Hack Reactor

TLDR - Hack Reactor is the real deal, but you should only apply if you’re willing to prepare for it thoroughly. First of all, I cannot offer enough positive adjectives to describe my experience at Hack Reactor. The pace of the program is optimally challenging... Read More and rewarding, the curriculum is carefully designed and up-to-date, and most importantly, it’s the people in the program who really make it special. Everyone on the staff is bright, devoted, and actually cares about the students. And the vast majority of the students are also smart and enjoyable to work with. The focus of this review is really on you, the reader. The question you’re asking is: should I attend this bootcamp? The answer is a resounding… it depends. In my opinion, it depends on how much preparation you’re willing to put in before attending this intense immersive. When I was in the trenches, I noticed that my cohort mates who had started coding just two months or less before the start of the bootcamp generally had a really rough time, especially for the first 5 weeks. They dealt with lots of anxiety, stress, questioning, etc. The people who had been coding for half a year or more (including me) excelled and reaped tremendous benefits from the program that we wouldn’t have received from just self-study alone. Here’s the thing: programming concepts take time to marinate in your mind before they really sink in. Despite being a professional musician and educator who really loves logical problem-solving, I had to start from ground zero with computer science. I spent many, many hours studying the fundamentals of programming before I attended Hack Reactor, and I am so grateful that I did. Ok, enough talk. If you’re still reading, then you’re probably wondering how you can effectively prepare yourself. Here is the path I followed that set me up for success at Hack Reactor and beyond: First, hop on Code Academy and check out a few of their courses in web development. https://www.codecademy.com/catalog/subject/web-development - You don’t need to finish any of these courses. They’re more to give you a beginner-friendly taste of programming. Personally, I found HTML and CSS to be pretty boring. Trust me, the fun stuff comes later. Most importantly, you'll want to become as confident as you possibly can with programming in JavaScript before attending Hack Reactor. These are the Udemy courses I did in preparation for Hack Reactor (I suggest that you wait until these courses go on sale and then buy them for around $10-$15 each. Udemy has sales about twice a month): "The Complete Web Developer in 2021: Zero to Mastery" https://www.udemy.com/course/the-complete-web-developer-zero-to-mastery/ - This course is worth completing. It’s a good first run through of the full stack. "The Complete JavaScript Course 2021: From Zero to Expert!" https://www.udemy.com/course/the-complete-javascript-course/ - This course is similar to the first, but more rigorous and comprehensive in its explanation of JavaScript. "Codewars" https://www.codewars.com/ - Once you’re more comfortable with JavaScript, start solving some puzzles with it. - Start by solving the 8kyu katas, then you should aim to be solving 5-6kyu katas before starting Hack Reactor. "JavaScript: Understanding the Weird Parts" https://www.udemy.com/course/understand-javascript/ - This course should absolutely be a requirement before attending Hack Reactor. "The Modern JavaScript Tutorial" https://javascript.info/ - This free read-through guide goes through the fine-grain details of JavaScript in a very thorough way. React - Main Concepts: https://reactjs.org/docs/hello-world.html - Practical tutorial: https://reactjs.org/tutorial/tutorial.html You need to understand JavaScript before you can understand React, and you need to understand React to be successful in Hack Reactor. "The Complete SQL Bootcamp 2021: Go from Zero to Hero" https://www.udemy.com/course/the-complete-sql-bootcamp/ - A solid introduction to writing database queries that will serve you well. "Node.js, Express, MongoDB and More: The Complete Bootcamp 2021" https://www.udemy.com/course/nodejs-express-mongodb-bootcamp/ - Complete everything through the MongoDB lectures. The content on Node.js is very helpful and critical to become familiar with before attending Hack Reactor. “JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures Masterclass” https://www.udemy.com/course/js-algorithms-and-data-structures-masterclass/ - The section on data structures will be crucial in setting you up for success during the first week of the immersive. - The algorithms section is essential in preparing you for toy problems during the problem. LeetCode https://leetcode.com/ - Only start doing LeetCode problems after you’ve completed the Colt Steele course above. - This is similar to Codewars, but more rigorous and difficult. You will do problems like these every day during Hack Reactor, and companies use these problems in their technical interviews. It will take time for the patterns to sink in, but you should aim to get really good at these. Things to get familiar with in general: - GitHub - The command line (terminal) - Chrome Devtools https://www.udemy.com/course/devtools-2017-the-basics-of-chrome-developer-tools/ Regarding your actual study time, I would highly recommend the Pomodoro technique. Basically, set a timer, focus intensely for 25 minutes, rest for 5 minutes, and repeat 6 times. Ok, that was a lot, and I hope it was helpful. If you do all or even most of what I listed above, then you will be phenomenally successful at Hack Reactor and set yourself up for a lucrative and rewarding career in tech. Best of luck to you!

