Prime Digital Academy

Enrolling into Prime Digital Academy Kansas City has truly the best decision I have made in my life. Today was graduation and I was happier today than I was when I received my Bachelors or my Masters. Words cannot sum up the value of what I learned, not just coding but personally as well. Now that I got my personal feeling about this program out of the way, I want to dive into what I have learned technically.

I built a full stack fully functional application that incorporates AWS that I use in my business. I then worked in a four member team to build a fully functional application to serve a client's need that incorporated the use of Google Calendar API and Twilio API! That's TWO APPLICATIONS that are in use! How many bootcamps can claim that?! That's just a part of the professional technical skills they teach. They also work on speech using the Toastmaster's method and taught us how to fail so that we can succeed. I'm not going to lie when I say that I don't get nervous to present in front of a crowd, but failing in front of my peers allowed me to succeed on the big presentation day.

Prime Digital Academy is the embodiment of Furious Learning. The instructors make sure that we are emotionally ready to learn, they lecture, and then give us assignments to reinforce and retain the information. It's not a joke when I say that you could be spending 60 to 80 hours a week on the accumulation of those assignments and weekend challenges.

I can only give the staff 5 stars but I wish I can rate them higher because they gave up 110%. Truly amazing people!

Prime might not be for everyone but when you put in the time and effort, it will change your life.

Read less

Prime is amazing and the best decision I've made in my professional life.

TL;DR

Prime is a full-time, intensive program. It doesn't fit everybody's learning style or life situation. As I began to look into software engineering I was uncertain about many of the options in Kansas City. I was even more wary of my online options, not because they aren't good (I have no experience with them) but because of my learning style.

I came across Prime while doing research on local programs and I set up an appointment that forever changed the trajectory of my life. This program is not easy. The instructors will push you to the point of failure. I wish I would've known that because then it would've made my first few weeks a bit more bearable. But it's when you get to the point of failure that you're ready to learn.

The instructors take massive amounts of personal time to help whenever there is a question but you have to be willing to ask. You can't get help until you put your pride away and ask. They bring in tech companies from the community, they teach how to speak, and they enable us to do real projects that help real clients. 

We learn full-stack JavaScript. The curriculum goes deeper than any other program I've researched. We go deep into JavaScript, React, Redux, Node, SQL, etc. As I said, this isn't for the faint of heart and you will be pushed. You'll need to rely on your fellow team members, the instructors, and your support system. If you can't make it through the program you only pay for what you were taught. So, yes it's expensive, it's full-time, but it takes that kind of commitment to become a good software engineer and transition to a new career. Take the risk on yourself, you won't regret it.

I loved the cohort I was in. We all came from diverse backgrounds and that enabled us to work well together. There were times of friction, as in any group, but we rallied and encouraged each other to press on and now we're graduating.

Prime cares deeply for its students. I have never encountered a more helpful and loving group of people. One of the major positives is that they don't leave you after you graduate. They stick by your side and keep you accountable. They give you all the tools you need to succeed and are by your side every step of the way.

Prime not only made me into a software engineer but they helped me to grow as a person. I was pushed like never before, I wanted to quit on day 2, but I trusted the system and I'm incredibly thankful I did. I'm forever grateful to the wonderful people at Prime KC. They're amazing people, instructors, and friends. 

Read less

That was a quote from one of my cohortmates. Prime really is the best decision I could have made to transition my life as an adult switching careers. Before this program I was working paycheck to paycheck doing dead end retail and food service jobs. Having a degree in Grpahic Design, I understood the WHAT of design but Prime really teaches the WHY of design. The instructors, Ange and Kyre and Bryce, are so knowledgeable and really have your back. All of the staff at Prime are helpful and truly want you to succeed. The comeraderie amonst cohortmates and staff is unparalleled. One motto that seems to permeate through the entire schooling is "we all succeed as long as EVERYONE succeeds". One thing I had heard about bootcamps was the cut-throat nature of them. Prime is the direct opposite of that. Even alumni students truly WANT you to succeed. The program is intense, long hours, but so well worth it. I was able to find a job right away (in fact I got the job offer the day of graduation) and the staff is so helpful in finding something that is right for each student.

