Turing School of Software & Design

After a lot of research on teachers, curriculum, course length, and alumni feedback, I decided to go to Turing.  It was everything I had anticipated and more: teachers who truly cared about their students understanding what they were doing and often going above and beyond to help out, a well thoughtout curriculum, and some of the hardest work I've ever put into anything.  Turing is incredibly challenging, but it prepares you for what's to come when you start working as a developer in the real world.  It was through school connections that I also got my first and second jobs, and I couldn't be happier.  A side benefit of going to the school has been all of the life-long friendships I made along the way.  Turing is truly a family, and I'm incredibly grateful for what I got out of my experience there.

After following the advice of a good friend and mentor of mine, I began my Turing journey in January '19. This friend had gone to another bootcamp five years prior, and recommended Turing due to the positive experiences that he had in hiring several Turing graduates himself. 

I knew that Turing would be challenging, and it certainly lived up to that expectation - in fact, I would say that it’s the most challenging thing that I have done up to this point. That being said, I also believe that it is going to be the most rewarding thing that I have done.

Turing takes an iterative and agile approach to its curriculum, making changes and improvements as necessary to ensure that you are learning what you need to know as you prepare to enter the real world as a junior developer. From an outsider’s perspective, this same friend and mentor was impressed by the amount of content which was covered, and the things that we were being exposed to.

All of the instructors that I had were great - each bringing different experiences and backgrounds to the classroom. While many places may talk about culture, at Turing I experienced a strong sense of community, and a feeling that I was taking part in something special.

Seven months after starting at Turing, I was fortunate enough to graduate with a signed job offer. While I feel confident that I now have the needed skills to start my career as a software developer, I think the fact that I went to Turing likely helped me in the process of securing a job - as many companies who have hired a Turing graduate have had positive experiences.

Kudos to Jeff and the rest of Turing team for the great program that they have built, and many thanks to the Turing Alumni who are paving the way for graduates like me to find that first developer job.

If you are up for the challenge and ready to fully commit to a program like this - then I would absolutely recommend looking into Turing.

Hi, I'm Sekhar, I graduated from Turing about 3.5 years ago and enrolled back in August 2015 when Turing was pretty new. I graduated from college in 2012 with a BA in History, and spent three years working in sales and marketing in both California and Colorado. In the summer of 2015, I quit my job and decided to go to Turing to become a software engineer. Course Report actually interviewed me back when I was a student, so for my detail on my story check that out here:

https://www.coursereport.com/blog/student-spotlight-sekhar-paladugu-of-turing-school 

Turing changed my life. I came from a sales and marketing background, having majored in the humanities in undergrad, and I got a second shot at trying out a technical career years after I left undergrad. Programming has been such a joy at a deep level, and I'm totally satisfied in my current career, which is something I was unable to say whatsoever in my first three jobs out of college. Turing allowed me to build the basic skill set and learning patterns that is the foundation of my engineering career.

I now work as a Software Engineer at a fast-growing startup based in New York, and I work remotely from my home in Denver. I've been at the same company for three years and the time has flown by. On every vector, my current career is the polar opposite of my time in sales and marketing. My work is engaging, an intellectual challenge, my hours are flexible, I can easily work remote, I get paid more than triple my last job in marketing... the list could go on.

Every day I feel grateful for the fact that this surreal experience of getting paid to solve problems, collaborate with colleagues, build my craft in coding, and more is what I get paid to do! One myth about engineering that I'm so glad is untrue is that you work alone and don't work with other people. I'm a social animal and extreme extrovert, and every day I'm working with at least a half-dozen colleagues, and if I wanted to, all my work could be pair programmed. Meaning, there's no solo work in many cases unless you seek it.

I'm so glad that my apprehension in college that this wasn't for me didn't lead me to never try out coding. I was so fortunate that at a crossroads in my career early on bootcamps came up as an alternative model and I didn't have to go into six figures of debt to go back for a second bachelors, only to then try out and see if this career was for me.

I talk plenty in my Course Report interview above about the school, educational quality, and various other experiences at Turing, so I don't want to cover that redunantly here. It was a five-star operation all around. There were certainly roadbumps, and running any complex organization you'll encounter those. Overall though, I'm totally satisfied. I can hopefully give a bit of a window in sides of the post-Turing life that aren't covered as much in these reviews, since I'm four years out from when I started.

I paid off my loans for living costs and tuition (~$40k total) from Turing within about ~18 months. Changing careers allowed me to save for retirement, buy a home, have the wedding I wanted (and plan said wedding, given my flexible remote schedule!), and have a solid future ahead of me in an in-demand career I love and that gets me excited to come to work every week. I no longer have the Sunday blues before a terrible week of office politics and aggressive deadlines with unreasonable goals.

