Hack Reactor

I lost my job in the early stages of COVID-19.  I decided to give programming a shot with my downtime.  Hack Reactor was a major component of my path from zero programming experience to an amazing job as a developer within that span of a year.

The style of the SEI program at Hack Reactor suited my needs exactly, but I don't know if that would hold true for everyone.  I had a basic handle on javascript and was starting to apply javascript to web development.  The topic was so expansive that I did not really know where to focus my time.  Hack Reactor focused my attention on a very specific set of skills and concepts that were necessary to build full-stack applications.

I'm fairly certain that I could have self-taught myself the majority of the raw development skills I learned at Hack Reactor.  The really amazing part of it is the compact amount of time it all happened in.  The way the curriculum is structured just worked for me.  You would be introduced to a new topic and get some high-level concepts and best practices that apply to it.  At the same time, you would be assigned a "sprint" on that topic with some vague instructions and some features or functionality to implement.  I think they struck a great balance in providing just enough of a nudge to set you down a good path at the start.  From there it was on you to research the technologies/patterns/libraries being used and develop your solution to the prompt.  It really allowed for a lot of ground to be covered very quickly.

***ACCOUNTABILITY***

There are extremely strict attendance guidelines at Hack Reactor.  They make sure to keep you engaged from 9am-8pm, 6 days a week, for 12 weeks straight.   I definitely would not have been able to maintain that consistent schedule if I was trying to study on my own.  Conservatively I would estimate that what I learned in 12 weeks at Hack Reactor would have taken a minimum of 30 weeks of self-teaching.  That's assuming I was able to stick it out for that whole time.  Also, if I went the self-taught route I would not have had the chance to interact with subject matter experts and develop team-based development skills like pair-programming.

***AUTONOMY***

I cannot stress enough the importance of developing autonomy while at Hack Reactor.  If you want someone to tell you the correct answer or the definitive way to solve problems.... you are in the wrong place.  This program is really about giving you the tools and the mindset to solve the problems yourself.   You will feel incredibly lost again and again while in this program.  This can be incredibly discouraging and frustrating for people.  The key is to develop a sense of autonomy and the skills to seek out and find the answers yourself.  Eventually, that sense of discomfort will become the welcome precedent to finding the solution you were in search of.

The assignments you will receive have some vague requirements to complete.  That said no one will look at your work and say "you didn't do x, y, and z, shame on you".  Conversely, they will also not say "good job doing all that stuff!".  I remember finding this infuriating for the first few weeks.  The lack of direct/pointed feedback was hard to digest.   Eventually, though I saw it as a great parallel for the work I would do as a professional developer.  No one is going to look over your shoulder and police you while you write your code.... except for you.  In this way, I became the judge of my own work.  I was able to identify my weak points and identify any anti-patterns in my code.  This sense of autonomy was the greatest lesson I got out of the whole program.

***COMMUNITY***

When I attended Hack Reactor all classes were remote via zoom due to COVID-19.  I remember being extremely worried that I would feel very disconnected from the community due to the remote nature of the course.  It's crazy how wrong I was.  I felt so welcomed by the staff, senior students, and my cohort mates from day one.  My campus did an amazing job creating community among everyone in the program.  There were weekly social/game nights and tons of mixers so everyone could get to know each other.  My cohort ended up being very close and we even met up for drinks in person a couple of times.  I have no doubt I will be friends/colleagues with the people I met at Hack Reactor for years to come.

***JOB HUNT***

I don't think Hack Reactor advertises much if any assistance with actually finding a job after the program, but either way, don't expect much here.  It is 100% on YOU to find a job after you graduate.  Of course, they will give you plenty of tools and strategies to set you up for success in accomplishing your goals.  You will get help building your resume and online presence as well as how you present yourself in interviews.  That is about the extent of it though.  A major benefit is access to a massive network of alumni that can help you get your foot in the door at a lot of companies.

***GRIPES***

I only have one real gripe which is that this is simultaneously one of the most expensive programs like this out there while also being one of the shortest.  It really is a ton of material to cover in the amount of time and I think it would really benefit everyone to stretch out the program a bit to give some more time to absorb the material.

