Codesmith

As a former professional in hospitality management and marketing, my decision to enroll in Codesmith proved to be a pivotal turning point in my career journey. Codesmith transcends typical coding bootcamps, offering a transformative experience that caters... Read More to individuals from diverse backgrounds, including myself.

Transitioning from hospitality to the tech industry seemed like a daunting challenge, but Codesmith provided me with the necessary tools and support to succeed. The comprehensive curriculum, led by knowledgeable instructors, not only reinforced my existing skills but also introduced me to a wide array of cutting-edge technologies. The program's emphasis on collaboration over competition fostered a supportive community where I felt encouraged to grow and learn alongside like-minded individuals.

Despite the fast-paced nature of the program, I found the rigorous coursework and hands-on projects to be immensely rewarding. The 'under-the-hood' focus of the material allowed me to gain a deep understanding of engineering principles while honing my teamwork and problem-solving skills. Thanks to the invaluable guidance and resources provided by the Codesmith team, I was able to secure a fulfilling position shortly after graduation, leveraging the solid foundation and practical knowledge acquired during the program.

For anyone considering a career transition or seeking to enhance their technical skills, I wholeheartedly recommend Codesmith. It's not just a coding school; it's a supportive community that empowers individuals to reach their full potential. My experience at Codesmith has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I am grateful for the doors it has opened in my professional journey.

Transitioning from a non-technical background to software engineering was a daunting decision for me. The fear of regretting such a significant career change, coupled with the financial investment and uncertainties surrounding immersive programs, made... Read More me hesitant. However, in 2020, I took the leap and enrolled in the full-time remote Codesmith immersive, a decision I now cherish as one of the best I've made.

My journey with Codesmith began with their free JSX course, which not only provided me with a solid foundation in JavaScript but also introduced me to their supportive community on Slack. Their free online Hard Parts workshops further cemented my decision to join their full-time program, showcasing the community's commitment to building confidence and providing empathetic support to engineers.

Enrolling in their CS Prep course was the next step for me, serving not only as preparation for the immersive program's interview but also as a personal gauge of my commitment to the full-time program. The CS Prep course was fantastic, once again immersing me in their supportive community and affirming my decision to pursue software engineering with Codesmith.

Ultimately, I committed to their full-time online immersive. Though intense, the curriculum was exceptional, covering TypeScript/JavaScript to React and Redux, and Node and Express. While challenging, the hands-on projects and insightful educational lectures equipped me with the skills crucial for my first role.

What truly sets Codesmith apart is its community. Throughout the program, I felt supported, encouraged, and challenged, especially during moments of imposter syndrome. The post-program support, including resume assistance, mock interviews, and career guidance, further underscores their commitment to their students' success.

Four months after graduating, I secured a software engineering role with almost double my previous salary. Codesmith equipped me with the foundational knowledge I needed. While there were still gaps in my knowledge (which is expected in any new SWE role for any engineer at any level at any point in their career), Codesmith instilled in me the mindset of continuous learning and problem-solving, which has been invaluable in my career.

Now, several years outside of the program, I continue to excel in my career as a Software Engineer and utilize Codesmith’s alumni resources. It's a community I know will accompany me for a long time.

Overall, while Codesmith offers the technical foundation for a software engineering role, achieving success demands dedication and effort. It's essential to recognize that success isn't guaranteed; Codesmith provides the tools and guidance, but it's up to you to put in the work. This entails committing to deepening your skills, practicing rigorously, and actively networking. If you're prepared to roll up your sleeves and fully commit, Codesmith will undoubtedly pave the way for your success. However, if you're expecting a passive experience and hoping to coast through the program effortlessly to land a job, I would advise against taking the leap.

If I were to offer one suggestion for improvement for Codesmith, it would be to provide more support on System Design interview preparation. While some time is allocated during the immersive, additional dedicated time in this area would be beneficial. Nonetheless, I was able to supplement my technical knowledge independently to excel in my interviews.

I'm genuinely grateful for my decision to join the Codesmith immersive. The strong community, comprehensive curriculum, and post-program support make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to transition into software engineering.

