Codesmith

I've never been surrounded by a group of more supportive and compassionate people in my entire life. This is what makes Codesmith such an amazing place. From the academic team to the felllows to your cohort mates, everyone is always willing to lend a helping hand to ensure your success in the program.

The curriculum is rigorous and gets more challenging as the program goes on, but it never feels overwhelming because of this supportive structure. You'll learn the basics in popular web technologies like React / Redux and Node / Express in a very short amount of time but you'll master these concepts in group projects.

The hiring support is extensive with Will Sentance and Erik Kirsten leading lectures about the interviewing process and salary negotiation towards the end of the progra...

"Transformative." "Easily worth the investment." "Unlike anything I have or will have ever done in the best possible way."

Believe me... I was sitting in your position just months ago reading through the reviews and contemplating which one of these software engineering immersion programs was a fit for me, if at all.

Do this instead: Attend a JavaScript: Easy Parts then a Hard Parts Workshop (cost: always free) this upcoming week. Then go back again over and over.

Why?

No one goes into as much depth about the intricacies of how JavaScript works, especially with respect to asynchronous features, the event loop, and the microtask queue. You will learn so much from the Codesmith faculty as well as from your peers, because pair-programming is a huge part of it.

Still lost? D...

Codesmith is an amazing program that can push you as far as you're willing to go. This isn't a beginner "learn how to code shop". This is a full-stack, immersive engineering program that will more than prepare you for a career as a software engineer if you're willing to put in the work. The program is split into two halves. The first half focuses on core technologies and strengthening technical communication skills as you learn. This includes daily paired programming exercises and group projects that will challenge both your creativity and your engineering abilities. This is the best way to learn this stuff! And you will stand out as a technical communicator after Codesmith.

The second half begins after a one week "break" that you'll spend brainstorming with a small group. You'll g...

The instruction was very good and I became close with some of my cohort-mates. Ryan is a supremely knowledgeable teacher and an incredibly nice guy. The course helped me to fill gaps in my knowledge as well as build up more confidence before doing a technical interview for Codesmith.

Since the lectures move quickly and the concepts require time to digest, I would HIGHLY suggest becoming familiar with ALL of CSX--the online pre-course material--before attending. If not, you may feel behind in the pair programming sessions and not get the most benefit from the course.

Cs prep helped strengthen the weaker areas and gaps in my software engineering knowledge and helped me feel more confident in applying for the full-time Codesmith program. The instructor did a fantastic job of covering each topic in a way that was engaging and inspiring. He also was open to answering questions and made sure that some of the more challenging concepts were understood at a foundational level. This was helpful because the people within my cohort all varied in their level of experience. Cs prep also put a strong emphasis on pair programming as a learning tool and I couldn't agree more with how beneficial it has been to my overall growth. The program ends with the building and presentation of a group project. During this time, you get the opportunity to apply what you learned...

I chose to enroll in CS Prep because I had started to learn to code on my own, but with no prior experience or community of fellow programmers I felt stuck. I was drawn to the part time schedule and short time frame, along with small group size of CS Prep, and the syllabus seemed thorough in covering the fundamentals of Javascript.

I appreciated that there were students of all different experience levels, and the instructor (Ryan) was incredibly encouraging while still pushing everyone to extend their individual knowledge. The class was structured around empathetic learning which helped everyone feel at ease, and encouraged all of us to really care for the learning of others, not just ourselves.

By far the most effective part of the course for me was pair programming. Since I had ...

I did thorough research before applying to Codesmith - I visited every bootcamp in NYC and nothing came close to Codesmith. Not Fullstack Academy. Not Hack Reactor. Not App Academy.

Why?

Because Codesmith understands something the others don't. Where others stay confined to the rules society places upon us, Codesmith laughs and navigates beyond them.

In part, Codesmith is successful because it asks, can we put you through the right series of engineering hardships to expand your capacities while teaching you the knowledge you need for a mid-level role? The answer is yes. They do.