 Joining Hack Reactor was hands-down one of the best decisions that I could have made for myself. The program does an extraordinary job of providing students with the tools they need to be successful, both technically and professionally. In-depth lectures, supportive campus staff, exciting challenges and projects, and all-around amazing people. I came into the program with a decent amount of coding experience and was surprised to learn much more than I was expecting to. The program is dedicated to the success of each student and will do everything they can to help you land your first job as a software engineer. With that said, be prepared to put in the work. As helpful and dedicated as the staff members are, nothing is going to be handed to you on a silver platter. The assignments are tough and it’s not uncommon for students to be coding late nights. The environment is fast-paced - expect to learn something completely new every couple of days for the first six weeks. It will be up to you to reach out for help or find additional resources if you’re not understanding something. But in return, expect a fantastic support group from both local and program-wide staff, a powerful network of alumni for you to connect with, your own Career Services Manager that will push you through the job search, and friends that will last a lifetime! 

I had been eyeing hack reactor for the past 5 years and finally decided to make the switch and attend in fall 2020. I'm so glad I did! I attended the Austin campus (remote due to covid) and the staff was amazing. While yes, everything they teach could be found online for free - the path, support and friends that I found with hack reactor made it worth every penny. It definitely wasn't an easy program, about 11 hours a day, 6 days a week - but it was packed full of lectures, practice, projects and career advice. While I'm still starting the job search, the amount of support after the program is over is also great. I have constant meetings with my Career Services manager and he always gives great advice and is constantly available to answer questions. It was a lot of work to get admitted, and a lot of work to get through the program, but I'm really happy I did. 

Hack Reactor is a great place for very little or no computer science background people to start their journey to become a professional software engineer. I was a complete outsider in the software and computer field before HR.  From a little knowledge about Javascript when I started my cohort, I graduated being able to create full-stack applications and then got a job as a software engineer a month and a haft later. I also appreciate the soft skills I got from HR. From small things like explaining problems clearly when I need help, to pair programming skills, to be autonomous in learning new technologies, all of these skills help me so much in my day to day tasks. The career week and the job search program are big pluses since they keep you sharp with your tech skills and help with job search materials like cover letters or resumes. HR's staff is really great. From cohort leads to tech mentors, to residents, they all really care about students and try their best to help. Enrolling in HR is one of the best decisions I have made.

If you are here reading this right now, you've probably already done extensive research on Hack Reactor's Software Engineering Immersive program and now you're wondering, "Is it worth it?" As someone who have been through the bootcamp and have pursued a degree in Computer Science at a credited University, I can assure you that this twelve weeks bootcamp is worth a lot more than two (or more) years of college. Let me break down my ratings for you:

Curriculum:
I won't dive too deeply into the tech stacks because technology changes everyday and great programs should adapt to those changes and provide you with the best curriculum to keep you updated on the current tech stacks. What is really important is not WHAT you learn but HOW you learn it. Hack Reactor instills autonomy into its students and at first you might feel like you're just thrown to the wolves but trust me, it is a valuable skill to have. Hack Reactor provides a professional experience in an educational environment by putting you in the same situations that you would find yourself in the professional career and they prepare you by forcing you to learn autonomously. You are going to have vague lectures, vague assignment requirements, vague directions, vague answers...well, you get the point. If you are like me then your first thought would be "I didn't pay $20,000 to learn and do everything on my own" and you would be kind of correct. Hack Reactor wants you to learn and do MOST of everything on your own (or in a team) because you are not going to be handheld in a professional working environment, but this is where Hack Reactor shines. They provide you guidance and show you HOW to figure things out on your own so that when the time comes and you're at your first engineering job and you have no clue what to do, you're going to be able to overcome those moments of uncertainty. Hack Reactor provides students with all of the technical support a student needs to not only excel in the program, but in their future career.

TLDR; You might definitely will have moments where you have to learn and figure things out on your own, but Hack Reactor will help you figure out how to do that efficiently and effectively. 

Job Assistance: 
"Does this program guarantee me a job?" No, it does not guarantee you a job and I've had to explain this to my fellow friends a few times. Hack Reactor can't force a company to hire you, give you an interview, or read your job application. What Hack Reactor does is help shape each student into an ideal candidate and shares best practices to strengthen your chances of being seen by companies. Hack Reactor will provide you a Career Service Mentor along with Career Services to guide you during your job search and provide support before and during your job search and it extends after you graduate from the bootcamp! Hack Reactor also introduced its new Job Search Program that any graduate can opt into but I did not opt into it so I cannot provide a review. My Career Service Mentor, Marah, is a game changer and she helped open my eyes on how the technical world works in term of job search. After you graduate, you will still meet up with your Career Service Mentor weekly then bi-weekly and you can always talk to them when you have questions!

