UCLA Extension Boot Camps Reviews
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Gary Jackemuk Verified via LinkedIn
Excellent program and worth every penny!
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This program is great for all levels of students, from first time coders to students with CS degrees. The program is really well designed and structured to build upon the previous weeks lesson and assignments.
Even though this is "part time", it is very much a full time commitment. While I have a CS degree and have been coding for some time, full stack was still new and at times it was a challenge to keep pace with the homework assignments AND work a full time job. Working fulltime and enrolling in this program is possible, but I would highly recommend discussing with team at UCLA Extension if you have the technical foundation to work full time and complete the homework and projects. Classes are essentially total approximately 12 hrs per week, then you will be working on your homework and projects between 10-30hrs per week. Even if the homework is easy, the more you put into this program, the more you will get out of this program. That goes for both the technical AND the career building aspects of this program.
I was already employed as a backend developer and took this program to learn the overall "stack" and the tools and technology involved. While the specific technology taught is not part of my day job (I code in python), learning Javascript and NodeJS, along with the essential base engineering for web appliations has greatly improved my abilities at my current position. The career building information was also fantastic and has given me a great foundation how to present my skills and apply for a new job when I'm ready.
This program was worth every penny spent and very happy to have enrolled and recommend it highly!
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Jan 26, 2017
Hi Gary, thank you so much for the detailed review! We pride ourselves on our proven curriculum, so we’re glad to hear you had such a positive experience as you worked to expand on your existing programming skills. You are right that students must dedicate a minimum of 20 hours per week on outside work in order to really immerse themselves in the topics covered in class. And we couldn’t agree more that what you get out of the program depends solely on what you’re willing to put in. You’ve definitely put in the hard work, so we congratulate you on your accomplishments! We know you will go on to do great things in your current job and whatever job you pursue in the future. -
Ceejay Varias Verified via LinkedIn
Quality Course for a Great Price
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This course is extremely helpful in starting a career in software development by learning new material at a great pace and providing you with as many resources.
The class curriculum is flexible and can change dependent on student learning flow and the industry's evolving job requirements. The initial class schedule is based off the needed logic/material to learn basic web programming. As the course moves forward, the teachers and career advisors become open to any suggestions or changes that will help you to better understand material at your pace and/or increase your likelihood of finding a job. I really liked how students were able to vote on learning certain topics in the class and were given many opportunities for reviewing the material.
The teachers were also always readily available to help. In class, they are open ears majority of the time. They have a professional graps on the material and are very open-minded to the all levels of student experience. Although they have their own jobs outside of class, they do try their best to respond to their student's messages/inquiries.
The homeworks and projects were engaging and range in difficulty. Students are typically given two different levels of homework, beginner or advanced. You have the freedom to choose one or both, which helped many students choose their own pace. As someone who has learned a different programming language before, the advanced homework was definitely doable for even the beginner programmer. It all depends on your learning pace and work ethic.
The career curriculum is just as helpful as the class material. The career advisors are constantly providing students with online resources, in-class sessions and bringing in accomplished developers/businesses to provide insight. The career sessions taught the class how to write resumes, search for jobs, speak in interviews and everything in between. Gabrielle and Alex, the career advisors of our cohort, were always welcoming and never batted an eye to any of the students. They will take time out of their day to meet or speak on the phone about any comments, concerns or suggestions.The best thing about the course was being able to balance it with a full-time job. There were times when my time was very limited, but the pace of the course really helped me keep up with the material. The course requires you to keep an open mind and to constantly keep working hard for what you want.
I highly recommend this course over many other bootcamps as they have shown sincere caring for their students. Whether you never studied programming before or have been doing it your whole life, there is definitely something you can learn from this course. As long as you work for it, you are guaranteed to achieve your own success.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Jan 20, 2017
We’re so thankful that you took the time to write such a detailed review, Ceejay! We know that your insight on the different aspects of the program will be incredibly helpful to future students. Our instructors and advisors really love what they do, so we’re glad to hear that you felt supported throughout the journey. Even though this is a part-time program, you’re right that it takes a large amount of time and dedication to soak in the material and master the topics—so a big congratulations on all your hard work and success! The entire staff here is cheering you on as you begin this next phase of your career. -
Ebert Vega
fun, crazy, mysterious
in this course i got to learn so much on how to think like a hacker and look for vulnerabilities in places you would't think they would be there. I also got to network with other class mates and got ideas from them. -
Ebert vega
Puzzle, fun and mysterious
This has been a very aweosme exeperiece and with this im ready for the next level. I got met good people to network with. This is a huge accomplishment to the next episode. I thought ill neverget through because of work and school -
Bryan
Great for beginners!
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I recently completed a cybersecurity bootcamp, and I couldn't be happier with my experience. This bootcamp is an excellent choice for beginners who want to delve into the world of cybersecurity. My instructor, Tony, was not only patient but exceptionally skilled at explaining complex topics in a clear and understandable manner. I gained a solid understanding of the basics of cybersecurity, thanks to Tony's guidance. I highly recommend this bootcamp to anyone looking to start their journey in cybersecurity. -
Gevorg Avetisyan
LIFE CHANGING GROWTH
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I have taken this UCLA WEB DEV FULL STACK PART-TIME course without any prior coding experience. My instructor was Diarmuid Murphy along with instructor assistant Meg Meyers. I want to say thank you to them for having so much passion and patience while teaching us. Great job! At the end of the course, you will learn how to build full stack web applications, with the most concurrent coding experience needed. The group interactions develop real life skills for communicating with co workers or future clients. One big advice i can give anyone is please take your time before starting the course learn HTML and CSS which may take around 3 weeks. Also, learn Java-Script basics. By doing this, you will have a much smoother learning experience. During the course, key to success is repeating what you learned that exact week. Do not worry take this course it is 100% worth it. It taught me not only coding, but that i can learn new things. The pressure makes you stronger! -
Henri Houdre
A life-changing immersion into the world of cybersecurity
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To the person reading this, congratulations, you've made it this far and have taken the first step in pursuing this very nascent dream of delving into the complex and alluring world of cybersecurity. Perhaps you're like myself, who initially came to the program from the vastly different world of sales and marketing, or you've been moving up the ladder in the realm of IT, or, as is sometimes the case, you're motivated to impact the world in a positive and fulfilling way and recognize the importance of cyber defense and the many roles and positions available in this constantly growing and evolving field.
This course changed my life, in ways too powerful to describe. On a personal note, a week before the course began, I was laid off from my job on a random Monday morning, with my items already in a box, carelessly discarded and left feeling lost, shocked, and confused as to where to go next. With my stress at an all-time high and the safety of a salary to help finance the rigorous studies forthcoming now gone, I came into the course already overwhelmed and doubting myself, almost doomed to fail before I began. I quickly realized that this defeatist mentality would get me nowhere, and sure enough, I turned a negative into a positive and used these hardships in a constructive way to double down on the chips, go all in, and give this program my all.
