Time Immersive Bootcamp is a remote learning alternative that provides online access to our in-depth three-stack curriculum—complete with live support from instructors, our industry-tested learning platform, hands-on assignments and much more. Ideal for students interested in web development who cannot attend our on-campus programs, this online bootcamp is a full-time immersive experience in which you will master the fundamentals of web and software development, and 3 full stacks - Python, MERN, and Java - over 14 weeks, learning valuable skills for a career in tech. Based on our 2019 outcomes report, 89.1% of our alumni land a job in 180 days after graduating. They also receive an average salary of $72,345 per year. Your Career Starts From Day 1 Our in-depth three-stack program is complete with hands-on learning, robust support from our instructional staff, our industry-tested learning platform, and more - so you are both challenged and supported throughout the journey. Integrated into every step of the program is our career services experience. You'll have unlimited, lifetime access to our career services team, who have successfully placed thousands of graduates nationwide. Our grads often say that Coding Dojo is the most rewarding, yet difficult thing they’ve ever done. We’re deeply proud every day of our 6000+ grads, and we hope to count you among them. Live Instruction Start each day with live algorithms, discussion sessions, and a group activity. Open Lab Hours Lab hours are often where the learning really happens! This is where you can work in groups or solo to create assignments and connect with instructors. Small Group Code Reviews Schedule sessions with your instructor in groups of 2 or 3 to get detailed feedback on milestone assignments TA Support TA’s are available from 2pm to 7pm PST, Monday through Friday, to line up with when most students are tackling assignments. 24/7 Cohort Access From Day 1, you’ll join our Discord community full of your fellow classmates and instructors, as well as have 24/7 access to our Learning Platform. Student Services Team If you ever find yourself struggling, reach out to our student services team! They are here to help with time management, tech issues, and more. Career Services Manager Starting Day 1 of your bootcamp, your Career Services Manager will help you create a tailored roadmap to the job of your dreams.Financing
Deposit $1000 Financing Financing options include ISAs via Miashare and loans from Ascent & Climb CreditTuition Plans $1,000 deposit. Various payment plans available via Miashare. Refund / Guarantee Deposits are required to reserve your seat in the bootcamp and are refundable until day 1 of class. Scholarship Scholarships up to $1,500 available for veterans, women, and other underrepresented groups in the technology industry. Email scholarships@codingdojo.com to learn more. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Beginner Prep Work Yes Placement Test No Interview Yes
Software Development Online Part-Time Accelerated
ApplyCSS, Django, Git, HTML, JavaScript, jQuery, MySQL, Python, Algorithms, Front End, GitHub, Java, MongoDB, MVC, Node.js, React.js, SQL
OnlinePart Time25 Hours/week16 WeeksStart Date Rolling Start Date Cost $8,995 Class size N/A Location Online Our Part-Time Accelerated course is a flexible alternative that provides online access to our in-depth curriculum—complete with real-time support from instructors, our industry-tested learning platform, hands-on assignments and much more. Ideal for students who cannot attend our on-campus programs, or commit to a full-time course, you'll learn the skills needed to become a self-sufficient developer. Time commitment is 2-4 hours a week in lectures and optional office hours, plus 20-30 hours of self-study. Our graduates have an 89.1% placement rate within 6 months of graduation & an average starting salary of $72,345. Choose Your Own Adventure With the accelerated program, you choose your own adventure based on your professional goals and your other commitments. Take the complete curriculum over 32 weeks, or choose to only take 1 or 2 stacks. Live Instruction Lectures are always delivered live so you can ask questions and interact with your cohort. Office Hours Need more help understanding a concept? Join your instructor or teacher assistants in our office hours for your class. Small Group Code Reviews Schedule sessions with your instructor in groups of 2 or 3 to get detailed feedback on milestone assignments TA Support Seven Days a Week TA’s are available from 11am to 8pm PST Monday through Friday, 8am-6pm on Saturdays, and 8am-2pm on Sundays, so you have support 7 days a week All times in PST 24/7 Cohort Access From Day 1, you’ll join our MatterMost community full of your fellow classmates and instructors, as well as have 24/7 access to our Learning Platform. Student Services Team If you ever find yourself struggling, reach out to our student services team! They are here to help with time management, tech issues, and more. Career Services Manager Starting Day 1 of your bootcamp, your Career Services Manager will help you create a tailored roadmap to the job of your dreams. Subjects: CSS3, HTML5, JavaScript, jQuery, Git/Github, Bootstrap, Python, MySQL, Flask, Ajax, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js, Advanced Javascript, Socket.IO, Bower, Java 8, JSP, SpringMVCFinancing
