Alchemy Code Lab

I have dreamed of becoming a software engineer for a long time. Over the years, I've tried numerous ways of making that happen - video tutorials, self-paced online courses, part-time in-person classes, etc. Ultimately, I decided what I needed in order... Read More to be successful was a full-time program that could provide both structure and accountability. While researching programs based in Portland, it was pretty obvious that Alchemy was the superior option, but the cost was initially hard for me to accept. Alchemy's message of turning out higher-quality developers that are able to earn a higher starting salary than graduates from other schools helped me to get over that initial shock, helped along further by their supporting documentation. This was enough to get me to schedule an in-person meeting with the admissions director, Megan. I was immediately impressed when walking into the school by the lively and collaborative environment, and Megan is easily one of the kindest individuals I've ever met. I decided to take a leap of faith, and applied right after my meeting.

My time in the program was challenging, fun, and pushed me to grow every single day. The curriculum is centered around popular JavaScript-based frameworks that are used by a lot of companies, so you're very likely to find job roles that use at least some of the same. Alchemy's instructors and teaching assistants were engaging, friendly, and willing to help whenever I needed it. The remote/virtual format that we moved to in March due to COVID-19 actually benefitted us in being able to use our time more efficiently, and get support faster. I really appreciated that when I sought help, I wasn't always just handed an answer, but rather helped along in the direction of a solution that I could arrive at on my own. Labs, readings, and code challenges helped me to get familiar with high level concepts, continue to practice writing code every day, and build onto my growing knowledge base. The week-long team projects completed at the end of each section of the curriculum were invaluable in teaching us how to work as part of a team, plan out a project, communicate and collaborate, research and experiment with new libraries/frameworks, and actually talk about technology to an audience. There is also a career services aspect to the overall curriculum that was crucial to helping me learn and get comfortable with talking about myself as a developer, building a network, and preparing for interviews post-program.

Six weeks after graduating, I am now employed full-time as a full-stack software engineer, working with a lot of the same frameworks we were taught in the Alchemy curriculum, and also using some of the same libraries that my teams chose to use during some of the larger projects we had to complete. I owe the opportunity to interview for my role to Alchemy's career services director who is an incredible asset to the program, but also recognize that I made it through the interviews because of what I personally learned during my time as an Alchemy student. On my very first days on the job, I was able to meet with career developers, understand what they were working on, and participate in real dialogues about how things worked, what could be changed, and what still needed to be done. Alchemy has more than prepared me to be successful out in the real world, and I will be forever grateful to the community for helping me make my dreams come true.

I attended a local community college a few years prior to attending Alchemy Code Lab. The curriculum at the community college was behind what was being used out in the 'real world' and it was a pretty boring experience. Once I heard about Alchemy I did... Read More my research and met with the staff, after meeting Megan and Shannon I went home and immediately filled out my application. The program has great instructional staff with years of industry experience who are able to explain difficult concepts in an a way that will make sense to anyone just starting out. Shannon, the career services director, is a huge asset to this school and is always hustling to ensure students feel ready to land their first engineering roles. She is available for students during the program and will continue to work with you after completing the program. Alchemy Code Lab is truly a full stack bootcamp that will prepare you for your first developer role. You will learn some of the latest tech being used in the industry, make great connections, and have some amazing portfolio pieces to show off.

Alchemy Code Lab is an incredible Code Bootcamp. It took me from near zero code experience to a professional coding job in 6 months. The teachers are incredibly knowledgable and gifted. The career support for after the Bootcamp ends is also top notch!... Read More The ethics of the organization is incredible. Alchemy no only teaches you how to code, but they are also teaching how to be a good human in the world of tech. This is really important as diversity and inclusion is a foundation of a great work experience and innovation in the world. I highly recommend Alchemy Code Lab.