It wouldn't be fair for me to write a review of this course without first mentioning my professor, the always punctual, consistent, professional, passionate, devoted, and inspiring Tony Schreiner, who, more than anything, was the key to me falling in love with cybersecurity. A good teacher can make or break a subject or student, and in the case of Professor Schreiner, his teaching and passion for cybersecurity reverberated through the screen; more than reading PowerPoint slides and logging off as soon as class ends, Professor Tony motivates and inspires, offers his plethora of real-world experience to compliment the often heavy nature of the software's used, and is as patient and devoted to his students and their personal success as he is to his own. And while he will be the first to tell you that success, whatever that may mean to you, is only matched by the effort you put forth, I can guarantee that if you show effort, drive, and focus during this course, Professor Tony Schreiner will go above and beyond to prepare you to succeed in the field and stand out amongst your peers. If I can be even half the professional he is in my career, then I will already stand head and shoulders above the rest. More than a professor, he is a mentor, and if on that first day of class, with your stomach in knots wondering if this is all too much and maybe you should turn back while you still can, you're greeted by him, consider yourself very lucky, and just know you are in the best of hands for the next six months.
The support you receive from the T.A's, who, in my experience, were all graduates of the program, is second to none, and if you have any questions at all, you are sure to receive assistance from someone who has walked the path you're on. The support from the career center, the guidaance cousnelors, and the direction given were all instrunmental in allowing me to anrow down my scope and delve into the more promising career avenues.
The course itself is advertised as a "jump in the deep end", meaning it'll be loaded, technical, and require concentration and focus if you aim to succeed; while this may be true, I would, in keeping with the "aquatic" theme, categorize is as more of a planned walk from the shallow end, to your knees, then the tippy-toes, and finally full laps in the complex and treacherous waters that are cybersecurity, while the lifeguard looks on. The lessons learned in week 1 will carry over into week 2, and week 3, and while week 4 and so forth will all be different, each more exciting and head-scratching then the last, the fundamentals learned previously prepare you to understand and master the chapter of the week and leave you prepared for the next.
As I write this, I am not too sure what do with my free nights anymore. Without realizing it, I became quite attached to this course and the familiar faces in the Zoom chat. I am not sure what the future holds, however I am sure that with what UCLA and Trilogy Education provided I will be capable of anything.
If you are considering this program and course, you've made the right choice. As a proud graduate, I can assure you that this was the best decision of my life, and I am ecstatic to see where it takes me in the near future. Perhaps one day I'll even be a guest speaker, working in the field; only time will tell. But the good news is that, with the base given to me by this program and my CompTIA exam right around the corner, success, while never guaranteed, is highly probable.Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Apr 24, 2023
Thank you for sharing your boot camp experience, Henri. As you mention, this boot camp can be challenging — we applaud your dedication!
We pride ourselves on providing an engaging learning opportunities, so we're so glad that you had such a positive experience with your boot camp instructional staff. We have to agree, Tony is pretty awesome. Your advice for future learners is spot on — bringing a positive attitude and a willingness to work through challenges can make all the difference while taking the course.
We're also thrilled to hear that you benefited from the extensive support provided by our team. It makes us proud to know that they were able to provide you with the academic assistance and career guidance you needed during this challenging journey.
Congratulations on completing the boot camp. We wish you all the best as you move forward in your career. -
Brendon McCalmont
Cybersecurity
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I attended the “very expensive” cyber security boot camp which advertised high success in getting a job after the class. I took the class and then passed the Comp Tia security plus certification and cannot find a job. All entry level programs want someone with a Bachelors degree or higher. They tell me this bootcamp does not meet their standards and they are indicating this course may be useful for people already in the field. This course alone does not lead to a job in cybersecurity. I’m very unhappy that I took out a loan to take this class and worked hard to learn the material and did not get a good job to help me pay it back.Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Apr 07, 2022
Thank you for your feedback, Brendon. The student experience is our top priority, and we regret to hear your boot camp experience did not live up to your expectations.
Our program was designed to cover the fundamental skills needed to enter the cybersecurity industry, based on employer and market research. However, job seeking is difficult and takes hard work on the part of the participant. Our professional development services are built on the principle of empowerment. While we do not secure employment for learners, we do provide more than 75 hours of professional development, consisting of resume and portfolio reviews, virtual tech panels, technical interview training, and more. We're constantly optimizing our offerings, so we appreciate your input.
We would welcome the opportunity to speak with you and determine what additional assistance we can provide for you at this time to make it right. If you would like, please reach out to us directly at (310) 620-2438. -
Sam
Product Management
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I have always wanted to build my product and have come up with many good ideas to start my own business in the past few years, but my first attempt failed, and I lost two companies and the products.
In my research to find out what I was doing wrong, I read about product management, which helped me understand what was wrong with my products.
“I was building the products for myself, not the users.”
I decided to learn more about it, and by doing little research, I was sure this Boot Camp was the best starting point for me, where I could start learning with confidence and without needing a related background!
I was very nervous about the first session, but I felt like I had known everyone for a long time, just after being in the class for 5 minutes.
The most outstanding point of this course was that I was never ashamed of not knowing things, and I felt very confident asking the questions repeatedly.
The instructor and TAs would answer the questions in an understandable way to everyone.
Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Apr 01, 2022
We appreciate your review, Sam! Thank you for choosing our boot camp to achieve your own entrepreneurial goals. We're happy to hear you benefited from the support of our instructional team and felt confident about asking questions whenever they arose. Congratulations on graduating! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors. -
Mikel
Full-Stack Web Development
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I'm really happy with the bootcamp. I chose to join in person part-time and dure to covid it turned to be online. In my opinion everyone was really prepared to teach online and the education received was great. The bootcamp is really fast pace, there are times were one can get frustrated, but that's part of the challenge and they told us that from the very beginning. In order to succeed, students must be really dedicated. Great job of the bootcamp personnel and instructors to fit all that we learnt in 6 months, great class structure.Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Sep 23, 2020
Thank you for sharing your boot camp experience, Mikel! Like you noted, your cohort did experience a disruption due to COVID-19 that resulted in your studies transitioning online. We're happy to hear this unplanned change was delivered successfully and that you benefited from the virtual format. You're completely right that in order to excel in the course, students must truly be dedicated to their studies. Congratulations on graduating, we commend all your hard work! Best of luck in your future endeavors. -
Gavin Faught
Student Review
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I am a 40 something going back to school. I found the UCLA Cybersecurity Bootcamp from a Google search and have been very satisfied with the experience. The teacher and the TAs are very knowledgeable and want the students to succeed! I initially signed up to become a certified ethical hacker but have reconsidered my career and will be pursuing Cloud Architecture. The Bootcamp will definitely help you decide what career path you want (and don't want) to take. The key is to make sure you study outside the class too. Making your own reference guides, checking out YouTube, and revisiting the lecture notes are the keys to success, well at least they were for me. When you sign up for this program, you are also signed up for job assistance. Be ready to polish your resume, LinkedIn account, and your brand statement!Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Jul 29, 2020
Way to go, Gavin! We're happy to hear you benefited from the support of our entire instructional team and found them to be knowledgeable. Great advice for prospective learners — making your own reference guides, checking out YouTube, and revisiting the lecture notes will definitely help you stay ahead and succeed in the program. Congratulations on graduating and thank you for your review! All the best moving forward. -
Nancy
Transformative experience at UCLA's Fullstack Part-Time!!!