Deposit $1000 Financing Financing options include loans from Ascent & Climb CreditTuition Plans $1,000 deposit. Various payment plans available via Miashare. Refund / Guarantee Deposits are refundable until day 1 of class. Scholarship Scholarships up to $1,500 available for veterans, women, and other underrepresented groups in the technology industry. Email scholarships@codingdojo.com to learn more. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Beginner Prep Work Yes Placement Test No Interview No
Software Development Online Part-Time Flex
ApplyCSS, Front End, Git, GitHub, HTML, JavaScript, MySQL, Python, SQL
OnlinePart Time12 Hours/week28 WeeksStart Date None scheduled Cost $8,995 Class size 30 Location Online Live Instruction. Career Services. 10-15 hours a week. Our Flex program is unique in the bootcamp industry, in that it offers the same benefits as a full-time program but with the most manageable time commitment out there. The Flex program was designed for the busiest students (you know who you are!). Working part-time and in school? Have a family and a full-time job? Tried self-study, but can’t stay on track without some accountability and structure? Then Flex is for you. Comprehensive Curriculum Master the essentials of web fundamentals, then dive into full stack Python - one of the most popular coding languages in the world. Live Instruction Lectures are always delivered live so you can ask questions and interact with your cohort. Office Hours Need more help understanding a concept? Join your instructor or teacher assistants in our office hours for your class. Small Group Code Reviews Schedule sessions with your instructor in groups of 2 or 3 to get detailed feedback on milestone assignments TA Support Seven Days a Week TA’s are available from 11am to 8pm PST Monday through Friday, 8am-6pm on Saturdays, and 8am-2pm on Sundays, so you have support 7 days a week All times in PST 24/7 Cohort Access From Day 1, you’ll join our Discord community full of your fellow classmates and instructors, as well as have 24/7 access to our Learning Platform. Student Services Team If you ever find yourself struggling, reach out to our student services team! They are here to help with time management, tech issues, and more. Career Services Manager Starting Day 1 of your bootcamp, your Career Services Manager will help you create a tailored roadmap to the job of your dreams. We have had the privilege of helping over 6,000 students upgrade their careers & their lives. In 28 weeks, all while learning the most-indemand STEM skills, you will be working on your job search for when graduation comes and goes. Our graduates have a 89.1.9% placement rate within 6 months of graduation & an average starting salary of $72,345. Subjects: CSS3, HTML5, JavaScript, jQuery, Git/Github, Bootstrap, Python, MySQL, Ajax, PostgreSQLFinancing
Deposit $1,000 deposit. Various payment plans available via Miashare. Financing Financing options include loans from Ascent & Climb CreditTuition Plans Pay in full, split pay, monthly installments Refund / Guarantee Deposits are refundable until day 1 of class. Scholarship Scholarships up to $1,000 available for veterans, women, and other underrepresented groups in the technology industry. Email scholarships@codingdojo.com to learn more. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Beginner Prep Work Yes Placement Test No Interview No
Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp
ApplyMongoDB, Python, Express.js, Java, Node.js, Algorithms, ASP.NET, C#, CSS, Data Structures, Front End, Git, HTML, JavaScript, jQuery, MySQL, .NET, Network Security, PHP, React.js, SQL
In PersonFull Time70 Hours/week14 WeeksStart Date Rolling Start Date Cost $16,495 Class size N/A Location Boise, Seattle, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco Master the fundamental building blocks of web and software development alongside your peers over 14 rigorous weeks. With campuses in multiple cities, we’ve been delivering a top-tier coding education since 2012. Our unparalleled three-stack program is complete with hands-on learning, robust support from our rockstar roster of instructional staff, our industry-tested learning platform, and more - so you are both challenged and supported throughout the journey. Integrated into every step of the program is unlimited access to our career services team, who have successfully placed thousands of graduates nationwide. Our Game-Changing 3 Stack Curriculum Our curriculum covers more front-end and back-end technologies