But for me, personally, the value was beyond just professional. My experiences at Codesmith showed me where I went wrong in my childhood development and taught me, the hard way (unfortunately), the ...

I personally took on this school thinking more a long the lines of 'I need some education under my belt' and not 'I need more knowledge under my belt'. I am thankful that I got way more then I bargained for.

College was never a thing for me. I had an array of jobs prior to self teaching and getting my first job in the industry. At a Web Development team in central New Jersey I was able to pick up the basics of PHP / JavaScript and a good grasp of HTML / CSS. However there wasn't any confidence from the job and with no college degree to show off I wanted some sort of 'I have this to prove that I have the knowledge'. That's what led me here.

After 3 short but packed months I can proudly say that I know the little things, the under the hood aspect of JavaScript. It's incredible to c...

Codesmith is intensive. It's fully committing, and I believe that's partly what makes it so rewarding. While attending, I worked 12+ hour days, 5-6 days a week. Never before have I felt fulfilled in the manner that I did while working through Codesmith. The curriculum arms you with all of the knowledge you need to succeed in the workplace: from Agile methodologies to interviewing prowess, I felt as though everything I had done in the course setup me up easily for a mid-level engineering role. The support I received from Will and Eric in both the job search, and negotiation phases was unequivocal and unwavering. They successfully helped me negotiate a $6,000 increase in salary, and did not hesitate advocate for my abilities as an engineer when recommendations were needed.

It's hard to put the Codesmith experience into words. This whole process is hard, really hard. Getting accepted, the course, and getting a job will all test you but there is no other place I would recommend someone to. As I write this I'm looking at my bags, packed and set for the Caribbean where I'll spend the winter earning a sweet salary, working for a great company and surfing fantastic waves. Here's the thing about other programs and about Codesmith, the proof is in the pudding. These guys know what they're talking about, they've produced the goods over and over again. Make sure to look at the other programs outcome reports and go to Hardparts. Do your research and your decision will be easy. See the staff talk and feel the vibe there, you'll see what everyone is talking about. It'...

I am a career changer and found Codesmith at a crossroads in my life. At the time, I was thinking if I should position myself for grad school or look into transitioning to tech, and that's when I attended my first JavaScripts the Hard Parts with Will Sentance. Codesmith was so welcoming and supportive that I kept coming back. The more JSHP I attended, the less I wanted to work at the Medical Office was at and decided to stop working in order to study coding full-time. I studied and interviewed and was able to get in the June Cohort. One of the biggest things about Codesmith is it's community. As I was studying, I made more and more friends that were studying and setting the same goals as I was. Some of these friends joined me in the same cohort while attending Codesmith, some started at...

I am a self-taught web developer who recently graduated with a BS in Computer Science. I didn't do any internships during my time at university and had trouble passing interviews for junior developer jobs. I needed something to fill in the gap between being a fresh graduate and having some industry experience and Codesmith was it.

I attended the JavaScript the Hard Parts meetup a number of times before considering the program. I was impressed with the level of depth of the content and noticed my own skills and technical vocabulary improving quickly after just a few meetups. I truly felt that this was a next level program and not just something to get you from zero to "Hello world!".

The program itself is very intensive and one of the hardest things I've ever done and I would do it...

I graduated from Codesmith and got a job as a senior software engineer 3 months later - my journey began when I attended a few "Javascript the Hard Parts" sessions and was introduced to the community. I did my research about the curriculum and personally agree with their philosophy that beyond technical skill, there are additional traits that make for a successful engineer - namely passion for and the ability to learn new concepts and technologies, empathy, grit, and communication. These are all traits that I rely on daily at my current job, and they've been well received and recognized by my colleagues. Some of my coworkers graduated from other coding bootcamps, and I'm leading them and coordinating the team to build features.

I left a full time job that was technical (though not ...