Attending this school was the best decision of my life. I had just gotten back from a 7 month bike tour through Europe and had been working in Ohio for a few months before making the decision to apply to Alchemy. I moved here about a week before the course... Read More began and didn't know anybody in Portland, but the program changed that quickly. I made some great friends! My cohort was filled with exceptional people from diverse backgrounds. One of the best parts of the experience for me was to be able to see how my classmates would approach a particular problem completely differently than me, but with the end result being the same. This really helped with my understanding of coding in general. Also, the staff at this school genuinely cares about the students. The owners are some of the best people you'll meet and not only care about your career success, but also make a huge effort to be sure everyone feels as comfortable and happy as possible while going through one the most hectic times they'll face. Career services is also amazing! You are really given direction that will help you succeed not only throughout the program, but afterwards as well. One thing that really stands out was when I thought I had created a good resume. I was told to give it another go and I'm happy I was told that because it looks soooo much better :)

Beyond the people, the curriculum at this school is wonderful. Everything you learn will be what is in the highest demand at the time you attend. I feel that the knowledge we received at Alchemy is greater than that of other schools. My roommate attended a different bootcamp and said that he was impressed by all that we had learned and that he felt I was at an advantage for having chosen Alchemy.

As for the cons, they are hard to come by. All I can really say is that if you choose this program, be prepared because it is definitely not easy, but if you're ready to put the work in then I don't think you can make a better choice.

The program at Alchemy is fantastic. It's intense and fast-paced but super worth the effort. Folks come into the program from all walks and life (some with coding experiences and others with none) and within about 5 days the playing field completely levels... Read More out. The instructors are amazing and helpful and kind and treat all the students with respect. I can't say enough good things about them. Alchemy is set apart from other programs since there's a career services department that was quintessential in me landing a role a few months after graduating (in a pandemic no less). Other programs are cheaper and shorter, but I think Alchemy really gives students a better and deeper understanding of the foundational elements of javascript compared to folks I've met coming out of programs. You'll work hard, but the reward is worth it!

I am so grateful for my time at Alchemy Code Lab. Make no mistake, this program is hard. It will push you in ways that you are not expecting. You will have to work very hard. But, in the end, you will come out having learned more than you ever though... Read More you could in 6 months. You will not only learn the course material, but you will learn how to learn code, making you an incredible asset to any team. I got hired on to a team as a Software Engineer within a month of graduating from the program.

I can't say enough amazing things about the staff at ACL. The instructors are so dang smart and the TA's are incredible helpful. I never felt like I was doing this by myself, I always felt like I had the entire staff on my team.

I researched very diligently when I decided to make this career change, and Alchemy was at the top of my list not only for their in depth program and their ability to remain agile and add to the curriculum as trends in technology change, but also for... Read More the diversity. They had the most diversity of methods (pair programming, mob programming, TA assistance, teachers, singular study, reading, lab projects, sprint projects, etc), but as a gay woman of color they were able to cultivate the most diverse room of humans to learn along side of. They also made the program more accessible to me through their offering of scholarships. On top of that, they allowed plenty of room for me to advocate for what I needed and took the time to get to know me individually and what my goals were so they could push me toward them and tailor their support of me.
After completing their full-stack program, (with ZERO technical or computer knowledge previously), I was able to land a dream job as a software developer just two months after my graduation.
Alchemy gave me such a gift and I enjoyed my time there so much that I frequently return to catch up with teachers, talk with new students, and make myself available to meet with students who are considering the program or wanting some support while in the program. And I am only one alum that is part of a larger network who does the same. If that doesn't speak to the lasting community they are building, I don't know what does.

I joined Alchemy Code Lab with no prior programming experience and no undergraduate. I was sort of the free spirit type who travelled and held various types of jobs. I mention this because it does not matter what your background is - if you commit and... Read More dedicate yourself to this program it will provide the knowledge and skillset needed to obtain a fulfilling career in software development in a relatively short period of time. I've done it and have watched several others do the same. 


The school provides an excellent learning environment and an amazing community. It's open, bright, filled with plants, offers a variety of sitting arrangements, and located in a cool location. Beyond the facility you'll be surrounded with an amazing team that is passionate, knowledgable, kind, and there to provide the education and resources needed to reach your goal of becoming a software developer. Within the six months you'll go from not knowing how to open your terminal to writing full-fledged full-stack web applications that incorporate frameworks, component architecture, testing, servers, databases, and APIs. I can personally state that you'll leave with the skillset to contribute day one on the job, and have a solid foundation to continually build upon. Not only will you leave with the ability to build web applications, but you'll receive invaluable insight and resources on how to market yourself, network, and interview. 


Lastly - I'll mention, for your success, it's important you are in a situation you can fully commit to the time obligations and are mentally in a place where you want to be challenged, continuously learn, solve puzzles, and change your life. The program moves quick and you'll most likely experience highs and lows. That being said - it's DOABLE and well worth the grind. Alchemy Code Lab has helped many lives (mine included) accelerate in obtaining rewarding careers in tech - now it's time they help accelerate yours. Best of luck! 

