Dev Bootcamp

I enjoyed my time at DBC and they took me from not knowing any coding to building Ruby on Rails sites. DBC is no longer open by the time I am writing this review but there was a few core things that the recent grads would have benefited from in an updated curriculum. First a stronger focus on Node would have been very useful especially with demand for Junior Rails developers being down. Employers now demand much more in terms of experience and personal projects so a guide for post-graduation career development would have been a huge help. Many of the companies on DBC's Employ site were not looking for Junior Developers especially Jr Ruby Developers. I find myself in a weird situation where I am much more technically inclined but not skilled enough to compete for the scarce number of Junior Developer positions on the market. I took a position in a support role that utilizes my skills to some extent but there is no clear path to becoming an actual software developer especially where I am at skill wise. Anyone planning on taking a Coding Bootcamp in the future should really look at the job market and figure out what skills are in demand before attending a coding school. If recent grads of the coding school you are interested in, do not have jobs after 3+ months of looking then maybe that coding school is not worth your money. Job placement is super important and DBC was having a lot of difficulties placing recent grads over the past year. To summarize, I did enjoy my time at DBC but I did not graduate with the skills I needed to get into a Junior Developer Role. 

DBC was a fantstic lifechanging experience. However, I will say, the tech stack is a bit dated. Ruby is on the decline, and if I was to do things over again, and my only consideration was time from program start to securing a job, I was have chosen a Javascript focused bootcamp.

I am going to refrain from rambling on, as there are endless reviews here that will tell you what a transformative experience DBC is, and I echo their sentiments entirely. At the risk of sounding redundant though, Ruby is just not the in-demand language that it used to be. Keep coding after graduation and you'll learn this skills necessary to get a dev job (I'm currently using Java for my job) however, if you expect to get a job immediately, or even that quickly after graduation, I'd recommend you temper you expectations. 

If you're looking to just learn code and learn it fast. Think again. But if you're looking to learn code in an environment that fosters collaboration and focuses more on a hollistic approach to web development, then you're on the right track. Dev Bootcamp Seattle is exactly that. The campus is conveniently located right in Pioneer Sqare in the Capitol One Investment building of lovely Seattle. It's a quaint open layout space with the best staff you will ever meet. These people genuinly care about you, your wellbeing, your learning, your everything. You are their main priority forever and always. From BEFORE you even start your first day, they're interested in getting to know you. Once you're there you gain a new family! The people are amazing and the structure of the classes are amazing. You have 24/7 access to the space and access to a curiculum that is ever changing. DBC prides itself on feedback and has been able to build a system where they can integrate your feedback on a consistent basis. If you're looking for a program that has a good structure to teach students how to code but also teach them how to be great people int he world and then DBC is the place for you. The type of group environment that DBC Seattle foster produces an amazing experience that you can't get anywhere else. They're building a great community out in Seattle. Alumni even care about you! It's an inclusive space where people come together to talk tech, talk food, and just want to get to know you. You'll never feel like you're alone or the only one stuck on a problem at any given point. It's a team effort everyday to make sure you're getting the best education possible. DBC Seattle really curates to their students wishes. If you want to attend a program that teaches you how to code, helps you meeting amazing people and cares about you, then DBC is the place to be. 

Overall...I think the program was pretty good, especially for people who don't have a background in computer science. I graduated from the Chicago campus and the program used Ruby and Javascript as the tools to teach us 'how to learn how to code'.

I'm in Houston now and about to start work on April 17, 2017. There isn't as much Ruby in the city. But JavaScript is still very popular just like many other places around the world.

The one thing I guess I would've like to see DBC push more were things like React, Angular, and Node. But I guess that really depends on what you like and want to do after you graduate.

That said, one suggestion I have is to do research on front-end vs. back-end vs. full-stack. And also look at the jobs in the city or cities you want to work in after you graduate. See what kind of positions are available and what the tech stacks look like before you decide on a bootcamp.

Feel free to connect with me at http://www.mistereng.com.

Before pursuing this career change, I did extensive research into coding bootcamps available. Afterwards, I had decided that Dev Bootcamp was right for me. So much so that even though as a Denver resident it would have been much easier for me to go to somewhere local (such as Galvanize), I left CO for Seattle so that I could attend. Dev Bootcamp offers an incredibly holistic approach to how they teach. First and foremost, they really help alleviate the pressure and stress of taking on such a large task by easing you into the process with the Phase 0 remote phase. On top of that, they make the decision to join Dev Bootcamp easier by offering tuition reimbursement if the program turns out to not be for you. 

With all of that in mind, I went into the program with lofty expectations. I was in no way disappointed. Speaking more to Dev Bootcamp's holistic approach, they also have you undergo career courses to help strengthen your online presence thru applications such as LinkedIn. These career courses also help with resume prep, do's and don'ts, as well as networking skills that have been tremendously helpful. Finally, they also offer Engineering Empathy Courses which honestly, teach you to be a better person. Now that is centered around the framework of being a coder, such as how to work well with a pair or team, but the lessons you learn from this are instrumental to having a better connection with those around you. 

Speaking directly to the core curriculum, I found the work to be engaging, fun, and ultimately, challenging. There is always assignments to be done, and very rarely will you find yourself completing all of that day's assignments before the end of core hours.  This can seem daunting at first, but it was a great way to make sure that I was always challenged. The coursework itself would range in what you were coding or making, but with each assignment came both a way to lock down previously learned skills while learning something new at the same time.

Moving on to the most important part of the review, the staff. Wow. This is where I was truly flabbergasted. Never in my life (sorry previous teachers) have I met people more dedicated to the well being and education of their students. The instructors I had were Jordan and Stu. These two worked incredibly well with each other, playing off each others' strengths and weakness to provide an incredible teaching experience. Both of these instructors came in on holiday's to help offer students more 1 on 1 time. Jerod, the director, did an absolute hands on job with the program as well. Constantly seeking student feedback, doing 1 on 1 check-ins, being active and engaging with students, you name it. You will never find people that have your back in an education setting as much as these 3 will. 

Finally, we have the campus, known as "The Space". The Space has a very comfortable and relaxed feel to it. The entrance is inviting, and give you as small sneak peek of what's in store for you. Once you walk in, you'll immediately see the first lounge area. This includes a wall mounted flat screen (with open HDMI access which is great for working/presenting with a group), a comfy couch, and these ridiculously comfortable rocking/lounge chairs. Surrounding you from there are a sea of Mac computer pairing stations, and a few standing desk pair station. You'll then some some strange looking phone booths so you can take a phone call without disturbing, or being disturbed for that matter by others around you. Moving further into the campus you'll see the "dining hall", a long table where you and your cohort will enjoy your meals with some comradery. A great place to unwind, and talk about how the classwork is going so far. There's also a table with board and card games; a great way to relieve stress and have some extra bonding time with your cohort. The kitchen area is quaint with a full refrigerator/freezer, microwave, coffee pot, electric water kettle, and toaster oven. If you go past the second lounge area, you'll enter the lecture area. This is where the morning and afternoon breakouts happen (classes that are determined by the needs of the students). This area is perfect for learning with a standard tables and chairs, as well as beanbags and a couch for the more comfy learning experience. 

