LaunchCode

I started LC101 in October 2018 and was placed in an apprenticeship as a full stack developer on the last day of September, 2019. After the 6 month apprenticeship I was hired as a full stack developer.

LC101 met 3 hours, 2 days per week for 6 months but required 15 hours or more work outside of class to keep up with the workload. After LC101 I attended Liftoff, a 2 month LaunchCode program to get you ready for interviews, help with building a portfolio and a resume. After Liftoff, I was accepted into the apprenticeship program. LaunchCode got me 2 interviews and on the second, I was hired as a LaunchCode contractor. At the end of 6 months, I was hired as a software developer.

I think that the main takeaway is that this program works but you have to be ready to put in the work if you want results.

I completed LC101 successfully twice. I also completed Liftoff successfully. Not one single interview or apprenticeship was ever offered. I took this supposedly empowering course to better my situation. All of my original TA’s quit in the middle of the cycle, both times. I was led to believe that 80% of their graduates are placed into internships, which is very misleading. I attempted to procure a TA position for myself, figuring I would show up for every class, already a step above the TA’s I had had, but was denied. I was also one of 120 or so people who applied for a SCRUM Master role after my first graduation on my own and was rejected. I am incredibly disappointed. I had to email the “Success Coach” several times just to get her to respond to me. I’m no better off now than I was when I started, and in my experience, the vast majority of graduates DO NOT procure jobs through LaunchCode. You will be teaching yourself, learning alone, and getting your own job with no assistance of any kind. 

First off, I will say I graduated and was placed into a job by LaunchCode. I am very grateful for the opportunity, and it's worked out very well for me in the 2 years since I was hired. 

The good:
If a classroom environment is right for you, then you will likely do well here. I learn better in a classroom, surrounded by like minded individuals. I have too many distractions at home to really focus and teach myself, though I had gotten fairly far with some Python a year or two before applying, and have been using HTML and CSS for over 20 years now. 

It's completely and totally free. My only expenses were a new laptop (only because I spilled water on my perfectly working one about halfway through the course) and transportation/commuting costs. They achieve this by partnering with the companies in the area they're located, and promising them developers who have gone through their program for temporary apprenticeships. This reduces the risk for their local partnered companies, as these are $15 an hour positions for 3 months. If a few people come in and prove themselves, then they're likely to take more LaunchCode graduates. Compared to comparable programs, which can cost $10k or more, this is probably the most important positive of LaunchCode. 

Several of the teachers were really great teachers, senior level software engineers with experience in the language that they were teaching. My teacher for Java could easily have been a Computer Science professor at a large university, and often would point out and correct some inaccuracies or suggest better practices than the examples in the course material. 

The bad:
The course materials are confusing, lacking, or at times incorrect. I'll preface this by saying the material is constantly changing and evolving from "semester" to "semester". However, where it usually is pretty good at telling you how something works, there was almost no coverage of WHEN to use something. Real world examples would be super beneficial, but are usually absent. You can really only get so far with a basic understanding of each of the puzzle pieces and how they work by themselves, but no real knowledge of how to fit them together to build an application that is efficient, maintainable, and scalable. Again, my course was 2 years ago, and was only the second (I believe) time it had been run in my city, so this could have changed by now. However, I have a friend who is in the current class and has shared the current material with me. While the material has been updated, some of it is still worded in a fairly confusing manner.

You will be teaching yourself a fair amount. The course only meets in person twice a week for at most 3 hours. Often, less than half of it is actual lecture time, with the remaining time used for "studio" aka the lab portion. I'd say over 75% the time, I was out the door in 2 to 2.25 hours. There is only so much lecture that can really be absorbed in a single day for most people, so I understood this, but when you're only really being "taught" for 2 to 3 hours a week, they can't cover everything that is important. But, I do feel like that is partly by design. Again, this is a completely free program. They're looking for not only the best and the brightest, but the hardest workers and the ones willing to teach themselves, as this absolutely IS a skill you need to succeed in any development position. There will always be new libraries, new languages, new tools, etc that you will be expected to teach yourself. We started with 250 people, but dropped down to about 110 after unit 1 of 3 finished. More trickled out over the next two units, so I'd say only 60-80 people actually finished the LaunchCode 101 portion. However, the people who do finish have shown that likely fit into a few categories that are marketable to companies looking for developers:

1. smart enough to pick things up very quickly with minimal teaching, and can learn by reading, modifying, and just testing things out. 
2. can pick things up pretty easily with minimal teaching, but still have to supplement their knowledge with extra reading, especially for upper-intermediate and advanced topics
3. not naturally inclined to programming, and likely lagged behind others in their course, but determined enough to teach themselves, take a concurrent online course, and spend several hours studying or practicing their skills daily until they find a job

All three of these "types" of people are valuable to a dev team, especially if you think differently to other people that stereotypically fit into a developer role. Someone who isn't naturally inclined to programming will bring insights that those who are naturally gifted won't think about. 