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Absolutely LOVED this experience! What a transformational program for myself and my career. The curriculum is very complete and the instructional staff genuinely cares about your success. If you join this bootcamp, try to get Omar as your instructor. Omar is very good at what he does and he's incredibly genuine. He also carves out time to check-in with every student on a bi-weekly basis to discuss career goals, and personal growth in the course. I was really successful in a lot of my interviews thanks to the prep that was embedded in during our class times too. We also practiced a Git workflow that paralleled closely with what's expected in the real world. I also got a chance to make really good friends walking out of the program. If I really had to think through one critical review it would be to incorporate more SQL curriculum, but that's an easy adjustment.
The TLDR is:- yes, this is an awesome program
- it has very complete and very applicable curriculum,
- outstanding support from instructor, TAs and student success staff
- make sure to sign-up to be Omar's student,
- enjoy the ride!
Highly recommend!Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Jun 16, 2020
Amazing, Nancy! We're thrilled you had a transformational experience and benefited from the support of our entire boot camp. We're truly passionate about enabling student success, so we're glad this resonated with you. We also have to agree that Omar is pretty fantastic. We're always optimizing our curriculum, so we appreciate your feedback. Congratulations on completing the program, we're rooting you on in all that you do! -
Keyanna Xu
Awesome career switch - booster!
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I took the part time bootcamp online. I definitely struggled most of the course but I just kept trying and refused to give up, and now thanks to my newfound skillset and one of the many webinars that Trilogy ed offered on the side for free, I've got my first job offer already (one month after course completion)! I'll be moving my family to Boston in the fall for the job! My instructors were phenomenal and I want to really emphasize how helpful they were during the entire process of learning code and applying to jobs. Not only was I working a job during the program, but I also have a toddler at home. I do believe in-class would've been better learning for me, but commuting would've been a huge headache and more difficult for me to balance with the rest of my life...so choose carefully! Online definitely had its challenges. Even though it was part-time, it didnt feel like it. We had daily homework or studying/reviewing to catch up on. Only half of my class graduated... it took serious dedication and many tears of frustration (even in class - lol) but now, at the light at the end of the tunnel, I am so extremely grateful for signing up for this course! I had no experience beforehand(0), and i still made it!! My life is changed for the better and my career is about to begin!Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Aug 13, 2019
Amazing, Keyanna! It takes hard work to balance the course material, so we commend your unwavering dedication to the program. We're thrilled you benefited from our instructional support and landed an exciting new job role. Congratulations on successfully completing the boot camp, we truly appreciate your feedback! Best of luck moving forward. -
Shant Agopian
Phenomenal Course
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The course at times can become intimidating, however with enough effort and determination, you will find this class to be extremely informative.
I personally chose to take the course to understand Industry lingo and how to apply the skills I had taught myself in a work like environment.
I learned a lot of new areas to study in Cyber Security, subjects I would have never studied/been interested in if it wasn't for this course.Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
May 24, 2019
Way to go, Shant! We're thrilled you were able to further your existing skills and learn new subjects. Great advice for prospective students—with enough effort and determination you can be successful. Congratulations on graduating and thank you for your review! Best of luck in all your future endeavors. -
Danny
Ux/UI Design
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First off I want to say that I am truly grateful to UCLA and Its staff for providing me an opportunity to better my life. My passion for Ux/Ui has grown tremendously through out this experience and the professor and TA's could not have been better.
For those of you afraid or hesitant to make the jump in giving this bootcamp course a chance I can relate. To some like myself who is not financially well off it may be a bit of a big investment, didn't graduate college for financial reasons, but like me, the financial staff at UCLA help me get approved for Sallie Mae and were very helpful in trying to make this opportunity come true for me. Now 6 months later I can't thank them enough.
Managing a bootcamp course and a full time job was very hard at times but now that I have graduated time flew and I find it very rewarding. Over the course of the 6 months I've learned so many things and met some great people along the way and I look back at it now and realize I've gained so much more than just knowledge on Ux/Ui. I walked away from this class with a newly lit fire in my heart and some great friends.
The class itself was tough at times (could just be my 30yr old brain that hasn't been in school for almost a decade) but as long as you pay attention and ASK QUESTIONS you willl never walk out of that class feeling lost. The professor and ta's always made sure that I understood fully before moving on or provided a time to come help me to make sure I got it. Its the little things like these that they do right and has me writing this review and recommending it to you all.
Take that leap of faith, Trust your gut, 6 months later it will ATLEAST be the one thing you DON'T REGRET doing in your life. If my review has helped even one of you it was well worth it.
Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Feb 15, 2019
Thank you so much for your review, Danny! We commend all your hard work and commitment to mastering the course material and managing your full-time schedule. It's great to hear you made lifelong connections and feel so passionate about this field. Congratulations on graduating, we know you will go on to do incredible things with your new skills. -
Kevin Y.
Full Stack Web & Software Development - FULLTIME
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I would recommend this bootcamp to anybody. Byfar, it is the cheapest bootcamp around but that does not reflect on the education you acquire.
I had awesome classmates and a terrific instructor, Clark! He could answer all our questions in the way that each individual could understand. Everybody in my class was immersed and interested, so their filtering system to apply for the class is spot on!
What you get out of this is what you put into it. I, literally, studied 6+ hours a day, outside of class. I had zero experience going in and came out feeling confident that if I keep learning, I could be in the programming field.
Obviously, this will not put you into a programming position right away. DO NOT BELIEVE anybody that tells you, you can learn to be a fully functional programmer in 3 months, 6 months, maybe even 1 year. You will have to keep learning and keep making yourself a better programmer. My instructor taught me exactly that. He taught me how to teach myself so when I have completed the course, I can continue learning technologies by myself.
The curriculum was great for the time allotted. I feel like some parts did not need much explaination and spent too much time on. It is understandable that you can not teach everything in the 4 hours per day, 5 days a week, in 3 months. I wanted even more work and more knowledge, thats how captivating my intructor made programming to be!
I did not participate in the career/job assistance part so I have no opinion about it. But they do seem to want to help every student.
Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Jan 18, 2019
Amazing, Kevin! We're glad to hear you felt wholeheartedly supported by our instructional team throughout your boot camp journey — we also think Clark is terrific! You're completely right that what you get out of this course, is what you put into it. Congratulations on graduating, we commend all your hard work! We are rooting you on as you continue forward. -
Robert
Great Boot Camp but needs improvments
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I thought the boot camp was a good experience. One thing for people taking this course to keep in mind is that YOU WILL NOT BE A SENIOR DEVELOPER AFTER TAKING THIS COURSE!
This course will give you the ground work of being a web app developer. The course is fast paced especially after Jquery (about 3rd or 4th week). So you will have to spend a lot of time codeing, refactoring, restarting, and reseaarching what you are working on.
The course definitely could use some adjustments to make.- If groups cannot find a client then they should be given goals to complete by the instructor.
- Projects should be looked at before hey are presented. There were a few groups that claimed they implemented something like React but when you look at their code they did not have anything react related.
- Homework should be cumulative. It would be better if the homework kept building up to a complete project that incorporated all the work from the class.
- Portfolios should be required completed projects that are graded by the TA's and looked at from a interviewer perspective. This could be the cumulative from #2
- There should be better documentation like how to docs for installation of ALL the software used in the course. It would also be good to have this as items the students can look back to as reference for other things like how to start up the server etc.
- The assignemnt names should match whats in bootcamp so its easier to know where assignments are to be turned in to.
- Projects should incorporate work done inclass and from Homework and be part of the requirements and what the group uses should be approved by the TAs/instructor. Ex: APIs that the group wants to use should be approved by TAs and instructors to ensure they are something that should be used. - its one thing to use a random API/NPM its another to use one that is actually usefull.
- The in class repo should be kept up to date with current best practices. Many times the instructor for my group had to update the repo to current best codeing standrads.
- Bootcamp spot should work better. For a web development course having the site be as buggy as it is/was is very disturbing.
Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Aug 22, 2018
Thank you for your review, Robert! We are happy to hear you had a good boot camp experience. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback, as we are constantly refining and improving our curriculum, curriculum delivery, and resources to best position students for success. Congratulations on completing such a rigorous course, we wish you the best of luck in all your future achievements! -
Alex A
Full Stack Class - Amazing Teacher / Course
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I only have high praise for this class and its instructors. If I could break down my whole experience it would be the following:
1. Coding is not easy, but they make it manageable
The course provides tons of practice materials and an instructor (Omar Patel) who makes it fun. It will take a strong determination and dedication to the course materials and what the instructors recommend to truly master the material. Do not only rely on these instructors to get you through the class. It is recommended minimum of 25 hours to truly be job ready. After the course I completely agree with that number. If you are not used to working 65 hours a week (assuming you work 40 hours a week) do not take this class. If you are set on this, you will have all the tools you need to be successful.
2. Get your schedule ready
The instructors recommend that you have a solid routine to master the material. They provide recommendations and coaching materials on how you should structure this. This was great because you don't even need to plan your own schedule, just follow theres. If for some reason it doesn't fit into yours, then they will work with you to figure something out.
3. They CARE
This is not a money grab program that is just looking to get you to commit and then leave you in the desert to fend for yourself. The instructors care about your success, the people in the class care about their classmates, and at the end of the day they really care about making you and the program successful. They will stay the extra ten minutes on a late Monday/Tuesday night after class, they will talk to you on Slack on weekends, and they talk to you about things outside of coding. This class will wear and tear on more than just your work schedule, but they are there to help beyond course material.
Final Summary: Worth every penny, they give you what you need to succeed and they are a caring group of instructors. Be ready to put your head down and work but you can succeed if you do. I am a product manager and by the end of the course my engineering colleagues and other teams noticed the change in my terminology, knowledge, and confidence speaking to technical solutions. It helped take my career development to the next level.
Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Aug 14, 2018
Amazing, Alex! Our mission is to enable student success, so we are so happy to hear you enjoyed our course material and entire support team - we also agree that Omar is great! You're right that this is a rigorous course, one that requires additional time and practice outside of class to truly master the concepts. Congratulations on graduating, we're thrilled all your hard work took your career development to the next level! We appreciate your review and are cheering you on as you move forward. -
Anthony Elshafei
Recently finished bootcamp
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The course is very well thought-out and organized. The in-class assignments, homework, hw-solutions and videos are so thorough that just about anyone that makes an effort could follow along. Likewise, my instructors Clark, Elton and Paige were so helpful and way more patient that any instructor I had in college. Likewise, the classroom environment was extremely welcoming. The students in my class were all there to learn and help each other understand and progress. If you're looking for a challenging class that's equally rewarding, then I recommend this couse. Also, the building is really nice.
JP Alferos of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
May 18, 2018
Thank you for your review, Anthony! It made our team’s day to hear how much you enjoyed the overall course, curriculum, and instructors. We’re really passionate about what we do and strive to provide an exceptional student experience, so it's great to know our team was so helpful during your boot camp journey - we also agree Clark, Elton, and Paige are pretty amazing!
We’re all about empowering our students and fostering a real sense of community and are thrilled you had such a positive experience with your classmates. While this program is challenging, you're right that it is definitely rewarding. Congratulations on graduating, we know you will go on to do great things in your future endeavors! -
Bayani Ison
Full time Coding Bootcamp
A year or more of info packed into 3 months - be prepared to focus 110% or you'll fall behind. Great instructor and TA support.
JP Alferos of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
May 03, 2018
Thank you for your review, Bayani! As you noted, this program is fast-paced, time-intensive, and challenging, so we commend you for all of your hard work and dedication. It makes us proud to hear our instructors and TA's provided you with the necessary support to learn valuable new programming skills. Congratulations on completing the course, we’re wishing you all the best in your future endeavors! -
Ben Grant
Full Time Coding Bootcamp
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This course has everything you need if you want to become a junior web developer. The teachers and TAs were great, very informative, and helpful. The information in the bootcamp is incredible, and if you take it seriously, study hard, and really work for it you can succeed as a junior web developer after doing this course with no experience previously. If you're looking for a career change, or an alternative to a degree this could be great for you. It is an INTENSE course, and not at all the same as a 4 year degree, so be prepared. You will have to study all day and night to succeed, but it will be worth it in the end.
JP Alferos of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
May 01, 2018
Congratulations on completing the program, Ben! It’s terrific to hear you learned so much from our curriculum and course instruction. We know our instructors and TA's are truly passionate about what they do, so hearing that they provided you with excellent guidance and support during your journey makes all of their hard work truly worthwhile.
We know that this is an immersive and challenging course, so you are exactly right that time management and discipline are necessary to succeed. We commend you for all of the long hours and hard work you put into this program - it definitely paid off! Congratulations—We wish you the best in all your future endeavors. -
Adrian Divecha
Coding Bootcamp
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Extremely well taught course. Instructors and TA’s are top notch.
Career services are a joke. I have unmarked career homework from them, even after reporting it twice during the course. Career services added zero value to the course.