All in all, Dev Bootcamp has been a life changing experience for me. Not only do I have the skills and know how to make it as a developer, but I'm also just simply a better person from the approach that Dev Bootcamp took in teaching.

I attended Dev Bootcamp 2 years ago and it changed my life (no, really!).

I went from knowing absolutely nothing to making a living doing something I could only dream of doing. Plus, I had the bonus of making some life long friends and professional connections.

You'll learn Ruby, JavaScript, SQL, HTML, CSS. You'll learn some basic computer science,  heroku, git and how to structure relational data.

My only criticism is that I wish they were a little more JavaScript heavy. This might have changed since my 2 years there.  This didn't stop me from enrolling my fiancé.

Going to Dev Bootcamp literally changed my career path. I had no coding experience before and when I move to San Francisco, I realized important it is to learn how to code given that the tech industry is very big here. I wanted to learn fast and Dev Bootcamp did not require a prior experience.

It's a 19 week program where the first 9 weeks are remote which was a good thing so that I can still continue my full time job while studying. I really liked this because what if I didn't coding after all? At least I still had my old job right? 

The next 9 weeks was onsite where I dabbled more on Ruby and a little of JS. This experience was very fun, I loved the environment that DBC provided and also the fact that they gave a lot of importance on your soft skills through their Engineering Empathy program. This focuses on how to act socially and how to be more empathetic in a work environment which improves your communication and interpersonal skills. In other words, they train you to become a better human being.

The last week was career week. This was very fast and I felt this is what DBC should improve on. They touch negotiotation skills, how to land interviews, and how to perform on technical interviews. 1 week is not enough for this, especially on the technical interview training.

After graduation, I felt I learned a LOT. It would have been impossible for me to absorb that amount of knowledge if I were studying alone. However, I still felt I wasn't job ready and I wasn't. I struggled to get a job. It took me 8 months before I got employed for a full time position. What went wrong? Besides my job hunting strategy, I felt that the curriculum wasn't up to par with the job openings that were available. There wasn't a lot of Ruby job openings. I hope that DBC could have focused more on JS and would have taught React or Angular. Then again, looking back at the 9 months I spent there, I don't have any idea how they could still fit that into their curriculum given that I really felt I was learning a lot.

I am very thankful for the experience. It wasn't perfect but without it, I wouldn't have entered the tech industry as a developer integration specialist (something like a junior engineer).

The program was excellent and really taught you how to learn new skills/frameworks/technologies quickly. I graduated from the Chicago campus and the program used Ruby and Javascript as the main tools for learning the fundamentals of writing code.

Still in Chicago with a great new gig using Javascript, React, and Node most of which I taught myself following the program using the style of learning I learned there; however, several of my cohort mates got jobs where they are working in the exact languages we learned.

As I was leaving alot was changing; however, for what its worth it was an amazing experience. I agree with what others here have posted about researching the city where you are looking to work and finding out what languages are being used there. Not that you get locked in to a single language/waste time by learning non-applicable skills but it will make you more appealing to employers to have a portfolio in location-industry specific skills and cut down on the jobsearch time.

Great career staff, great mentorship, very intense (military bootcamp time/energy investment) with a lot of kindness and support

Feel free to connect with me at https://rrichardsonv.github.io

I had a truly life-changing experience at Dev Bootcamp (DBC) Seattle. I've had an interest in programming for years and have spent a lot of time and energy self-teaching through online resources and seeking mentorship through Meetup groups, but I was never quite able to get over the hump. I never felt like I really understood the concepts, instead I was just nailing down the operations and syntax.

Enter Dev Bootcamp Seattle.

I learned far more in 18 weeks at DBC than I had over the previous five years of self-teaching. They're the oldest coding bootcamp in existence and it shows. The coursework is on point. You really learn the basic concepts in-depth before you use the fancy new technologies. We got to learn React! It's a very, very popular and marketable JavaScript framework right now. I see it all over the place on job descriptions and had planned to learn it for some time. DBC delivered.

The first 9 weeks is all online. I kept working a regular job and devoted about 20 hours a week to DBC. The coursework was really well put together and you get to start pair programming right away. I was a little resistant to pairing at first, but I now believe there is no better learning tool than pair programming. You'll cover the basics of the command line, Git/Github, Ruby, and Javascript during this phase. Then comes the real deal. 

The pace at which we covered material during the in-person portion (the second 9 weeks) was astonishing. And the most incredible thing is how knowledge much we could actually retain covering material at this pace. The coursework is to credit for part of that, but arguably an even bigger part is the awesome instructors at Dev Bootcamp Seattle. Jordan has a knack for breaking down very complex material into concepts we could all understand. Anil is great at diving in-depth into just about anything in the realm of computer science. They have both been programming for years and are very knowledgeable.

I have talked to people at other bootcamps and to me, quality of instructors may be the BIGGEST DIFFERENTIATOR that Dev Bootcamp offers. Some other bootcamps have instructors that recently graduated the program. I definitely recommend you make this one of the most important criteria in choosing a bootcamp. Realize that all of the technical course material that any bootcamp offers can be found online, maybe not organized as well, but it's all there. Quality mentors are rare. Being able to ask a question and have it explained succinctly by someone that really knows what they're talking about could save you days or weeks of Googling. No joke.

Another big differentiator at Dev Bootcamp is the Engineering Empathy (EE) curriculum. EE teaches "soft skills" like communication and empathy. The session was once-weekly and we covered topics ranging from introversion/extroversion to microaggressions to teamwork. I thought this was a cool concept but did not expect it to be nearly as impactful as it was. I improved my communication skills a great deal during the course of the bootcamp. My wife and other people around me have noticed. This will not only help me at work (employers really value this stuff!) but also in life. It's an outcome I didn't expect, but I am supremely grateful for. In hindsight, engineering empathy is right up there with the technical skills for the most important things I learned at DBC. 

There are other programs out there that offer an internship at the end, which is something that on its face seems very appealing. But realize these internships are not always extended and if they aren't paid, then you're kind of in the same position you would have been without the internship. The question is, would you rather have spent that extra 2 months at the end of the coursework building someone else's app or developing applications that are actually meaningful to you and including them in your portfolio?

After you graduate, DBC sticks with you. Lacey, the careers coordinator, emails us frequently with job opportunities and we also have regular 1 on 1 meetings to discuss the status of our search. You are also provided a lot of resources for making sure your resume and Linkedin are in top notch shape and preparing for technical interviews. Plus you're still able to use the space while working on apps for your portfolio after you graduate.

It is very clear to me Dev Bootcamp is invested in our success and that's what makes me want to spend time writing a review for them. Best of luck with your bootcamp search. At least go meet with Jared at Dev Bootcamp Seattle, you will not regret it.

Why I chose Dev Bootcamp:

Alumni Network: Dev Bootcamp was the first coding bootcamp ever (founded in 2012) and started the whole idea of a web development immersive program. It now has 6 campuses and has one of the largest alumni networks out of any code school.

Tuition: Around 13k (depending on the campus), Dev Bootcamp’s cost is definitely on the lower end of the spectrum. Many schools are now closer to 20k. Also, if necessary, you can repeat the program...for free. As far as I know, no other code school offers anything similar to this.