So I have been working on my BS in computer science part time while I was working full time. I was recently laid off and had to make a decision. That is where I found Hack Reactor. Based on their reputation and the fact that the IT department from my... Read More previous employer (USAA), accepted Hack Reactor certification as a minimum requirement, I made the leap. To be honest, the program was tough, humbling, and at a few different times I second guess my decision to become a software engineer. With all that being said, IT ALL PAID OFF and was ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT. The program is set up in a specific and purposeful way and all the struggles I experience in the first half helped forge a great learning mind set for the second half and now I feel comfortable diving into any new tech or language with the CS fundamentals and autonamity I learned from the program. Lasly, the staff is top notch and I could not have done this without the technical and mental support. If you have the want and dive to become a software engineer, please try Hack Reactor. PROS: 1) Skyrocketed my knowledge 2)Reputable company, 3) great alumni support 4) ISA support 5) excellent career support after graduation (offered for up to 6 months after graduation) CONS: 1) can be pricey (but ISA is an option) 2) you need 3 completely free months to complete if you are doing the full time course(this course is very intensive and requires your full time for those 3 months)

This program really changed my life not only by giving me the confidence to be a fullstack software engineer, but more importantly gave me the confidence to learn any new technology or language. This program focuses on building autonomous fullstack engineers... Read More and that is exactly what they create. The support system is amazing, they really do an amazing job at fostering a community of growth and support from both the staff and the students. The program is intense and moves at a very fast pace, but if you are serious about getting into the technology field and most importantly willing to put the work in, you will get so much out of it.

I went to Hack Reactor with my mind set on the prize. I knew it would be hard but nothing could have prepared me for the rigor of this course. There were times where I thought I couldn't make it but I pulled through and learned so much on the way. From... Read More learning advanced full-stack skills to learning all the soft skills I need to be a good team member and interviewee it was a journey that I'm proud to have completed. The support is there. There's help desk when you get stuck and the staff is amazing. They're all very passionate about their jobs and the exemplify that throughout every process within Hack Reactor. I started at a major tech company out in SF (remote position) and I'm loving it so far. Everything I learned at Hack Reactor I'm having to use on the job. I'm fully prepped to be the best dev I can be here. Thanks HR.

I spent a few months preparing in order to get into Hack Reactor, starting in January. I got accepted and started the precourse in April and the full-time remote course in May. I graduated in August and had accepted a job by September. In less than a... Read More year I was able to achieve my goals of becoming a software engineer and land a competitive job in the industry thanks to Hack Reactor and without a college degree. This would've taken me over 3 more years of education plus a job search to get where I am now. On top of that, since they are a part of the VET TEC program, I didn't have to pay anything for this. So my fellow Vets out there that have an interest in software engineering or development use your resources!

The course itself is very impressive and I found my expectations being exceeded at every step of the way. Their teaching approach is very hands-off a majority of the time but is handled expertly. They know what they are doing and have a good reason for it. You will come out of this course a very self-sufficient learner which is valuable in this industry. I would say that some of the best value that Hack Reactor brings is in its curriculum. It will push and teach you a lot while giving you the projects to put on your resume to help land you that job. Which brings me to one of the best parts of this course, the career services. They will provide you all the resources you need in order to be successful after you graduate. If you do what they advise it is only a matter of time before you land a job with your newly developed skills. Then there is the Alumni community which will continue to provide you value long after you graduate.