I will still recommend this course for teaching in-demand languages, the teacher genuinely caring about your learning, and the great learning atmosphere provided.
I loved the course!
JP Alferos of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
May 07, 2018
Thank you, Adrian! We love hearing that you found the instructors and TA's knowledgeable and helpful throughout the course, as we strive to create an environment that promotes dynamic learning. It's great that you were successful in learning in-demand languages. Our team members are passionate about what they do, and it shows via the support and care they provide.
We regret to hear our career support was not what you were hoping for, and we take feedback like yours very seriously. Our career services are built on the principle of empowerment. While we do not secure direct employment for our students, we empower them the best we can with the necessary tools and support for entering the job market and securing not only their first tech role but every job thereafter. From the beginning, our team strives to be clear about the scope of our assistance so that students understand how they can best take advantage of this aspect of the program. We understand that you chose not to opt-in for our career services and communicated that you would be conducting the job search on your own, and did not submit your career materials for review by our career director. We know job seeking is difficult and strenuous, which is why we encourage students to submit a number of quality applications on a weekly basis; this helps students maximize their networking and increase their possibilities of securing a well-matched position.
It is our goal for all students to leave the program feeling prepared and equipped for success. We would love the opportunity to provide you with additional career planning assistance and any continued support you may need at this time. If you are interested, please reach out to me directly at (310) 955-4093 to schedule another call to submit your materials and discuss your individual needs in more detail. -
Fausto
Overall Great Program
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I have background in electrical engineering and although I had some previous programing experience before starting the program, it was still very challenging. The pace of the program was workable but I had to manage my time effectively since I has taking the course part time with a full time job.
In this program, you will get as much out of it as you are willing to put in. The time and effort you spend on assignments will help grow the and reinforce the skills taught in the classroom. The course will not go over every detail of the languages covered but it will provide enough of an understanding to enable you to continue learning on your own. The instructor and TAs are great; they did an excellent job of explaining difficult concepts and providing necessary support.
Overall I found the experience very rewarding and felt like I gained the skills needed to start a career in software engineering.
JP Alferos of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Mar 07, 2018
Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review, Fausto. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the extensive student support provided by our team. It makes us proud to know that they were able to provide you with the support you needed during this challenging journey.
Congratulations on completing the course, we wish you the very best of luck as you move forward in your career! -
David H.
Thumbs up for the UCLA Full Stack Web Bootcamp
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I recently completed the UCLA Full Stack Web Bootcamp. It was one of the most meaningful educational experiences of my academic career. This was money well spent!
The course is challenging from a number of perspectives. First, while individuals with no prior programming experience can succeed in the course, I would advise that anyone who wants to enroll, focus on JavaScript (or another language) prior to entering the program. Spend at least 30 hours on an online education site like Udemy, Treehouse, or FreeCodeCamp prior to entering the program. The pace of the program is fast and it will be to your advantage to have some experience with JavaScript or another programming language. I noticed that individuals who had prior programming experience (but were not necessarily experienced programmers) where more successful than those that did not. Also, some students mistakenly spent the majority of the pre-work on html/css instead of the programming aspect (JavaScript). HTML/CSS is easier to pick up. Javascript will be a challenge for beginnier.
Secondly, many of the topics in this course, are in normal circumstances, a semester long class. In this case, the topics are covered within a week (or less). It is incredibly important to spend at least 20 hours outside of classroom time studying/practicing what you learned in the class.
Thirdly, I had prior programming experience but when we started the backend part of the course I was basically a beginner. This is where many people started to feel frustrated (including myself). But if you practice, you will feel more comfortable. The key in this program is to practice, practice, practice!
In order to complete the Boot Camp successfully I would suggest the following:
- Spend at least 30 hours on JavaScript prior to taking the course.
- Use TreeHouse, Udemy, and/or FreeCodeCamp or some other resource simultaneously as you’re taking the course. All are excellent resources for everything that is taught in the course.
- Align yourself with individuals who you are comfortable working with. This will be important for the group projects.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions and/or schedule office hours with the professor or a TA. The program provides great support so don’t be shy!
- Be prepared and have some exposure to a topic before the lecture. This will make it easier to understand.
- Clear your calender for 24 weeks! It's going to a fun ride!
- Bonus: There is free parking along Veterans if you’re willing to walk (about a six minute walk).
I
JP Alferos of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Mar 07, 2018
Congratulations on completing the program, David! We're glad to hear that you learned many valuable skills, and had an overall positive experience with this course.
As you mention, this boot camp does require students to dedicate a significant amount of their time outside of class to studying and practicing their skills. We commend you for all of the hard work you put into this program as we know it can be challenging to learn so many new concepts and skills in only 24 weeks.
Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with future students, we’re wishing you luck as you move forward in your career. -
Paige Pittman
Great Experience
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Overall very rewarding experience. The instructor and TAs were passionate about coding and really cared about the success of their students. Student Services was also very receptive to feedback to make the program better. The material was challenging and requires a lot of self discipline, no one is going to hold your hand, but if you are passionate and are putting in the work yourself, the instructional staff is always very supportive. Also, no one is going to hand you a job after program completion. I always felt very supported by my instructors and my classmates and I would definitely reccomend it to anyone seriously considering a big career change.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Oct 02, 2017
Congratulations on completing the course, Paige! We really appreciate your review. We’re thrilled to hear you had such a rewarding experience with our program. It makes us incredibly proud of our team to hear that they demonstrated passion and commitment in providing you with the instruction and support you needed during your journey.
We understand that this course can be challenging and we commend you on all of your hard work. We’re cheering you on as you move forward in your career. -
Michael Olie
Great course if you want to code!
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In the beginning, I personally didn't know what I was going to get from the course. I saw all of the reviews and promotion that were promising job placements and things of that nature. The class moves at a fast pace, but if you put the time in and passionate about the subject this class is perfect for you! I love to code and this class gave me a great footing, now I freelance and about to start applying for jobs with a lot more confidence that I had going in! I know I have the skills to compete in the job market, I was taught all of the fundamentals and given resources to continue to grow on my own whether that is with or without a company. I am very grateful for this beautiful opportunity and if you are also looking to become a coder this is a great place to start!
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Sep 08, 2017
Hi Michael,
Thank you so much for your review, and congratulations on completing the program! It’s wonderful that you have acquired these valuable skills, and now feel confident in your abilities. We love to see our students develop a passion for web development as they forge their path to success.
