Fullstack Academy

I had a great experience during my time at Fullstack Academy Chicago, and the people there really foster an awesome environment for learning. The instructors are very knowledgeable, friendly, and accessible. The fellows are always there to help someone through a bug or a difficult concept. The students are committed to learning and helping each other out. The career success lead Holly did a great job helping me transition to my first software developer role, even months after I graduated. Fullstack really built an incredible community with good people, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone trying to break into the software development field.

I can't say enough positive things about my time at the Grace Hopper program. My cohort's team of teachers did a great job of teaching us a lot of new technologies very quickly while making us feel supported and confident in our skills the entire time. We were encouraged to ask questions, and the team was very availible to hold office hours and provide extra help on the curriculum when needed. In addition, the cohort was under the supervision of a program lead, who checked in frequently to address our concerns or frustrations, and fellows, recent graduates who stay on to help the next cohort. The team at Fullstack/Grace Hopper is absolutely dedicated to providing a holistic education. They understand that bootcamp is rigourous, and the support they provide goes much deeper than technical. 

The second half of the program focuses on using the skills and technologies learned in the first half to actually build applications. Along with improving our technical skills, this process is essential for teaching teamwork and working collaboratively, which are essential skills for a software engineer. I loved working alongside the amazing women in my cohort, and learned so much about communication, delegation, and writing understandable and consistent code during these projects. We also followed the kind of agile workflow we could expect in the 'real world', and were encouraged to adopt new technologies during project work.

Finally, the career success team was so helpful during the second half of the program and beyond. In addition to providing resume reviews and interview prep, they hosted a series of panels and extra events to help ensure we left the program prepared for interviews and networking.  After the program, the team provided help and support throughout the job search and negotiation process. I was lucky enough to be hired by one of the companies they paired me with during our cohort's interview day!

I am so proud to be a Grace Hopper graduate and I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to start a career in Software Engineering.

The Grace Hopper program has been absolutely one of the most unique learning environments I've been in.  It is fast-paced, and they expect you to work hard.  The first six weeks were FULL of lectures and it was a bit of information overload.  But the remainder of the course was much more project-based, and expands thoroughly upon the topics covered in the lectures.  The staff and instructors are very willing and available to answer questions, but it is entirely up to you to ask the questions and get the help you need.  They do not coddle people, but they will always set aside time if you ask.
My cohort was ~30 women who were overall very solid teammates and great people to work with, some of which I would consider wonderful friends.  The projects are team-focused, and communication skills are essential.
The challenge for me is staying motivated and focused, as it can feel overwhelming at times.  However, if i had been self-studying for the same amount of time as the program, I would have NEVER accomplished even close to what I was able to produce within this school.  I was pushed beyond what I thought I was capable of, and I am forever changed and thankful for it.
So glad to recommend this program to any women or non-binary people looking to break into web development and programming.

First and foremost if you are thinking about Fullstack, just do it! The knowledge, experience, and friendships you will gain are life-changing and lifelong. I attended the Software Engineering-Immersive course and allow me to say, it was certainly a journey. Here is some background about the course.

It starts off with a four-week remote portion called "Foundations". This is where you will learn or refresh on some fundamental to fairly advanced topics regarding JavaScript. For some, this was the most challenging portion of the course. Something to keep in mind is that throughout all of Foundations and the rest of the in-class portion, you are required to pass several "Checkpoints", and short of a passing grade, you will be held back. But do not let this intimidate you... In fact, it is for good reason. It aids in your development as an engineer/teammate and ensures that everyone you are working with is on the same page.

Once you pass Foundations you begin on a grueling 6-week Jr. Phase portion where you continue to build upon the concepts you learned in Foundations. But it doesn't stop there. You will learn cutting edge technologies, data structures, abstract data types, and more. As someone who recently graduated and is now happily employed I strongly recommend that the most important thing throughout this entire experience is your health. Make sure you give yourself enough time to eat and sleep. Give yourself every chance to come into class the next day psyched and ready to learn... because it is incredibly fast-paced, and it is easy to get overwhelmed. But just remember everyone feels the same way and to 'Trust the process".