than any other full-stack program – without sacrificing depth for breadth. Not only does this mean you’ll graduate with more skills and a more robust portfolio, but you’ll be more prepared to learn the coding languages of tomorrow. With 3 Full Stacks at your fingertips, you’ll be ready for anything. We tailor our onsite curriculum in each metro area to match local hiring demand - see our website for details. Live Instruction Start each day with live algorithms, discussion sessions, and a group activity. Open Lab Hours Lab hours are often where the learning really happens! This is where you can work in groups or solo to create assignments and connect with instructors. Small Group Code Reviews Schedule sessions with your instructor in groups of 2 or 3 to get detailed feedback on milestone assignments TA Support TA’s are available from 2pm to 7pm PST, Monday through Friday, to line up with when most students are tackling assignments. 24/7 Cohort Access From Day 1, you’ll join our Discord community full of your fellow classmates and instructors, as well as have 24/7 access to our Learning Platform. Student Services Team If you ever find yourself struggling, reach out to our student services team! They are here to help with time management, tech issues, and more. Career Services Manager Starting Day 1 of your bootcamp, your Career Services Manager will help you create a tailored roadmap to the job of your dreams.Financing
Deposit $1000 Financing Financing options include ISAs via Miashare and loans from Ascent & Climb CreditTuition Plans $1,000 deposit. Various payment plans available via Miashare. Refund / Guarantee Deposits are required to reserve your seat in the bootcamp, and are refundable until day 1 of class. Scholarship Up to $1,500 in scholarships available for veterans, women, and other underrepresented groups in the technology industry. Email scholarships@codingdojo.com to learn more. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Beginner Prep Work Yes Placement Test No Interview Yes
UX/UI Design Online Part-Time
ApplyStart Date None scheduled Cost $12,745 Class size 27 Location Online This bootcamp is a flexible, part-time program designed for working professionals who are looking to gain design skills to level up or change their career. The coursework is structured so you get a comprehensive experience in both UX and UI design processes. We’ll teach research and synthesis techniques for gathering and evaluating quantitative/qualitative data, create concepts, wireframes and prototypes for live user testing, and craft high fidelity screens and prototypes for final evaluative tests that are portfolio ready. You’ll graduate from the program with 2 solid portfolio pieces, including a live client project, which are what recruiters and hiring managers look for in new hires. Expected outcomes: • Learn best practices in User Experience, starting with research techniques and user interviews, through data synthesis, concept and prototype creation. We’ll also cover usability testing, MVP creation, wireframes and design handoffs. • Further your User Interface skills by creating moodboards, style tiles, mockups, and high fidelity screens and prototypes suitable for user testing. Create a design system for handoff that demonstrates the extensibility of your final designs. • Get the client-specific skills that are essential to working in any design environment including presenting and defending your design decisions, working in a team, giving and iterating on feedback, and building your design vocabulary and communication skills. • Graduate with two solid portfolio pieces, based on real-world projects that demonstrate your problem solving skills and critical thinkingFinancing
Deposit $1000 Financing Financing options include loans from Ascent & Climb CreditTuition Plans Pay in full or installment options available via Miashare. Refund / Guarantee Full refund available until the first day of class. Scholarship $1000 available for those who qualify Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Beginner-friendly! Prep Work 2 weeks of pre-course material. Placement Test No Interview No
Reviews
Coding Dojo Reviews
- Worth it- 4/9/2021Sun Henderson • Student • Course: Software Development Online Full-Time • Campus: Online • Verified via GitHub
I do not have a CS background. However, I always wanted to learn to code to build cool websites.
There are many coding boot camps in LA, and I had to figure out which is going to right for me. After COVID-19, everything became online courses, that's when I found Coding Dojo and I decided to go with them.
The reason why I chose Coding Dojo was, they teach three full stack languages. I always wanted to learn Python, Java, and JavaScript even when I did not know about them. Because when I see some jobs in the tech industry, they always say they want someone who knows Python and Java. Though JavaScript is so popular, every other coding boot camp teaches it.