It’s excellent to hear that you had such a positive experience in this course. We’re wishing you all the best as you move forward in your career. -
Max
Exceptional staff, great material
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I took the full time course in woodland hills in the spring, and must say the instructors were excellent. I also feel very happy with the content of the course, and have fallen in love with node-express app development. Going forward in college, I'm looking to switch my major from mathematics to computer science. If I had one minor suggestion for improvement, I'd say the starter files could be more fleshed out, especially later in the course. It would occasionally be difficult to code the new material in an exercise in the 10 minutes given if you also have to fill in a large directory structure with boilerplate ORM's or app instantiation filesAlex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Aug 28, 2017
Hi Max, thank you so much for taking the time to share this review. We love hearing that the program helped you discover your passion for Node and Express and steered you in a new direction for your college degree. We also appreciate your feedback as we are always working to improve the student experience. Our full-time program is incredibly challenging and requires serious commitment, so congratulations on your hard work and accomplishment! We wish you great success as you go forward. -
ALLAN SALANDANAN
Great Course - Would Recommend 10/10
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The Coding Bootcamp at the UCLA Extension was challenging but absolutely doable with the resources provided by faculty and one's own personal commitment. At first, the material can be intimidating, especially for people who do not have any prior experience programming, but there was pre-work given before the first day of class in order to give every student exposure and to motivate and bring awareness to the difficulty of the course. The pace of the class is quick and it is very easy to fall behind, if that happens, you will be doomed to play catch up while the pace of the class gets quicker and quicker. I found that all of the assignments and in-class activities were dependent on your knowledge of the previous lessons in order to fully grasp the new material.
It is very important to be able to teach yourself and know when to ask for help. The staff does a great job being supportive of every student's learning and providing help outside of class.
Omar is an excellent professor, he obviously a master of the craft and teaches it in the easiest way for everyone to be able to understand and will go the extra mile to help his students. He firmly believes in every student but will show tough love if a student does not make their own contribution.
What you get out of the program is what you put into it.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Jun 28, 2017
Thank you so much for your review Allan, feedback like this lets us know that all of our hard work is paying off for our students!
Your observations about the program are very important points for future students to know. We understand our curriculum is intensive and requires serious dedication. It's important to complete all pre-work before day 1 and stay on top of the coursework as it's easy to fall behind. That is why we offer our students numerous avenues for support including in-person and virtual office hours, email and phone support, a dedicated Slack channel, and free tutoring. We’re glad that our instructors and TAs are succeeding in providing students with the resources they need in and outside of class.
Congratulations on completing the program! We are proud of all of the hard work you put into learning your new skills and wish you the best in your future endeavors. -
Matt Fyke
Action-Packed Program
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The course is very challenging for a student who has no background in the subject. Expect to put in tons of time outside of class if you want to succeed. At times the class can start to slow down, but do not let these brief breaths of air fool you. It can be very easy to fall behind if you do not continue to pay attention and practice outside of class.
The instructor Omar and all of the TAs and support staff are extremely helpful and available. Omar regularly hosted review sessions outside of class time, and he really cares about the success of his students. He really pushes his students to succeed especially for the ones that really need the push.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Jun 19, 2017
Thank you for your review Matt, we really appreciate your feedback! We definitely understand that the course is challenging due to the large amount of material covered in an abbreviated time period. You are right that it takes serious commitment in order to succeed, and you have given very useful advice for future students. It makes us proud to hear that our team is doing a wonderful job at providing our students with the attention and instruction that they need to get the most out of the program. Congratulations on all of the hard work you put into completing this course, we wish you great success in all you do! -
Eric Hirshfield-Yamanishi
Sets the Foundation for a Fantastic Career in Coding!
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The reason I chose this bootcamp over all the others in LA was because it answered three questions I had about choosing a bootcamp. The first was could I keep my full-time job and take this bootcamp? The second was does this course teach the most relevant technology being used by hiring companies? And the third was are these teachers experts in their fields and are they good at teaching? I'll explain more below.
This course is no joke even though it is part-time. In fact, the process of going to work everyday and then shifting gears at the EOD to cram new concepts was one of the most difficult experiences I have ever been a part of. The payoff was immense and totally worth it though. The work ethic that was required to finish the homework and projects shines through when you begin your job interviews and solo projects. It was like working two jobs at once but your second job is a constant reminder as to how amazingly thought-provoking your new career can actually be. That and you can afford to eat and pay rent while you gain skills for a new career.
The curriculum changed halfway through the course for our class. I only bring this up to emphasize the awareness the counselors and teachers had to re-evaluate the course to make sure the languages and frameworks being taught were the most relevant in the industry. The shift from PHP to Java showed that this bootcamp is not a mere money grab by UCLA but a serious program that wants their students to find success in the real world. I was very happy about this and I saw it reflected in my job search as well.
Finally the teaching staff. The two main instructors were current senior level software engineers that very clearly love what they do and wanted to share their knowledge with the students. I really liked that the TA's were all basically former bootcamp grads that also have a love of learning programming and loved sharing that with others. The career counselors were all super supportive individuals that were always there if you needed them. No complaints here for any part of the teaching department.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this bootcamp for people that really want to get serious about jumping into a coding career. The amount of time and effort that it takes to do this and keep a full-time job is immense. You must make sacrifices if you want to seriously make it through. But that's going to happen regardless of the bootcamp you take. The reason you should take this one is because you can keep the lights on at your house while you do it, the course is changing and stays up-to-date with industry standards, and the teachers are top notch and very professional.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
May 01, 2017
You rock, Eric! We’re so thankful you took the time to write such a detailed review, it’s very helpful to future students. As you mentioned, this is a boot camp and it requires a serious amount of challenging work, discipline and dedication. You should be incredibly proud of your accomplishment—we are! And we love hearing that you thought so highly of the curriculum and staff, our team is really passionate about what they do. Thank you again for sharing with us and for choosing our program. Congrats on graduating, we’re rooting you on as you embark on this new journey! -
Eliot R
Great instructors and comprehensive curriculum
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This program is a bootcamp, so be prepared to invest some serious time and energy outside of class to really keep up. The program is perfect for those working full-time or who have other obligations. The staff are constantly checking in with you and are available for extra review of concepts. The career assistance has been on of my favorite aspects of the program, which includes company tours, guest speakers, resume and LinkedIn profile help. This program is a great introduction to programming concepts and provides a solid foundation for aspiring web developers. I would describe their approach as pragmatic rather than academic.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Jan 18, 2017
Thank you so much for your review, Eliot! Our instructors, student success and career services teams make it their mission every day to help students succeed, so it’s wonderful to hear that you had such a great experience. We applaud you for dedicating the serious time it takes to really immerse yourself in the program and get the most out of it. Thanks again, and congrats on graduating! We wish you great success in all your future efforts. -
Izzy N.
Would do it all over again in a heartbeat!