Lastly, once you pass Jr. Phase, you will start... Yes, Senior Phase. To be totally honest this is where it all clicks. You start having more than just a high-level understanding of how data is flowing through the stack, and you are able to make a decision that impacts your entire application. And I don't mean add a div here or a div there... I am talking about highly educated and insightful decisions to engineer a full-stack application. For me, this was the most incredible part and a feeling I will never forget.

With that being said, you still have your fair share of challenges. Several projects, REACTO, Career success, and most importantly your health. At this point, you will have started the last 6 weeks of the Fullstack experience and it is definitely less intense, but even more impactful.

To sum it all up there is an incredible Carrer Success team. Fullstack goes out of their way to make sure every student is as prepared as possible to find a job as soon as they graduate. From Mock interviews, Resume workshops, Career counseling, and everything in between, Fullstack does not skip a beat. I know we all come here to learn how to code, but learning how to represent yourself as a candidate to a potential employer is seldom taught anywhere. Which is yet another thing that sets Fullstack apart from other bootcamps.

Every instructor I interacted with is amazing. Everyone is brilliant, helpful, and engaging. I never once felt any sort of negative vibe from any instructor. Even after the first day of Jr. Phase, you start becoming more than just another class going through the program, but you become a family. A family that supports and encourages everyone to do the very best they can. All in all, I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in learning more about Software Engineering. It is beyond just another "learn how to code" bootcamp. It is a life-changing, challenging, and gratifying experience.

All my respect to future Fullstackers, fellow graduates and instructors in the program. Thank you for everything, and I am excited to see the Fullstack family grow!

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." 

David Yang, one of Fullstack/Grace Hopper's co-founders, brought up this quote during his parting words to my cohort as we graduated. It resonated so strongly with me and sums up how I feel about attending Grace Hopper. Despite having majored in computer science as an undergraduate, I never felt confident enough in my skills as a programmer to pursue an engineering career. In addition to the practical skills necessary to land a software engineering job in 2019, Grace Hopper provided a supportive, nurturing environment unlike any I'd experienced before. It was such an incredibly inspiring and fulfilling experience and I can't recommend it highly enough!

Fullstack Academy is the bootcamp for you if you're looking to learn the right technologies as well as get career support to find a job quickly. The teachers, career councelors and the staff are very student-centric and are always available to provide support.

The curriculum is very enhanced, so be prepared to work a lot and dedicate as much time as you can if you want to make the most of the process. Pair programming is a big part of the course and is a great way to absorb the material faster. The curriculum also includes career workshops that prepare students for the market.

I loved having Corey, Matt, Dakota and David as my teachers, Jackie as my career councelor and Emily as the program lead. They are all wonderful professionals and I've learned a lot from them.

The first place I came when i was interested in starting a developer career was right here to look at reviews, so I figured I'd do my part for the process as well. 

Fullstack was a great experience from day one. You're thrown into a mix of students from all backgrounds, and immediately need to start absorbing information. I graduated from a top university, but have never had an educational experience as demanding and productive as this. The course is fast paced and challenging, but you come out confident that you can use the skills you acquired, and learn the skills you haven't yet.

The staff is very knowledgable and helpful. The instructors, Ben, Collin, and Finn, really seem to care about every individual's performance and success. The Career Success aspect of the course far surpassed my expectations. Holly works with you every step of the way, even once you're finished with the course, to land you a job. 

Overall, Fullstack was a great expereince, both in the classroom learning how to code, and the support they provide coming out into the world and looking for a job.

I attended the Grace Hopper (all women) division of Fullstack Academy. I couldn't imagine a better environment to not only to learn but to completely change careers.  I had a huge support network, between my three dozen classmates, half a dozen fellows, the instuctors, directors, and career success team. Additionally, the curriculum is up to date with the current frameworks and technologies most widely used in the industry--javascript, react, redux--which I feel gives me an edge both interviewing and once on the job.