Read less

Prime was one of the best decisions of my career. I went from having no coding experience to having a job as a software engineer in six months. I would defiantly recommend this program to anyone who is willing to put their time and all energy into learning code. 

Read less

Prime helped give me the foundation I needed to become a UX Designer in the industry as well as networking and mentor opportunities. 

If you put in the time and effort, you'll be rewarded.

The staff is invested in seeing you succeed and the instructors are awesome.

Read less

Prime gives you a blueprint, building tools and all the consultation you can ask for. It is up to you what to do with it. 

Prime is structured enough to give you an appropriate scope of the many facets of the UX process, but flexible enough to allow you to explore areas that interest you most.

Prime not only prepares you to be a UXer but also to be a competitive and knowledgeable candidate in the industry. If you put in the work, there will be results.

I am happy to say two months after graduating I am happily employed!

Undoubtedly worth it.

Read less

I don't know how else to describe it.
In 20 weeks I went from being a competent computer user to designing and writing fully functional computer programs.
Trust the curriculum, trust the instructors, trust the staff. They all want to see you succeed. 
I would recommend this program to anyone.

Read less

If you’re in the Twin Cities and are serious about getting into software development, this is absolutely the place to go. 

The curriculum is here legit. It’s been carefully crafted, and is continually improved upon. They teach full-stack Javascript, but they do an excellent job teaching you the broader concepts in programming. They set you up for success after school by teaching you how to teach yourself new technologies - a skill that is immensely valuable in a field that is always changing. I was a part of the first cohort to go through their software development program since it switched from 18 weeks to 20 weeks. I thought the additions they’ve made were great - there’s a solid introduction to OOP, more insights & material for ongoing career success/getting a job, and I think the overall pacing of the in-classroom time benefitted greatly from the change.

The people that come through the door here are great. The staff are amazing, and are genuinely invested in your success & well-being. I think your experience could vary a little bit based on the cohort you’re with and your primary instructors. I happened to hit the jackpot, and had a phenomenal group of people to learn alongside and instructors to learn from. We got a chance to interface with most of the instructors at some point during the program, benefitting from their various experiences & coding styles. 

They do a great job of setting you up for success post-Prime. While you’re in school, they offer support on resumes, networking, LinkedIn, etc. They set you up with mentors in the industry. When you’re done with school, the support continues. Plus, you have a network of Prime grads that are happy to help others out with continued learning and connections.

If you think this might be the place for you, I’d definitely recommend stopping by for an open house or giving them a call. And/or just apply and see what happens. You won’t regret it.

Read less

Prime Academy was a life changing experience. It is a weird place, in beautiful way.

Every piece of Prime Academy is intentionally designed. The courses were designed by a true educator, someone who considers how people best learn and removes all pretense of formality focusing solely on the student's success.

It is a challenging experience and should only be entered into by people who are committed 100%. It takes everything you have, but the gains are massive. 

Prime cares about its community and the impact those people will have on the greater world. This place knows that collaboration, not competition, is where the real joy exists. Relationships and soft skills are highly empasized. Get ready to be a seasoned public speaker!

I would start again tomorrow. 

Read less

Prime allowed me to delve into both research and design, and working individually and on teams with real-world clients allowed me to understand how the work would translate at a company.  But hands down the best aspect about Prime is the community that comes with it while you're there, and more importantly, after you leave.   Read less

I have a teaching background, and I was very impressed with the curriculum and professional development. From the application process onward, everything was very intentional. I developed the technical and soft skills necessary to be an empathetic engineer.