However, that leads me to my final, most frustrating negative. LaunchCode's apprenticeship program/job placement unit, called LiftOff, is not technically part of the base LaunchCode course. It was a 4th, optional unit, for people who wanted an apprenticeship. And apprenticeship is a pretty good word for it. It's really just continuing on the job training for at least 3 months. Many times this turns into an offer for a full position at more than $15 an hour, but other times it doesn't, and you go back into the program until another company picks you up. I'm honestly okay with all of this, as I feel it is fair and gives the people who work well on teams a shot to impress the company they are at for 3 months, guaranteed, for livable compensation. 

The main issue is that their list of apprenticeships is not fair, is not revolving, and if you don't land a job in the first 6 months afterwards, you likely won't through LaunchCode.  Search for LaunchCode on any job listing website, and you'll find dozens of postings advertising not LaunchCode, but their apprenticeship program. If you have all the skills necessary, you can apply and get accepted, while doing no ACTUAL work in any of the units. So, they're filling the list with people who have Computer Science degrees but haven't gotten into the industry yet, and as someone who took a free boot camp, it's very hard to compete. Additionally, I learned that a local company has a deal where they are guaranteed the top 15 from each semester for first interviews, and they hire 5 of those each year. If you're in the group of 10 that interview but aren't hired, you're nearly guaranteed to be placed within the first few months of finishing LiftOff. These are the "best and brightest" to them. I put enough work in to interview, but not be hired, and was placed at a job less than 2 months later. It seems that most of the rest of the positions are filled by the non-LaunchCode apprentices. My TA for the third unit had taken LaunchCode the year before me, but still hadn't been placed anywhere, and hadn't had any interviews set up by LaunchCode in 9 or 10 months, all the while job postings are going up on every imaginable site advertising the apprenticeship program. 

I just feel that it's a bit dishonest to pass yourself off as training these great graduates who go on to do great things when in reality, it seems like a small percentage of those they actually teach are showing what LaunchCode can do. They need to work on standing on their own merit, and maybe that's the slow play, get integrated with partner companies, and show the types of people that can come in (even if a bit dishonestly), they give themselves more staying power in that city, but it just doesn't seem right to me. 

However, I do know of many people who did not get placed by LaunchCode that did end up in development positions or in positions with a fast track to a development position, so if you're in the final graduate list, you do have what it takes to come in at a junior or associate level. Just be expected to prove yourself and strive to be in the top 15. 

Overall, I have to say it worked for me. My pay has increased by well over 50% in the 2 years since I completed the course, and I am much happier than i ever was in any other job. I finally feel like I have a career, and part of that is thanks to LaunchCode. 

If you can look past the negatives, and realize that getting what they offer for absolutely zero risk to you except your time, you will see that this is easily one of the most accessible programs out there. If you are a self-starter, good at learning on your own, and determined to change your life, you'll do fine. 

How can you complain about FREE!?
LaunchCode is an amazing opportunity. This company is making a change in the community. I am currently graduating from from their Data Analytics program and I can say it is far better than any paid boot camp I have attended. I learned so much in such a short amount of time. Like anything you get what you put into it. Breaking into a new field takes time and NETWORKING. This program was incredible! My instructor was incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, and clearly articulated the subject matter. I would do it all over again.. 

This course is just like someone giving you full load of videos and materials, then ask you to watch and read! 

Don't expect lots of assistance from the TAs, they are students as well.

In the beginning you will recieve lots of support from the administration, then toward the end of the course, you are on your own!!

It seems as if everyone disappeared! The class size shrinks into half the size of students, then what so called "Job placement assistance" are gone! 

First their attitude is like you are the begger and they are giving you money or job! then try reach out to anyone, and good luck if they answer, or solve anything.

I just finished the course and never heared anything from anyone! No job interviews, no updates, or anything. Just like that. They give you a piece of paper that says "you have achieved and completed LC101 course" 

If you have time to watch lots of videos and want some general information about coding, then this course is for you.

If you are looking for a job and a career in coding, then don't waiste your time. You tube it and google jobs. 

I would tell you more once I find where everyone (Teachers and administrators) went! probably Mars.

I attended LaunchCode's most recent immersive coding bootcamp and can speak very highly of it. Even after you graduate, they won't place you in a program until you've done a project that demonstrates knowledge of one of the languages you've learned in the camp, as well as new skills you've learned on your own. They highly encourage you to pick a language in demand in your area, and in my area the language of most demand is Java. So, I'm still working on my project and haven't gotten an internship yet, but many people I know (from previous cohorts) have gotten an internship through them and are extremely thankful for the opportunity. I can't say LC is perfect, but I will vouch for the fact that they care deeply about what they are doing and constantly trying to improve the services they provide. It's definitely a very challenging class. You will learn a lot of if you dedicate the time and energy to follow their curriculum. 

LaunchCode can be a very good experience for someone, but there are a few things that are out of your control that can really make it a waste of time and effort. 