Curriculum: In my opinion (and I think most people coming from traditional computer science backgrounds would agree with me on this) it’s just not realistic for someone new to coding to adequately learn multiple stacks in just a few months. This helped me narrow down some options and cross-out schools where they promise to teach you 3+ stacks in just 12-14 weeks. I liked Dev Bootcamp’s approach: In 18 weeks you get a solid foundation of Ruby on Rails on the backend and now React on the front including all the fundamentals to make that happen. Laser focused. And the curriculum is designed to act as a starting point for you continue to learn and jump into new technologies on your own.

Duration: I wanted more than 12-14 weeks of training before hitting the job search. Dev Bootcamp’s schedule is longer than most, clocking in at 18 weeks.

My experience there:

I have to be honest here; though I was confident I picked a bootcamp that was right for me, I was still cautiously optimistic about the whole process. But now having gone through the program, I couldn’t have been happier with my decision.

In addition to the full stack development side of the curriculum, Dev Bootcamp also emphasizes best practices for team workflow. DBC does this through a combination of technical and non-technical training (with the latter focusing on pair programming, giving and receiving constructive feedback, and learning general skills on how to effectively work with others in a technical environment). I wasn’t sure what to make of the non-technical focus (dubbed Engineering Empathy) but having gone through the program and now better understanding the actual practices within the industry, I can tell you that this training on interpersonal communication is legit. Not only will it help you find a job but you will hit the ground running when jumping onto a development team.

As someone who has had a fair amount of schooling (3 years of graduate school) I can say that the staff at DBC Seattle genuinely care about the students and are some of the best teachers and mentors I have ever met. Most importantly though, they practice what they preach. The staff will take your feedback seriously as they are constantly pushing themselves to improve on the overall experience. And I’d like to point out that despite Kaplan’s acquisition of DBC a few years ago, DBC has maintained its bottom-up, grassroots mentality by keeping its focus on students and staying active in the tech community through hosting / sponsoring events.

For those of you thinking about taking the plunge into tech, just know that there isn’t a code school that will magically get you a job. You get what you put into it. From what I can tell, (and this is agnostic to any specific coding school), the students that are the most driven and put in the most time are the one’s that find good jobs. That being said, do your research and find a school that fits your needs. Dev Bootcamp was that school for me and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. Feel free to connect if you have any questions - linkedin.com/in/jkranking/

Overall, Dev Bootcamp was a great experience for me as I was able to start a great job doing Engineering within 2 months of graduating after having no prior professional coding experience.

The instructors were great and the careers team was really excellent.  Most of all, the times that were shared amongst the students is a lifelong treasure.

I do think that the school needs to continue to modernize and improve the curriculum in order to make more students more employable.

If I was asked, "Given your experience, if you had the choice of going back and doing Dev Bootcamp, would you?" I would say, "hell yeah!" 

I'm not going to lie, the curriculum needs some upgrading. And yeah, I could probably learn everything I learned through online tutorials if provided the resources. However, my DBC experience was all about the people. It was about struggling and learning in unity. I got to bond with my cohort, those who came before me, and those after me. I built connections with the teachers and mentors. I got to network with other folks who were just onsite.

Asides from the community and network, I also gained the structure and discipline. I ended up pushing myself to study code for nearly 70 hours a week. If I was teaching myself, I probably wouldn't have learned at such a fast pace. 

Through my experience, I didn't feel as prepared going into the workforce. I mean, being in the Bay Area, we're competing against CS undergrads from Berkeley and Stanford ALONG with a ton of other bootcamp grads. Sure, there's jobs but there's also a lot of people seeking. It's crazy. However, I do think DBC knows this and is making some changes in the way they prep you for technical interviews. But just be prepared to spend a couple of months after DBC grinding and studying on your own before landing your first gig. 

The SF Careers team is fantastic! They're really invested in all of the boots and although they don't hand out jobs, they sure provide you the tools and support to land your dream job. 

All in all, I enjoyed my experience with DBC. But keep in mind, you get out of it what you put into it. So if you're willing to seek out additional knowledge during AND after the duration of the bootcamp and dedicate your life to code, then you have chosen the right place. 

I spent months getting ready to make the leap into web development.  I debated the worth of bootcamps and the subtle differences between the 6 or so largest in Seattle.  I saved money and decided to come to DBC Seattle.  It was an expensive and scary move, but I can assure you it was likely one of the best decisions I will have ever made in my life.

My biggest concern in jumping into a bootcamp was not being marketable in the job search.  First off, the tides are turning, and bootcamp grads are given more shots in the interview process to prove their worth.  Couple that with a true understanding of the web, object-oriented design, and best practices with commonly used technologies (all of which is taught at DBC), and you have yourself interested recruiters, then interviews, and then... a job in a new industry.

DBC is 5 months and is broken into 2.5 months remote and 2.5 months on campus.  The remote work (Phase 0) is not as demanding, however take advantage of ALL the resources.  That might only be 20 hours of work a week, but delve deeper than that [unless you have a part-time job].  The deeper you explore in this phase, the more success you'll have on-campus, where the slightest faulter could really impact what you can accomplish.  I did wish there were more stretch challenges and resources during this phase, but the onn-campus made up for that.  Also I was doing Free Code Camp on the side which was good Front-End practice.

Then you arrive on campus, which will be tough.  You may be a confident programmer or fast learner, but at DBC there will always be challenges.  Whether they come as interpersonal challenges or stretch challenges, this camp will provide you the means to push yourself and the instructors to make journeying into deeper concepts and technologies achievable. 

For job assistance, there is a career developer which serves to get you on top of the necessities: a solid resume, impressive LinkedIn, and tools for networking.  On top of intermittent career breakouts, there's an entire week of exclusive career services at the end of the program.  Beyond that the team [speaking for Seattle] is extremely supportive and willing to help out even as other cohorts come rolling in.  

I should also mention the Engineering Empathy, which was valuable in really preparing for working in the industry.  There is really a focus on fostering an environment that is inclusive and comfortable for everyone.  Not just for promoting diversity, but also for establishing helathy and effective team dynamics.  As someone who was a bit skeptical of how relevant this was to getting a job, I can see it's VERY important!  It makes you be a better team player, provide good feedback, and really care for your work and the environment that you are a part of.

DBC has definitely changed my life.  I feel prepared to take my new career as a Software Engineer less than 2 months out of the program, and I owe so much of that to the people at DBC who really value their role in making web developers out of all those who take the leap.

TLDR - DBC changed my life and equipped me with the tools to get a job and feel confident in making beautiful and meaningful things!  If you're anything like me in the coding bootcamp search a year ago, take this as a vote of confidence for DBC!

Even for the smartest people, Dev Bootcamp is hard. It will push you to your learning limits. But if you really love coding, want to learn more, and are willing to really work hard, then I think Dev Bootcamp is a great choice. What they really teach you is how to teach yourself. Instructors will help you get unstuck, explain things to you, but you have to be willing to try to solve things on your own first. They do this because this will be your career. You will forever be learning new things and you have to know how to teach yourself. This isn't like a traditional classroom, so expect to do a lot on your own, with help.

You will be on campus seven days a week, for 10+ hours/day (although less on Sundays). Even if you're used to being the smartest person in the room, get ready to be challenged. Throughout it, though, I still loved what I was doing, even when it was frustrating or extremely difficult. If you start to hate it, or don't think you're really that into coding, it might not be for you.