I've searched and read many reviews on a couple of different sites to find if any women graduated left reviews. I found some women reviews and that really helped.
When I decided to start, they asked me if I can really commit at least 70 hours per week, and I said yes. From the start, it was very challenging and I had to push myself 100%. This coding boot camp is no joke. You really got to want it and have passion for it and think about why you are doing this all the time.
And many times, you will feel like this is maybe not for you or you are just not as smart as other guys in the class. Everyone has that moment, and you are learning something very new, you will feel like that regardless. Just trust yourself and push it, you will be alright.
From my experience, I'm really glad that I chose Coding Dojo because I gained so much knowledge and skills that I would never able to gain by myself watching Youtube. If it worked for me, it would work for you too.
I'm looking for a job right now and not really stressed about it. Career service helping me with resume and interview skills right now, so I believe that I will able to find a position soon.
- Outstanding Academy- 4/9/2021Carl Thomason • Graduate • Course: Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp • Campus: Los Angeles • Verified via LinkedInI highly suggest this bootcamp. The instructors are amazing and the layout is excellent. If you want to feel like you truly understand what is going on and feel successful for a technical interview. Coding Dojo Academy is the place to start.
- Graduate- 4/7/2021Jemal Agayeva • Graduate • Course: Software Development Online Full-Time • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInWeb fundamentals + 3 full stack programs just in 14 weeks, with fabulous alumni network and career support.
I was eager to challenge myself and become a qualified developer. And on top of that Coding Dojo was top recommended by friends working in the field.
- Alimni- 3/8/2021Ted Cady • Developer • Graduate • Course: Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp • Campus: Silicon Valley • Verified via LinkedInOne of the best boot camps I have ever been a part of. The staff is undoubtedly the best you can ask for. None can compare to their sincerity and assistance throughout each course.
- Waves- 1/5/2021Nema Boldaji • Student • Course: Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp • Campus: Arlington • Verified via LinkedIn
Overall I enjoyed my time at coding dojo. I must say there are going to be waves. At first you are excited and eagered to learn, but then it will get really hard and frustrating, then you will make friends and help each other along the way, then something magical happenes in your 3rd stack, it starts to click, you start to understand coding alot better. Its really such a great thing when you stick it out till the end, make good friends and learn a great skill. It really will be up to you how much you learn and you got to keep at it. Ride the waves and you will eventually understand it. I had absolutely zero coding knowledge before the school and I graduated so you can do it too. I do highly suggest to brush up on html and CSS and definitely finish all the pre boot camp material.
- Graduate- 1/4/2021John Dang • Graduate • Course: Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp • Campus: Los Angeles • Verified via LinkedInMy experience was one of many ups and downs. The beginning in web fundamentals got me up to a good start and also a taste of how long the days can be. I came from a background of no coding whatsoever and it was tough but not impossible. As I went through each stack things got a little easier in that you start seeing familiar concepts just in a different language, but even then 12 hour days and longer was the norm. Each assignment builds upon concepts that you need to understand and my strategy was to run out the gate hard and furious until I get stuck, because you will get stuck and luckily there are many ta's and cohorts around to ask for help. I asked for help so much and that in itself was a learning experience because I never had to ask for help for most of my traditional schooling. Pride be damned asking for help is encouraged and you will need to get over it when you attend such a tough bootcamp like Coding Dojo. Stay on task, get with your instructors and ta's and get with your cohorts. Utilize everyone around you and keep working at it even after the camp because the learning does not stop.
- Intense!- 12/24/2020Ra'mar Leach • Graduate • Course: Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp • Campus: Chicago • Verified via LinkedInThis bootcamp is both intimidating and inspiring, due to the amount of material you are exposed to. The lectures help to solidify the reading material on the learning platform and give practical examples for the programming languages. There are times where it feels information is missing and even outdated, as there were some issues which came up during the learning process. These issues weren't really addressed within the platform and some of the instructors were unable to really help obtain a solution. Needless to say, the experience is refreshing, intense, and overall fun. I would recommend this bootcamp to anyone.
- Best 14 Weeks!- 12/1/2020Tia Fouroohi • Graduate • Course: Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp • Campus: Seattle • Verified via LinkedInI have always been interested in coding, but came from a background with little to no tech experience. A friend of mine had completed Coding Dojo and spoke so highly of it, so I attended an open house and was convinced from there on out.
