Prime Digital Academy

I have wanted to go to Prime since a good friend did it ~6 years ago, but quitting my job didn't feel doable. When their part time full stack option opened up I jumped right in. Had a great experience, learned important hard and soft skills, and started... Read More my new job as a software engineer at Target before I even graduated from Prime. I did decide to quit my job around halfway through the program, and some of my cohort mates did the same - we all found that more manageable than balancing prime + work + applying to jobs (you should start applying before you graduate from prime, btw). I had some coding experience going in and already knew that I liked it, but I had cohort mates who did not, and they did well too. If you're the kind of person that likes to prepare in advance, checkout Codecademy and FreeCodeCamp's beginner javascript tut's. From my prime cohort, everyone that was actively trying to get a job (which does mean applying to tons of places) got one within about 3 months of graduating. Not sure how often they update this figure, but FWIW my starting salary was about $11k higher than what Prime advertised as the average salary for their grads at the time. My cohort mates also all made about the same or within $15k more than me at the jobs they got. Now in the workforce, I've met lots of other bootcamp grads, and I do think Prime prepares you better for the workforce than the average bootcamp. It's longer than many other bootcamps, and having React on the resume (at least currently in 2022) is a big plus. However, that said, don't over analyze the specific tech stack offered at Prime vs. where you're trying to get a job - they're often different and it's expected that you'll learn many new technologies throughout your career. You just need one stack to get started. As tech is always changing, a huge part of this career is learning new things, so if you are bored at your current job, this is the place for you.

Thank you so much Prime Digital Academy! I learned so much and met some of the greatest people! If you are thinking about possibly attending Prime Digital Academy, I hope you know that you will not be disappointed! I did not do well in regular college,... Read More the style of learning just wasn't for me and it never worked out. I decided to take a leap and attend Prime! The immersive style of learning is very well thought out and the instructors truly care about each students success. Not only do they give you the skills you need to be a a great programmer but they also teach you the soft skills one needs to be successful for interviews. If you listen to the instructors and put in the work, there will be a lot of work, I promise you will be successful too! Don't believe me? Find out for yourself! Go to Linkedin and search people who attended Prime and find out what they are all doing! Don't be afraid to reach out and get some questions answered. Good luck!

I can’t say enough good things about Prime. The information and learning is laid out in a way that is easy to understand and quickly put into practice. I went from knowing only the basics of HTML and CSS to being a full-time front-end developer in 6 months... Read More (with a very substantial raise from my previous career. The support and community that they provide and encourage though is what sets them apart from other bootcamps. Taking care of each other is important at Prime. If you’re looking for a boot camp that is worth the time and money, this is it!

This program is tough but so worth it! The teachers are all extremely knowledgable in their fields and teach you relevant skills to the current market. They also have a dedicated team that helps you find a job! I started my first job in the industry right... Read More after graduation and it wouldn't have been possible without them guiding me to success, you can really tell the people here care about you and that made my experience so amazing!

When I was considering attending Prime, I did what you are doing - read reviews online, talked to alumni, and asked as many people as possible about this program. Every single Prime graduate told me the same thing - that it was worth every single dime;... Read More that it was so much for than a bootcamp; that they taught way more than coding. Man, I thought to myself These people really drink the cool-aid. Now that I have gone through the progam, I have to admit that I drink the cool-aid too. Prime was worth every single penny that I spent to attend. I don't know many programs where you spend just $15k, to later get a job paying over $70k. In just twenty-two weeks (twenty weeks in the program and two weeks full-time job hunting) I doubled my income from last year. Not only is that incredible...that is life changing. With the skills I learned at Prime, I now have job security and financial freedom. I'm still in shock about it! Prime did teach way more than coding. Each week, we had career development courses with Christy and Bellamy (Christy is an invaluable asset at Prime - listen to what Christy says!!!) where we covered topics such as how to interview well, how to write a polished and professional resume and cover letter, how to exceed in technical interviews, how to job search the "right way" ... SO MUCH MORE. In tier two, we also had personal development with Emily, which really helped me get comfortable talking about myself. Public speaking is also a portion of the curriculum each week. Now, hear me out - that is not to say that Prime is easy. It will test you in ways that you won't even imagine. The imposter syndrome is real....but the key factor is that at Prime, you have an entire team behind you in your instructor and your cohort. It will be hard, but remember that hard is okay and uncomfortable is where the real growth happens.

Before Prime, I was in retail management for 10+ years. The long hours, stress, and not being able to see friends or family started to wear on me. I decided to transition into a new career field. After researching and having multiple calls with bootcamps,... Read More Prime stood out to me from the very first phone call. Once accepted into the program, you are in great hands every step of the way. They truly do prepare you with this intense but gratifying program. They don't just teach you about programming languages. Each week you also learn about job searching, develop soft skills, and collaborate in group projects. The solo project shows that you have what it takes to create applications on your own and reinforces the skills you learned. The client project gets you hands on experience what it will be like in the workplace. You learn a lot in 20 weeks and more importantly you learn about yourself. One of the best things Prime can offer is the amazing support from each and every person involved with Prime. The staff and cohort always have your back. If you are second guessing the decision, like I did, just go for it. Bet on yourself and trust me you won't regret it.

