FastTrack

Very intensive 10 week program. Not much sleep or time to relax as we were always learning new stuff. It was well worth it though because I learned the React JS/ Java Spring MVC web stack from top to bottom along with a few classmates in this short time.... Read More We also did a cool final team project as well as 4 interesting solo projects. Instructors were good people and very helpful. My classmates were wonderful, hard-working people as well. Cook's screening process filters out so the students in class are truly motivated and focused individuals. All in all, a great experience. I'm really glad I did this program. I highly recommend Fast Track'D for anyone who wants to get significant experience with full stack development.

I came to the 3rd session of FastTrack'D with most of a CS degree and very little knowledge of real-world development. The class gave me incredible hands-on experience with web and server-side development, and after I graduated, Cook Systems continued... Read More to support my professional development as they found contracts for me in the enterprise development world. No other group of dedicated and caring people has ever created as many opportunities for me as the FastTrack'D team, and I'm forever grateful for my experiences with them.

The FastTrack'D program helped me transition from one career to becoming a software developer. My original plan was to go back to school and major in Computer Science, but found this program instead. After successfully completing the program, I worked... Read More with multiple clients as a developer and business analyst, and worked on several internal projects. Eventually, I was promoted to the FastTrack'D Education Director. Without FastTrack'D, I would not have been able to integrate into this industry with this much success.

I was a member of the 4th FastTrack’D class back in 2014 and all I can say is that no single experience has created the opportunities for me in the way that the FastTrack’D program has. I will not lie, it was challenging on every level. It was a grueling... Read More two months of constant knowledge acquisition, learning to implement new technologies, and working on developing ourselves professionally. Over the years, as technology has changed so has the focus of the program, so new developers are always up to date and where they need to be knowledge wise in order to be competitive in the software development arena. I simply can not overstate how thankful I am for finding and making it through the FastTrack’D program. Cook has been an amazing company to work for and I highly recommend anyone wanting to get into corporate level software development to seriously consider FastTrack’D.

The FastTrack'D program really help me bridge the gap between college and career. The course was as fast-paced and rigorous as advertised, however, the instructors were great at providing support and answering any questions I had. I would definitely recommend... Read More the FastTrack'D program to anyone looking to learn how to code or bridge the gap from theoretical computer science knowledge to practical application on the job site!

I came to the program with an AS in Computer Science looking to kickstart my career without going into debt. I went through the Aug 2017-Oct 2017 class and started a contract through Cook at the start of January. My personal experience with the program... Read More has been a very positive one. I filled in several gaps in my knowledge during the course and gained a much better understanding of Web Service stacks which seem to be a very large part of the job market.

What you need to know going in:
1) The course contains a lot of information. If you are not already familiar with the fundamentals of programming in order to have some sort of framework to put the new information into, then you will have a hard time.
2) You will need to be willing to work a full stack, at least during the course. You will have your hands on the database, the server, and front end.
3) You'll get out of the class what you put into it. I saw several classmates with minimal-to-no CS background work very hard and pass the course with flying colors. If your solution to problems is to copy and paste a Stack Overflow solution and call it a day you won't pass.
4) The starting salary is below industry standard, though it does include benefits and fairly large scheduled raises. You aren't on payroll until you pass the class and are found a contract. Wait times after the course to the start of a contract vary quite a bit, but a month or two seems to be about average.

While the first 3 points above might be daunting, they are precisely why I appreciated the class so much. Coming out of the class and starting a contract I am working on projects which are full stack Web Services. With the training from the course I am able to write code that matches or exceeds code that I encounter in production environments on the job.

Preparing for the course:
1) Brush up on your core java skills. Understand how object oriented programming works. If you are confident in your java knowledge then the first week of the course will be mostly a review and help your settle into the pace of the course.
2) Understand some basic html/css/javascript. The hardest section of the course for many of us was the AngularJs section, in large part because many of us hadn't spend a lot of time with javascript so the step to a front end framework was pretty large. I believe the course is moving towards ReactJs which shouldn't be as difficult to pick up as AngularJs, but basic html/css/javascript skills are still essential.

This information is current as of May 2018 as far as I am aware. From what I've seen Cook doesn't stay stagnant and is always trying to improve their curriculum so as time goes on the technical aspects of my review may be out of date.

I graduated college with a degree in computer engineering and struggled to find a job in my field because I did not have any industry experience. After working a little over two years doing physical labor jobs, I came across FastTrack'd and started Mid-End... Read More of June 2017. I will say my engineering background was a benefit in the class because it helped me develop my problem solving skills but outside of that I hadn't done anything with Java, JavaScript, or any of the technologies that the course covered. At the time of starting the program, I hadn't even looked at any code for a couple of years. I say this because regardless of your background, whether you are an avid programmer or someone with little to no programming experience, the class is challenging but completing it is definitely achievable if you are willing to put in the effort. The class is also great because everyone involved with the program and the company genuinely care about you and your success. I know this sounds cliché but it really does feel like a family. Without FastTrack'd I would still have a job, but now I have a career and I am grateful they gave me the opportunity.

First, there was an online assessment with three problems - it presented a problem, and applicant had to input the answer, without having to “show their work.” The problems were challenging for me, but not impossible - google and stack overflow helped.... Read More The technical interview consisted of a for-loop with an if-statement - nothing to it. On the first couple days of class, they said try to get at least one codewars.com problem. I got two. Instructor gave a pretty decent description of the theory behind object oriented programming, but then - the first assignment. It’s hard to describe, but unless you’re very comfortable coding, it would be impossible - not the type of thing that stack overflow could help with. When I asked the instructor for help, stating that I didn't really know where to start with the problem, his help was minimal, pointing me toward a classmate from whom he thought I should copy, which is what I ended up doing. That classmate essentially had an Associates degree in programming.

I’m not sure why Cook lies in the interview/enrollment process, but they do. I asked more than one person, during the interview process “if I apply myself, am I likely to fail?” They said no. “Is the class taught in a way that builds on small successes?” They said yes. Those were lies, plain and simple.

I did apply myself, and the first assignment would not have been a small success for me had I been capable of finishing it - it would have been a huge victory. I was shocked at how little help the teacher actually gave. After about the same amount of instruction/help on the second assignment - I was asked to leave. But why was I there in the first place?

They present this as something like a coding school - as if you “teach” coding. The technical interview consists of a for-loop. That is not difficult - not even a little challenging - even for me, who clearly is not very good at coding. The technical assessments/interviews make it seem like a little knowledge of coding is all that’s needed. That’s not true. If the applicant is not quite proficient in coding, they’ll waste their time and expenses for travel and food, and Cook wastes money on the hotel. Why?

I couldn’t figure out why the “teachers” offer NO help on assignments.