Four years out, I'm now highly competitive as a candidate in the engineering job market. While getting the first job can be tough, once you have a few years under your belt, you will see what the term "career capital" really means. We have a #salaries Slack channel where folks post their job offers, raises, promotions, and more. My pay has increased over 50% from when I first started working as a Software Engineer three years ago fresh out of Turing (70k to 117.5k). In past jobs, no matter what track record I had, getting a raise of even 2-5k could be brutal, and there was a line of candidates out the door to replace me in every job I left.

Having been in a former career where it was a struggle to get entry- and mid-level experience and to get any company to call you back, I feel grateful for the feeling of security I have working as an engineer and having recruiters reach out to me almost daily. I've put my resume on Hired and Vettery recently (headhunting services for engineers) and get so many requests from companies I've had to take down my candidacy after getting a dozen plus inquiries within a week, for job offers substantially above what I already make.

My parting piece of advice is, if you are strongly considering going to a code school like Turing, I'd say just make the jump and don't second guess yourself. The field of software development is growing rapidly, and it's a great fit for many different types of people, backgrounds and skill sets. I've seen many hesitate and pass up the chance to really change their lives due to fear of the unknown. I've been through this myself and all I can say is I highly encourage folks to make the leap and become a software engineer (and, of course, go to Turing!).

And that makes all the difference in the world. 

The fact that Turing has an eval system at the end of each module that is a simple pass or fail is ultimately what separates Turing from any other coding camp that I've yet encountered. They will make you repeat a module and if you cannot make it through the second time around then you are simply asked to leave. This is key. 

Imagine being in class and feeling that pit of insecurity that you might not make it through the program. What if I wasted my time? Did I waste my money? What if I'm not smart enough? What if I've been lying to myself? Do I really deserve this? This isn't going to work! Now imagine how loud those questions become should Turing, in fact, hold you back a module. It happened to me. 

That was by far the biggest challenge that I and believe many others actually contend with while at Turing. I'm convinced those who failed to make it through the program are those who let those questions overwhelm their thoughts. It's also why I believe your average Turing grad is stronger than most any other boot camp or CS degree grad. 

This is why I'm currently working as a software developer at Salesforce. This is how I had the confidence to step into an hour-long whiteboarding session with an interviewer who has a PhD in CS, followed by 3 more hours of back to back to back coding and culture fit interviews. This is why I'm not having trouble keeping up with my co-workers, some of whom graduated with masters degrees in CS from Cal Poly, School of Mines or Stanford to name a few. 

I'm still terrified. I still deal with imposter syndrome on a daily basis. I still doubt most everything that I say or do while at work. But I know I can deal with it. I can deal with it because of what Turing forced me to work through. I shudder to think of walking into this office without having already faced those inner demons.

Thank you, Turing. You fundamentally altered the course and direction of my life and more importantly the lives of my family. You've given me security by making me face insecurity. You set a standard that for myself that I'm still trying hard to reach. 

For those of you who read this far... 

You might fail. It's what makes Turing worth it. 

When I decided to make the change from teaching to programming, originally I wanted to do an apprenticeship in Boulder. Then a friend made me go to a Try Coding for Teachers. I knew right away that I had met my people.

Fast-forward and I'm graduating today. It's so surreal. Turing provides such a unique experience and you can feel how much they care and want you to succeed. Don't get me wrong, it is a difficult 7 months. There are a lot of late nights and a lot of times you reach a wall and can't see how to get over it. But the skills they provide you to plan and climb those hurdles is beyond what I expected. I've felt nothing but support and the community both in the basement and beyond is more than I could have hoped for.

The more you put into your time at Turing, the more you get out of it.

The program is advertised as a 7 month program.  The program is broken into four 6 week modules.  In many cases, students have to repeat one or two of these modules.  The program will then take you and extra 3 months. That being said, the program was the best thing I have ever done.  It is NOT for everyone.  I spent an average of 60-70 a week either on campus or at home working on projects, in class or studying.  There are very few opportunities to take a day off.  If you remember that this program is less than a year, it makes the long hours easier.  Go to a try coding event if you want to check it out.  

The school is in a cool location in Denver.  Take public transportation if you have the option.  

TLDR: If you are ready for a dev-related career, can afford to take 7+ months to learn and are prepared to WORK HARD, go to Turing!

I made a career switch from Marketing to Frontend Development and went through the 3rd wave of the frontend program (1610). I wanted a career where I could solve challenging problems, work hard to improve my skillset and work remote. Programming (with Turing's help) gave me just that.

