SoftStack Factory

SoftStack Factory is a great place to start if you want to learn how to code because this program provides with fundamental knowledge of programming. I had zero knowledge and skills of how to code, but just after a few months I’ve made huge progress and started developing web applications. The instructors are very helpful, they are not going to give you an answer right away, but they will help you come to the right answer yourself. Under their supervision, I saved so much time and struggle. The decision to go through this Bootcamp was the best decision I have ever made.  

This bootcamp was a bit of a lifesaver, I couldn't manage working a traditional bootcamp AND working my full-time job, yet was dying to know more about coding and programming. This checked all the boxes for me and actually received more when it came to my expectations for such a bargain of a price. I was able to quickly get to coding and begin creating my own web applications in as little as a few weeks. I did go through the entire course regimen and was asked to stay to gain more experience...all without any extra pay from me! I currently just graduated and am actively creating my own projects and portfolio, i couldn't be happier with such a great start.

SoftStack Factory is a fantastic start for anyone looking to transition to a software development career or just learn some programming basics. I recommend doing some free bootcamp prep course before you start the program so you can be solidifying your fundamentals while going through the first phase. This will really be helpful when you start the second phase, as the MEAN Stack course comes at you fast with a lot of new concepts. From the second phase onwards, you will begin building projects and getting experience with mostly frontend and some backend programming. The final group project gives you a taste of collaborating with a team and building a larger scale application. 

This, and I doubt any, bootcamp will have you prepared to enter right into an entry level programming job unless you have previous experience. The class meets Monday and Wednesday from 6-10, which the instructors will usually lecture on new topics and then proceed to giving challenges or time for working on projects. With the limited class time available, it is a program in which the more time and effort you invest in it out of class the more you will learn. The instructors and especially the program director, Peter, are great at steering you in the right direction when you inevitably get stuck. Overall, Softstack has a great learning environment and is an incredible opportunity at only a few hundred dollars, not thousands, to get the bootcamp jump into programming. 

When you're done trying to learn on your own through all of the free online resources, this is the place to be. When trying to get up to speed and job ready, this material is where it's easy to hit a wall and find things difficult. The faculty at Softstack will provide the curriculum, but the hard work is still up to you. When you finally succeed after putting in the effort it will be incredibly rewarding. The big difference between Softstack and going it on your own is the faculty. They are clearly invested in their students, and having them available to bounce questions off of when you are actually stuck is great for getting over road blocks. If you're thinking about it, just take the leap and give this place a shot.

Compared to other bootcamps, SoftStack is practically free, but unlike most free things, there is no catch. The instructors are great and really care about you. It’s a great environment to learn in. Wish they would offer some sort of advanced MEAN Stack course, I would’ve easily stayed another few months. Looking back, I wish they went deeper into backend stuff, but there’s only so much you can cover in the time allowed. There’s no official career services, but they genuinely care about you and try to help you prepare for the job market. If you’re thinking about learning how to code, I don’t see why you would go anywhere else than SoftStack.

I had done a fair amount of research looking for a decent bootcamp that didn't cost an arm and a leg so I was well aware of the average cost of a bootcamp and I was sure that there had to be a catch when I first read about Soft Stack. I can assure you that Soft Stack is real, there is no catch and more than that, the instructors and people who run it are deeply invested in the personal growth of the students and the program as a whole. I would recommend this program a hundred times to anyone who lives in San Diego. The knowlege I gained during this course helped me immediately land a job that I otherwise would not have been qualified for.

I highly recommend Soft Stack Factory.

I attended the Softstack Factory cohort that started in July of 2018, I found the program on Facebook where someone had recommended it, I applied because the price was right, I had always been anti bootcamp because to me they all seemed to be like the technical schools you hear horror stories about where they push out graduates that end up with a useless piece of paper and no actual job skills.

That was not the experience at SSF. The program at SoftStack is designed to give you the real world skills that you need to be a web developer. While many bootcamps focus mainly on interview prep and helping you build skills for a resume this course teaches you the things that you'll actually need to know in order to be a developer.

The program I attended was the MEAN stack, (Mongo, Express, Angular, and Node) so it was all Javascript based with the right amount of focus on simple languages like HTML and CSS. Before attending I had been self-teaching for 3 years and freelancing with WordPress, I was decent at CSS, but Javascript was my kryptonite, no matter how much money I poured into online courses I couldn't get it, in a sense, attending this Bootcamp was my last ditch effort to understand and Javascript.