Overall this is an amazing immersive program and I am so thankful for all the staff that has helped me along the way!

Before Hack Reactor, I'd gone to some great schools for undergrad and grad school, but Hack Reactor provided some of the best instruction I've received and placed me among some of the smartest, most engaged classmates I've known. I loved my time there... Read More and have remained close to my classmates, who are working across some of the largest companies in the Bay Area and some of the coolest startups.

I was impressed by how quickly my classmates and I found jobs--within a month or two. It's amazing to think about how much Hack Reactor was an inflection point in my life, when I learned to put together all of the things that fascinated me. That 3-month period and the tuition are easily some of the best investments I've made in myself--and this is after going to an ivy league school for undergrad and a top-14 law school. Learning to program takes a lot of self-guided study, but Hack Reactor taught me how to find what I needed in order to get started. I'm very grateful to the Hack Reactor program and its inspiring, energetic, and tight-knit community that stays with you after you graduate.

The support structure and environment provided was truly amazing. The level of care and investment in the students that the instructors and leads have was far beyond anything that I was expecting from the program. The program is fast pace and requires... Read More a significant time investment. However, if you open yourself up to the process and truly learn from it, you will not be disappointed.

Hack Reactor was an exhausting but wonderful three months. I really enjoyed the semi-structured aspect of the sprints (first half) and being able to dig deeper into the things that were interesting to me. The pairing was useful as well - I frequently... Read More learned tips from my classmates and was able to reinforce my own understanding by having to talk about code. The second half was much less structured, and while I enjoyed it a little less, it was a great opportunity to practice developing in the same repo with other engineers and tackle more complex problems.

I found the interview prep that occurred throughout the program to be well aligned to interviews that I experienced in the job search. While Hack Reactor didn't teach me everything I needed to know to do my eventual job, it provided great foundational knowledge that I was able to use to learn other things, and in a shorter timeframe than I would have been able to do all by myself. The things I use most today (5 years later!) are the deep dive into JS internals and the debugging process. Instructors were super smart and were great at breaking down concepts. I'd happily take more courses from Marcus or Fred in the future. The career search staff was energetic and invested in our success, and while most of the staff from my cohort are no longer with the company, Marlene (who does alumni job support) is awesome - no-nonsense, caring, and focused. Overall, if I could go back and time and do it again, I would.

For context, I graduated in 2015 and I realize the school, curriculum, and even the industry have changed since then.

Hack Reactor radically shifted the entire trajectory of my life in the most positive way. I was able to go from being a "failed" artist... Read More to beginning my career as a Software Engineer. I look back on the time spent there as one of the pivotal moments in my life.

I had expected the program to be challenging, but honestly, nothing prepared me for how much of a whirlwind of work it would be. It was easily the most challenging educational endeavor i'd ever taken on. While it easily pushed me to my limits, being surrounded by equally motivated, driven, and enjoyable cohort-mates helped me tackle the challenges presented by the curriculum.

More importantly, the ongoing career support through the Alumni program, facilitated by the one and only Marlene, has been an absolute game changer that continues to pay dividends all these years later. Marlene isn't just one of the most caring and compassionate people I know, she has more experience helping people prepare and secure jobs than anyone I have ever met. Every question, concern, and anxiety that surrounds the job search are deftly answered by her and often with suggestions of entirely different approaches I never would have imagined on my own.

Hack Reactor gave me an opportunity and a career I would have never imagined for myself and I will forever be indebted to the program for what it provided me.

I graduated from Hack Reactor in 2015, and have since then worked at startups (Planet and Patreon), tech giants (Google), and even started my own company (Babylon House), and I can say with no reservations: Hack Reactor is the best of the best. The instruction... Read More is top notch, the leadership is excellent, and the alumni community, thanks to the endless energy and enthusiasm of Marlene Tang, is better than even an Ivy League school or Google. Had I a chance to go back in time and advise my high-school self, I wouldn't tell him to get a CS degree; I'd tell him about Hack Reactor.