Coding Temple

If you’re looking to really level up your career, look no further than Coding Temple Boston. This program is short, sweet and absolutely jam packed with relevant, requisite information for the aspiring engineer. Many of my peers have described the work load already, but it needs to be reiterated, you will have to work harder than you ever have, but you will be rewarded for it in time. I compare it to my hardest semester of college.

Three things make Coding Temple stand out amongst other options in your array of potential educational investments:  Structure, Staff, and Follow-through.

Structure:

Because it’s on the small end of bootcamps, the program is extremely agile. They rapidly respond to market demands for engineers and implement changes to the curriculum each cohort to maximize candidate visibility upon graduation. They utilize a well-paced curriculum delivering need-to-know concepts like language syntax, data structures, algorithms, and version control before branching out into the more exotic stuff like mobile dev, machine learning, or aws.

Staff:

A great curriculum won’t get you very far if you don’t have skilled instructors and support staff, luckily Coding Temple’s are top of the line.

The instructor is a deft communicator that rivals the very best of my professors. He will help you not only learn the material, but command it. He knows instinctively when to help you out and also when to let you sit and struggle through something, this is rare and invaluable for you.

The office manager/marketer/student success organizer is a remarkably kind woman who will routinely go out of her way bring students to networking events after class, host impromptu webinars on photoshop, and help you create a distinctive brand for yourself as you prepare to hit the market.

And finally, the gentlemen that oversee the operation are dependable experts with an active presence in the area. They’re crafting the brand, again helping you after you graduate and interview with recruiters who say, “Yeah I’ve heard great things about Coding Temple!”.

Follow-through:

After graduation the team at Coding Temple was consistently available to help refine my portfolio, continue interview prep, and navigate the offers I got. They provided critical guidance and sound advice exactly when I needed it.

Coding Temple is not just a 10 week bootcamp, It’s a program that you can and should utilize to become a better, happier version of yourself with an enviable trajectory. Take aim with Coding Temple and you’ll be well equipped to hit your mark.

So I read plenty of reviews on here and other places about this and many other bootcamps.  If you want in-depth reviews there are plenty of them out there.  I am designing this review for one purpose only, what it's like to enroll, to actually do it, and to successfully switch careers.

Enroll:  If you have zero coding experience don't enroll.  Spend at least a month (the more the better) writing code.  Doesn't matter what language you choose (I started with Javascript) just get used to having to think through writing out code.  Once you can do that you will have enough of a foundation that you won't get knocked off your feet when you start with the pre-work.  You will feel dumb and clumsy while you get started, just practice like crazy and review stuff you don't understand.

Bootcamp Proper:  If you didn't get comfortable thinking about/through code and didn't get through the pre-work you will get crushed.  If you did, then you will be ok, everyone in my course that did that foundational work made it through.  How difficult is it?  That's impossible for me to say.  Things that were easy for me were hard for others, and vice versa.  One thing is absolute though: it is a lot of work. 

One of the most important things you will learn is how to teach yourself.  If you are easily frustrated and want the instructor to spell things out for you then this may not be right for you.  I will say though: every single working developer I have talked to says this is crucial to their job.  If you choose this as a career you will be reading official documentation and message board support topics for the rest of your career, because it is impossible to know everything, so teaching yourself is vital. 

Feeling dumb and clumsy persisted throughout bootcamp, there were times when I thought I'd never figure something out... and then I would and I'd feel like a genius.  So don't get discouraged, or rather it's normal to feel discouraged, nervous, panicked.  It's an unfortunate bi-product of doing something completely new and unique that can start to feel like a mistake.  If you stick with it and resign yourself to doing whatever it takes no matter how much time and effort you need to put in, then you'll be rewarded. 

Post Camp/Job Hunt:  Ripal was invaluable when it came to this.  However, be prepared to be overwhelmed in a whole new fashion.  Developers are so in demand and the ability to access them via LinkedIn and Indeed, etc is both a blessing and a curse.  I was inundated with job offers for positions I was not remotely qualified for, so it can be a bit of a downer.  But the strategy Ripal has honed over the years was effective.  I got a job 3 weeks after graduation.  I applied to 14 postings, heard back from 3 with no's and 3 that I am currently in process with (who knows what will happen, but I'm not waiting to find out).  Seven I have never even heard from and the 14th is the one where things moved quickly and they offered me a position.  The number of positions I was offered to interview for that were well beyond my experience level : 50+.  

So that's the gist of what I went through.  It was intense, scary, overwhelming, but ultimately rewarding.  I now have a new career path in front of me in an industry that's only getting bigger.

Note:  If there was a way to add more stars I would because it's impossible to learn everything you need to in such an accelerated environment.  It's more like 6 or 7 stars out of 5.  I'm still learning stuff that was only touched on in class.  

Attending Coding Temple was a huge step for me.  I traveled all the way out from CA to get a fresh start and Coding temple had the biggest draw out of all the schools I looked into.  The Instructor for the Python course Connor was Amazing.  The work was fast paced and difficult, but he was always there to slow down if needed and stayed after class to answer all questions.  I came out of the class feeling very confident in my abilities and would 10/10 recommend this course to anyone looking into Python.  

