LearningFuze

I am currently completing my last week of the 12 week program. I did plenty of research on coding programs and attended various information sessions within the OC area before deciding to join LearningFuze. I mainly joined because of how passionate the instructors are and the highly collaborative environment. Both were signs of great culture and I knew I wanted to be in an environment that would push me to reach my potential.

Coming from a non-coding background, there was a level of uneasiness entering an unfamiliar industry. LearningFuze does a great job accelerating the knowledge of newcomers while still providing people with more technical backgrounds the level of challenge they need to grow. The curriculum has been refined over many years yet it still adapts to the skills employers are looking for, what students are interested in learning and the evolving best practices.

This program doesn't just feed you a list of rules to abide by as you code. You learn the logic and reasoning behind the best practices to become a well-rounded problem solver who can tackle even the most unfamiliar of questions. Since it typically takes years of experience to even come close to mastering the intricacies of any technology, building the skills to prepare yourself for an ever-changing industry will providing a foundation for a lasting career.

LearningFuze also provides assistance when it comes to the job search. Students go through a rigorous process to ensure their portfolios are ready to be shown to employers. Speaking and networking events are constantly being pushed to students and LearningFuze has its own network of companies to recommend students who have completed their portfolios to. LearningFuze also provides interview prep, resume reviews and lectures on how to optimize your job search.

I truly believe in LearningFuze and hope that this review provides a glimpse into the value of the program. I had a fantastic experience and although I do not know what may have happened if another path was taken, I am confident that I made the right decision to join.

LearningFuze provides a pleasant learning environment with very helpful instructors. Dan is remarkable when explaining tough concepts; he breaks it down with simple analogies that helped me understand and digest the topic. 

The program is fast paced, intense and like most reviewers said you get what you put in. I, for the most part, spend 10-12 hours a day to learn and absorb the learning materials as much as I can, I only go home to sleep and shower. I thought I couldn't maintain that for 3 full months, but I did. How?

At LFZ I was surrounded by like-minded, motivated people who want to learn to code as much as I do and I loved it! I'm not only learning from the instructors but also from my classmates, seniors, alumni and guest speakers from various tech companies. 

The curriculum gave us many opportunities to work together as a group. So we teamed up together, we got stuck on problems together, we solved programming problems together, and it was super fun and rewarding experience. 

As every night goes by, I looked forward to what I'm going to learn the next day. It won't be easy, but I knew I'm going to get a lot of help and support from the instructors learning the materials.

Days and weeks passed by, and before I know it 3 months happened, 2 weeks later I got an internship in Irvine. 2 months into the internship, and I got a full-time job in Los Angeles. 

Doing a boot camp was a big decision for me. Like you I researched different ones and read reviews. I contacted a couple of boot camps, attended info sessions, and I decided I like to move forward with LearningFuze, and I'm delighted I did.

I have just wrapped up the 12-week full immersion program at LearningFuze and wanted to share my thoughts because I know when I was looking for a boot camp I wanted to read as many reviews as possible.

LearningFuze was not the first boot camp I attended. I started out at another full immersion program in the area and I realized very quickly that I had made a mistake. Having spent two weeks at another program, I feel I have a unique perspective on the quality of instruction that LearningFuze offers.

Here are a couple of the things that I found most important.

LearningFuze focuses on coding fundamentals. You need to start with the basics and work your way up. The lead instructor, Dan, takes great care in making sure you understand the code you are writing and that you aren’t just memorizing the syntax without grasping the underlying concepts.

If a boot camp is trying to teach you React.js in the first or second week of the program when you can barely write a for loop in Javascript. Run away!

LearningFuze has plenty of instructors available to help you. One of the most frustrating things about the first boot camp I attended was the lack of assistance. There was one instructor for 14 students. If I had a question, I had to put myself in a queue and sometimes have to wait a couple hours if I was stuck while he was helping other students. What a waste of time! LearningFuze has at least seven instructors. I think the ratio of students to instructors is about 5 to 1. This makes it so easy to get the help you need. I have never had to wait very long at all to get the help I need and there are instructors on site almost every Saturday also.