I graduated in January 2017, and met my goal of having a job before the end of March. The careers team is very helpful with reviewing your resume, your cover letters, your LinkedIn, but if you have more work experience you'll already have a good basis for how to find a job you like. 

I can understand why they have set up their curriculum the way they have; they are teaching you to think like an engineer. The only thing I wish they taught a little more is front-end frameworks like ReactJS. So for your final project....use ReactJS (or another front-end Javascript framework). It will help with your job search. DBC teaches you Javascript so pay attention to it!

Dev Bootcamp helped me change my life and despite all the tears, frustration, and sleepless nights, I am happy I did it, and I still love to code.

To start, I should state that I attended DBC a little less than three years ago, before the Kaplan merger and right around the time the bootcamp insustry was starting to explode. Now, three years later, and with little to show for it, I can confidently state that attending Dev Bootcamp was an enormous mistake.

I started coding about four years ago because I was looking for a new hobby and this seemed like a good way to use my mind after a long day of less than satisifying work. And I loved it from the start, it was challenging but not frustrating, and even when it got very difficult the thrill of creating something and making the computer dance more than compensated. Over time I came to see that programming was something I both enjoyed and had some aptitude for. I started to think that I could do it as more than a hobby.

It was about that time that first heard about DBC. It sounded amazing, a place where I could fill in the gaps, learn how programming really works and get a foothold in the industry. I knew I could get in, that was never in doubt. After a few weeks of considering I applied, was accepted and off I went.

Dev Bootcamp nearly destroyed my love of writing code.  I put in a ton of hours, usually around thirteen on the weekdays, eight to ten on the weekends and I was only not in the building 2 days out of my twelve weeks.  The instructors however were only there from eight to five, monday through friday and were often unavailable during those times.  So if you were struggling with something, or a learning tool didn't work, you were out of luck if it was outside those hours.  Even when there was an instructor there the quality of what they could teach was often very lacking. I didn't learn anywhere near what I expected to, in spite of putting in the time. My final project was a joke, something that I'm absolutely ashamed of. It was like the physical manifestation of three months of futility and failure.  Still, I left hoping that I would know enough to get that critical first job, and everything would be all right.

That didn't happen. I applied to a ton of places, and the few that even bothered to respond came back with canned rejection letters. I kept being told that I had to network and go to events, but not living in a major tech hub there wasn't much I could do there. Otherwise, I didn't get much assistance from DBC and really felt like I was on my own. No great connections to companies, no inside track to get me interviews.  I have managed to take a few positions since then but none of them have been as a developer or offered any useful professional experience or growth.

So I'm farther behind than when I started, no job, no prospects. I haven't even had an interview anywhere I didn't get a referral, and even some places where I know people I've still had no luck. Everything I've tried to demonstrate value has been a dead end. Prior to going to DBC I had a job which, while being very unsatisfying, gave me a good wage, insurance, union coverage and a growing bank account. Now I have none of that, minus the sixteen thousand I spent on tuition, and living expenses. Not to mention the mental toll of abandoning my family for three months when they really needed me, and the changeable physical impact I can feel on my well being.

As I said, this was some time ago.  I've spoken to a number of more recent grads and from what I've seen the situation is getting worse for DBC graduates  Another red flag is that the company is refusing to participate in an independent assessment of their outcomes.  Bootcamps are pumping out thousands of graduates every year, and the market simply can't absorb them all.  I would be leary of any bootcamp, but DBC in particular as they seem to be coasting on reputation.  Any company that won't release hard numbers is one to avoid.

People say that DBC changes lives. Well, it changed mine, but not the way I expected it to. I still remember first checking out the Dev Bootcamp website four years ago. "In Nine Weeks" the website said, "You Will Be A Web Developer." Well, I put in more than nine weeks, and I'm sure as hell not a web developer. Some days I don't think I even want to be.

If you want to deeply understand how Web development works, you've come to the right place. The program teaches you the fundementals of the whole process -- from the purely theoretical aspects of object-oriented programming, to the actual skill of how to write an HTTP request from scratch (line by line, really). I think "learning how to learn" is DBC's greatest strength, but this realization comes only once you are in the thick of it and have already put in some time and effort. 

The instructors are great -- always willing to answer questions, and even if you are in a time-crunch they will make themselves available to you. Their knowledge and experienced perspectives really shine through when you engage.I might not suggest this course for someone whose stated goal is to become a "highly-paid engineer" as quickly as possible. But who knows, with team emphathy as part of the curriculum, you may find yourself surprised by what you get out of it...

 

My experience at DBC Austin was incredible and totally got me ready for my career change into programming.  I live in New Hampshire and decided to travel out to Austin for the onsite portion of the program.  After I graduated, I returned back home and was able to find a great job in NH.  It is totally possible to find a job in other cities and other parts of the country.  I could not have done it without the amazing support from the DBC staff, instructors, and my classmates.  Even while not being local to Austin, DBC regularly checked in with me to see how my job hunt was going and to see if there was any assistance they could offer.  I am forever greatful to DBC!

The program is intensive.  You will be pushed.  You will be tested.  But this is what you SHOULD want.  You will be so much better for it.  Making a career change is not easy.  DBC knows this and they get you prepared for whats to come when you graduate.  They will teach you how to learn things quickly and effectively and be confident with new challenges (employers love this).  You will have multiple projects to show off.  Your resume and LinkedIn will be sharp and professional.  You will do mock interviews to get you ready for the real thing.  You will also have access to an extensive alumni channel.   

DBC wants to see you succeed.  They get excited to see the timid newbie transform into a confident programmer.  They want to make sure you have all the tools and resources you need to reach your goals while in the program and while job hunting.  If you are serious about a career in programming and are looking into bootcamps - you will be doing yourself a GREAT service by reaching out to DBC.  You will be impressed!

I was making $30k a year doing something that was boring and unfruitful. I taught myself enough Ruby on codeacademy.com (not relationship to the Code Academy bootcamp) to know that I liked programming, and narrowed the field of training programs to Dev Bootcamp and Code Academy.

The instructors, culture, curriculum, and fellow students were all fantastic. I can't overstate what a positive environment it was, and how effectively all of these factors instilled in me a functional skillset to begin a real career as a web developer. The interactive training portal and classroom flow work very well together, and the collective learning environment offers so much that you can't get alone in front of a computer, no matter how good the site or application or e-book is that you're learning from.

I found a job 11 days after graduating, and started making over $70k/year in the Denver/Boulder area doing .NET development!

There's no such thing as a magic bullet in almost any part of life... but when it comes to career, if you get an education like this, in the software/ web field, and you don't have a job... its because you haven't tried. Period.

I really can't stress how categorically good-natured, competent, and fun the staff and teachers of Dev Bootcamp are. I know it can be daunting to shell out 12k for a certification, but neither I nor anyone in my graduating class (that I know of) regretted the investment in ourselves and our careers.

I am a recent graduate (as in 2 weeks ago) from DBC, Chicago. I can honestly say it was the most rewarding, stressful and life changing experience. It's only been 2 weeks so I can't properly speak on the job climate but so far one interview has already resulted in an offer, which is promising.

