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Hack Reactor by Galvanize is an educator for rapid career transformation, offering software engineering bootcamps designed so that anyone with motivation can succeed, regardless of education, experience, or background. Hack Reactor by Galvanize bootcamps are challenging and designed to fit a student’s schedule and skill level. Bootcamps include a 19-Week Software Engineering Immersive with JavaScript and Python, designed for beginners, as well as a 12-Week Software Engineering Immersive.
Applicants to the 12-week Software Engineering Immersive need to pass a Technical Admissions Assessment (TAA), which tests for intermediate coding competency. There is a free, self-paced bootcamp prep course that can be accessed to learn the fundamentals of JavaScript. Those applying for the 19-week program do not need to pass the TAA or take any prep courses. Applicants to all programs need to pass an aptitude test, a brief typing test, and an admissions interview.
In addition to its software engineering programs, Hack Reactor provides a large network of professional peers, 1:1 coaching, mock interviews, job training, and more. All students graduate as autonomous, full-stack software engineers, fully capable of tackling unique problems and building complex applications on the job. Hack Reactor alumni join a diverse, engaged network of fellow students, instructors, staff, and alumni, including 14,000+ graduates at 2,500 companies.
I'm graduating today and couldn't be happier with the investment I made 3 months ago. For the sake of full disclosure, I'll mention that I was chosen, and happily agreed, to take one of the Hacker in Residence slots for my cohort. So some might say I'm biased... but I'd respond that I'm in the best position to speak about Hack Reactor as I have the perspective of a student and a freshly minted temporary employee.
Reviewing from a high level, Hack Reactor is an intense, immersive ...
I'm graduating today and couldn't be happier with the investment I made 3 months ago. For the sake of full disclosure, I'll mention that I was chosen, and happily agreed, to take one of the Hacker in Residence slots for my cohort. So some might say I'm biased... but I'd respond that I'm in the best position to speak about Hack Reactor as I have the perspective of a student and a freshly minted temporary employee.
Reviewing from a high level, Hack Reactor is an intense, immersive experience in coding. My cohort and I were quite green at the start of our term... now we are capable software engineers. Since we haven't really ramped up the job search yet (that'll start next week), that might seem like a dubious statement. But we all feel prepared to take on the challenge because we've spent the last three months tackling problems that seemed, at first glance, impossible. Anecdotally, of the previous cohort who graduated 7 weeks ago, about half already have jobs in the industry.
When I was mulling over which bootcamp to attend (or if I should even attend one at all), I thought all the reviews for Hack Reactor sounded like the folks writing them were brainwashed. I found it hard to believe so many students could gush about how great the school was. It seemed like a trick. But here I am, doing the thing.
HR is divided into two 6-week portions dubbed junior portion and senior portion. For most of the first half, our time is divided into short sprints where we focus on learning a different technology or programming concept. I remember around week 3 or 4, I was mentally and emotionally drained each night as I crawled into bed. My head throbbed and I dreamt about coding and frontend frameworks. I spent all my waking hours at school and saw my wife and daughter only briefly in the mornings if they were up. It was the worst... but I knew it was a small sacrifice. You get out of it what you put in.
The entire second half was spent working on various projects. It was in this portion where we put our new knowledge to work while also learning more in depth about system design and achitecturing apps to scale. My cohort's thesis projects included technologies like WebRTC, machine learning, block chain, Python, computer vision, IoT... one group coerced Amazon's Alexa into a daily journeling device. It's crazy what people accomplished.
It was during the senior portion, as well, that they prepped us all for the job hunt. The outcomes staff worked with us to clean up our digital selves (linkedin, angellist, etc) as well as making sure we had the soft skills necessary to get past each step in the the interview process.
Some folks in my cohort were unhappy with the second half. They thought there wasn't as much value since we weren't in lecture or churning through new curriculum as much as the first half. While I can see their point, I also remember how annoyed I was when my group had to pause our work to attend a lecture... even though the content of said lecture was crucial to some aspect of programming or the job hunt. So... could we have just as easily sat in the nearest cafe and coded on our own? Probably. But we would have lacked the guidance of the technical mentors as well as all the more dev ops-y lectures towards the end of the course. Plus... I learn by doing, not by sitting in a lecture. I'm far better prepared for applying for jobs now, instead of having to spend time after the course is over practicing my new skills.
In addition to the regular curriculum, there are some bonuses that HR provides. We study a new toy problem everyday which helps all the students prepare for the types of technical interview questions we'll see in the wild. The alumni network is incredible and all grads get job hunt support for life. Probably the best thing about HR, though, are the people here. The students are all diverse, smart and driven. I could accomplish more just by rubbing shoulders with these incredible people each day. The staff are super devoted. They sometimes stayed late to help us after hours... or they'd come out for a drink after a particularly tough day.
Finally, the leadership of the company has created a teaching philosophy that works wonders and they stick to those principles. I know bootcamps have a reputation for being fly-by-night money-making machines. While it was clear that Hack Reactor was a business, I always felt that our accomplishment was their top priority. This was especially evident when a much admired, non-technical staff-member quit their job during our cohort to study and take a stab at the entrance interview. This person had worked at the company for many years, had intimate knowledge of non-student-facing procedures and culture... and they decided the time and money were worth it.
Wow... look at me. I'm one of those gushing reviewers and I kind of feel bad that I can't be more objective. But this place is the real deal. If you are on the fence, go for it. Study study study to pass that entrance interview and keep trying if you don't get in the first go around.
How much does Hack Reactor cost?
Hack Reactor costs around $19,480.
What courses does Hack Reactor teach?
Hack Reactor offers courses like 12-Week Software Engineering Online Immersive, 19-Week Software Engineering Immersive with JavaScript & Python.
Where does Hack Reactor have campuses?
Hack Reactor teaches students Online in a remote classroom.
Is Hack Reactor worth it?
Hack Reactor hasn't shared alumni outcomes yet, but one way to determine if a bootcamp is worth it is by reading alumni reviews. 334 Hack Reactor alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Hack Reactor on Course Report - you should start there!
Is Hack Reactor legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 334 Hack Reactor alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Hack Reactor and rate their overall experience a 4.59 out of 5.
Does Hack Reactor offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Right now, it doesn't look like Hack Reactor offers scholarships or accepts the GI Bill. We're always adding to the list of schools that do offer Exclusive Course Report Scholarships and a list of the bootcamps that accept the GI Bill.
Can I read Hack Reactor reviews?
You can read 334 reviews of Hack Reactor on Course Report! Hack Reactor alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Hack Reactor and rate their overall experience a 4.59 out of 5.
Is Hack Reactor accredited?
Read details here: https://www.galvanize.com/regulatory-information
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