Hack Reactor

Attending the full-time immersive at Hack Reactor Austin was one of the greatest and most challenging experiences of my life. It requires a full investment of time and energy, but if you put in the work, you will come out a professional software engineer.... Read More I had no application development experience going into the program and came out full of confidence in my abilities and it has all paid off. The challenges are imminent and the curriculum is rigorous, but the team of instructors and support are incredible, and the friendships you make within your cohort are wonderful. It truly becomes a community you can rely on. I would highly recommend this to anyone DEDICATED beginning a new career in software engineering or wanting to advance their skills.

I want to add to the choir of praise for Hack Reactor from my own experience as a student in their remote program. In short, it was the best professional decision of my life. I was stalled out in a career for which I had nearly zero enthusiasm when I... Read More decided to apply. People at work who learned about the admittedly hefty price tag were shocked. "For a three-month program? Why don't you save a bundle and teach yourself?" I had been working on that for years, but competing priorities like my full-time job kept pushing that learning until everything else was completed in my day. I was making solid but slow progress on random disciplines. It felt kind of like learning a foreign language with just a phrasebook.

The remote program empowered me to meet my three basic goals. Specifically, those were to build applications with technologies I like, work remotely from home, and make an abundant income doing what I love. Maybe those goals were too ambitious for someone with no professional software experience. I am thrilled to tell you that the program delivered and I achieved my dream only a month after graduation. Despite my high expectations of the outcome, I was surprised by how soon I was choosing between multiple awesome job offers.

I'm currently rounding six months working as a software engineer at a great startup. I realize now that during the Hack Reactor program I didn't fully understand the many ways that the curriculum prepared me for the exact experience of doing this work professionally, e.g. sifting through a mountain of code you don't understand. No spoilers, but their methods remind me of Daniel-san's work with "wax on, wax off" in The Karate Kid. Writing production-grade applications professionally has made me appreciate the curriculum and methods much more. I feel like I can approach problems as a true engineer with a firm grasp of fundamentals, both abstract and concrete. I'm still noticing the unexpected ways I draw from my Hack Reactor training when tackling day-to-day problems as an engineer. The program changed the way I approach any technical challenge, on both intellectual and instinctual levels.

One other thing that surprised me about the program was its unique way of teaching you the social aspects of development. I think some aspiring programmers don't realize just how much collaboration goes into a large prime-time application. I'm thankful for the practice solving problems with other people and working through pain points like "merge hell" in Git, for example. Hack Reactor addresses the interpersonal aspects of working as a software developer, one of the things that makes this bootcamp peerless.

You probably know this, but the program isn't for everyone. You could potentially have a bad time. This work is difficult and can be discouraging before it's rewarding. If you haven't at least dabbled with programming or read some books, you should make sure you enjoy writing your own code, beyond prepackaged tutorials. Hack Reactor reminds me of a catapult. It will launch your skills and career a great distance in a short time, but having at least hobby experience will wind that catapult tighter. The more you bring to the program, the further it will launch you. If you're a person who gets really frustrated or panicky when something doesn't work correctly the first, tenth or fiftieth time, you're probably going to burn out. Expect to spend a lot of time scrolling through threatening error messages. You'll watch your hard work crumble into oblivion after a tiny code change. You'll run up against issues and conflicts for which there is not yet a solution. Hack Reactor of course has great people and resources to help get you out of a jam, but you should be ready to tear through documentation, GitHub Issues and StackOverflow discussions so you can competently solve your own problems. In short, the experience is intense and often painful. However, as I've heard it said, you're not going to find a life with no pain or problems; the secret to happiness is choosing the problems you enjoy solving.

I'm obviously blown away by how this program rocket launched me into the life I wanted. That said, there are going to be rough edges in the remote program. The methods and teaching are superb, but the production value isn't super glossy. They're not Treehouse or Lynda. You might see the occasional mismatch between links and materials for example. Since the curriculum is continually refactored to reflect the present (looking at you, ES7+), it makes sense that the instruction delivery and materials aren't going to have a high gloss finish. You might even think to yourself, "for this money, it should be perfect." But keep in mind that you're not paying for a traditional online instruction program. You're paying for a well designed and super effective remote "container" in which you'll do the best learning of your life. You're paying for talented and supportive staff who bring amazing value to the experience. They are the backbone of the program, giving shape and accountability to the container. I owe my success, during and after Hack Reactor, to the dedication and skill they bring to their individual roles as mentors, coaches and coordinators.