I had an extremely positive experience attending FSA in Chicago, and would recommend it to anyone who is seriously considering making a career switch. The instructors (Colin, Ben, Priti) were incredibly helpful and approachable, and their presence complemented the rigorous curriculum very well. If you're looking to jumpstart your Web Development proficiency, this is your best bet. 

I gave the Job Assistance 5 stars because the support provided was great. Fullstack's Launch Day connects you with many local employers and Holly continues to do a great job of keeping in touch and keeping alumni engaged in the job hunt. However, I believe that FSA's strength is in upgrading your Web Dev skills, and not necessarily teaching you DS/Algo or other technical interview curriculum. These topics do not necessarily come up in all SWE interviews, however, depending on what kinds of jobs you're looking for, they can be absolutely critical to know. 

I wrote my first line of code in January 2018. Prior to becoming a software developer, I was an elementary school teacher and non-profit director of 10 years. I was motivated to come to the Grace Hopper Program here at Fullstack Academy becasue of my desire to do something completely different. Leaving a secure career was such a risk. Fullstack Academy made the risk well worth it because of the great instruction, real-world application of skills, and the phenomenal career success team. I am especially grateful to Natalie, Jackie, and Trent who were very supportive with me focusing in on my pitch and making myself as marketable as possible. Also, I hope everyone has the opportunity to be taught by or work with Jessica B, Matt, Geoff, and Dakota. They are all fantastic instructors and people.

Fullstack Academy has developed a challenging and exhaustive curriculum that will definitely keep you busy past 5pm. Fullstack is a great program for people who want balance (i.e. maintain a social life, have families) and for independent learners who have plenty of time to become immersed in the curriculum 24/7. If you're not sure if you can handle a 10+ hour day at another program or if you can manage studying on your own outside normal class hours, then Fullstack is for you. (Also, it's very likely that no one is going to plan out your entire day for you on the job, so get used to being self-sufficient.) 

The staff and teaching fellows are incredibly understanding and assess each situation on an case-by-case basis if something comes up. They will give you more, if you ask. But you have to ask, but I have never been hesitant since they are all so welcoming. As far as social culture goes, it is what you make of it. Fullstack is a educative environment first and foremost, so I've found that your social experience will depend more on students taking the initiative to hang out and organize events. Also, once you graduate, you get to utitlize a large and supportive network of Fullstack grads--I got my first dev job thanks to one of those connections. I highly recommend attending Fullstack especially if convenience matters to you and you plan to work in the same city. Many schools advertise the big tech companies where students have been hired but don't let that be the only factor in your decision--especially if you're not 100% sure if you even want to work at large companies. 

I've been asked recently on a number of occasions to comment on my experience at Fullstack so I decided to repost my thoughts here in case anyone was interested:

1. JavaScript level required:

Before embarking on coding, I had been a corporate lawyer for almost 5 years - so the last time I touched anything remotely close to programming was when I did a course on algorithms 10 years ago in high school. The only JS knowledge I had going into the interview was what I had managed to pick up from codecademy and Code School. Do know that this level definitely wont be enough to get you through the program! Fullstack does pride itself on its pre course prep though, and justifiably so. If you, like me, come from a non technical background, hard work, persistence and putting in the hours to do as much extra reading as possible beforehand to immerse yourself in JS is key. If you decide on Fullstack, take comfort in the fact that their pre course materials will put you in good stead for the 13 gruelling weeks up ahead. Lead instructor Nimit used to tell us to trust the process and know that you will come out on top. I think there's a lot of truth in that and I'm glad I took his word for it.

