tl;dr <ahem> DPL is well worth it, tough, it does feel like being thrown in the deep end but they won't let you drown.  DPL & UofU top-notch with providing ASL interpreters and other accessibility needs. Career/job assistance services could use some beefing up.  And would I do it again? See the bottom for that answer.

Details:

My background:

BA degree in Education, worked in social service field, switched careers completely- graduated from a 7 month business school type program in COBOL, DB2, Visual Basic etc. Many jobs as a QA Tester in the mainframe environment.  I decided to jump into Web Development (possibly connect to automated testing)- which lead me to researching bootcamps and ultimately DevPoint Labs.

The program itself

This is truly an intensive 11 week course. BUT it is, as so many has already mentioned, well worth the time.  The 'classroom model' is set up so that lectures are in the morning and "lab" time- work on projects and homework of the day solo or with teams in the afternoon.  I think most people learned best with the lecture part; I felt like I learned best with the afternoon 'free' time- though I tended to stay by myself as I learn best that way with a helping hand often from the instructor, the TAs and other classmates (and a huge Thank you to all).  The assignments were great and varied, the Portfolio project I enjoyed as it was something you'd see out there in the world and something people would use (all 5 offered were in that vein). Oh and the two hackathons were great in utilizing what we learned while making it fun.  Mornings were spent in the classroom but we could go anywhere in the building for our afternoon "sessions"- quite often I found myself in the basement- quieter than the Chapel and classroom were. The lectures covered a different topic every day with a few refreshers in there as well.  You could ‘code along’ or take notes or just follow along. With the live coding we got to see how the code worked- and even when there were errors- we learned how to deal with it and why it happened.

Housing  

The housing offered to out of state or out of town students was certainly a big perk and a plus in my decision to go with DevPoint - part of it at least.  15 minute walk to class- longer if you had to deal with snow/ice *cough*.  Best part of my day to be honest- decompress and rest my poor brain/eyes.  I can't say anything to parking/driving as I didn't have a car there (I flew in) but the public transportation system in SLC is GREAT.  DPL did offer a discounted "Hive Card" but I stayed with the "FarePay Card" as I didn't use the system as much as I thought I would.  Only spent 25ish bucks the entire 3 months (I didn't venture out much....).

Accessibility

• I don't think I've ever read any reviews from former students of ANY bootcamp talking about accessibility and how the bootcamp dealt with it.  Full disclosure- I am Deaf and also have 'low vision'(in other words I still need some extra "support" mostly with font size, distance and color). 
• I enrolled 1.5 months prior to the start; in that time there was a lot of discussion.  It helped a ton that University of Utah had their own disability services department.  Between DPL and UofU they went the extra mile and were able to provide ASL interpreters for the entire 11 weeks (4 regular and over the course of 11 weeks 6 subs as needed on such short notice- it was less than 2 weeks before my arrival before I got confirmation on that.
• vision wise, I didn't need a ton of support  but they did make sure I  had the same access as everyone else.  The instructors bumped up the text size and changed to dark themes or high contrast colors (99% of the time they made sure to remember lol) for the projected code we followed along with.  I am betting it was a side benefit to many of the hearing/sighted students as well. :).  The classroom seemed like it was in 'reno mode'...I don't know.. but the lighting wasn't the best.  One of the DPL staff swapped the bulbs in the front of the class AND in the projector for brighter ones- MUCH better. (We won't mention the high ceilings-- not the best acoustics lol - did not help for the case of the "mumblers" ;) ).
• DPL made every effort to make sure the classroom, environment, events and material accessible to every single person in the class and I'm grateful to them and UofU for going the extra mile.  I have no doubt they'd do so again.  I hope it did raise better awareness for both the DPL staff and the folks in my cohort.

Final thoughts

For me another reason why I went with DevPoint is that it was out of my comfort zone...and I discovered that I did better discipline/routine wise away from my usual home- less distractions!  That method may not work for everyone but it happened at the right time for me. That and my original plan fell through with the closure of my choice in my home state.