Going from a minimal background in Ruby to learning JavaScript, SQL & PostgreSQL, HTML, CSS and most importantly Rails. They set you up from the beginning to get into good Git workflow, deploy to Heroku and work in Agile teams. The main take away for me personally was they taught me how to teach myself, as the world of programming can't possibly be covered in 9 weeks.

I will emphasize that the course is a lot to take on, and you have to really bring yourself and commit to want to learn. My one criticism is the curriculum could probably be better about front-end JavaScript, maybe incorporate ReactJS a little? Either way it's a great foundation to leave and continue to build on. Will definitely recommend DBC to anyone looking to get into the world of software development. 

If you're willing to put the time and energy into learning, Dev Bootcamp is a great way to learn the basics of web development. They really focus on teaching you how to learn indepently, with help when you need it. The first nine weeks help you get a feel for the basics of Ruby and setting up your development space, which help you easily transition into the more intensive nine weeks on site. It also helps you decide if this is something for you before you actually quit your job and go all in. The structure of the nine weeks on site is helpful, as you build up your Ruby skills before learning the basics of Rails and then dive right in to your final project. After you finish, the career coaches help you hone your message as to why a company should hire you and perfect the cold outreach that will help get you a job. The one thing they could work on is getting more reliable companies on their employer platform, as there most of them never got back to me or were looking for devs with more experience. Saying that, I did get an apprentice developer job seven weeks after graduating thanks to the other career services they offer!

I am a huge proponent of people attending DevBootcamp since graduating from the program, I've encouraged many acquaintances to apply for the program. 

Pros: 
- You learn so much, so quickly - The program is broken down into trimester-like sections. Each "trimester" you learn a new language and different programming components. At the end of each "trimester", you build a project with a team. 
- You get real experience of what being developer is - On a day-to-day basis, what I did my first year of working as a software engineer wasn't much different than what I did at bootcamp. You get your requirements, you learn to use resources to improve your knowledge-base and create better code, you pair program, you debug, etc. The DevBootcamp experience really prepares you to jump into a job on a development team. 
- Great network of people - The bootcamp has been great at getting quality people into their program. The alumni are diverse - in terms of age, experience, previous careers, race, gender, economic background, etc, which leaves you with a network of diverse group of people in tech. Incredibly valuable.
- Career Placement - There is a group of staff dedicated to helping alumni find jobs. In fact, it's part of the curriculum. The week after we graduated, we still came to campus to attend workshops and hear speakers to help us get our first job. I was hired with a month of graduating, with no previous experience in tech. They also have a wealth of free resources for their alumni. 

Cons
- Hard and time-consuming - It is a hard program. Not every one who started in our cohort finished it. It is 5 days a week of 8 hours of classes, then projects take up most of you evening and weekends. It is intense. 
- Expensive - It is a big investment of money, as well as time. In my case the investment was well worth it, but if it's something you want to just do as a hobby or for non-career reasons, this will end up being a pretty expensive route. 
- Required extra-curricular - The program includes non-technical requirements that I wasn't the biggest fan of. Like twice weekly yoga is mandatory. Attending Engineering Empathy classes, (that were basically like group therapy were you're expected to share a lot), are required. Many people in my cohort liked it, I personally would have preferred the program without it. 

Overall: I recommend it all the time. Despite the time, effort, and cost of the program, I think it is a great choice for anyone looking to enter the world as a developer. 

I do want to mention that if you don't live in a place where these programs are common, (like SF, NY, Boston, etc), it may be a little harder to get a job with this. If companies in your area have not seen many alumni of bootcamps being successful in development environments, they will be skeptical of hiring someone with only a few months of training instead of a CS degree. 

As someone with a liberal arts degree and some self-taught coding experience from free online tutorials, Dev Bootcamp helped shape me into a well-rounded engineer equipped with the technical and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in the workplace.

So what is it like being a student in Dev Bootcamp? Dev Bootcamp is a grind. It’s a structured, fast-paced program that challenges you to learn faster than you’ve ever learned before. The curriculum is comprehensive, covering everything you need to know to be able to develop a full-stack web application. Every day, you drink from an information fire hose, solve problems, and write code. And while this might sound very intimidating, it’s not impossible if you commit to the program with a positive attitude and give each day your best effort. 

What I like about Dev Bootcamp is that it teaches you how to be an engineer in the real world. Not only do you learn how to effectively design and develop full-stack applications, but you also learn how to be a valuable teammate. You exercise and strengthen your problem solving skills, communication skills, co-working skills, and creativity. You learn how to be an independent learner and solve problems by using different resources on the Internet. You also learn how and when to rely on others.

What I like about the Seattle campus is that its staff focuses on giving its students a quality experience. The student-to-instructor ratio is very low, and the instructors do a great job in being actively involved in your learning. They encourage you to ask them for help and are willing to give you one-on-one attention if you need it. If you don’t go to them for help, they will check in with you regularly to make sure that you are on the right track. Moreover, they are always open to feedback on ways of improving your learning experience.

I joined Dev Bootcamp in 2016, and I can tell you firsthand that it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Within two months of graduating, I earned an apprenticeship at Microsoft as a Software Engineer. However, don’t be misled into thinking that graduating from the program guarantees you a job. Just like any 4-year university, you are not simply placed into a job upon graduation. While Dev Bootcamp will prepare and assist you on your job search even after graduation, you have to put in just as much effort if you want to land one. If you are serious about making a career change or simply want to learn a new skill, I highly recommend joining Dev Bootcamp. The program worked for me, and I know it can work for you.

Overall: Good pace and speed for me, a total beginner.  6 1/2 months after the program start date and I totally changed my career from a non-tech background to a full-time junior developer.

Curriculum: Ruby and JavaScript. The whole time on campus, focus on how you are learning the language rather than just memorizing methods and syntax.  The ability to learn quickly, the "how to learn", is how to sell yourself to job opportunities.

Teachers have a lot on their plate. Everyone who attends will learn the necessary skills, but the students who excelled the most during my time were the ones who put themselves in front of instructors and sought out feedabck regularly.

Post graduation, support staff is baller. They are the most baller when you take the time to reach out to them and show you are taking the right steps every day towards finding a job (Rachel, Naomi, Molly, Katy, Kelly). 

 

I had a great experience at DBC Seattle and would recommend it to anyone who is motivated to learn and isn't afraid of hard work. The instructor-to-student ratio is very high, and they are able to offer individual attention when needed. The instructors are very knowledgeable and will help point you in the right direction whenever you have problems. The course material is thorough and well thought out.

This is definitely a challenging course, and you really need to put in the effort to learn the material. Part of what they're teaching you is how to learn programming, which is very valuable later on in the job hunt and career. However, it does mean that they don't spoon feed you everything. The curriculum introduces topics and shows you the pertinent information to get started, and provides a challenge/practice problem to use it, but there will be a lot of self-learning on the way with the instructors guiding you. The remote portion is very well written so that minimal teacher interaction is needed, and you can learn the basics of each language on your own. The on-campus portion goes into each of the languages into more depth, and the instructors give breakout sessions and demos to help teach the material.

I really enjoyed my time with this program and am very glad that I took this step toward a career change!

