I recently graduated from the full-time web development cohort at DevPoint Labs, and I of course wanted to write a review about my experience.

Before the cohort started, we got some instructive preparation work to do to get us into the basics of programming. We also got the task to do a basic website about ourselves, which we then got to present in front of our classmates on the first day.

The schedule was straightforward – in the mornings we had lectures and after lunch we got assignments to do. I liked this setup, as it allowed me to first gain theoretical knowledge about the specific subject, and thereafter practical experience when trying to do the coding by myself. The teachers and staff at DevPoint are really amazing people. They were always helpful, nice and friendly, and I am already missing all of them. There are also amazing TAs that help out with correcting the assignments as well as giving support and help in the afternoons. In the back of the classroom they offer fresh fruit, cereal, milk and snacks.

We had two Hackathons, which I really liked. We got divided into groups where everyone had to build a website with predetermined goals. The more tasks you completed, the more points you earned, and in the end the team with the most points won. These Hackathons were for sure stressful, but they were also very exciting and fun, and helped us practice working and coding together in teams.

There were two separate interviews, which would mimic real job interviews where we had to answer questions and solve whiteboard problems. The last couple of weeks we were also trained in building a resume, as well as marketing ourselves on LinkedIn. We also got professional photos taken that we could use for the resumes and on LinkedIn. I liked all of these parts and I am glad that they put in all of this in the cohort. I am sure that I will benefit from it for my future job applications.

We had two events outside of class; a barbecue and a game night. I definitely enjoyed both of these ones and I would have loved to see more events like this. The staff had also planned a bowling night, but because there were too many people that could not join, it was unfortunately cancelled.

The last weeks we were working on a huge final project, where we first got to choose out of several different options and then got divided into groups, where every group was assigned one project. I think this was the highlight of the cohort for me. I loved having one big project to work on together in a team, after all of the small ones we had had earlier. It really motivated me, and every day I was excited to continue working on it. It all ended with the big graduation day, where we had a pleasant mingle and got to present our projects.

There are a few things that hold me back from giving the highest rating. First, there was a lack of communication throughout the cohort. Many times, we were informed that we were going to have the interviews that day, but then the day passed, and no interviews were held. And then the next day, it was the same thing. Other times we were informed that the teacher was going to come back in one hour to check up on us and release the assignments, but then the teacher never came back.

I also wish that we would have gotten more feedback. In the first half of the cohort, the TAs gave out feedback for our daily assignments, which I appreciated. However, in the second half of the cohort, we for some reason no longer received any feedback – only notifications that the assignments had been graded. I really would have wanted the staff to give more feedback about the assignments, as well as more personal feedback; i.e. how we are doing with the coding, what we are doing good and what we need to work more with. Furthermore, especially in the beginning it felt a bit like we should only ask the TAs for help as a last resort.

A final concern is the curriculum. It is without doubt impressive, and it is unbelievable how much you can learn in these 11 weeks (React was my favorite part). However, there were several things in the curriculum that we did not go through at all, which I find a bit odd. I am also carefully questioning that we spent so much time with the Ruby programming language. I agree that it is a good language to start with as it is both user friendly and intuitive, but to me it seems like Ruby is only decreasing in popularity out in the “real world”. I have barely ever seen a job advertisement where they are looking for Ruby backend developers; they are almost always looking for developers in either Java, Python, C/C++ or C#. Moreover, we did not at all go through mobile responsiveness, which I think is a really important part of building a thorough and competent website.

To try to sum up: I have learned so much during these 11 weeks, and I have gained many good experiences, memories and friends. I am thankful to DevPoint and its staff for giving me this opportunity. As DevPoint is only several years old, it is understandable that there are parts that can be improved. I believe that the communication and feedback will improve with experience, and if the curriculum gets updated to better reflect today’s needs in the job market, the bootcamps at DevPoint Labs will only get better with time.

My experience at DevPoint Labs was phenomenal. I graduated from the 11-week part-time web developer bootcamp just a few weeks ago and it was hard but 100% worth it. I had been teaching myself to code for about 6 months before deciding to attend a bootcamp. I also work full time, 10 hour days, and have a family. It wasn't easy to balance everything but it's possible! It was a huge sacrifice but I'm so happy I did it.