Once the boot camp ends, the instructors are still there for you, assisting with getting your portfolio put together and polished.

What you need to know

Doing well at a boot camp requires a tremendous amount of time and dedication. If you are not able to put in the effort, it won’t matter where you attend school. You should expect to be putting in about 12 hours a day and working on the weekends too. Make sure your friends and family know you will be MIA for about three months.

It is challenging, but it is a great experience!

I am writing this review from the standpoint of completing 7 out of 12 weeks of this intense full immersion program. I still have 5 weeks left and everything about the program has been constantly exceeding my expectations.

My prior programming experience:

• HTML/CSS/JavaScript from codeCademy/freeCodeCamp
• Java exposure from my previous logistics job

I had a lot of holes in my understanding of programming concepts and didn't know how to bring it all together. It was difficult learning on my own due to my limited knowledge and lack of mentorship.

Which prompted me to start my search for a coding boot camp where the environment would push myself past my limits and build a stronger foundation in programming.

How I found LearningFuze (LFZ):
I inquired several coding boot camps around OC/LA through SwitchUp, CourseReport, and info sessions. LFZ stood out the moment I took up their free offer of sitting in on some of their lectures.

The staff, current students, and alumni are very transparent about their boot camp experience. It was a breath of fresh air compared to some other institutions around the area, especially for someone who was brand new to programming.
 

Why I chose LearningFuze:
After a few days of sitting in on their lectures, I discovered that I loved the teaching style of Lead Instructor Dan. He breaks down problems to a human level/plain english to solidify the concept and then correlates that idea to the code. 

After a few weeks of sitting in on lectures here and there, I decided to bite the bullet and enroll into their Root Level One class (1 of 2 of the pre-requisite classes before joining full immersion)

It was after taking the Root Level One class that I decided to really try and join the full immersion by moving on to their RootJS class (the second pre-requisite class before joining full immersion)

I was amazed at how well the other staff could explain concepts and really relate to the student because guess what? The majority of staff have been through the full immersion and excelled at the program. There is a student-instructor ratio of 5 to 1,
so help is never too far away.

No need to worry about office hours because everyone at LFZ (including alumni) are reachable through the LFZ Slack channels. Whether it's fellow students, alumni, and staff; everyone is friendly and open about code that I feel it nurtures a great environment to have focused learning on programming.

What is the full immersion like?

The curriculum is INTENSE.
A prospective student should take a Root class at LFZ and really see if programming is for them before proceeding any further.

JavaScript, JavaScript, JavaScript!!!!!
If there is something I could have improved on before joining full immersion is more practice with JavaScript. This was the same advice I was given by alumni, current students, and instructors. They were 200% correct, but I do not regret too much about beginning the full immersion at the level of JavaScript I knew at the time.

Although the curriculum is well structured, it is fast-paced. I struggle every day, but it is all worth it because what I learn is so invaluable. Students are not only taught programming languages, but how to approach a problem and think of a solution. We are taught to break down problems down to a human level and translate our human solution to a coding solution.

Expect to spend 10-14 hours Monday-Friday to learn from lectures, practice-problems, and projects. Maybe 8 hours on Saturdays to help catch up for when you fall behind (yes almost everyone will fall behind)

The program is designed to have students fail. This is because the faster we fail, the faster we learn from our mistakes and keep moving forward. Students would rather fail during the boot camp than to fail at an actual job.

The curriculum also covers whiteboard interviews and resume / portfolio building.
As many other reviewers have stated before. You really get everything out of this program depending on how much time/effort you put into it.

Advice:

1. Be 100% committed, you will have to make sacrifices. Especially with Netflix, friends/family/significant others. Just communicate well with who need to keep in touch with.
2. Communication is KEY! If you have questions, don't stay quiet! Just ask if you don't understand or else you will fall behind.
3. Attitude. We are all here to learn, don't ruin it for others by being a jerk.
4. DO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS!
   To be honest, I still struggle with this everyday. I need to constantly remind myself that there will always be those better/worse than me. What I learned is that everyone from all walks of life can bring something to the table. So don't count yourself out so early in the game
   It's a marathon, not a race.