One of the main reasons I chose DBC over other bootcamps is their emphasis on engineering empathy and social engineering. They realize the value of their graduates having strong communication and pairing skills, in addition to strong technical skills. They also help students deal with emotional and social issues many bootcamp students face, like imposter syndrome and being a woman in a male-dominated industry. 

Another thing I love about DBC is their stance on learning, they don't tell you to learn the material the way they think you should learn it. They help you figure out what your most comfortable learning-style is so you can make the best use of your time and effort. They teach you how to become the most efficient learner you can be. 

You can also repeat phases as you need FOR FREE, so that was the final selling point for me. Of course it's extremely helpful that they also have a great careers team and an insane amount of resources that both students and alumni can utilize to job hunt and network.

Lastly - you get out of the experience what you put into it. No one is going to make sure you put in the time and effort or do the work for you, you have to take responsibility for your own learning and career. This experience was one of the most difficult things I've done in my life, but DBC offers you all kinds of support and it is well worth the reward if you're willing to step up. They set you up for success in the industry, you just have to trust the program and completely dive in!

Dev Bootcamp gives you the opportunity to really bond with a cohort of really interesting and talented people. I'm so happy to have met them and worked together with them.

The bootcamp really does a great job of scheduling your day and offering advice, support, and life hacks to get the most out of your time. When you leave, you'll feel as if your whole life you've been learning at such a slow pace compared to with what you accomplished in 9-15 weeks (and I've been to grad professional school).

If you want the opportunity to really change your life in a short time and you're willing to do what it takes, there's no question that you should choose Dev Bootcamp. 

Choosing to enroll in Dev Bootcamp was one of the best career decisions I’ve ever made. Do any of these thoughts hit home?

 

-I’m so unhappy at my job.

-I feel no drive or motivation to go into work.

-I want a career where I can problem solve and be challenged every day.

-I want to feel like what I’m doing matters and im respected for the work I do.

-I’m trying to make ends meet for my family but I can’t see that happening at my current place of employment.

 

 I had all these thoughts/ concerns and then some. After a six-year attempt in sales I realized I hated what I did and wanted a change. I had always been interested in computer programming but trying to become a successful sales rep took all the time and energy I had until I realized, “I’m trying so hard at this and its just not working.” At that point I reassessed my path and looked into other options.

 

I decided web development was my future and began researching two routes, getting a CS degree or choosing a bootcamp program. The choice for me was simple, being 30 years of age, newly married, and in the process of starting a family I didn’t have the time or money to go back to school for 4 years. My logic – a CS degree is very marketable and opens doors but a bootcamp could yield the same ROI after some entry-level jobs a few years of experience. After researching every bootcamp in Chicago and reading multiple reviews on Course Report I found Dev Bootcamp.

 

DBC is an amazing place with wonderful instructors and an incredible facility. The program is 9 weeks independent study and 9 weeks on site. The first 9 weeks introduces you to Ruby, HTML/ CSS, Sql, Git, and Github. You’ll have about six to eight challenges a week to prep your mind and start thinking as a programmer, when you move into the classroom you’ll be expected to complete six to eight challenges a day. The transition will be overwhelming but get comfortable being uncomfortable and bring your full self. The last 9 weeks are comprised of building small ruby command line apps, building apps using Sinatra and Rails that utilize JavaScript, and your final project which is comprised of all the tech you learned on your journey.

 

-------------READ THIS TO GET TO THE POINT------------------

 

I chose Dev Bootcamp because I was very impressed with the curriculum, the facility, and the career counseling advisors. I didn’t realize how much more I was going to get out of the program. Let me break it down below.

 

• I didn’t know anything about programming (AT ALL). I thought HTML/CSS was programming….really. Now I can build Yelp, Stack Overflow, Ebay, and pretty much anything else I want. You need to work hard and put in the time but they take people with zero knowledge and turn them into programmers.

 

• FRIENDSHIPS - This is not like school or a work-training seminar, its more than that. You and 20+ other people are thrown into this environment, all learning something extremely difficult and exciting at the same time. You and your cohort members will experience the same highs and lows together - forms an incredible bond that can last a lifetime. I genuinely love the people I met at Dev Bootcamp and am so thankful our paths met.

 

• JOB - The career advisors genuinely care about you and your career. They will help you any way they can to find a job. Being a recent grad my job hunt starts now but so many of my cohort members are working.

 

• FACILITY - The facility is brand new and amazing. Go to an open house, you will be impressed.

 

• COUNSELING - DBC has an onsite counselor, which will help you along this emotional journey. This is a 100% immersive program, which means that everything else takes a back seat, coupled with learning so much in a concentrated time frame, the stress is real. The onsite counselors are kind, supportive, and wonderful.

 

• YOGA!

 

• EE - Engineering Empathy is a program integrated in the course that teaches you how to be more empathetic and understanding of others you encounter. It’s an important skill to have when working in a team. After the first session, I didn’t understand its merit but by the next I realized how important the lessons are in the real world. It forced me to analyze my own behavior and made me more aware of my interactions when pairing with other cohort members. If its not something you fully understand now trust that it will make so much sense when you’re out in the real word.

 

• THE STAFF – The instructors are incredibly knowledgeable who truly want you to succeed. Its not often you share a room such brilliant people who come with their own set personalities that make life at DBC even more entertaining. They all have extensive real world job experience and are always willing help.

 

• CULTURE – Everyone works hard and without time to play, 9 weeks can be brutal. The cohort members assemble activities like talent show, karaoke, Friday drinks (off site), treasure hunt, board game night, video game night, and more. It’s a great way to blow off steam and connect with both instructors and cohort members.

 

• MOST IMPORTANTLY – You will push yourself in ways you never have. You will prove to yourself you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. In moments of anxiety I look back at how far I’ve come, not only as a programmer but also as a person, and it fills me with more confidence than ever before, it’s an amazing feeling.

 

------------------------------- MY ADVICE ---------------------------------

 

If you’re on the fence I recommend just doing it, life’s too short.

 

If you’re going to take the blue pill, here are a few things you should consider.

 

• Try some free online courses to make sure you like programming or at the very least, programming is something that sparks curiosity and you’re able to continue learning concepts even if they don’t totally make sense right away.
• LEARN AS MUCH RUBY AS YOU CAN.
• Read these books in phase 0 or before you even sign up:
  • https://www.amazon.com/Well-Grounded-Rubyist-David-Black/dp/1617291692/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JY8Z7VN19JH5F040CVPC
  • https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Object-Oriented-Design-Ruby-Addison-Wesley/dp/0321721330/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JY8Z7VN19JH5F040CVPC
  • https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Program-Second-Facets-Ruby/dp/1934356360/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483205190&sr=8-1&keywords=chris+pine+programming
• If you can take off work during phase 0 to dedicate 100% of your time, it’s a good idea. If not, just work before, after, and on the weekends (no joke).
• In phase 1, 2, and 3
  • Eat well.
  • Take care of yourself.
  • Sleep either 6, 7.5, or 9 hours per night – it’s important.
  • Be kind to yourself, you can do it.
  • Work hard
  • Ask for help

Pros

• Teachers were very helpful on campus.  Many worked in the industry and were able to answer some questions that go beyond the class.  
• Really felt like I had the basic skills to achieve as a junior developer.
• Class material didn't hold your hand.  The way the classes are structured, you have to really push yourself in order to pass, which lead to a better understanding.
• The career team does a good job in keeping contact with you post-graduation, even holding monthly meetings to discuss strategies. 
• They have multiple assessments to ensure you knew the material/filtered out those that didn't put forth the effort.
• They had side sessions that discussed issues in the tech world, and things we could do to be a better overall programmer. 