2. My experience of Fullstack:

I had a very good experience overall. David, Nimit and Zeke are three of the most knowledgeable programmers that I've met. However, what was more important was their ability to distil these extremely abstract concepts into nuggets that someone like me would be able to digest and internalise. I think what was also crucial in why things just work at Fullstack is that they are so selective in who they take as students. The result is everyone is there to learn, work hard and help each other out. In my opinion, this is more important than the curriculum itself because your "eureka" moments in programming never really come in the classroom. They come when late at night as you and your classmates are grinding away at a problem.

3. How Fullstack compares to other bootcamps

I can't really say to how I fare against other schools' graduates, but what I can say is that my first employer did tell me the practical knowledge that I had coming through the door was that of a CS Grad with a year's working experience. All in all, I wouldn't worry too much about the competition and whether going to bootcamp A or bootcamp B will give you a step up over someone else. At the end of the day, which school you go to won't matter much the moment you step in front of that whiteboard in an interview because you're on your own. Bootcamps aren't silver bullets that will turn anyone into a rock star programmer after 13 weeks. It's all down to what you put in, so if you're committing yourself to a career in programming/tech then all you can do is work your butt off and persist until you succeed. Do that and you will acquire skills that any employer will want in a junior engineer. Persistence and hunger to keep learning are the qualities that of any good programmer, and that is what a bootcamp environment, be it Fullstack or any other school, is able to help you develop.

Hope that helped, and good luck!

I did a lot of research before deciding to attend Fullstack and I'm confident I made the right choice. There are other bootcamps in Chicago but none of them have the high admissions standards or strong alumni network that Fullstack does. While in the program I met a group of amazing people with diverse backgrounds and learned a lot very quickly. Within a year I went from teaching myself to code to being employed at a job doing work I absolutely love, and Fullstack helped me achieve that.

In thinking about how to effectively review my experience at Fullstack, I guess it’s most useful to let my trajectory speak for itself: I attended Fullstack Academy in the fall, graduated in December, and was hired within 2 weeks of graduation as a Junior Developer at an awesome company.  Altogether, Fullstack met and exceeded every expectation I had and I can recommend it without hesitation.

Prior to attending FSA (and more specifically, Grace Hopper), I was a high school math teacher with very iffy coding skills.  I knew that I liked to code, and I could write basic for-loops in Ruby.  I decided that I wanted a more challenging career and I wanted a skillset that was more in-demand than teaching experience.  I talked to a few friends who had attended bootcamps to hear their experiences, and I also spoke to a hiring manager at a tech company, all of whom encouraged me to go for it.

I chose Fullstack for two main reasons: because admissions were competitive, and because of the curriculum.   Valuing competitive admissions was a great call: all of the students, fellows, and instructors in my cohort were unfailingly curious, driven, and intelligent.  I evaluated the curriculum with the help of some tech friends who recognized that FSA’s curriculum taught skills like React and Redux that were highly in-demand.  Once I had my eyes set on Fullstack, I studied, applied, and fortunately was admitted to the Grace Hopper program.

Bootcamp was hard and so much fun.  I learned a ton of code (obviously) but also how to pair program effectively, how to work in an agile team, and (probably most importantly) how to read technical documentation.  The people at FSA are fantastic, and we hung out every Friday after class.

Finally, the career success support was phenomenal.  It was invaluable to have someone examine my resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letters, personal pitch, and even follow-up emails to companies to ensure that I was putting my best foot forward.  In the final week of the program, Holly organized 16 companies that came in to interview us so we could work on our behavioral interview skills.  We practiced white-boarding every morning, and we had 1:1 mock technical interviews with feedback afterwards.  I felt 100% prepared when I entered the job market because nothing was unexpected.

As you can probably tell from this review, I am so grateful for my time at Fullstack and had a fantastic experience.  I would recommend this program to anyone.

My experience at Fullstack was completely unique compared to any of my traditional education. Where in the past I felt like I didn't understand the reason why we learned things or whether or not it would prepare me for a worthwhile career, Fullstack was able to definitively change my life in the span of four months. I'm so happy to have a job with a high ceiling and so much to learn. The best thing about Fulsltack was the community you're exposed to, and how much love and care is poured into the process. I made great friends at Fullstack and now have a wonderful career to boot!