From the open house up until graduation day, I received an immense amount of support from all the staff involved- you could say that I was setup for success from the start. From setting up realistic payment plans or asking for help on an assignment, it was nice knowing that I had such a large support system guiding me through the entire bootcamp.
Although the 14 weeks were challenging, I learned so much about myself and my abilities that I didn't realize I had before. Not only did my communication and time management skills improve, I can now proudly say that I am a Full Stack Developer.
If you are willing to put in the time and effort, I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone.
- Time and money well spent- 11/23/2020Kimberley Greenbush • Graduate • Course: Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp • Campus: Seattle • Verified via LinkedInAs someone coming from a non-Computer Science background, I was initially worried how much I'd be able to learn. The platform the school used includes more information than you first know what to do with but if you put in the hours it all comes together. The teachers and TAs are incredibly helpful, many have went through the program themselves, so getting questions answered or help with an assignment is no problem if the material can start to seem overwhelming.
- Full Stack Developer- 11/23/2020Christian Meza • Graduate • Course: Software Development Online Full-Time • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInLets start with the interest of how things work. I'm always curious how you get from a to b and the complications that come with it. If you like to learn about something new and have the help to understand what you are learning then Coding Dojo is it. The instructors are super helpful and very nice. Career Service Department is helpful to point you in the right direction or where to start when it comes to making a appealing resume and how to search for a job. There will be times where you dont know what to do and we ALL felt that way, But once you figure out how to problem solve or display/query data from a database on to whatever page you want.... the feeling is amazing. And the fact you can do it in multiple languages and Databases. I cant really go a day without typing a line of code or thing about an idea of a solution I was working on. I'm glad I got to learn 3 full stacks and My only suggestion when you decide to join is ask questions and get some sleep even though I was a pro by any means and I was putting in easy 70-90 hour weeks. But that included lectures and labs and asking other students questions. Again ask questions and write notes!. I want to Thanks to all my Instructors Phil, Saurabh, Nichole and Adrien the TA's Daisy, Chris, Michael. Jori Thanks for the initial interview to answer all my questions before I joined. Lets not leave out Michael Choi. Thank you all.
- I attended Coding Dojo and this is why.- 11/6/2020Jason Sparks • Course: Software Development Online Part-Time Accelerated • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInI attended The Online, 16-week program from July 6 – Oct 23 cohort.
The biggest takeaway that won my buy in at coding dojo is their wide breadth of technologies that they teach. Most coding bootcamps only teach JavaScript and the MERN stack. While some bootcamps also offer Python, Coding Dojo teaches MERN, Python, Java, and .NET among others. Ironically, I decided to learn the MERN stack. Now that I’m finished though I am eligible to subscribe to their alumni pass program which unlocks all stacks on their learning platform and continue learning different technologies. I will continue to learn other languages and platforms that interest me and expand my skillset.
A little bit about my background. I already am working in the tech field in a technical support role but I want to expand some of the tools that I have in my toolbox, if you will. I already had a little bit of experience with coding, dabbling with it in my spare time and being I had taken a few classes on it so I was really on the fence about shelling out thousands for a coding bootcamp program but I’m glad that I did.
I gained real world experience in some modern technologies. The main takeaways that I wanted from my coding bootcamp experience were to leave knowing how to develop full stack software and to have some projects that I’ve worked on to show potential employers. I’m no expert now but I am very confident in my ability to develop and collaborate with other developers. I also have some projects under my belt but I think what’s most important is that I know how to develop so now I’m free to work on more projects. Another perk is that I’ll have free, lifelong access to career services help. That means that I can always hit up Coding Dojo for feedback on my resume or practice doing mock interviews. Yay!
It was helpful to be able to work with other people in this field to get a better feel for what it is like. Software Engineers/Developers are just like anyone else, they don’t always know the answer to every question. Everyone’s experience will differ give or take a few hundred miles but this is the age of information and Coding Dojo encourages growing through research and being self-sufficient along with being able to collaborate with others in the software developer community to solve tough problems.