I completed my residency at Codesmith and, without a doubt, this program is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I had been working in software for quite some time as a front-end developer, but had hit a plateau with my career. I took a leap of faith, resigned from my job, and applied to Codesmith. The technical depth of knowledge I gained in 12 weeks was astonishing. More importantly, I *learned how to learn.*

My expectations were extremely well met with what I wanted to get out of the program. Working through the curriculum’s deep dive into core technologies and challenging team projects pushed me to not only be the best engineer I could be, but the best person I could be. I am truly grateful for the amazing staff and fellows who helped push me to the next level and defeat my imp...

Just to qualify myself, I graduated from Codesmith and do not work for them. Also, I rarely write reviews unless my experience was exceptional. I have 2 words to describe this experience, Life Changing!

When I started my Codesmith journey, I attended “Javascript the Hard Parts”. Here I met Will Sentence and the Codesmith staff, who where very welcoming. I was absolutely blown away by in-depth, under the hood explanation of the language.

While attending Codesmith, I learned more than I ever thought; let’s say it exceeded my expectations and then some! It’s a lot of work, but their curriculum is designed to help you succeed and have the confidence to be a great engineer. It also taught me how to be more of an autonomous developer and have the ability to push through challenges. Th...

I just graduated from the most recent April '18 cohort and had a really amazing experience at Codesmith. Many reviews on here have described the amount of work that is demanded from Codesmith residents, to which I would say it's a given that if you're looking for a complete career change in three months, you're going to have to put in a lot of time and effort. That being said, the community and the support that you get from both staff and other students makes that process much, much easier. It's obviously possible to learn technologies like React and Redux on your own, but coding is a collaborative process. And that's not something you can learn sitting on your couch with a laptop. I remember all the time I spent on Codewars, FreeCodeCamp, and CodeAcademy prior to Codesmith, studying to...

Coming from a Computer Science grad from Cal Poly, I would've never thought that I could learn so much about programming in a 3 month period. I can honestly say that I've learned so much more in this 3 month program than I did with taking Computer Science courses during college. Not only do you apply the fundamentals, but you learn all these programming languages, frameworks, and library in so much depth with how it works under the hood. I was also surprised about the fact that everyone in the program was able to pick up a lot of complex data structures, algorithms, and concecptual material in Computer Science, they manage to pick it up faster than the students in a Computer Science program in cellege. In addition, you get to innvoate an actual production level project for seasoned deve...

Choosing to attend CodeSmith is a choice that I am extremely grateful to myself for making. Let me start of by saying that it is NOT an easy path. Many days are long and arduous, but IS extremely worth it. Going into CodeSmith I was told that it would be difficult but rewarding. You spend upwards of 10+ hours a day there during weekdays and and additional 8+ hours on Saturdays. Throughout your time there you get lectures on the topic that you are going to cover for the next 2 days. Then you work on your own for half a day on beginning to understand the concept that you were just taught and the remainder day and a half with a Pair Programming Partner to help each other cement in said concept. For the second half of the time spent at CodeSmith, you get broken out into teams to work on a ...

I was really sad when I saw a couple of bad reviews here and the amazing thing is these people still got the Mid-level and Senior developer role jobs even though they knew nothing before Codesmith.

Firstly, there are several ways to learn, Codesmith believes in a particular way of learning and it has worked for many that I know including myself.
The idea is not to come in and learn all about React or Javascript, it's a way to challenge you every day to learn something new, use it, learn from and teach others right on the spot.
It ain't easy but you find yourself more interested in understanding deep things than just merely building a functional website.

It also gives you this confidence to go out there, apply for a job knowing you are up for the challenge mentally, be willing to...

COMMUNITY:
Everyone coming to CodeSmith is looking for a change, and this makes for an environment that is unrivaled by any other that I have experienced in my life. By design, CodeSmith is a cooperative experience and cultivates a culture in which everyone is helping each other to succeed, be it the senior cohort providing voluntary lectures to help the juniors or one of your own cohort mates taking time to walk you through when you are stuck. The community that develops is truly inspiring and entirely made up of people I wish to stay in contact with. Unlike other boot camps in which the fear of getting a job at the end creates competition, CodeSmith’s outcomes mean that it is an environment of cooperation. At boot camps where 50% of graduates get a job, there is a need to be in ...