My experience might be a bit different from some others who traditionally come through Alchemy Code Lab’s program. I had recently graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science when I had to take some time off from programming in order to focus on a health... Read More issue. Once I had gotten that sorted out, I decided I wanted to move out West in order to expand my job prospects in the tech industry. I found out about Alchemy after doing some research on programs in the area where I could take some time to refresh my skills as well as learn some things I had never been exposed to in college. I really liked how Alchemy structured their curriculum by focusing on full-stack JavaScript and a lot of project work. After interviewing with Alchemy and doing some more research I decided that they were going to be the best fit for me.

Even with a programming background, I was encouraged to start from the beginning with Alchemy’s curriculum and I’m glad I listened. Within the first week of the program I was already being introduced to test driven development, which was something that hadn’t been touched on in college and ended up being really valuable to use and talk about during interviews. Trying to pick up concepts like that while being introduced to something like Node or React would have been quite a bit more difficult than while we were learning the basics of JS. The instructional staff is really great. Alchemy has some very experienced industry professionals teaching, who are super passionate about the students. One of the most valuable parts about Alchemy Code Lab was the amount of time spent working on projects with your peers. Building projects is one of the best ways I learn things and I was often able to draw on my experiences working with my peers during interviews.

Alchemy also provides a lot of non technical opportunities and education as well. During the Career Track, there is a Career Week where the students learn all about the job hunt from industry professionals who are often graduates of the program. From the beginning students are heavily encouraged to explore the tech meetups in Portland to grow their network. Alchemy does a lot to help with this by hosting tech meetups in their space after class is over. They also host monthly socials for current students, graduates and employers in the area. Talking with other engineers about their experience was really valuable for me and only made the job search and interview process easier. Alchemy was able to do a lot for me during my job hunt from scheduling mock interviews, to introducing me to hiring managers or recent graduates to network with.

I just recently accepted an offer as an Associate Software Engineer a few months after graduating and if I could go back in time, I would still make the same decision to attend Alchemy Code Lab. I learned a lot of really valuable things and made great connections with some wonderful people.

When I transitioned into software development I evaluated several code schools available in Portland, and chose Alchemy. It was definitely the right choice for me, and the best thing I've done for my career satisfaction.

I talked with people at Alchemy... Read More (Code Fellows PDX at the time) early on, and had a really good feeling about it. But I wanted to understand what I would get for the somewhat higher cost than other options. I already had a strong technical background and programming experience, but no web development. Self-study was not a problem for me, but the field was so wide open that deciding what to focus on was problematic. Here's why I feel Alchemy stood out above the rest:

First, Alchemy provides instruction (in addition to lab and project work) from industry-experienced developers. While self-study and learning from peers are great things to do, experienced developers have valuable knowledge to share. For example, one thing prospective employers are often concerned about is the ability to write not just code that works, but code that's suitable for production in a large-scale application. It's very beneficial to have coaching from someone who's been on enough projects to impart that knowledge and wisdom.

Second, Alchemy focuses on full-stack JavaScript development, not a broad overview of technologies. While most developers will learn multiple stacks in their careers, they can learn best by getting a good foundation with the whole process in one stack and then later applying that knowledge to others. The focus on Node, React, etc. enabled me to be immediately productive in both jobs I've had since graduating, even though I've learned other stacks since then.

Third, your time at Alchemy will be split between classroom instruction, lab work, and group projects. The labs and projects are great opportunities to work collaboratively on a codebase, and the skills (technical as well as interpersonal) to do that are critical on real software development teams.

Finally, Alchemy provides guidance and assistance not just with technical education, but also with the whole process of finding opportunities and managing your development career. The decent-sized cohorts provide a great "starter network" of people who are or will be working in the software community in Portland. And Alchemy provides guidance on interview preparation, the tools for the job search, and how to deal with the offers you receive.

While the job search is always a potentially stressful experience, I can attest to Alchemy's placement track record. This is a field with very high demand, and graduates are certainly finding work that pays quite well. I've continued to be involved with Alchemy's students - networking, mock interviewing, mentoring - and they are certainly well-prepared to venture out into the industry and make their valuable contributions.