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Before going into detail, it's important to explain the context around my particular objectives. I'm an experienced startup exec on the business side of things who wanted to learn to code, not to change careers, but to become a better tech entrepreneur. So my experience is about learning, more than the career-change aspect of the program. Before starting the program, I'd only just started to try and learn to code. Having stumbled through some online courses, I realized that, being a classroom learner and people person, it'd be a lot better to learn with others, and to follow an integrated curriculum. I reviewed all of my options for bootcamps, and since I needed to attend a part-time program, The Coding Bootcamp at UCLA emerged as the best part-time option for me. It is a 6 month program, and it is fairly intense, especialy if you have a full-time job. Expect to put in about 10 hours in the classroom plus 15-20 on homework and projects. You will definitely learn, a lot, perhaps too much! The curriculum is very up to date with the latest frameworks, libraries, and technologies. To be clear, learning to code like an expert will take you several years, and will be a lifelong activity, since there is just so much material to cover. You will not be an expert after 6 months, but will learn a lot and become very confident about how to find the answers. You will also have a roadmap for further learning. By the end of the program, you will have coded dozens of applications (at least one per week, for the homeworks) and 3 group projects (two of them fullstack). The teachers are great, and very commited. Shout out to Michael, who is a coding/debugging machine and might even have a superhuman brain...and to Omar, who is also super smart, funny, engaging, and goes above and beyond helping students. Gabrielle, the career counselor, is incredibly good at her job, and the classmates are amazingly supportive. The community definitely makes the learning more fun and effective. I miss it already, and would definitely recommend the program to anyone who wants to learn to code. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Jan 11, 2017
Thank you so much for your detailed review, Izzy! We’re thrilled to hear that your experience with the program was so positive as you worked to become an even better tech entrepreneur. Be proud that your hard work and hours of dedication have definitely paid off. Our instructors, TAs, student and career services teams all care so deeply about the students, so it makes us happy to hear that you felt that from them. And it’s always inspiring to see how our students work together and support each other throughout the program. Thank you again, and congratulations on graduating! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors. -
Jemma Tiongson
Totally worth every penny!!
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My reason for taking this course was to get ahead of my Computer Science program at my university. I have a background in biology and chemistry but had a great interest in coding and programming and didn't know how to be up to par with everyone in my undergrad program. CBC not only give me the skills and the tools to learn how to program but also gave me the closest thing to experiencing real world situations or experiences in the computer science field. in the program you get to work on your own as well as in teams where you can learn more technologies and learn from other students that may be more experienced that you. The instructors and the TAs are the best resources you could ever ask for. They are highly experienced individuals that have and are working in the field that we all are trying to get in. The career and student support team are amazing as well. They will make sure that you are getting all the help you need as well as support you need through your whole journey. Trust me you'll want the emotional support when you go through the course haha. I definitely got what I intended to get from this program plus so much more. Worth every penny and worth every moment of struggle through this program. This was not an easy course I'll tell you that. I know I'm ready to face the challenges I'll be facing when I go back to my university next semester!!
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Dec 20, 2016
Way to go, Jemma! We love reading testimonials like yours. You followed your ambitions while pursuing Computer Science, and it’s clear that you were dedicated and put in the effort required to get the most out of our program. We’re extremely proud of our instructors and TAs, and it’s great to hear that they were valuable resources. Our student and career services make it their mission to help you each step of the way, and it’s awesome to hear that they did just that. You’ll be heading back to your university next semester with an amazing set of skills and we know you will go on to do great things! Thank you for sharing with us and for choosing The Coding Boot Camp at UCLA Extension—we’re honored to have been part of your journey. -
Leonard Oh
Just what I needed
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This class was exactly what I needed! I am from a business background who currently runs an E-Commerce Magento Website. I wanted to be able to develop on my own website and be able to do basic/intermediate things. This class is very fast paced... this class will give you 2 year headstart in developing within 6 months. If you want to truly jump careers, this is a great place to start. Developing is such an individual sport in the sense that there is so much to learn and resources to read. It is more like a lifestyle because it is impossible to learn everything. It is also a team sport because you cannot build a truly meaningful app without a team. This class gives you both experiences with all the focused homework, and 3 Group Projects. Every experience was integral in learning what developing is really like.
I run a large company and have a family. I spent alot of sleepless nights trying to stay on top of things. If you take this class, I recommend you are fully devoted as if it was a 40 hour a week job. That is how you will gain the most from this class. Just trying to master the concepts taught in class will be a full time job.
I do not recommend this class if you are already a seasoned developer looking to master a more niche topic. This class is for those who are looking to change careers from a non developing background. They are very dedicated in landing you the "job".
Note, developing is such a deep skill that involves alot of "struggle". This class makes the struggle alot easier.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Dec 20, 2016
Amazing, Leonard! Successfully going through the program while running your own company and taking care of a family is inspiring. You are right that coding is a lifestyle and you never stop learning and growing, and we’re thrilled to know that the program gave you the skills and experiences you needed. You definitely put in the hard work required both in and outside of class, and we know you will go on to develop awesome things for your e-commerce website and more. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. Congrats on graduating, we wish you all the best going forward! -
Anonymous
Disappointing
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When looking into the program you are directed to a Trilogy "admissions" specialist who is a salesperson trying to get you to fill a spot. They will push you towards an upcomming cohort to fill the class but many of things they "check for" (ie distance to the campus) are irrelevant (people lived 2 hours away from campus). Check to make sure that you are provided the appropriate invoice, I was provided one amount, then another amount, and then finally another amount in the form of a refund since I overpaid. The pre work gets you through week 1, which just happens to be the drop period to receive a refund. The pre work also provides structure to assist with learning, such as links to articles, a related exercise, and is "modular" - building off of each lesson.
Day 1 of week 2 begins and the prework is irrelevant and the structure is gone. I signed up for the full time course and regretted it week 2, as you go over multiple important concepts in 1 day, and there is no time to catch up if you don't grasp the concepts with no helpful links or exercises that build upon each other. As a result, I spoke to the class admin because I was unable to keep up with the course but was already told that I was past the drop date (in week 2!). My classmates who were doing well were not focusing on the class, but on CodeCademy and other supplemental learning, and many had not focused on the homework (either not completing it or finding completed assignments online).
The attendance requirements should be loosened since being in class could be watching a fumbling teacher who has no idea what files you are accessing. This makes you feel like you could be more productive at home watching videos from YouTube (this was in fact more productive to understanding concepts). I was part of a class whose curriculum was being used for the 3rd time, on a first time Trilogy instructor. There was little guidance from the TA's who were fresh out of code bootcamps themselves. After a few weeks I was able to receive a pro rated refund after jumping through the hoops Trilogy set up, despite being told I could transfer to a part time cohort. I decided that I needed to stop the class because of the stress it was inducing: constant homework assignments where you are provided little to no direction, you are not told what is important to focus on during class, the pre work does not help you beyond week 1, TA's are former students, they test new curriculum with new teachers, a rigid refund policy compared to other programs.