The cohort really helped me establish a solid foundation of web development. We learned Ruby, Ruby on Rails, ReactJS, testing, PostgreSQL, and SO much more.  I was really sad when it was over because they made me feel at home.  The instructor, Henry, really knew his stuff. The TA’s were always really helpful and knowledgeable. The DPL founders also provided workshops for things like resume building and social network. They also have alumni come in and talk with us about meetups, post bootcamp, jobs, and interviewing. I also still have access to all the course materials which has been really helpful. I would recommend doing all the pre-course work before you start. Get a good foundation beforehand of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (which is provided in the pre-course work).

 It’s impossible to expect leaving a web development bootcamp knowing everything you need to know but  DevPoint Labs will give you the foundation and tools you need for continuous learning! 

My time at DevPoint Labs was an excellent experience! All of the people in the staff are of the highest quality. The full time instructor, Spencer, is a top notch teacher. Although coding is a difficult subject, he is able to keep you engaged in the information by creating a fun and exciting learning environement. I came into the course with absolutely no prior experience, and I left after 3 months as a certified full stack developer! Without having the wonderful community support from the staff and other students I don't think I ever would have been able to learn coding as effectively. I would recommend DevPoint Labs to anybody who is interested in learning web development!

Course: Full Stack Web Development Part-Time
Schedule: Mon-Thurs 6-9 PM

Q/A

I'm a parent & work during the day, should I go to a Bootcamp?
Yes! I work 8-5 pm & then went to DPL from 6-9. I did have to invest time in the course and saw less of the daughter & wife during the course. The majority of our cohort was all moms & dads. Friends in the cohort had graveyard shifts after class or left home to go to work then straight to DPL in the evenings. To have this structured dedicated time with assignments & being able to ask every question is worth it! I would absolutely choose the same course again. The immersion into code in a classroom compared to now and then at home is worth it. I learned more in the 3 months about development than a year on my own. 

Why DPL?
It came down to scheduling more than costs. Other courses in the area had schedules of M/W/Sat for 6 months, but I really needed to have family time during the weekends. Mon-Thurs worked best for 3 months for my schedule. The focus is more functionality & development more than the design which is ok! You will learn design frameworks like Bootstrap, materialize, semantic, etc but focus more on functionality also. Anyone can make a page look pretty but to make it functional is more important!  

2 Saturdays are required for Hackathons during the course, but that is easier than 6 months of Saturdays.

What should I know prior?
Be decent with HTML/CSS with at least some JS. Going through the prep work for Javascript & Ruby really helps. Finish the prep work, you will thank yourself! 

Can't I just learn this all on Udemy?

Yes, but chances are you likely won't. Over the years I've picked up a few Udemy courses for code, but never really went through them & simply didn't prioritize them even after paying for them. To be in an environment where everyone has questions and to learn tons of new functional concepts with the teachers at DPL was exactly what my career needs. To be able to put together Ruby, SQL, Rails, React, ES6, with user Authentication or APIs I would have ever been able to learn on my own as quick as I was taught. 

Do they guarantee jobs?
No, but you do get resume workshops & they introduce you to where to find/present your self at networking opportunities. Courses that guarantee placement do exist, they cost more or usually take a % of your wages once you get a job. DPL gives you the education & details on how to connect here in SLC/Lehi. After the cohort, there is a community of developers in many offices around the valley you can reach out to. 

You will get out what you put in, even if you're getting into code for your first time choose one language to be good at. You can have a job for life if Javascript is your best/focus language. If you have a few years in design or development before coming in this will, of course, make your resume stronger. If you go through all the lectures & complete all the projects you will feel confident applying shortly after the cohort. I got an interview within 2 weeks of graduation with a small dev studio because I'd been applying during the 3rd month. During my interview, the company opened up the DPL website and was happy to see the extensive list of subjects covered!  Listen & Study as your career depends on it during the cohort! 
 

Examples of what you will build a few weeks into the program**

I have many more apps on my Github & have more projects in the works. 

https://bautista-target-app.herokuapp.com/

https://imperial-database.herokuapp.com/

https://notes-dpl.herokuapp.com/notes

https://bautista-react-store-bestbuy.netlify.com/

** on herokuapp.com give it a second to load since it is a free service. 
 

Final thoughts

Do it! Go to DPL learn to code, get a better career!