LearningFuze is a great bootcamp with instructors who will do their best to solidify your JavaScript skills. I was always asking Cody for practice problems in the beginning to build my foundation and he was always willing to help and come up with new problems. Dan is excellent at breaking problems down and trying to make sure everyone is on the same page and understands thorogougly before moving onto the next topic. For any future students reading this, make sure you are disciplined enough to put in 10-12 hour days and even weekends. For the most part, I was always the earliest to arrive and last to leave because I knew that I would be distracted at home. It will be tough to want to study and code on the weekends, especially Sunday but it will make a significant difference. What's great is that LFZ is open on Saturdays with instructors being present. I took a part-time Javascript course for about 3 weeks at a previous bootcamp in the Irvine area and made the switch over to LFZ and I have no regrets - at the part time program, our homework was to do codeacademy and freecodecamp... The prototypes and the curriculum at LFZ are superior and you will get what you put in.

This bootcamp iprovides everything you need to be successful. Compared to other programs, LearningFuze gives students the most bang for their buck. The instructors are extremely knowledgable and always there for you.

You truly get out what you put into this program. They do a great job of setting the playing field for you and help initiate your career in development. The most important thing you can get out of this program is the ability to learn and continue learning as you move forward.

The program structure simulates the real world work environment and encourages collaboration and communication amongst the students and instructors. Not only do you develop your technical skills, you have a change to develop soft skills.

This program is beyond exceeding my expectations. Coming into a program that is as condensed and accelerated as a boot camp, I was very concerned on the quality of education I would be receiving. I was quickly relieved as the instructors are extremely knowledgeable. Of course they teach the material, showing great knowledge of the code itself, but they teach more than just syntax and language. A main focus is the thought process behind every decision, and how to arrive at the correct solution for the problem you are currently facing.

I would suggest this program to anyone that is looking to get into software development

LearningFuze is an amazing learning environment with dedicated instructors who are knowledgdable in web development and computer science. As a continuing university student, I have had my fair share of computer science professors with a lack of motivation and care for their students. It is a direct contrast here at LearningFuze. Instructors are willing to spend hours on end to help students fully understand difficult-to-learn concepts. For instance, most instructors stay 1-2 hours after class (10am-6pm) to reteach concepts learned in class. Not once have I heard any of the LearningFuze instructors complain about a student not understanding a concept, which is a contrast from what I encounter in some of my classes in university.

Along with the great instructors to help guide you through the journey of computer science and programming, there are numerous workshops and presentations (led by TJ Kinion) on how to clean up your technical resume, how to make connections with other programmers and employers and how to effectively handle hard interview situations. TJ does a great job going over these topics throughout the program and making sure we sharpen up on our communication and soft skills. 

All in all, LearningFuze is an amazing learning environment that challenges you and sets you up for success. I now feel more confident to showcase both my programming and teamwork/leadership abilities to employers, and I am excited to finish up my last year of university with all of the skills I gained from LearningFuze. My biggest advice to anyone who's not sure of whether to do this program or not is to come to the info sessions and talk to the instructors and get a feel for its great learning atmosphere.  

I enrollled at Learning Fuze after considering many other bootcamps in the LA / Orange County area and could not be more satisfied with my decision. While making a career change can be daunting, the dedicated instructors, motivated peers and thorough curriculum at LFZ give its students the confidence to tackle that challenge head-on.

I initially chose LFZ because of the passion and teaching style of its lead instructor, Dan Paschal. I attended an info session and was impressed by Dan's attention to detail, patience and ability to make abstract programming concepts accessible to non-technical laymen. Once I started the program, I appreciated Dan's thorough instruction and commitment to his students all the more. 

Learning Fuze also offers introductory 'root' classes as a part of its full-immersion program. I felt the opportunity to take a month of entry-level classes to become more familiar with programming was a great asset and helped me prepare prior to the start of the full-time class. 