Cons

• During the first 9 weeks, the at-home portion, the office hours were at really inconvenient times, and lacked a bit of discretion.  They would normally be 2pm or 4pm CST, which didn't help for those who had to work from 8-5.  It'd be nice if they did a night once or twice a week.  Also, regardless of the amount of people waiting, the teacher would focus on whoever came first for the entire hour, and would be very strict at just a full hour.  So if you didn't get your question in, you had to try to figure it out over slack.
• While on campus, there was a bit of teacher turnover, which could be frustrating at times keeping up with them learning how to teach.
• I wish we spent more time on the tech interview process, I really felt weak in that department.

Overall

I would do it again.  I was just hired to be a jr Dev at roughly 50,000 a year, so the return on investment is evident.  It did take me a little longer than I had thought to find a job (6 months though I did limit myself to the Chicago/Milwaukee area), but it's nice to finally be working.  I do think that I'll be able to succeed, even without the 4 year CS degree, but there are some holes I've noticed in my knowledge that is more theory.

Attending Dev Bootcamp (DBC) was possibly the best decision I've made in my life.  It catapulted me from a lack luster job, in an industry I wasn't passionate about, into a career as a Software Engineer at a company where I grow my skills every day.  The nice bump in salary was pretty cool too.  I'm finally proud of what I do, and I enjoy the day-to-day work flow.

I will say - it's not for everyone.  I had spent maybe 2 years on and off coding and doing big platform (Wordpress, Squarespace, etc) web dev before I attended DBC.  I worked through Ruby, HTML, JS and CSS on Codecademy and took an online intro to CS course.  I was also used to working long hours, with intense focus.  With all of that, I felt like I had just enough knowledge to get a lot out of DBC, without being totally overwhelmed.

DBC is an intense experience, and someone once told me: you get out of it as much as you put into it.  And that's the truth.  Set yourself up for success.  Don't start coding with DBC - learn the basics ahead of time.  Then you can actually take the time at DBC to enhance your skills and focus on web development.  It also allows you a little more leeway to take a break once in a while.

Also, have a career plan.  DBC can do a lot, and the career coaches and job seeking atmosphere is great, but it doesn't subsitute for your own analysis of your career path and realistic career goals.  There's a world of difference between a front-end web developer at a creative agency, a back-end software engineer at mature corporation, and the frenetic activity of a startup.

Overall, DBC is amazing, and it was everything I wanted it to be.  I've never been more intellectually stimulated, challenged and supported in my life.  The people are incredible and the experience is unforgettable.  Just know what you're getting out of it, and be prepared to work harder than you've ever worked before.

 

Having attended a couple of traditional, well-respected universities, I was skeptical of the bootcamp format. I wondered if it was just a money making ploy or if I could actually get the skills required to make a successful career change. Simply put, attending Dev Bootcamp (DBC) was not only the best life decision I've ever made, but it was also the most progressive, dynamic and responsive program I've ever experienced.

DBC offers a multi-phase course setup that uses every minute to teach and strengthen your coding ability. Their website is pretty clear on the format and topics, so I'll let you find that on your own. What originally attracted me to DBC was the extra opportunities they provide with the Engineering Empathy course, yoga, and career coaches. The fact is, you can be the best coder in the world but if you can't work with others then you'll find it difficult to find a good job. The engineering empathy helped teach us about ourselves (strengths, weaknesses, etc.) so we could better bring our 'whole self' to team coding sessions, as well as help us identify where other people are coming from so we can be more inclusive and a better overall team. The yoga (another thing I was skeptical of) was awesome! It provided a healthy, much needed break and an opportunity to reset my mind throughout the week so I could keep stuffing it with new information. I already had a good career and wide network, but it was in a entirely different field. The career coaches helped me take everything I learned from my past and refine it so it's applicable in the tech industry. I learned new ways of networking, and they helped me get past the discomfort of reaching out in a modern, fast moving industry so that I could continue to grow in my journey.

The teachers were fantastic. They have all the technical skills from a range of past experiences, so live input and feedback on how I was doing, what I was struggling with, and questions that ranged from surface level to very deep dives were all addressed in positive, useful ways. They went far beyond technical help though. Almost all of the teachers remaned fully engaged and in-tune with all the students on a personal level. Because there seemed to be such an authentic desire for each of us to succeed, those falling behind were led to find confidence and those pushing ahead were challenged to dig deeper instead of become complacent. I can't say enough about how meaningful of an experience I had, much of which is a result of the core of excellent teachers.

Quitting my career was a huge risk, but I haven't regretted it for a single second because Dev Bootcamp prepared me for a long career in the tech industry. I am a better learner, problem solver and teammate because of this program, and you can be, too!

I absolutely loved my time at DBC Chicago and honestly felt a little sad when moving on to Phase 3 knowing that I only had a few weeks left. I'll try to highlight why I liked it so much, how I have benefitted, any recommendations for the program, what to expect overall, and address some of the criticisms from other posters.   What really defined the experience for me was the quality of people I had the chance to interact with every day. It seems like the kind of students DBC attracts are really first rate. The peers in my cohort (and those of groups ahead of and behind me) had a huge impact on my day to day enjoyment with the program. The best way I can describe it is think about the differences between how you act at work versus how you act and feel around your closest friends. The culture / pressure / ups and downs of DBC kind of act as a friendship incubator where even after only knowing people for a few weeks I felt accepted, that I could be my (sometimes weird :p ) self, put myself out there, and consequently gain so much more from my experience overall. I also feel like I've made some real genuine friendships along the way.    The instructors were also awesome, and so different from one another. I don't want to single them all out but someone else's review mentioned that they did not think it was a good idea to bring on former students as instructors without first gaining substantial industry experience. If they were speaking of Duke, I'd have to say by the time I attended I think he had been an instructor for two years and in my opinion brought as much to the table as anyone else there, and all in all brought a lot of value to my time there.   While mentioning the instructors, they don't actually help you how you may have been conditioned to expect to be helped. To use an analogy here; I have a young child, and when she is working on a puzzle and is putting the piece in the wrong way, I have to fight my instincts  to grab the piece, turn it around, and put it in for her. This way I don't rob her of that special, human, ah-ha moment when she gets it right all by herself, and she learns how to not give up when getting stuck. I may suggest thinking of using a different piece if she's way off track but for the most part I want her to know she can figure it out by coming up with her own strategy. This is the same way that the instructors will generally 'help', and there is definitely an adjustment when coming from traditional education, but I think it is the right way to go in the long run. I think this has benefit while on the job after graduation. To be honest I still feel like a real beginner, and I think that's fair considering I have been at this for less than a year. But I've been armed with past experiences of success when walking into a problem that I don't know anything about (which is how most every day at DBC feels like on-site, and some days at my job). Also, speaking from the perspective of now working for a few months, I am probably googling things 40 times a day, so the practice has paid off.   The final benefit to me was giving me a set of tools to carve out my own path in life. I'm going to get a bit more personal here, but I think a lot of past / prospective students can relate. Before going to DBC I had a lot of good things going on in my life, married to someone awesome, got a cool little kid, not major tragedies going on, all in all looks good from the outside. Internally, the feelings weren't the same. My job felt embarrassing for where I was at in life, without offering hope of some grand improvement coming down the line. My degree was not especially valuable and I just generally felt stuck. Every year I said, this was the last year I was going to stay in my job, then the next year would come, and I would be kicking myself. But I didn't know where to go. Making the leap of enrolling in DBC has lead me to dislodge a major piece of unhappiness from my life, and I can't exactly put the value of that into words.   Let's keep talking about value. Yes, DBC costs a a good chunk of money, and the point of criticism that you could learn all the material yourself is totally valid. However, I feel that DBC is a career accelerator, and can pay for itself quite quickly. DBC is also so economical time-wise. I changed my life, and had a great time doing it, in six months, how often can people say that? I wish I did it sooner.   Quick Notes