Turing was an incredible place to learn. The facility is great (you might think windows would be nice but when you need to stay heads-down on a project, a basement is the best place). The staff is incredibly knowledgable and does everything in their power to set you up for success. The curriculum was great then (2016/2017) and prepared me well and has been iterated on and vastly improved in the years since. Lastly, you are going through it with a bunch of other people learning the same things you are. These people will become invaluable resources for your learning, sanity and even job prospects down the road.

**If you work hard, the skills will come...but the community you immerse yourself in with Turing is the greatest value you will receive. **

The outcomes of Turing were incredible. They were supportive with the job search, helped prepare me for interviews and provided the resources necessary to build an attractive resume. Plus when you have access to hundreds of Turing graduates, networking is kind of fun. Within a few months after attending I was able to increase my salary by 40% and now on my 2nd dev job (almost 2 years since graduating) I have essentially doubled the salary I had before attending Turing. Not to mention I work remote which was a big incentive I sought out when switching careers (keep in mind it can take a while after Turing to establish the necessary skills to be successful in a remote environment). 

On top of the technical skills, Turing does an amazing job of reinforcing and enhancing what the industry calls "soft skills". Through weekly "Gear Ups", you learn a better sense of respect and how to navigate differing opinions. Code is written for human eyes at the end of the day and your ability to collaborate and effectively communicate with others will make you more attractive to companies, better to work with and let's be honest, a better person in general. 

So I'll repeat it here - If you are ready for a dev-related career, can afford to take 7+ months to learn and are prepared to WORK HARD, go to Turing! The admission cost is a tiny price to pay for what you get in return.

Some final thoughts and opinions:

• Be ready to WORK! The classtime/worktime hours are only part of it. I put in 60-80 hour weeks regularly while attending Turing. 
• Don't try to work while attending Turing (if you can help it). Things will get intense quickly and the stress levels are high enough. If you can manage to take out a loan to afford your cost of living on top of Turing, the average salareis being reported from graduates will be more than enough to pay it back quickly. 
• I've seen some folks drop out because they feel they didn't get what they paid for...First off the cost is nothing when you think about what you're getting. More importantly, going to Turing does not guarantee you a career in programming. They will do everything in their power to help you succeed. What you get out is what YOU put in. You can't "buy" a new career. You will need to work your ass off and earn it. 
• ​Turing is an "All In" experience. If your plan is to pick and choose the lessons you attend and skip out on others, Turing is not for you.

If you're still reading this I hope you found it helpful. Turing changed my life. I love what I do for work, am constantly learning/growing and am able to live where I want to because of the skils they helped me acquire. If you are prepared to work for it, Turing will get you there. 

They gave me a sense of purpose.

They taught me what hard-work looks like, what it leads to, and why it's important.

They challenged me to be a better me. They asked me to challenge others to be a better them.

They gave me a sense of empathy for those I assumed had always had had a similar experience to mine, which was a wildly inaccurate assumption.

They gave me a skill. Then, they gave me another skill. They gave me skills that build on skills.

They gave me their effort. They gave me their support.

They gave me a community to be inspired by. They gave me people I can depend on. They gave me better firends.

They gave me an opportunity to be proud of my self. They gave me the chance to lift up others.

They gave me a chance to contemplate impact and responsibility.

They gave me tough love when I needed it. They gave me perspective.

They didn't give me a choice to do it my way, instead, they showed me the right way to do it.

They gave me a chance to help make the community feel more like it was mine when I was a student.

They gave me a career.

They gave me ladder.

They threw me a life preserver when I was floundering.

They listened to me.

They gave me a hand when I was down.

They cared about me and my success. They care about me and my success.

They gave me an opportunity to change my life. They gave me an opportunity to change the lives of my grandchildren.

I don't have any grandchildren.

They gave me a place to belong. They gave me a sense of what equality actually looks like.

They gave me advice on how to grow. They grew me. 

They keep giving to me. They will never stop giving to me. 

Every day this community grows in size, so do my future prospects within this industry. Every time a Turing alumni does their job well, my name gains respect by association. And, every time I represent myself well, I have the opportunity to fuel that respect as well.

What else will Turing give me in a year? In five? In ten? 

These are questions I feel privileged to ask.

How can I ever give enough back to them? 

Truthfully, I can't. They've given me a new life. A better life. How do you repay that? 

But, I will still keep giving, keep trying, keep growing, because I know they will never stop doing the same for me and our community at large.

I am but a small slice of Turing. But, I am Turing. And, Turing is an extension of me. But, more importantly it is an extension of many who are not me. And, it is an organism that will never be complete. It will grow and evolve and iterate to become more than any one person ever could be. It already has done that, and it will only grow stronger.