TDLR: Hack Reactor will make sure you graduate with an all-star LinkedIn account, a job ready resume, a well revised cover letter, and other materials that will help you stand out during your job search. They also provide support before and after your graduation because they truly care about each and every one of their students. 

Instructors:
(Bare in mind that these were my instructors for the LA campus)

Hilary Upton - Cohort Lead:  5/5 stars. She truly cares about every student and she makes sure to provide a safe space for all students to voice their concerns. We would have weekly retrospectives where Hilary would get our inputs/thoughts on how the week went and if we had any concerns/comments that we wanted to share. It made us feel heard and it showed how much Hack Reactor values its students and their well-being.

Julian Yuen - Program Lead:  5/5 stars. Julian might show up to the first day in a suit but don't worry, he's not scary at all. Whenever Julian taught/led a lecture, it would feel as if my brain was being cuddled and nursed to health with amazing, well explained information. Julian will refer to himself as "Uncle J" and that's what he really is, the kind loving uncle that cares about his nieces and nephews. I remember not feeling so great about myself, my skills, and my work and I remember some of my cohort mates feeling the same way. Some of us started to succumb to imposter syndrome and when I brought it up to Julian, he immediately made time out of his busy schedule to have a personal talk with us. Honestly, I wanted to give up at one point because I felt like I was not good enough but Julian was the reason why I stayed. Going back to why I only pursued a Computer Science degree but never finished it, the reason was that my professors (and the department head) instilled in the class and me that if we were not in the top 10% of the class, that we were not good enough to make it in the field. It was demoralizing after two years of hearing "No one is going to hire you if you don't get an A. Change your major." and I honestly felt like my efforts during college was all for naught. My professors never saw my passion, my hard work, my desperate attempts to stay awake in class because I stayed up all night to finish an impossible assignment, and they placed me as (and most of my class) "unworthy". During the bootcamp, I started to feel that same feeling of "unworthy" and Julian stopped me in my tracks when I humorously voiced my concerns. He shared his personal experiences with imposter syndrome, assured me that I was enough and that I deserved to be where I am. It wasn't a "one time thing" either because every single time Julian sent me an email, he would remind me to not let imposter syndrome get the best of me and he made sure to remind me that I am enough. That should go to show the dedication and care that the Hack Reactor staff has for its students and I am forever grateful for them and Julian. Thanks Uncle J and sorry for the cheesy description if you are reading this. You really changed my outlook on myself and it has kept me motivated throughout my job search and I know it will keep me motivated for the rest of my career.

Anthony Kim - Tech Mentor: 5/5 stars. Anthony runs the junior phase during Hack Reactor and he does his best to make sure that every student makes it to the senior phase. Whenever I struggled with the material, I would bombard Anthony with questions and he would always answer me with kindness and guidance. He made time to review code with me and to further elaborate on topics that I was not 100% sure of and I am forever grateful for his dedication. Anthony, if you are reading this, I'm sorry for asking so many questions and I don't think you're scary! (maybe a little)

SEIRS / Other instructors: 5/5 stars. The staff is well picked and they're all caring and attentive to you. They just want to see you succeed!

Overall Experience:
Hack Reactor not only strengthened my skills as a Software Engineer, but it also strengthened me as a person. From the staff to the curriculum to the job assistance, it is a well versed program that provides you will all of the tools you need to succeed in your professional career. "Is it worth it?" That is up to you to decide. I came in with an open mind and I took the program as more than just a classroom where you learn the fundamentals and ins&outs of a technology because Hack Reactor teaches you how to be a strong engineer that can take on any technology and that to me makes Hack Reactor worth it. 

I started prepping for Hack Reactor with the intention of joining the full-time, in-person immersive in San Francisco. COVID changed my plans along with everyone else's, and I delayed my start by three cohorts hoping for an in-person experience. I finally gave in and did the program remotely, and in the end I'm so glad it all worked out this way. The remote program completely exceeded all of my expectations, and Hack Reactor as an organization as really nailed down how to grow and foster community through Zoom and Slack. Each cohort is assigned a set of staff that includes technical mentors, psychological/social mentors, a career coach, and a team of recent grads selected for both personality traits and technical skills, and they do a fantastic job selecting all these people. There are tons of free resources you can use to teach yourself Javascript, so why pay so much for a program like this? Far and away, what made the experience for me was the people, and Hack Reactor absolutely nails hiring support staff who are the right combination of tough, caring, honest, and helpful to keep you on track while still letting you pull your own weight. 