I initially started looking into a career change after not being happy with my previous career trajectory and consulting with a friend that was in the industry. After doing some initial research into another program, I noticed that Codesmith had superior... Read More analytics in regards to job placement and salary. It's very important to do your due diligence because you are spending big money so you want to make sure that those funds aren't being wasted. Once I knew that CodeSmith would be my target, I started using their free JS learning resources (at the time called edx) and attending their free workshops. This gave me an introduction to some of the lead instructors, some of the teaching fellows and the format of the lectures. I also decided to enroll in both of the prep courses (since the cost was subsidized from the Immersive Tuition) and from there started to prepare for the interviews to get into the immersive itself. I ended the CS Prep course in mid-july and pretty much studied from then till I got accepted into the course in October of that year. There were two formal interviews, the first was a character interview where you spoke with someone over the phone to confirm your cultural fit, after you pass that you then need to pass a technical interview, which was done over zoom and was pretty much a coding interview. (One thing here is that this felt very similar to the actual job interview process). It took me three tries to pass the technical interview but when I did I had a call with the lead instructor who told me I had passed. Once I reserved my place in the cohort (maybe 2 weeks before it started) I was given some pre-course work which was setting up my environment with ide, connecting to github and working on pre-course work to prepare me for some of the upcoming work. (again the whole prep process was very similar to what it would be in a professional environment). At this point the course started, i believe there were 4 weeks of lectures/smaller partner projects, 4 weeks of group projects, 4 weeks of capstone project and 2 weeks of job searching preparation. I'd say my biggest takeaways from the learning/project side, is that Codesmith didn't necessarily pump all the information into me to make me a capable senior reaCT engineer, instead they more gave me a taste of technologies, and during the project phase, it was up to us to know how to research/read documentation to make things work (again very realistic to a professional setting). Drilling into us how to research and problem solve was one of the biggest benefits to the program. I've heard in other programs, people are just coding along and copying the instructor but with Codesmith we were literally building things from the ground up and figuring out how to do that. When I got my first job I quickly realized that the process of building and problem solving felt very similar to the project phases at Codesmith. And if you need extra help or are falling behind, the staff is there to help and assist. During the lecture phases there were weekly assessments and if you struggled during those, you would get 1 on 1 sessions with staff. I think I had a 1 on 1 session for every assessment I took. The last 2 weeks of the program were also invaluable. During this portion Codesmith helped us build our Resumes and Social media presence as well as going through interview prep with each other and also Alumni. It was very similar to what I experienced during the job hunt. and the Career assistance is for life! In conclusion, I would like to say that the journey through Codesmith and the job hunt were not painfree. I think I was interviewing and studying for a good 6 months before landing a job and even though there were some embarrassing interviews, I learned from each one and continued to learn and prepare for the next one. It's very Cliche but you get from Codesmith what you put in. The harder you work there the easier the transition will be into the workforce. I stayed at my first job for 1.5 years and recently got referred and hired to another company. I wouldn't say my life is stress free nor would i say software is easy, but I am in a much better place then before thanks to Codesmith.

Codesmith is your best bet for a coding bootcamp. The support and community is top-notch. Everyone from instructors to TAs to alumni to support staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and battle imposter syndrome. Everyone feels safe, supported,... Read More and seen. The emphasis on projects is where you get your money’s worth and is the cornerstone of your resume and interviews. You’ll learn the basics of git and have plenty of options for answers to behavioral questions during interviews. They also really mean lifelong career support. Plenty of alums still use their postgrad career services. There are also some opportunities to connect with alumni during the program which proved valuable on the job hunt. Overall, I’m glad I did Codesmith because it helped me find a SWE job in a pretty brutal market between the career and alumni support but just know what you’re getting into if you go for it. Codesmith isn’t a golden ticket to a well-paying job. You’ll have to work hard to get through the program and you’ll need to supplement that with your own studying. If you’re not afraid of working hard and staying determined, Codesmith will be a good choice for you.