Thinking about what Turing might give you? All the above and more. 

But, more importantly, one should be thinking about what one can give to Turing. For this is the mindset that will enable one to obtain the most successful outcome.

Giving yields getting in this community. 

If you give yourself, your effort, your trust, your energy, and your mind to Turing, you will get more than you had ever dreamed a "code-school" could possibly provide.

Thank you, again and again, thank you Turing. 

I attended the backend program at Turing school in March 2017 (1703). I worked in public libraries for about a decade before discovering a passion for coding. Code school seemed to be the most efficient way to accomplish a career change. I chose Turing because it was the longest, most in depth, and most well-reviewed of Denver's options. I also appreciated that it was non-profit.

I did the backend program, graduated after 6 months or so, had a job within a couple weeks of graduation. I'm about a year and a half into my software engineering career now. I’m a full stack engineer, which means I do front end, back end, and devops. Turing prepared me for this. I am absolutely loving every moment if it. 

Of course, while I was in the Turing basement, I don't think I'd describe it as love. I worked 12-16 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the entire program. For seven months, I didn't have a day off, I didn’t see my family or friends, I didn't read or hike or have any hobbies. I’m not usually a crier, but for seven months, I coded and I cried; and, because Turing time is precious, I coded while crying because it’s more efficient! Part of that is my fault for being overly intense about achievement and learning, but part of that is the stressful nature of the program (there’s a row of small rooms near the kitchen that are officially called “phone booths” but are unofficially referred to by students as the “crying rooms”). But, I learned what I needed to learn, I finished, got a job as an actual software engineer, have the tools I need to be good at my job. And, you guys: my job is super dope. 

I absolutely recommend the program, but feel the need to point out that my cohort lost about half of its students along the way. Either they left the program entirely or stayed back to repeat a module. It is one of the hardest code schools — that’s why it has such a great reputation with employers — but not everyone makes it through. That’s part of the stress of the program is seeing this happen to other people and being terrified that it might happen to you in a few weeks. What if you work as hard as you can and it’s not enough?

I don't say so to discourage you from attending, but rather if you choose to attend, I encourage you to set yourself up for success: Do all the pre work, including the extra extensions. Don't plan long hikes on weekends or camping trips during intermissions. Say “farewell for now” to your family and friends. Budget for eating out a lot if you don't have someone to cook for you. Invest in dry shampoo. Listen to the teachers and don’t get mad at them when they tell you to Google it. You need to hear that. And show up every day ready to work harder and longer than you probably have ever before. It's a long 7 months, but it's only 7 months.

If it’s what you want and you’re willing to put in the work, it’s totally worth it.

I was a struggling musician with a Master's. Now I'm a well-paid software engineer thanks to Turing, and I couldn't be happier. If you are considering a boot camp to learn software, look to Turing first.

The program lives up to its reputation. It is very difficult and time consuming, and the staff is extremely knowledgeable and caring. If you get through it, you'll have a portfolio full of web apps to show to potential employers that students coming out of universities with CS degress lack. And there is a very inclusive atmosphere that invites a diverse group of people to share ideas and experiences with each other to develop all kinds of empathy, a desparately needed skill in any industry. 

Just go there already and make your life better while making everybody else's life better with the technology you will build. 

I very much enjoyed my time at Turing and got an amazing new job a little more than a month out from graduating. I considered several different bootcamps and the thing that sold me on Turing was the staff and the commitment to excellence. Turing is a single-location non-profit and the founders are down in the basement day in and day out critically analyzing everything they do and continuously improving the curriculum. I’m actually jealous of the current students because I feel like the curriculum has gotten markedly better even since I’ve been there a few months ago.    Turing also has a very good reputation with employers because their graduates are actually job ready. Turing is very hard especially if you’ve never done any previous programming (most students haven’t so its normal). Prep work before starting is crucial to your success in the program in my opinion. They are currently working on Module 0 to help people prepare. As hard as it is, Turing is a lot of fun! The projects are awesome and you will make some really good friends. The camaraderie and mutual support in the basement is infectious. The teachers are also excellent and very committed to the students.    You will get a job after Turing and a lot of graduates are making really good money right out of school. However, you have to work hard for it and make sure all your ducks are in a row (networking, projects, personal site, interview skills, LinkedIn). The alumni network is strong and the career services people are great. They will help you with all this stuff if you put in the work.   I would highly recommend Turing to anyone who is interested in programming as a career. If you’re not sure, go check out a ‘Try Turing’. If you like it, sign up for the program and start preparing right away! 10/10 would enroll again.