Ultimately, I would recommend Coding Dojo. I think that attending any coding bootcamp would be worth the money. However, I wouldn’t expect to finish as an expert. This was more like the first step in a journey of a thousand miles.
- Coding Dojo Delivers- 11/2/2020Jerry Perkins • Graduate • Course: Software Development Onsite Full-Time Bootcamp • Campus: Dallas • Verified via LinkedInDeciding on a coding bootcamp was one of the more difficult decisions I have made. Everywhere you turn people are promising you the career of your dreams with a big salary to boot. My goal with this review is to cut through some of that fluff and give insights that I wish people had given me when I was going through the process.
I signed up for the Full Time Onsite Dallas course which was broken down into 4 sections. Web Fundamentals(2wks), Python(4wks), MEAN(4wks), Ruby on Rails(4wks). While I signed up for the onsite course everything I did was online and I can not speak to the onsite experience.
Also, because I know people are wondering this, I had zero coding knowledge prior to Coding Dojo. I learned what a for loop was while doing the pre-course work that is given to you after you sign up.
This is not going to be short so here is a quick summery. Coding Dojo was well worth the money but nobody is going to hold your hand. Their learning platform is good, the online experience was better than anticipated, and being around peers who are also committed to changing their lives for the better is invigorating. If I could give .5 stars I would rate the overall experience a 4.5/5 but I will be giving an overall rating of 5 starts down below because I believe in rounding up.
From this point I am going to offer criticism at some items but please keep in mind these are criticisms coming from someone who enjoyed the experience and gave it a 4.5/5.
The application process was straightforward and the admissions team was much more helpful than admissions teams at other bootcamps. Vic answered the questions I had and pointed me to some great open house events where I got to meet some instructors and career service folks as well. They did not pressure me into a decision which felt really nice and they also helped me secure some scholarship money. Hint, write a reasonable essay about your journey to coding and you will get some money. Again I would have not even applied for one except for Vic so shoutout to him.
Now something that caught me by surprise was the size of the class. The Web Fundamentals class had over 45 students in it on day 1. This was a far cry from the 10-14 students I was expecting. There were two teachers and two TA's but it was still too large. This continued through Python but after that my class size shrunk to 8-12 which was amazing.
This was the first time I had ever experienced learning online and it was so much better than I thought it would be. The instructors did a great job of utilizing zoom and recording lectures so that we could participate in the lecture live while also having the ability to go review a section of the lecture that was particularly challenging. Another perk of having the class online was that it meant I was constantly engaging with my classmates even beyond the 9-5 hours that the course was being held. I made some great friends during my 14 weeks and it was so helpful to have people to talk things out with at all hours of the night.
The Coding Dojo learning platform was impressive. So much good material on it and I was leveraging it all the time. As a student you get access to the learn platform for a year after you graduate and you get access to stacks that you did not take. You can continue learning new languages even after you graduate :). There were several instances where we were not using the most up to date versions of software etc. It seemed that this was usually so that Coding Dojo did not have to update instructions, content every couple of months or deal with the bugs that come with constant updates. I understand why this decision is made but it still is a little bit of feels bad. To be clear, if you learn how to code in rails 4.2.7 then you can code in rails 6.0.3 so your learning is not being stunted.
The pace of the class was relentless. Web Fundamentals in particular was challenging for me. I would highly recommend doing as much of the prep work as possible prior to starting. I probably spent 50 hours on prep work prior to starting the course and wish I had spent closer to 100. So I would give yourself 2 weeks of treating the prep work as a full time gig prior to starting if you have no coding experience like I did. However all of the material in the prep work gets covered in class. There were 3 types of students(for the most part) during the first 2 weeks. The first was the group who had coding experience and they cruised through the first two weeks. The second was the group who had done the prep work(this was me) but it was the first time they had seen the material. This second group was always on the cusp of not being able to keep up but some late nights and long weekends got the job done. Then there was the 3rd group(it was the smallest) who had not done the prep work and had little if any prior coding experience. This last group struggled mightily. I recommend not putting yourself in the last group :).
If cannot dedicated yourself fully to this course then Coding Dojo full time is not for you. I spent between 70-90hrs each week just to keep up with the minimum requirements and be prepared for the next day's material. I was usually coding until past midnight every day with a break for meals and exercise. Yes, I worked like that on the weekends as well.