I was a musician with some web design background (no real coding experience). Attended fullstack in 2017 as a WDF student and now I'm working for AWS as an engineer.  English isn't my first language.. In 2017 I was already over 30 year old. AWS is my first tech job.

WDF is a free tuition program partnered with NYC and was a very competitive process. Had to go through several exams to go to the final “immersive program”. It was sad to see sizing of the class was getting smaller.... but I really liked how energish our instractors were. They were really supportive and good at teaching. Had such a good energy.

Also I was so happy how attentive Fulsltack’s career success counselor was. After graduation, she contacted me every week to check in my job search progress.  I took 6 months to get this offer letter from AWS. Until then, I and some of my classmates kept going to AWS loft (free workspace. coder's heaven) everyday to study and hang out.  After all, most of my classmates got really great full time engineering positions as well and I'm so happy to see them at reunion. 7 months was short but now we are such good friends after the intense period.

Learning process during bootcamp was just “INTENSE” but see the result. It's worth trying!

Fullstack Academy met and exceeded all of my expectations. I had decided to make a career change to software engineering and was researching different bootcamps. I had heard great things, but it wasn't until I was in the program that I really appreciated how great it was. All of the instructors are excited to teach and the curriculum was well designed ot get someone (like me) who had very little experience in coding up to speed and proficient in the stack they were teaching. Building projects was a great way to learn how to apply the technology and I am extremely greatful for the experience. Everything is taught in a way that is understandable and there is never a feeling that you can't ask questions. I highly recommend Fullstack Academy (and in particular the Grace Hopper Program).

To echo a lot of other sentiments, my decision to go to Fullstack Academy was one of the best of my life. Previously, I had been working in the business (sales, support, marketing) side of tech. While I had some basic coding experience, I learned an immense amount from the robust curriculum taught at Fullstack. The entire staff in Chicago - whether instructional (Collin, Ben W, Priti, and Finn) or career/operations (Ben N, Holly, Brett) have been incredibly helpful in my success.

I'm depletely indebted to them for both my education and for the opportunity to serve as a Teaching Fellow. And without the hard work of the Career Success team, I would not have the amazing job I do now as I was able to land it through Fullstack's Launch Day.

Overall, the highest praise I can give.

Going to Fullstack Academy was easily one of the best decisions in my life.

When you go to a bootcamp, if you're just going for the material, you're doing it wrong. If you just want the material, it's all available for free somewhere on the internet. You should be going to a bootcamp for several reasons:

1) Learning how to learn various techs, and how to learn them quickly. Fullstack handles this wonderfully by constantly never allowing you to become complacent in your learning or start slacking. You constantly have to be pushing yourself to absorb new material and how to digest documentation.

2) You have zero idea how to actually break into the industry. Again, Fullstack provided this with great career coaching and prepping you to have a resume that is worth looking at. Fullstack as well provides an opportunity to meet several companies, towards the end of your bootcamp, allowing you to potentially to turn these meetings into on-site interviews (which definitely happened for me).

3) If you're new to this... you don't actually realize your own knowledge gaps and weaknesses. And it takes an instructor to help you with these and point you towards things you may have never come across before. You can have all the motivation in the world, but without a good teacher to take you there, it's useless. Fullstack has wonderful instructors who are extremely passionate about not only teaching, but improving their teaching (shout out to Corey Greenwald, one of the best instructors I've ever had in any sort of educational setting).

This being said, prepare to work hard. You will only get out of it what you put in. If you think you can just go during the day and not also put in the time, constantly, during your nights and weekends... and think things will go just as well, you're mistaken. Maybe you can coast. But if that's what you're intending to do... what's even the point? I really recommend Fullstack. But if you're going to do it, do it right. Give up your life for three months. It will pay off.