In terms of my specific experience, I started with five weeks of part-time learning in JavaScript. Then, I spent a month learning all the components of full-stack development, followed by another month acquiring additional skills within the full-stack. Finally, I spent the last two months working on both a solo and a group project. These projects provided great experience in the full life cycle of software development. Read less

Prime did a great job of getting me ready to be a software engineer.  I learned how to build a website from the front end all the way to the full stack of Client, Server and Database.  This culminated in two projects I can show off as original work including a pro bono non profit project.  Their career staff also did a great job preparing me for the interview and networking processes as I pivoted from my previous career.   Read less

I can’t say enough good things about Prime. The information and learning is laid out in a way that is easy to understand and quickly put into practice. I went from knowing only the basics of HTML and CSS to being a full-time front-end developer in 6 months (with a very substantial raise from my previous career. The support and community that they provide and encourage though is what sets them apart from other bootcamps. Taking care of each other is important at Prime. If you’re looking for a boot camp that is worth the time and money, this is it! Read less

Prime's UX instructors were excellent and did a great job at designing the course for a remote setting. I learned so much here and you really do get how much you can put into it. The big + of their program is emphasis on user research skills and competency that I don't think you would get at any other bootcamp. It is a full end-to-end curriculum and you get a lot of assistance throughout the program. The reason for the 4/5 stars on curriculum is because there isn't time setup right now for students to really learn visual design skills. I already came to prime with vector software and visual experience so it wasn't really an issue for me but others that had little or no experience had a difficult time leveling up and making their work look presentable to recruiters who don't distinguish between visual design skills and UX. If there were 2 full-time additional weeks (20 weeks total) dedicated to visual design at the beginning, I think those without that experience would have a better post-job hunting experience for entry-level or associate-level roles.  Read less

Prime is a one-of-a-kind experience! I learned so much about software development, but more importantly so much about how to learn. The skills and acumen I gained there helped land me a job right after my Cohort finished. This isn’t necessarily everyone’s experience, but it was mine. Additionally, they have a wonderful career development part of the program that continues post-graduation. The network of employers they’ve developed relationships with is also helpful. Great people from the head of the company all the way to instructors. (Don’t think you’ll find a better bunch)  Read less

Prime Digital Academy gave me the skills and experience I needed to take my career to the next level, in a more technical role as a project manager. The staff are dedicated and truly care about your success both during and following completion of the 20-week course. It's an intense program, but it is 20 weeks of your life vs. the rest of your career. I learned so much and made some great connections during my time at Prime. I highly recommend this program if you're looking to transition to a career in technology.  Read less

I had a great experience at Prime Digital Academy. The instructors are knowledgeable, patient and assertive. They understand not everyone learns at the same pace and try to put the extra effort where is needed without dragging faster students behind. The facilities are well equipped with everything you need, including breakfast food and coffee, which you will need a lot. During the five months you'll feel a lot of pressure to keep up and learn everything in the curriculum but they have managed to find the balance where the pressure is not so much that it becomes counterproductive. In conclusion, I would recommend this program to anyone looking to learn how to code, you won't regret it. Read less

Prime Digital Academy is an excellent program that I would recommend to anyone looking to get into tech. They gave me the proper tools to succeed and flourish as a software engineer and a human. The staff is extremely supportive, nice, and helpful the entire time offering their knowledge on all things tech and business. 

The community and network they offer outside of actual code is also amazing. They surround you with alike individuals from all sorts of different backgrounds and life paths. Anyone looking to get into tech should check out Prime. 10/10 experience  Read less

A really great and challenging program! Prime took me from little to no experience in code to knowing an abundance of it in just 20 weeks! Really turned my life around for me!!
The staff there is great, super helpful and is really genuine in caring about your education. Just all around they are amazing people. Plus you get the opportunity to meet amazing people in your cohort and stay connected! Read less

I love Prime. They're always making sure you're getting the most out of the material. They treat you with respect and are always willing to help out. I asked so many questions and they were always ready to answer without making me feel stupid. They even talked me out of a downward spiral on a semi-regular basis. Read less