After learning 3 languages and spending two weeks in Web fundamentals I would have gladly traded my 4 weeks of Ruby on Rails for 4 more weeks of Web fundamentals. This in my mind is why Coding Dojo was 4.5 and not a 5. The speed of the course is such that I would have much rather spent more time learning fundamentals of coding instead of another language. I think this would have given me a better handle on the "why" of things which is key to my understanding and being able to fully explain concepts during interviews.
The instructors I had during my time at Coding Dojo were great. Each one had industry experience and were very knowledgeable and willing to help. One of the big things you see as a red flag for bootcamps is when they have a bunch of former students as teachers so I will note that while I was there several students were hired as new teachers and they did not have industry experience(at least according to their LinkedIn). All of these former students were incredibly bright and my interactions with them was nothing but positive but if you are a perspective student you should be grilling your admission person on this and not settle for a wishy washy answer. I'm guessing that the pandemic and moving all classes online has led to an increase in the number of students so Coding Dojo needs more teachers which I get but I would be aware of this. Again from a review perspective my teacher experience was great.
Also another note on teachers: I learned the most from Chris who is the head of the Dallas dojo. However he is the most challenging instructor at Coding Dojo. If you do not enjoy being pushed or want a teacher to be gentle while helping you then you should not take any classes with Chris. Personally, I loved it and learned more in MEAN and Ruby on Rails than I did in Python. You have been warned :)
Coding Dojo makes TA's available to the students for questions that arise after hours(aka after 5pm). The TA's were super helpful but I have to give a shoutout to TA Daisy who was always so knowledgeable and helped me out of many a jam. The TA's were usually available until 8pm during the week and there were not any TA's on weekends. Not having a TA on the weekends was a bummer. Having a great group of friends comes in extra clutch on weekends as they can get you unstuck and not force you to wait until Monday.
Let's talk about Career Services now. My Career Services contact was Michelle and she was fantastic! I gave the job assistance score a 4/5 and Michelle was the reason for such a high score. As a student you get your first Career Services meeting about the time you finish your first stack. Career Services will help you as much as you are willing to help yourself. No one will write your resume or LinkedIn profile for you but they will be there for suggestions, edits, etc. I set up bi weekly meetings with Michelle and she helped hold me accountable for making progress on my resume LinkedIn etc. When I started I did not even have a LinkedIn but I was getting interview opportunities in my LinkedIn inbox before I graduated largely because Michelle was willing to work with me every week. I only put in an hour or two each week into my job search during the bootcamp and even that small amount multiplied by the weeks in the course paid massive dividends and has led to multiple job offers within a week of graduation.
The reason that Job Assistance is not a 5/5 is because Coding Dojo does not seem to have any pipeline type relationships with employers. Coding Dojo has set up some great tech talks and I have connected with those people on LinkedIn etc and learned a lot. However, I have not experienced anything like having potential employers attend project demo days or things of that nature.
Coding Dojo will give you the structure, tools, and community to successfully transition into a career as a developer but it will require over a thousand hours of work. I was ready and willing and Coding Dojo was the place that allowed my desire to switch careers come to fruition.
Hope it was helpful to learn more about my experience and if you have more questions feel free to ping me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-perkins/
Outcomes
Coding Dojo Outcomes
* These outcomes are not audited by Course Report. In some cases, data is audited by a third party.
80%
Graduation Rate
Graduation Rate
N/A
Employed
Employed
$72,048
Median Salary
Median Salary
Of the students who enroll at Coding Dojo, 80% graduated. 59% of graduates were job-seeking and N/A of job-seeking graduates found in-field employment after 180 days and report a median income of $72,048. Below is the 180 Day Employment Breakdown for 486 graduates included in this report:
180 Day Employment Breakdown:
Full Time, In-Field Employee
N/A
Full-time apprenticeship, internship or contract position
N/A
Short-term contract, part-time position, freelance
N/A
Employed out-of-field
N/A
Notes & Caveats:
Audit conducted by independent, third-party firm Delivery Associates.
Please visit https://www.codingdojo.com/outcomes to download the complete report.
Please visit https://www.codingdojo.com/outcomes to download the complete report.