An example: On more than one occasion our tech mentor had almost preternatural patience with me when I was struggling with certain concepts and asked him for help understanding them. A lesser mortal would probably have broken down in a frustrated rage and just given me the final answer after enough time had passed, depriving me of the chance to make the connection for myself, but he gave me all the time I needed to get there without betraying even a hint of frustration. From the top down, the staff genuinely wants to help you learn, and help you learn how to learn, and they do it with just the right amount of assistance. 

This program pushes you, and pushes hard. This was a formative program for me because of how stretched I felt, which was a new feeling. I am still in the job search process now, and while it can alternate between being demoralizing, terrifying, or just a plain slog to get through, I feel very well supported by both staff and the alumni community. There is an active community of alums who offer motivation, encouragement, tips, and sympathetic ears, and between direct conversation and getting to be spectator to some of their conversations, I feel like I'm constantly being buoyed by the system. The support during the job search and alumni community might alone be worth the price of the program.  Whenever I get an offer I know they'll have my back for the negotiation process as well. I'm really glad I found this community and I feel like I'm in good hands going forward. 

Unlike most applicants and my cohortmates, I decided to apply and attend the Hack Reactor program as someone who graduated with a computer engineering degree and had a bit of software developer experience. At the time it was two years after I graduated and my job search wasn't going well due to behavioral issues I had.

Hack Reactor not only allowed me to move up but importantly to move out of where I was. The staff in the San Francisco campus were very respectful of everyone's needs and contributed to a bootcamp culture and curriculum that is challenging, rigorous, yet also personalized for everyone through weekly one-on-ones with the cohort lead. When I attended the program there was another cohort that started at the same time and both cohorts had incredible diversity. There were people from all sorts of backgrounds including two PhDs and a few others with computer science backgrounds, yet all motivated as prospective software engineers.

Naturally, Hack Reactor bootcampers don't always know the solution to problems they're facing and seek out help. The program has a help desk that handles this pretty well. It's a ticketing queue that gets responded to by Software Engineering Immersive Residents (SEIRs), and they are guided in such a way that steers them towards the right direction and being encouraged to follow techniques such as timeboxing and web searching instead of being given an answer.

Before I found my first position after graduation, I decided to apply and become a SEIR near the end of the program, because I was very motivated to share my knowledge and to help my peers. Thus I worked part-time for Hack Reactor for three months to interview applicants to the program, to run the help desk, and to engage with students. The SEIRs make up much of the teaching ability in a cohort, but they don't necessarily have software engineering experience beyond the program. The tech mentors for each cohort may or may not have that as well, so I'm giving 4 stars for instructors because they could be improved on especially at a time when most or all of HR has gone remote.

Although the program explicitly does not guarantee any student a job after graduating, the resources you receive are well worth the cost of the program, whether paying up front or after the program. In the first six months after graduation you are assigned a career coach and given resources for a job seeking routine. More importantly you are given access to the alumni Slack group to be able to connect with thousands of other graduates. I am starting to truly appreciate the value of the alumni group a year after I started my position and am looking to make a second job search.

One of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. I even came in with previous software development experience, and still learned much more than I originally hoped for. They don't just transform you into a competent software engineer, but also help improve your all-around character. I've learned to present myself better to both employers and friends, and have become someone that (hopefully) anyone would love to work with.  I graduated 5 years ago now (summer of 2015), but still keep in touch with everyone from my cohort, and I am fairly certain I speak for all of them when I say that Hack Reactor transformed their lives for the better. I myself have been working at Facebook now for 2 years and love it - and my others cohort-mates are at Google, Uber, LinkedIn, Lyft, Square, and other top companies! The alumni network is especially outstanding, and I want to call out Marlene Tang for always being responsive and available to help. She helped me land my first job right out of Hack Reactor at Pivotal Labs by introducing me to another alumni that worked there. Even years later right before I landed my job at Facebook, she helped me through my interview prep and introduced me to other alumni at Twitch and LinkedIn to help me get strong competing offers. I don’t live in the Bay Area anymore but every time I visit, my cohort-mates and Marlene always come out for a reunion and make me feel right at home - you really do develop life-long relationships over the course of those 3 months.  Speaking from my experience, I would definitely recommend Hack Reactor to anyone looking to make the switch to software engineering. 