I can honestly say that attending Coding Temple was one of the best decisions I have made. Prior to matriculation, I had no coding experience, as did a few other students, but by the end of the semester, especially after completing my Final Capstone Project, I felt as if had accumulated a wealth of programming tools and technologies in an astonishingly short period of time. Upon graduating, I received multiple interviewers and felt comfortable demonstrating to employers that I learned a lot and have the potential to put these tools into practice. The same can be said for anyone upon completion of the course regardless of their desired path; front-end, back-end, full-stack, data-science - you will gain proficiency in each of these areas - provided YOU put in the time and effort needed for success. Plus, I don't think that many employers were too skeptical that I attended a bootcamp rather than acquire a traditional 4-year CS degree at a university. They are gaining steam and a well-justified positive perception in the STEM community.

One thing to reiterate though - you NEED to put in the time and effort needed to understand all concepts. That means asking questions when you have minimal understanding of a new topic, staying after class ends for extra assistance, and reviewing weekly syllabi on your own time. The instructors will always happily and promptly entertain questions on anything - be it on Python, hashing, Javascript array methods, and, of course, job searching. Follow the above recommendations: you will have good fortune searching for jobs if you do!

How long have you prepared for this? Assuming you have no coding experience, If you want to achieve your highest potential for success, do not decide you want to learn how to code, and then sign up for a bootcamp 2-3 weeks later. You need to prepare. You need to utilize as much online learning as you can, until you feel confident enough in your skills. Coding Temple is an intense  10 week program, and falling behind typically leaves you behind the entire course. That's a place you don't want to be. Request their Course Syllabus and prepare for atleast 6 months before you sign up, that way when you get there, you can work from ahead and even complete the optional assignments. This will give you the most bang for your buck because already understanding the fundamentals allows you to better comprehend the coursework, as well as learn more advanced topics that other in your cohort won't have time for!

Our Instructor Joe was very knowledgeable and helpful. He's always available whenever you need his help. Also, Ripal, the director of business development does a pretty awesome job of connecting with potential employers for final project presentations together with interview prep, and resume writing. Above all, they're always to listen any suggestions that would make your learning successful or make them better.

If you want to be a programmer, you need to put in the work. Just because you go to a coding bootcamp, you that doesn't mean you'll be ready to face the challenges of software development.

With that said, if you have the attitude that you'll do whatever it takes to succeed, Coding Temple will do everything they can to provide you with the tools for success in the work place. The curriculum is thorough (but fast, so be prepared to ask lots of questions and spent time working outside of class), the instructors are patient, and are willing to work with you outside of class, and when the course is over they check in with you periodically to help with your job search. 

All in all, I am very glad I took this course and would recommend it to anyone who is serious about switching to a career in software development. 

Let me preface this review by saying that I was uncertain of what to expect going in, to the say the least. With little to no coding experience, I had no way to guage the verity or weight of what online resources and other reviews claimed was true of coding boot camps. As I was looking to make a serious, professional career change into data science, I had to be sure that all the online hype about life-changing experiences was not some intricate scam. So, after weeks of research and contemplation about my next step in life, I committed to the idea and reached out to Coding Temple.

By the time I got off the phone with Ripal, the business director, any remaining doubts I might have had were rendered moot. Needless to say, everyone at Coding Temple turned out to be equally welcoming and understanding of the needs of the incoming class. Coding Temple is set up with all of that already in mind--from the classy, comfortable working environment, to the highly detailed curriculum. Having made my way out to Chicago all the way from New Jersey for this, I could not have asked for a smoother transition.

Now, to address the elephant in the room: Coding Temple is as close to a formal education as one can receive, comparable in quantity and quality to a semester in college, minus the diploma. As such, Coding Temple employs a more project-oriented strategy to help push their students to see the fruits of their labor. The importance of this approach cannot be overstated. This is the key that makes a lightning-fast three-month boot camp tangible for both the graduates and their potential employers.

So, was it really all sunshine and rainbows? No, there was blood, sweat, and tears involved throughout the learning process, to be sure. But that is how one builds grit. In my opinion, if there is one thing a potential employer wants to see, after all the techicalities are said and done, it's grit. The whole experience really is what you make of it, and that kind of liberty says a lot about the slew of resources made available to you. Do come in with an open mindset, and it will practically guarantee your success; do NOT come in with an entitled mindset, or else that will almost certainly deny you it.

All in all, "life-changing" is quite relative to one's level of expectations, so it is doubly important that one keep an open mind and let the boot camp do its magic. I came in green as a caterpillar and left having earned my wings; I absolutely believe it was life changing for me. I never would have imagined myself where I am today if it were not for all the tutelage and support of everyone at Coding Temple. I simply cannot recommend it highly enough for anyone considering this as their next step.

Honestly I'm not sure where to begin, as I have so many great things to say about Coding Temple. Not only did they create a fun filled environment full of coding, they went above and beyond throughout the entire process.