Based on the responses to reviews here, it seems that UCLA Extension is fine with this. My teacher told me that the class is not conducive to my "literal learning style" (his words) which had ultimately pushed me to drop the course - I wasn't grasping the concepts quick enough. Later, I learned that the teacher has been replaced making me think that it may not have been my "literal learning style" but perhaps the instructor that could have been the problem. They weren't explaining what they were doing during lecture, they would not provide guidance for the homework, they had no idea what kind of information the students were receiving, and little direction when it is clear you are struggling. Who is responsible for monitoring the instructor during a cohort? UCLA Extension? Trilogy? It seems to be no one. I was told that I could "re apply" to the part time program and repay the whole fee. If you are interested in the full time program I would suggest significant time invested in Javascript, don't worry about the pre work, don't focus on the homework, speak up and speak loudly, and complete a course on GIT. U
ltimately, it didn't seem like anyone was concerned with teaching, it was more like a cluster each day of lecture and activities. 10 min lecture on a topic accompanyed by a 10 minute exercise, then repeated, is the curriculum. Save yourself stress with a program that has a more flexible refund policy so that you have better options when there is no one able to provide helpful details. You are trying to learn a mass amount of information and a new kind of logic, I don't think that UCLA Extension is doing an adequate job auditing this.
Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Jan 10, 2020
Thank you for your feedback. We regret that your experience did not meet your expectations.
From your review, we understand that your class did encounter some instructional difficulties which ultimately led you to drop the course. As you mentioned, UCLA Extension has partnered with Trilogy Education Services (TES) to offer UCLA Extension Boot Camps, and UCLA Extension is actively involved in the success of the boot camp, working closely with TES on the curriculum, instructor selection, and outcomes of each cohort. We aim to be fully transparent about this relationship throughout the entire experience.
It's our goal to hire quality instructors through our rigorous, multi-part interview process, requiring a minimum of three years' experience in the field, but we understand that not all teaching styles will resonate with every student. Our classes are also recorded for quality assurance, monitoring instructor performance and class engagement to provide feedback to help them further develop their teaching skills.
Our program was designed to serve a mix of individuals with varying experience levels, and in order to help prepare learners, all individuals are provided 30 hours or pre-work to complete before the first day of class. From there, the program is designed to teach students how to learn so they can further hone their skills both outside of the classroom as well as after completing the boot camp, and we encourage students to explore external resources to supplement their learning.
Due to the challenging nature of the course, we strive to provide additional support through free tutoring, office hours with instructors and TAs, optional one-on-one sessions, supplemental resources, and more.
It is our goal for all learners to feel supported every step of the way in our boot camp. We would love to speak with you personally to see if there is anything else we can do at this time to support your personal and professional goals. If you would like, please call (310) 955-4093. -
Anonymous
Worth it!
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I had a great experience at the UCLA boot camp. It's tough so make sure you have time dedicated to studying. You'll learn a little about a new language each class but it's your responsibility to study up at home and familiarize yourself with it or you will fall behind. Trust me on this one! Also, take advantage of the resources. We didn't find out we had a tutor available for free until the end of the course. The teacher and TA's were great! Make sure you're in Charlie or Tristan's class. You will by far get the most for your money and understand the material much better. They are very knowledgable and patient. Take this course, it's worth it!
Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Jun 04, 2019
Thank you! We're thrilled you enjoyed your student experience and benefited from our instructional support—we also agree that Charlie and Tristan are great. Congratulations on successfully completing the course, we wish you all the best moving forward! -
Anonymous
UCLA Full Stack Flex Full-Time bootcamp
Overall very satisified with the course. The cirriculum is solid and the pace allows you to cover a large amount of material in a short time period without getting too overwhelmed.
Boot Camp Team of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Community Team
Feb 20, 2019
Thank you, we're happy to hear you are satisfied with the course and are enjoying the curriculum! We wish you continued success as you move forward. -
Anonymous
Great Learning Experience, Career help a joke
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I recently completed the boot camp. This is a pass or fail class so the grades are just for you to know how you are doing. You will learn a little about a lot of different topics, and will need to spend 30-40 hours every week working on the homework and learning on your own. The TA's are very helpful, but find the one you like best and always go go them when you can. It helps to build a working relationship, because they will know your code and be able to help you better. Plus when you are looking for work, you have a current reference who knows your work when an employer asks for it. The homework assignments will keep you on your toes, and take more than the part time hours they claim. This needs to be a full time commitment, and if you make it you will come out knowing a lot. It will seem overwhelming at first, but remember writing code you are going to be breaking and fixing your apps over and over and over again. You will fail you will make mistakes, but the most important thing is to learn from them.
The only part I think needs improvement is the Career help. It was partly due to the fact that our orignal Career Success Manager was promoted, and we were left without anyone or any help for 2 weeks. Then our new manager was just tossed in, because they did not bother to hire a replacement. She is nice, but months behind on helping us. There is career homework, and despite turning it it in on time it took months to get feedback if we got any. We had to turn in the the social media links we were required to have accounts on, linkedin, stackoverflow, github, and our portfolio and resume. We did not get feedback on them until 3 weeks before class ended and we were suppose to be looking for work 2 months before it ended. She was also to give presentations to help us, but never showed up prepared and just made it up as she went along. Then the demo day is a waste of time, do not bother going. They waited until the last minute to schedule it and only 6 people showed up, most of whom were not hiring. Then she stood there giving lame excuses as to why nobody showed up, and how it was beneficial to have fewer people there. Then a month after finishing she is finally asking for a copy of my cover letter, and still has not given me feedback on it 2 weeks later.
Summary, learned a lot about web dev but got very little, very late career help. I am still looking for paying work.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Sep 13, 2017
Congratulations on completing the program! We really appreciate your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you learned so much from this course. You have made many excellent observations and provided useful advice for future students, we thank you for these insights!
As you mention, our program experienced a change in personnel during your cohort. Since then, our team as a whole has been working hard to get our students up to speed and fill any possible gaps they may have experienced. While we do not secure employment for our students, we strive to empower them with the tools and support necessary to enter their local job market and so, we’d like to ensure that you are receiving the guidance you need.
We see that you are still within your 90-day career support time period. We’d like to speak with you to better understand your concerns and provide any additional career planning assistance that we can at this time. Please contact me directly at (310) 955-4093 so we can discuss your needs. -
Anonymous
Excellent Program
This program is an excellent program that will have you making full stack websites in 6 months. Great staff and great learning material.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Jun 26, 2017
Thank you for your feedback! Our academic team is constantly improving our curriculum, while our instructors, TAs, and student success team, work hard to support our students throughout the program. We’re glad you had a positive experience, and wish you the best of luck moving forward! -
Anonymous
Student
Great program! I learned a lot in a short amount of time and went from a total novice to competency in multiple languages. Instructors were engaging and knowledgeable.
Alex Garett of UCLA Extension Boot Camps
Student Success Manager
Apr 03, 2017
Hi Student, thank you so much for sharing your review with us. Our team loves hearing success stories from students like you. We're glad that you enjoyed the program and found our instructors knowledgeable—we couldn't agree more! Congratulations on your hard work, and thank you for choosing our program. We wish you all the best going forward!