If you go into LaunchCode with previous experience or exposure to coding in any language or even at a basic level, it will help your over all experience with the program. Knowing people who've been through each type of course they offer, if you're the kind of person that learns better in a classroom environment then the full time class might be something to look at. If you're able to teach yourself with minimal help, the part time class can be great. Those are things you can control and I definitely recommend it for anyone considering any kind of bootcamp, seeing concepts a second time in the class as opposed to the first time can be a huge difference. 

Some of the things that can be disappointing about the program that are completely out of your control. 
The teaching staff and the TA's. Many are former students, some instructors don't even have any kind of Engineering Degree, they're just delivering the content that was provided to them by LaunchCode, and that content itself can often be incorrect or very often unclear. 

Some TA's are vert dedicated to the students and their success, others are disconnected and disinterested. In the full time class you have access to all the TA's, in the part time class you get assigned a TA and may never interact with the other ones, so if you get assigned a bad TA, too bad, so sad. 

The content in the "book" is often unclear. It's like it was written by an experienced developer FOR an experienced developer in many places and if your teaching staff isn't experienced then you're going to come away with a lot of "I have no idea" answers. 

Now to the really bad.
The way that they sell the placement numbers is incredibly dishonest. As others have mentioned they often place their own graduates as TA's, I believe that between that and the classes that they do for specific companies (ie: training existing employees in some new technology) they count as "placed students", even though those "students" had guaranteed jobs and LaunchCode did nothing to help place them. 

If you're not in the top 10% of your class, don't count on them placing you in an apprenticeship. You may never even get contacted to interview for one by LaunchCode. 

All of that said, it CAN work out for people. You may need to work hard after your class is over, continuing your education and applying to places yourself, but LaunchCode can be a solid base to start from, just don't believe the stories they tell you with their placement and success rates of their students. 

I've been involved with LaunchCode as both a student and teaching assistant, and was able to get my first software engineering position after their introductory web development course (LC101) and career readiness program (LiftOff). It is fast paced, challenging, and it is a tremendous help to be able to look up more details on things that you have difficulties with--exactly the type of thing people do in a professional development setting. You can learn the skills to get your first developer (or other tech) job after this program, but there are a lot of applicants across all bootcamp programs coming out with similar skills, and it helps to keep learning and building your portfolio afterward. Overall, it is a free program offering a product similar to bootcamps that may cost $15,000. They may not have as many resources as other options that charge a ton of money. But if you're a self-starter who can keep pressing on, I've seen many people successfully transition into tech jobs with the help of LaunchCode.

Launchcode gave me the ability to start a brand new career in my 30s while juggling a baby and household to run. The fact that it is free only scratches the surface of what makes it amazing. Everyone at LC wants you to succeed and will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Teachers meeting on weekends for 1:1 help, Admin making accommodations for life events or special needs, and a network of alumni to support you in the real world. Although an apprenticeship is not guaranteed, the company relations team does an excellent job procuring opportunities for those that put in the work!

I feel like this school particularly is good for getting new techies to submit their time with no reward. Most of my linkedin buddies are still looking for jobs its been a long time. I also feel everything you can learn from them you can literally learn from youtube and google like literally. You could learn from talking to an engineer for one month its just idk. It's free education but your time costs spend it wisely. Also I don't think they pay their instructors well enough for them to want to teach folks.

The course is quite bad, run by instructors with not much experience, in quite a hostile environment. I have seen many stories on their greediness. Many people who thought they were not able to make it and wanted to leave during the beginning of the program were convinced to stay and then left by themselves totally behind. I swear out of all the people of my cohort, like 90% of them wanted to leave negative feedback but they were afraid the post-job assistance would not provide anything in that case.

  For the projects, there's no real standard for quality. I put in a lot of work to make ambitious projects with pretty web design so they would actually look good on my resume. But looking at other students' work, I saw most people just did the bare minimum to pass the project requirements. I didn't feel like there was any incentive for people to try and become "great" web developers with projects they could be proud of. It definitely seems like they care more about quantity because that's what really serves their reputation. During the program, I had a friend who went to another intensive bootcamp (which I won't name). But she gave me access to her school's portal, and I did the majority of their workshops. Honestly, the difference in quality was staggering. Their information was much more so up-to-date and their approach to web development so much more engaging and serious.   Job Placement Numbers - While they market their job placement % numbers all over the place, the truth is that they hire a substantial number of their own graduates to be teaching fellows/assistants and instructors for their own program.  What this means is that they can claim this as legitimate employment for their graduates but it doesn't really satisfy the true perception that the industry as a whole thinks about their graduates in terms of programming skills & knowledge, as much as their job placement numbers hope to lead you to believe.  In reality it's a win-win for them because it allows them to report high job % placement numbers as well as hire relatively cheap teaching staff for their program. And even the lucky few who get into the apprenticeship program, they usually end up working hard for peanuts with no guarantee after completing their apprenticeship which often turns out to be just a cheaply-compensated internship.