Codesmith is one of the best decisions I ever made. Not only does their unique approach to teaching engineering truly set them apart, but the folks I met along the way have become some of my most important friendships. Learning to code is tough, and the... Read More environment they foster and the standard of excellence they promote is second to none, allowing their students to grow and learn in ways most of my classmates doubted were even possible. Many of my classmates were changing careers, didn’t have a background in tech, and most had never seen any code before, begging their application process. While they set themselves apart by expecting students to work hard to understand the concepts, they also are incredible at tailoring the experience to make sure every student is able to succeed. Everyone struggled with one concept or another at some point, and yet, all of them came away from the program with serious, industry-ready skills that set them apart– even from folks with computer science degrees. Being a professional engineer means constantly facing new tech, concepts and challenges– one of Codesmith’s greatest strengths is that they teach their students “how to learn” in a way you simply don’t see elsewhere. I came away from the program not only with a really solid foundation, but also with the confidence that I’d be able to tackle anything new in my career. I learned how to break down problems and incorporate new tech and skills on my own As a student that went through the program and graduated in the midst of the 2023 tech lay-offs that happened world-wide, I was scared to say the least when it came time to hunt for a job. In the end I found one within six weeks after completing the program. Not only had they prepared me, more than perhaps I even realized, but they also provide incredible post-graduate support that helped me every step of the way. I wholeheartedly would recommend this program to anyone, it sounds corny to say so, but it really changed my life.

I went through Codesmith in the latter half of 2022 and was placed within a job just under 3 months of graduating. Like many, I was transitioning from a non-tech background, but as soon as you even start learning about and integrating into the Codesmith... Read More community, you'll realize how many others like you there are. Also, it's one of the most empathetic and uplifting communities I've been a part of and I still talk to my cohort mates months after graduating together.

At Codesmith, I experienced a transformative journey that significantly enhanced my coding skills and career prospects. The supportive community and expert mentorship provided a solid foundation for learning, fostering an environment where collaboration... Read More thrived. Working on challenging projects with peers not only sharpened my technical abilities but also taught me invaluable teamwork and communication skills. The curriculum's fast pace pushed me to excel, although it occasionally felt overwhelming. Despite this, the hands-on approach to learning ensured that I was well-prepared for real-world challenges. And last but certainly not least, the support in finding a job and negotiating an offer was worth its weight in gold. Overall, Codesmith offered an immensely rewarding experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to start or advance their coding career.

Codesmith was great for me. Attending was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and I think it’s a really fantastic option for some one looking for such a program. It’s difficult to review a program like Codesmith because it’s (obviously, explicitly) not... Read More right for everyone and will hit students in different ways. For me, it was very good — one of the best uses of my time, money, and work that I’ve ever made. I had a self-taught background coming into Codesmith, with several pretty specific areas of focus. The curriculum reinforced areas of my experience from different perspectives and introduced me to a wide variety of other technologies I hadn’t used before. The material was thoughtfully-chosen, presented with a strong ‘under-the-hood’ focus, and well situated within the wider landscape of competing technologies. The projects went deep into engineering considerations and building well as teams. Overall, it gave me an extremely solid basis and tools for continued growth. I found a good position shortly after graduation and have felt very well prepared in that role. A few considerations of pause / maybe it’s not for you: - The program moves very quickly, often spending 1-2 instructional days on technologies that take months to become strong with. The better your pre-course background, the more you will get out of it. Students who struggled early continued to struggle throughout the course. I would recommend really mastering the pre-course work and maybe doing some other project before starting, in order to get the most out of it. - On the same note, you cover a huge amount of content for the time. While you are given many tools to go deeper, you should have realistic goals for what’s possible in a few months. It’s a solid basis + survey that trains you to learn and dig in — but it can’t actually replace years of learning and experience. - There’s not as much direct instructor support and evaluation on projects as I would have liked. You can get input, but no one is reviewing the quality of your code or your major design decisions in detail. - The job market is pretty challenging right now and finding a job takes a lot of work and patience. Research this bit and make sure you know what you’re in for. It’s a legitimate path to a challenging and rewarding career, but it takes work and time.

Before Codesmith, I was working on switching out of the medical field through self-learning but I quickly realized that a reliable bootcamp is a much better option. Having done research for months, I decided to go with Codesmith and the decision has been... Read More the best one I've ever made. The education I received at Codesmith in the short 3 months I was there made me a stronger dev than I could've become in 3 years of self-learning. I truly owe all of my professional success to the program and would recommend it to anyone I know as the education they provide is second to none. The community of people I met was truly amazing and has helped me still to this day in my coding journey. That support network of other engineers is by itself worth the price of admission. Even with the fast pacing, no one was left behind in learning as well all boosted each other, and the staff truly cares that everyone is learning and growing by providing whatever support is needed. Along with that, the way that the curriculum is taught was outstanding and truly gave me such an in-depth understanding of JavaScript and other frameworks were I feel that I have a better understanding of the technology than most of my coworkers. This is the best bootcamp by far that is out there! I really don't have any cons as this was a life changing experience for me.