The full-immersion curriculum is incredibly well thought-out. The instructors and program directors at LFZ tailor their instruction to cover relevant technologies. Students cement their knowledge from lectures by creating many applications over the 12-week program period. Team projects allow students to gain experience with important tools and methodologies like Agile scrum, GitHub and Issue and Project Tracking. 

Learning Fuze fosters an environment for life-long learning and collaboration. The facility hosts meetups and alumni speaking events on a variety of topics. Peers motivate each other to push themselves and achieve goals. Intellectualy curiosity is encouraged; no question will go unanswered and instructors are available to assist students on a one-on-one basis. Alumni are also welcome to return any time after graduation, whether for instruction, a quiet work environment or just to hang out with their peers. 

I would highly reccomend Learning Fuze to anyone looking for a program that will prepare them to pursue a career in programming. Participating in their full-immersion program provided me with a solid fullstack JS, HTML and CSS foundation, the tools essential to succeeding in the field and and a number of strong friendships. 

Deciding on making a major career switch wasn't something easy.  Deciding on enrolling into LearningFuse was.

When I first interviewed with Bill, the Director of Operations at LearningFuze, I expressed my eager to experience how to team up with other brilliant developers for group projects, and hoped to gain valuable insight into how the Web development industry operates. Looking back, I can say without reservation that I got all that I've initially desired, and much more.

As was already mentioned in many other reviews, LFZ has a team of excellent, excellent instructors to help students succeed, and they are always there for us. Once I learned how to ask the right questions, I found myself moving forward with an amazing pace. I cannot count how many times a quick chat with an instructor helped me turn the corner -- Andy, Cody, Collette, you are all amazing!  Thank you so much for always showing me the light!  Then once a solid foundation was built, I was welcomed into the well-structured lectures by Scott on advanced topics, and honestly, words cannot describe how much joy I have felt while learning something new every day in his classroom.  Much respect.

One important aspect that sets LearningFuze apart is the support system they provide post-graduation. After finishing the 12-week full immersion program, I continued to go to the Alumni room to improve my skills and working on projects.  It is invaluable to have a knowledgeable, patient, and highly detail-oriented instructor like Tim, who dives deeply into my projects and always finds something "could be better" in my code, so that I will re-think and then improve. It was actually on the 39th day post-graduation that I finally received Tim's stamp of approval on all my projects and portfolio.  It may seem like a long period of time, but I have to say that it was a very enjoyable journey and well worth it.  Doing all the hard work to improve the projects allowed all the previously learned knowledge to precipitate and solidify as my *own* skill set, and in the end made me a better developer.

Coding aside, LearningFuze provides amazing networking opportunities and job support. Bill and TJ Kinion not only organize various networking events for us to meet potential employers, learn from alumni’s success, and catch up with current tech advancements, they also make time for individual students to help their job hunt.  I want to give a special shout out to TJ. I asked TJ for advice often (even when he was on his vacation in Greece) and had multiple mini-meetings with him to talk about various aspects of my job search.  He not only provided me with valuable resume building suggestions and interview guidance, but also in a broader sense influenced me with his always-so-positive attitude.  His positive spirit was a tremendous boost of energy that helped me through many things.  I will always be grateful for his assistance and support along the way. 

Last but not least, I truly cherish the friendship I have harvested from this program. When you are in the trench with someone 60+ hours per week, you bond with them.  I was fortunate to work alongside some brilliant and passionate cohort mates.  Going into class with them motivated me to be better every day.  All those special memories I share with my cohort mates, the LearningFuze staff and many of the students make me smile from time to time.     

A life-changing experience it was.

LearningFuze provides a well structured and detailed program taught by dedicated instructors. You will find that the instructors care about what they teach and will make sure that the students learn more than what is necessary to earn their role as a developer. 

The front and backend stack change depending on the market demand which helps the job applications be more competitive. The job assistance program provided at the end of the program also provide help that is well worth what you pay for.

Just like being in school, the most important thing will be how much time and effort you put in to everything given to you, but if you put in the necessary time and work, it's all worth the effort.