Attending Prime Digital Academy (Prime) was a game, and life, changer. Over the course of 4 years, I earned an AS in Computer Science while working full time. After being let go, breaking into the tech community with an AS was near impossible. Lots of... Read More resumes and cover letters with no bites. I needed something to up my skills and Prime came highly recommended. It was a big, nerve racking, decision to make the commitment but I couldn’t be happier that I did. The biggest advantages Prime gave me are: Full Stack Knowledge Earning my AS, I was experienced with coding concepts, algorithms and how to work simple frameworks but I didn’t know how to connect it to anything or create a full product. Prime not only gave me the skills to create a full stack application but the practice and guidance on how to make it better and continually improve. Career Assistance Prime doesn’t guarantee you a job after graduation but they set you up with the skills to get one yourself. Everything from resumes, cover letters, networking, interviews, and more are taught and practiced weekly. This was a huge selling factor for me personally and one of the main reasons I chose Prime over other local boot camps. If you put in the effort and pay attention, you will land a role. You just need to be patient, apply yourself, and trust the system. Cohort There’s the old saying that “it takes a village…” When you join Prime, you are not alone. Your cohort mates become some of the greatest people you will ever meet and you will make connections left and right. From the staff, other students, and alumni, your network of people to reach out to and ask questions grows exponentially. Prime fosters a safe place to learn, grow, and ask questions, and the support and sense of community is amazing. I graduated a few months ago and I’m still in contact with he folks at Prime. Joining the Prime community has not only made me a better developer but a better problem solver and team mate. I can’t thank the staff at Prime and my fellow cohort mates enough for helping me get to where I am today.

I enrolled into Prime Digital Academy during the summer of 2020, graduated January 2021. The only thing I would do different, is go back in time and force myself to do it sooner! The whole process from start to finish was well worth it. There are ups... Read More and downs just like anything in life. It was one of the hardest things I had ever done but also just as rewarding. You have to trust the process and instructors. They can’t teach you everything in 20 weeks but they give you the tools and basics to propel you into the tech world. The things I learned about myself and the tools I was taught at Prime Digital Academy helped me get my first job in the tech industry, shortly after graduating. Forever thankful for my experience at Prime!

Enrolling into Prime Digital Academy Kansas City has truly the best decision I have made in my life. Today was graduation and I was happier today than I was when I received my Bachelors or my Masters. Words cannot sum up the value of what I learned, not... Read More just coding but personally as well. Now that I got my personal feeling about this program out of the way, I want to dive into what I have learned technically.

I built a full stack fully functional application that incorporates AWS that I use in my business. I then worked in a four member team to build a fully functional application to serve a client's need that incorporated the use of Google Calendar API and Twilio API! That's TWO APPLICATIONS that are in use! How many bootcamps can claim that?! That's just a part of the professional technical skills they teach. They also work on speech using the Toastmaster's method and taught us how to fail so that we can succeed. I'm not going to lie when I say that I don't get nervous to present in front of a crowd, but failing in front of my peers allowed me to succeed on the big presentation day.

Prime Digital Academy is the embodiment of Furious Learning. The instructors make sure that we are emotionally ready to learn, they lecture, and then give us assignments to reinforce and retain the information. It's not a joke when I say that you could be spending 60 to 80 hours a week on the accumulation of those assignments and weekend challenges.

The instructors are truly amazing people. I wish I can give them 10 stars instead of 5. They give 110% effort into helping you learn and are as emotionally invested in your growth as you are.

Prime might not be for everyone but when you put in the time and effort, it will change your life.

Prime is amazing and the best decision I've made in my professional life.

TL;DR

Prime is a full-time, intensive program. It doesn't fit everybody's learning style or life situation. As I began to look into software engineering I was uncertain about many... Read More of the options in Kansas City. I was even more wary of my online options, not because they aren't good (I have no experience with them) but because of my learning style.

I came across Prime while doing research on local programs and I set up an appointment that forever changed the trajectory of my life. This program is not easy. The instructors will push you to the point of failure. I wish I would've known that because then it would've made my first few weeks a bit more bearable. But it's when you get to the point of failure that you're ready to learn.

The instructors take massive amounts of personal time to help whenever there is a question but you have to be willing to ask. You can't get help until you put your pride away and ask. They bring in tech companies from the community, they teach how to speak, and they enable us to do real projects that help real clients.

We learn full-stack JavaScript. The curriculum goes deeper than any other program I've researched. We go deep into JavaScript, React, Redux, Node, SQL, etc. As I said, this isn't for the faint of heart and you will be pushed. You'll need to rely on your fellow team members, the instructors, and your support system. If you can't make it through the program you only pay for what you were taught. So, yes it's expensive, it's full-time, but it takes that kind of commitment to become a good software engineer and transition to a new career. Take the risk on yourself, you won't regret it.

I loved the cohort I was in. We all came from diverse backgrounds and that enabled us to work well together. There were times of friction, as in any group, but we rallied and encouraged each other to press on and now we're graduating.

Prime cares deeply for its students. I have never encountered a more helpful and loving group of people. One of the major positives is that they don't leave you after you graduate. They stick by your side and keep you accountable. They give you all the tools you need to succeed and are by your side every step of the way.

Prime not only made me into a software engineer but they helped me to grow as a person. I was pushed like never before, I wanted to quit on day 2, but I trusted the system and I'm incredibly thankful I did. I'm forever grateful to the wonderful people at Prime KC. They're amazing people, instructors, and friends.