Pre Codesmith Profession Prior to attending Codesmith, I pursued a career as a healthcare professional, investing seven years of my life to earn an advanced degree. However, upon venturing into the real world, I was taken aback by the rapid pace at which... Read More healthcare companies exhaust their professionals for the sake of financial gains. Overbooking, subpar care quality, inadequate compensation, and stymied long-term growth opportunities left me disheartened with healthcare as a whole. The whirlwind of COVID-19 served as the final catalyst, prompting me to seek an alternative path. It was during this time that one of my closest friends, a Senior Software Engineer, recommended a switch in careers. He recommended that I pursue a boot camp, and after conducting thorough research and considering various factors, I found that Codesmith consistently delivered the most exceptional outcomes, making it the clear frontrunner in my rankings. Pre Codesmith Prep During my search for programs, I simultaneously pursued Harvard's CS50 course. As I delved deeper into the requirements for admission to Codesmith, I shifted my focus from C to Javascript, immersing myself in the fundamentals through CSX and Eloquent Javascript. Additionally, I dedicated myself to self-teaching data structures and algorithms by solving Leetcode problems, laying the groundwork for a successful job search after graduation. Months of consistent effort in preparation for the technical interview paid off, as I was fortunate enough to secure acceptance on my initial attempt—a noteworthy achievement given the high selectivity of Codesmith. Recognizing the program's rigorous standards, I made the decision to invest in a new Macbook Pro, a decision that proved invaluable, as I encountered no compatibility issues throughout the duration of the program. During Codesmith Life during Codesmith offers a profoundly distinct experience. It demands unwavering dedication and investment in personal growth, as well as a collective commitment to the success of one's peers. It is a journey that requires pushing oneself beyond perceived limitations and persistently striving to overcome obstacles. Days consisting of 10-12 hours of intense learning and perseverance become the norm, with some individuals choosing to extend their efforts beyond the structured schedule. The program unfolds in two distinct phases: the initial half, characterized by structured classes and learning modules, and the latter half, where the true essence of learning emerges through project work. My overall experience with Codesmith was truly exceptional. From day one, the atmosphere fostered empathy and kindness among the cohort, and this sentiment resonated with my personal encounters. Whether offering assistance or receiving help, each interaction was infused with a sense of fulfillment and compassion. The main instructors, mentors, and teaching fellows showcased exemplary skills and dedication. I attribute the extraordinary quality of my experience to Codesmith's meticulous vetting process and the nurturing environment they cultivated. Our class made it a collective goal to ensure that every individual felt comfortable with each topic, readily providing tutoring and support to one another. The unwavering commitment to high standards and positive vibes permeated throughout, leading to a transformative and life-changing experience. Post Codesmith Upon graduating from Codesmith, one swiftly realizes that the journey has only just begun, and it is an exhilarating prospect. The growth potential that lies ahead over the next 3-6 months is nothing short of inspiring. Personally, I was picky with the roles I applied to, and only did 200 applications, which ultimately led me to secure my first role. In contrast, some of my peers took a more extensive approach, submitting 2-4 times that number. Unlike traditional universities, Codesmith does not simply hand you a diploma and bid you farewell. It is more akin to an anti-university, placing little emphasis on pedigree, titles, or mere pieces of paper. Instead, Codesmith's core values revolve around tangible outcomes. Remarkably & deservingly, many individuals in my cohort have successfully secured senior positions or are earning annual salaries exceeding $150,000. The support provided by Codesmith extends far beyond your initial job search. They offer comprehensive career assistance, regardless of whether you are seeking your first job or embarking on your third. While there were moments of discouragement during my own job search, they were fleeting thanks to the unwavering encouragement and motivation provided by the support team and my fellow peers. Eric was of immense help during the process, providing positive encouragement and real-life stories to aid in the hunt. Summary Overall, if you are looking to change careers to be a Software Engineer, I give Codesmith my highest review. Keep in mind it will take a long time of grit and grind, but it will pay dividends. If you are interested in pursuing software engineering, I would teach yourself a first language and dig deep into if this is something you want to pursue. Allot at least a year for the full transition, and expect to give it your all each and every day.