Within one month I had a better understanding of Javascript and was more comfortable, capable and knowledgable than I was while trying to self teach for 3 years. The program really drives fundamental JS into your head before moving into node based frameworks which is what you need in order to be successful, if JS isn't your thing, It's no problem because with any programming language you're learning the concept and the language/syntax is just a small difference that you can pick up, after SSF my PHP skills drastically improved because of the concepts that were taught.

My cohort ended in Mid December, one week before my cohort ended I actually accepted a job as a front end developer and had many other very successful interviews. 

After speaking with my new CTO, and fellow developers, they all praised the SSF program because as I mentioned earlier in this review SSF focuses on teaching you real-world application of Javascript/Programming rather than the fluff that just prepares you for interviewing and whiteboard questions.

My advice to anyone looking to attend:

The first portion of the course seems trivial, but it's simply because they're teaching you the skills you'll need in an easy to digest manner, you'll thank yourself for putting max effort into this portion when you advance in the course.

Don't do the minimum - Spend time in addition to class studying more advanced concepts, dive deep into ES6, angular, rxjs etc. The more time you spend studying, the more advanced concepts you look into, the more you'll get out of this program. Not to say that this program falls short, because they fit a lot of content into a short period of time, but you'll really excel if you put in the extra time.

Ask questions in class, don't be afraid, I never asked questions, then I'd be at home doing the projects wishing I had.

What I would change:

Not much, if anything I'd just want the program to be longer.

I took SoftStack Factory MEAN-Stack Bootcamp this year, and it has been an useful and rewarding educational experience. 

I would definitely recommend to everyone to take this 24-week Full stack Javascript program, if you want to learn Javascript from scratch and prepare to learn more ways to work with Javascript in the future.

Course curriculum is the well-structured and provides a solid understanding of core theoretical concepts and their practical applications.

Thank to Peter for his approach to teach the lectures, for all his systematic organization of all materials and actually care about their students. I thoroughly enjoyed the class and got a lot of support.

The course is very intensive and comprehensive. You will create apps using a the MEAN Stack and learn how to build hybrid mobile applications with the Ionic framework.

Join SoftStack Factory and take your skills to the next level!

I was interested an adding coding as a skill but, with no intentions more I was unwilling to pay thousands of dollars. I found soft stack factory which had great reviews and a wonderful price tag! Hindsight I would of paid 2-3 more times knowing what I was going to get out of it. I went in knowing absolutely nothing (I wish I would of known some of the vocabulary/lingo, just to have helped my process move on a little faster - don’t worry you’ll learn it all). By the end of the course I look at the world completely different! While working I think of various problems and different ways to solve. I have a greater appreciation for everything thing, because I think about the coding and the people that went into that! I was challenged throughout the course both mentally and with time. The instructors are going to challenge you while guiding. They all work in the real world of coding and understand the problems and situations your going to be in, they try to put you in those shoes so you’re ready! There is no guaranteed career at the end, but,  if that’s what your about, don’t worry. These people know people and if you work really hard and try your best they will use their resources to help AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! I would recommend this even if it’s just a starting point. You will be able to create a website that is interactive that allows real users to login, as well as make phone apps! Seriously everyone  who I talk about my experience with can’t wait to join because they want to become the genius they now think I am!! I’m so happy to be part of the SSF community and can’t wait to see their growth and my personal growth! you’ll never thank yourself enough for joining and sticking to it! Good luck and have fun! 

After completing SoftStack at the end of 2017, I can see that the experience has positively affected my career. My cohort took place during program shifts and development. What I saw was a program that really matured and improved and continues to do so. Beyond the program, I found the most valuable asset to SoftStack was the environment. There are a few things that make this successful. First, SoftStack has very engaged instructors. SoftStack is a non-profit. The instructors chose to be there because they are passionate about learning and want to give back. They invest in the student doing well; which makes all the difference. Another factor is the other students. The students at SoftStack Factory often have other jobs, tend to be clever, and are very goal oriented. Exactly the type of people you would want to go through this process with. As the course progresses to different phases, your peers become even more engaged and supportive. I think these elements that contribute to the SoftStack environment are key.

Personally, I have gone on to work at Qualcomm as a data analyst. The exposure I received to databases, SQL, HTML and JavaScript has bolstered my integration at my new job. A year has passed and I'm still finding new ways to use skills gained at SoftStack. In addition, I’m still in touch with some members of my cohort, and enjoy the network that we developed.

I think if you come here with the goals to learn how to learn, gain applicable development skills rapidly, and participate in a community, SoftStack will deliver what you're looking for.