Yes I was anxious in going - and learning at a breakneck pace.  Turns out I worried for nothing- my interpreters were great (they even kept  a 'cheat sheet notebook' FULL of how to sign all the "techy" terms- there aren't many signs in ASL for all the stuff we learned), I did pretty well with the set up and pace though many times I had trouble keeping up in the AM - look at my laptop, watch interpreter(s), look at projector- something had to give LOL so I tended to just "listen"  but afternoons/nights I was able to catch up.  The instructor and all the TAs at times were hard to catch but they were always there when you did need them. And even though I, along with many, dealt with Imposter Syndrome- heck went through that when I started in mainframe QA- it was a wonderful and challenging experience.

Would I do it again?  Hell yes.

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The full time web development course at DevPoint Labs was one of the most rewarding 11-weeks of my life! The instructor, staff, and students made this experience totally worthwhile. It did take me a couple weeks to come out of my shell, but interacting with my fellow developers was something I couldn't have imagined! It was pretty tough, but it was so satisfying to learn. If I did have any issues, the instructor and the TA's were always available to help me clear up any confusion and help me become a proficient developer. I was at the end of my rope with my previous career choices and wasn't making progress/feeling unpassionate about my degree program at the University of Utah, and DevPoint Labs helped me find something I'm truly passionate about. Be prepared to pour all you've got into the course, but the reward is there for those who do!

This program was awesome! I'm so happy with my decision to leave my old career and join the dev world. I had no previous experience with coding before this bootcamp and I am impressed with how much I learned in just a short amount of time. Dave was an amazing instructor and the TA's were awesome too. Even after my class has ended Dave continues to help with questions and he genuinely cares about your success. 

I was apprehensive when trying to decide if I should make the leap into Web Development. I am so thankful I found DevPoint.

The DevPoint Labs team has gone above and beyond to create an inclusive experience that challenges and prepares you to confidently make the step into a career in technology. I was fortunate to have been granted the "Opportunity in Tech" scholarship, which allowed me to attend.

One of the biggest perk was that they also offered free housing during my time in the cohort.

While I know that I still have a lot to learn, I feel confident in my ability to join the Dev community thanks to the instruction and network that DevPoint has provided. 

This course is diffiult but rewarding if your willing to put in the effort and time. Instructor and the staff is awesome but if you dont give it your all that all means nothing. It was an awesome experience for me overall. I highly recommend this course !

DPL was the best choice i could have made for a bootcamp. The teachers and assistants know more than enough to help you become a junior developer right after the 11 weeks are up! Yes it's a very challenging 11 weeks but with all the resources DPL gives you, they fly by! I highly recommend DPL to anyone looking to make a career change or just learn valuable skills. The teacher Dave really cares about each of his students and it shows!! 

I came into the course with no background and no experience, and at the end felt I felt like I could accomplish anything. They do such an amazing job creating an actual learning environment where you know that help will be found wherever you look. It’s rough, because it should be, but they will guide you all along the way and as long as you are willing to put in the effort, you can finish it. 

I just finished the 11 week full-stack bootcamp at DevPoint Labs and it was a remarkable experience. Dave is an incredibily patient and adept instructor and he is constantly trying to keep the curriculum as up to date as possible. He and the TA's were willing to cater to many different types of learning styles. 

I came to this course with zero background in tech and development, so I was ready for the worst and was pleasently surprised at the outcome and my understanding. Although it was VERY challenging, I felt like Dave always made a point to give everyone the attenteion they required to understand certain topics and he made sure each student knew he belived in their abilities to succeed in the class. 

Do not expect to be spoonfed in these 11 weeks. It is hard work, and the design of the course is to help each person become self-sufficient in learning topics and finding answers on their own while guiding only when absolutely necessary. It can feel like you're plopped in the deep-end while youre just learning how to swim at times, but this is the quickest and most efficient way to get you on your feet as a developer. If you show up, work hard, ask questions, and dont give up, you will succeed. 