I was originally looking into taking the Python course in Boston, and ended up switching to take an earlier class in D.C., which they graciously helped me out in finding a place and getting setup in the area. I couldn't be happier with the way things panned out, as the location was great and the class went extremely well.

The instructors here were knowledgeable and made coding an enjoyable experience. It's always tough when people are coming in at different coding levels, but it was both tough on the experienced students and easy to pickup for the students that had never coded in their life. Derek (my instructor) was wonderful and helped us every step of the way with any problem we had.

One great thing about this bootcamp is that they made the experience fun and personable. I now have a life-long friend in Derek, and a great network through the Coding Temple program.

For me it was easy to select Coding Temple because of the small class size, as I don't learn well when I can't ask questions. While at Coding Temple we were encouraged to ask any questions, and it wasn't frowned upon to be behind, they'd even help you get up to speed if you needed the extra help.

Overall, I can't recommend this bootcamp enough, it was the best decision of my life, and I will be forever grateful towards the staff at Coding Temple for guiding me to what my career goals were. 

Something to keep in mind is that, like any other bootcamp, you need to come in prepared and ready to work. I not only dedicated myself every day, but also every night to this program. To be a programmer, half the battle is applying it on your own, otherwise you forget what you just learned. Too many people think that they can just come to a bootcamp, show up, and they'll be a developer... it doesn't work like that. You need to be willing to put the effort in, and if you do, you'll get great results out of it.

If there's one more thing I can say, it's that this company is very personable and will help you out whatever the situation, they genuinely just want to see you succeed in everything that you do, and they'll do whatever it takes to help you reach your goals. 

This was a great course, it was a lot of work to learn a full stack development in 10 weeks without any previous experience in coding or programming. Derek the instructor for the course was very knowledgable and helpful in getting concepts to sink in, and assessing each students strengths and abilities. Ananya, the Python instructor, was extremely passionate about the topic, and helpful with interview prep/whiteboarding practice. Finally, upon finishing the course, Ripal was in constant contact revamping my resume as needed, putting me in touch with recruiters, and sending job postings I might have missed (including the job I ultimately landed).

I would highly recommend, but know going in that in addition to the 6-8 hours of class a day you will need to put in at least 25 hours a week after class to get the most of the course and complete the homework assignments.

I had a very positive experience with Coding Temple, specifically the .NET cohort. The staff are a lot of fun and incredibly knowledgeable. It was rare that I came across a question that Joe (the .NET instructor) was unable to answer. The curriculum was very relevant to today's job market as many of the jobs I came across were seeking people who were familiar with angular, javascript, .NET, etc. The single moment that made me realize how much I had truly gained from going through Coding Temple was about 3 weeks into my new job; I was sitting amongst 3 of my fellow new hires (all of whom had bachelor's degrees in computer science) when it dawned on me that there had yet to be a situation in which I had truly felt at a disadvantage compared to them. In those 3 weeks I had not once encountered a concept or topic in which I seemed to be the only one lost. This was really significant for me because prior to this realization I had been really nervous that I wouldn't be able to hold my own amongst a bunch of comp sci grads.

Aside from the enormous amount of knowledge that you will gain throughtout the duration of the course, an additional benefit is the vast network that Ripal (co-founder, business development) has established with local tech companies and recruiters. While I found my job through a referal from a friend, almost everyone else in my cohort was able to find employment thanks to Ripal's connections and his resume/interview prep.

The only suggestion I would make to Coding Temple would be to, if possible, throw a little bit of react instruction into the course and instead of teaching angular 1 teach angular 4 as those both seem to be really sought after skillsets right now.

Let me start by saying, this bootcamp is not for the faint of heart. It is FAST paced and A LOT of information to take in. But, if you are strong enough, and disciplined enough, you can learn SO MUCH in a very short period of time. By the time you leave (if you have the moxy to make it), you will be ready to take on any mid level .NET position (of which there are so many out there), and they help you find the job too! So, if you are lazy, stay where you are at sitting on the couch reading reviews, but if you think you have what it takes and can sprint for 10 weeks straight to the finish line, I would highly recommend Coding Temple. I can't speak for all the instructors, but my teacher, Joe, was more knowledgeable than any programmer I have dealt with, yet down to earth and more than willing to help when you needed it. The other instructors that I met were super cool and very friendly and I can imagine that they were as knowledgeable and helpful. When you go into week 11, should you choose to take advantage of the job placement help, and I recommend that you do, Ripal does everything he can to make you a worthy employee prospect and hook you up with the right people to get you a job fast. I just got hired only 3 and a half weeks after finishing at Coding Temple (and I have to admit, I didn't do much of the work to get the job because it was the holiday season and I had some family/life catch up to do after the course... it was all taken care of for me; I just had to show up! Imagine if you put forth effort after the class!) There were points in time through the 10 weeks where I didn't think I could do it; literally pulling at my hair and near what felt like a nervous breakdown. It is HARD. make no mistake about it. But it is totally worth it.