It’s been almost four years since I’ve graduated from the program (SF onsite, June - September 2016), but enough people have reached out to me since then that I felt like it was worth the time to summarize my thoughts and experiences for others. 
Hack Reactor was, by far, one of the best decisions I’ve made to jumpstart my career. I did pretty extensive research beforehand to try to figure out which bootcamp was right for me, and HR stood out immediately because of how structured and intense it was. I was serious about making the career pivot as quickly as possible, and I wanted to be surrounded by people who would push me to be my best. 
The curriculum (and industry) changes enough that it’s probably not worth me focusing on the education side of it, so instead, I want to talk about the job placement support afterwards. Both jobs that I’ve gotten since graduating are due to the Hack Reactor network, and specifically, the alumni support program. I truly believe that the resources available after graduation is worth the entire financial investment and more. I was assigned Marlene as my career coach, and I seriously lucked out. She truly goes above and beyond the scope of her duties to ensure that she is accessible at all hours and under all circumstances. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve reached out minutes before phone interviews for last-minute pep talks, or spent hours of her time getting her help to draft the perfect response during salary negotiations. When I started my second job search, I reached out to Marlene on a whim to see if she might be able to give some job search advice, but she went even further to connect me with other alumni, the corporate partnership program, and personally coached me through each one of the offers I landed. I was one and a half years past my graduation date, and she wasn’t even a full-time career coach anymore, but it didn’t matter to her. However, it truly made a huge difference for me to not have to go through the job search and interview process on my own. 
Everyone’s post-graduation experience is different, but what I truly think makes Hack Reactor stand out is that they actually have dedicated resources to make sure your successes don’t end after you finish your classes. Having Marlene by my side during the most life-altering job search of my career is something that I will be forever grateful for and why I consistently recommend Hack Reactor to others who are seriously considering coding bootcamps to make the career shift. It’s worth the investment a thousand times over. 

Going in, I had set the parameters of my expectations somewhat strictly. I simply wanted to learn what it takes to become an employable software engineer- some who removes, rather than contributes to, technical debt.

Hack Reactor was so much more than just that.

Of course, the curriculum gave me enough experience that I could figure my way around any web development projects. The junior phase strengthened my confidence with various specific technologies through challenging sprints. The senior phase allowed me to consolidate my understanding of web frameworks + database technologies into viable products, as well as flesh out communication skills by coordinating development with peers, who at this point were working with me as partners.

But it takes much more than only technical expertise to excel in the tech industry. Hack Reactor provided networking opportunities and informative talks from experienced software engineers that grants new grads with the assurance of mentorship and community, making even life-changing transformations far less scary.

Something I deeply appreciated about the organization of the cohorts was the stimulating diversity of my peers. People truly came from all walks of life. This aspect of the program sets it apart from traditional university programs in that you are no longer immersed in your same age stratum. I was the youngest in my cohort, so I went through the program with the mindset that I'll have the most to learn from the life experiences of others. This made Hack Reactor more than just an education. It was a life experience.

I went through Hack Reactor in 2014 and had a great time back then. My original experience with the program is less relevant than the more recent reviews you see, so I want to talk about job and negotiation help that I received 6 years after graduating during my third job search in 2020.

I received offers from Amazon, Box, Facebook, Google, Netflix, and Square and was having a hard time making the final call between joining Facebook and Netflix. I'd been discussing my decision in the alumni Slack group, and Marlene, the alumni director, reached out to me to see if she could help. It's definitely nice to have a total pro on your side when you're talking with recruiters. Marlene gave me some invaluable advice over the final week of my negotiations and helped me seal the deal with Netflix. Before all of this, I gained huge benefits by practicing for interviews with members of the alumni community. I can't think of a better group to be in to get such a good pulse on working in the tech industry.

All this to say, Hack Reactor isn't just a one-time thing you go through for a few months and forget about. There's a huge and growing community of people who want to help you throughout your career, and every year, I'm more glad I joined this community.

I have done a lot of educational programs, but this was by far the best educational experience of my life. The program is so hands on and concrete--there's no extra stuff that you can just coast through. Instead, you learn actionable skills and apply them immediately on projects. Staff is brilliant and very good at what they do, curriculum is well-tailored for anyone trying to get into the coding field, and facility was clean and well-maintained. You graduate with a body of work that you can use to start applying immediately. It's all full-stack JavaScript, which is good for applying to start-ups and more "high tech" (Google, Paypal, etc) but they teach you fundamentals well enough that I actually ended up with two Java developer job offers in the middle of the pandemic! Best part of the program is the people though--just incredible and smart people who you get really close to. Can't wait to see what they end up doing!