I would do this again in a heartbeat. 

    DevPoint is a place where you feel as though your learning and your understanding are the things that are truly valued. I never felt as though they were just trying to make themsleves look good, but rather I felt like the instructors and everyone at DevPoint cared about my education and the knowledge I was gaining. I had awesome TA's who were willing to answer ANY  questions that I may have had. They were extremely helpful and kind. DevPoint offeres many wonderful things aside from education. One of the most amazing things I recieved was connections and friendships. I strongly believe that I was able to succeed because of the care that the staff put in. Not only were my instructors and TA's skilled and knowledgeable in what they were doing, but they were also my friends. That made all the difference. I highly reccomend this course to anyone looking to advance their skills in this ever growing field. You will not be disappointed by the education you recieve, nor by the friendships you gain.

I was once like you.

Trying to deicde how best to make the career change.

Skeptical and anxious looking at the various reviews and articles...

and of course, the toxic marketing from bootcamps promising: 'Job Guaranteed' and 'Our Grads Make 100k and work for Google!'

So let me preface this by saying I do not work for DevPoint Labs, and I was not paid, cajoled, threatened or bribed to make this review for DevPoint Labs.

First the bad news, no one is going to be able to determine whether you get a job coming out of your bootcamp experience, or what that job might be, except for you. Period. Any bootcamp you attend will require the overcoming of obstacles such as stress, burnout and uncertainty, unfamiliar teaching styles and apathetic students. All of these thing are possible and you're likely to experience almost all of them.

If any of those obstacles dissuade you from the idea of attending a bootcamp then I would encourage you to take a few days and really consider whether this is something you want to do. Self teaching? Online courses? All of these are valid options for pursuing a career change into software development. Are you really in need of the discipline and structure that a 3-4 month bootcamp imposes upon your life?

I was in need of that, and I am grateful I ended up at DevPoint Labs. I initially enrolled in another 'Dev' bootcamp in Utah that will remain nameless and I am so glad I switched to DPL. My reasons for choosing DevPoint Labs were:

A: Devpoint Labs accepts tuition funds from a variety of sources. If you are ex-military or if, like me, you have leftover funds in a 529 account then DevPoint can work with you to apply those funds towards tuition. A tuition, I might add, that is $1,000 to $5,000 less then comparable programs in the area. The reason they are able to offer this flexibility leads me to my next reason for attending.

B. DevPoint Labs full-time course is partnered with the University of Utah. This means that the course, curriculum, and academic policies are fully vetted by an accreddited public university. This may not mean a lot to you. But in a world where the same for-profit colleges that are being accused of false advertising and fueling a student loan debt crisis, are also buying up bootcamps left and right (*cough Mev *cough Dountain), I appreciate this oversight. In addition, being able to graduate with a certificate from a nationally recognizable institution has its own advantages.

C. While the program does have backing from 'the U', the actual academic experience at DevPoint is nothing like attending college and, for me, that was a very good thing. Mornings consisted of a brief lecture and code-along that was routinely interrupted by questions and discussion related to the material. Afternoons were reserved for group and/or solo work with multiple TA's and the instructor available to answer questions. Halfway through the course, the class pivots to working on actual commercial software products for customers. Being able to come out of the program already having this experience was absolutely essential to the success of my job search.

There's lots of other reasons that I am glad I chose DevPoint Labs. The hackathons, the bowling and movie nights. But above all, I'm glad because it accelerated my transition into a new career field faster than I ever really thought was possible.

If you are on the fence, or you have any other questions about my bootcamp experience, I encourage you to reach out to me on Linkedin. Thanks for reading.

DevPoint Labs' instructors and staff are dedicated to your success in every way. The React, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails stack is a good entry point into the world of web development, and the instructors are always researching new and exciting ways to implement new libraries and technologies. Definitely recommend this bootcamp.