• My routine was arriving at 8am and leaving at 8:15pm, while also doing work on the train both ways. Also probably 7 hours on Saturdays. It felt like there wasn't enough time in the day to get all of the tasks done. That sounds rough (it was), but I'd like to contrast that with what my past life was like, doing the same job every day, waiting for the weekend, and not really getting anywhere. At DBC I felt like I was maximizing every day and just generally felt more alive, if that makes sense. Just spitballing, I would say I ranked in the 80th percentile of people in regards to time spent on site, but it was hard for me to get work done at home. YMMV
   
• The whole process can be hard on significant others, you could make the case that they probably have it worse than the students, and they will get lonely. My first week I didn't see my daughter from the Sunday night before my first day until Friday evening because she would be sleeping when I left and returned to the house.
   
• I would strongly recommend doing pre-prep before applying or going on site. I did the codecademy Ruby track 2x as well as HTML as a lead up to applying. It definitely doesn't hurt, and there just isn't time to 'catch up' once you are on-site. It felt like if days were 30 hours each I still would be busy each night.
   
• I feel like Phase 0 does not get everyone up to the same level of proficiency to start Phase 1, I'm not sure what the answer is, or if that is even possible, but if you are going to attend, try to get ahead of the curve.
   
• Engineering Empathy is important. While riding the train home the guy next to me sees that I'm coding and we strike up a conversation. He says he is the team leader of a tech team and goes on about how hard it is to find people that can work well a part of a team, not ones that know how to code. He goes on for a while basically covering all different points of Engineering Empathy without me even bringing it up. To me that was an affirmation that that part of the curriculum is valued by those in the field. (Also, during interviews I got positive responses when speaking on the subject)
   
• The staff ratio felt a thin. It seemed like around my time at DBC there was a large influx of students (I'm guessing this was a Kaplan methodology, and I feel bad writing that since I have no proof, but cohorts seemed to go from ~12 to ~24 in between when a friend of mine attended a few years prior to when I participated) and the staffing options were not set to handle that many people. Three instructors were hired by the time I graduated, so there was a response to the increase.
   
• I got a job after two months, but felt pretty lucky. I would say I was in the first 1/3 of my cohort to get a job offer. Looking for a job in a new field pushed my comfort zone big time. The career team is great, but basically, like the instructors, can only give you the tools, you have to go do it on your own.

I wrote quite a bit but still feel like I'm leaving so much out. It's just a great environment to be a part of, struggle though with amazing friends, and begin to learn a skill that can take you anywhere. I'd do it again in a heartbeat and have since been recommending DBC to a few friends.

Because of Dev Bootcamp and their Employ network my dream job came true. I work as a front-end developer for Oracle. My wife is a QA engineer and wants to be a developer, she's doing DBC as well. I won't lie, Dev Bootcamp was a blast and I'd do it again, but the onus is totally on you to stay diciplined once the program is complete. They provide a wonderful support system but finding free projects to work on, going to meetups, and practicing on your own so that you build a kick ass portfolio won't happen unless make it happen. You will get help getting in touch with companies but it's on you to impress them! 

 

Nicole assisted me during my career transition from social media to software engineering. I have never worked with anyone so determined, passionate, and prepared to help me with tasks as small as proofreading thank-you emails, all the way up to reviewing offers and offering advice on negotiation tactics. I intend to continue working with Nicole throughout my career, and I recommend that anyone else thinking to do so does the same.

I am a recent grad of Dev Bootcamp and I have to say it has been a transformative experience. The confidence you gain in taking on challenges and learning coding skills serve as the foundation for building a career in computer science and web development.

The curriculum is fast paced, the instructors are knowledgeable and there are ample opportunities for you to go above and beyond in pursuing topics that interest you. The nature of the program is such where you will develop bonds with your classmates and very likely continue to code, work, and value their support well after graduation.

The most important point I would make to any aspiring bootcamp student is that you most certainly get out what you put in. This is NOT school. If you choose to coast by, doing the bare minimum no one will stop you. If you choose not to use the group challenges to develop your interpersonal skills as well as your technical acumen you can. If you let a classmate dictate the direction of a project rather than exposing yourself to a topic you are interested in that will happen as well. If you are willing to take your education into your own hands and take on what might now seem an insurmountable challenge DBC is an exciting, challenging, and inspiring program that you should strongly consider.

 

I attended DBC from November 2015 to Feb 2016.  It was a life-changing experience.  I came with just a vague sense that I wanted to learn how to code.  I left feeling empowered to start a tech company.

DBC doesn't just teach you Ruby or JavaScript.  The program teaches you how to teach yourself how to learn.  In five years or so, Ruby or JS may be out of favor, and that's to be expected as technology evolves.  But the most important skill I left with -- understanding how to teach myself a new language based on the fundamentals I learned at DBC -- will allow me to keep up with the times.  Further, the program gives you an expansive view of what technology can do.  Now, very few things feel beyond reach.  If I want to build my own social network, I have a good sense of how to approach doing that.  Same with building a mobile app or a physical device. 

The program will also make you a better person.  The engineering empathy curriculum is really incredible.  Prior to starting at DBC, I already thought of myself as an open-minded person, but I left DBC much more aware of my own faults and limits, and with a better sense of how to improve.  I'm a better person, not just better coder, as a result of my participating in DBC.

The program is definitely intense.  Very little downtime.  There's always more work to do and more things to learn.  But it's all worth it.  I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

 

 

DevBootcamp changed my life. Not only is it a school that generally can't stop helping its students, its focus on helping it's graduates, and the dev community it's located in was amazing!

I'm a grad and I'm invited to work in the space any day I need to be here. Today the school invited in 35 high schoolers to teach them about resumes, and code. One of our local instructors is an organizer for the local javascript JS meetup and one of our office staff is on leadership for GirlDevelopIt. If we have a meeting with new people we always make sure we understand everyone's prefered gender specific personal pronouns.

About the code. 6 months before DBC I hadn't written a single line, now I'm a Guide for a coding school, and I got my first job around a month after I graduated. With their accelerated program and focus on placement with a dedicated careers advisor at every location. I'm sure that anyone that goes through DBC will be happy, and able to get a job as a developer without much stress.