To sum up, my Hack Reactor Remote experience was a crucible, a transformation and a dress-rehearsal for my new career, all rolled into one. I can't recommend it enough for the dedicated and disciplined individual aspiring to start or accelerate a career in software.

You get 100% of what you put into this program. It's an extremely challenging program but if you're an individual who is willing to put 100% effort into learning and really trying to build the fundamentals of a software engineer like the curriculum is... Read More set up to do than you'll be in good shape. The curriculum is set up in such a way that the instructors will give you enough material then it's up to you and your partner to engineer your way out of a sprint. Hack Reactor's culture and mission is to develop self-driven autonomous engineers, so the teaching fellow's here will do a good job of giving you enough and steering you in a direction without giving you the answer. If you're used to a traditional educational setting, where the teacher spoon feeds you everything and tells you exactly what you need to do to get an A in a class, it will take some adjusting, but once you do adjust and truly value what hack reactor is trying to teach you'll be appreciative that you did, because it's one of the skills that's going to set you apart from engineers with computer science degrees on the job search. Along with the curriculum, the culture at Hack Reactor is very inviting and warm and just epitomizes productivity in a nutshell. It's very fun to be here and if I had a chance to do it over again, I absolutely would

One of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. I even came in with previous software development experience, and still learned much more than I originally hoped for. They don't just transform you into a competent software engineer, but also help... Read More improve your all-around character. I've learned to present myself better to both employers and friends, and have become someone that (hopefully) anyone would love to work with. The entire staff is amazing, and I've developed a strong network with some of the most brilliant people I've ever met. 2 years later, I'm still in touch with everyone from my cohort and they're all extremely happy with their current jobs. Would strongly recommend you to apply, especially if you're interested in a career in software development (and maybe even if you're not).

I began coding when I was introduced to the Computer Science Engineering field at my university. I quickly came to understand that I had found my passion and art. However, overtime, the synthetic and standardized environment of the university began to... Read More take a toll on my learning experience and day to day life in general. Slowly, I transitioned more and more to utilizing resources and documentation provided by third party sources like Treehouse, StackOverflow, etc. Overtime it became clear to me that the knowledge and material I was being taught through the university was well out of date. Further, there was no practical application of the material being taught. Every course was focused on the theory of the field rather than developing practical skills to acquire a job.

So, at 18 years of age, I decided to abandon the traditional route of education. I departed from the University of Florida in the hopes of pursuing something greater than the standardized classroom environment. Looking back, this was the greatest decision I have made thus far in my life. I was accepted into the HackReactor program shortly after. I went though 3 months of ups and downs, adventurous learning, and autonomous development, and was was offered a role as a remote senior integration engineering position at ClickTripz, LLC. At 21 years old, my salary of 90k, placed me in the top 10% income bracket of the United States.

I could write a novel about the intricacies of the HackReactor program and everything they will provide you with. On a deep level, they taught me how to learn autonomously and adapt to the tremendous changes that are occurring not on the in the tech field, but in our society as a whole. I have no doubt in my mind that I will be able to tackle any complex problems I am confronted with in the future, due to HackReactors incredible system. I work on a system that has an average daily user base of 1.5 million users and my work flow changes on a daily basis. My ability to keep up to engineers that have been embedded in the tech field for decades was provided by HackReactor's program.

In summary, HackReactor is an incredible program if you are an individual looking for an alternative and reliable path to a great career. The tech industry is booming and will continue to rise in the foreseeable future. HackRector will provide you with the skills and mindset you need to succeed.

I'll make this short and concise: If you are willing to work hard and can get through frustration, you will take a lot from this bootcamp.

Also, other reviewers are correct: You can technically learn all this stuff by yourself by reading everything you... Read More can find on the internet. But that's almost for any field of study (Read enough about a certain topic and you'll learn it eventually). So that comment kind of annoys me because the reason you go to school in the first place is so that information is consolidated in a nice format to learn it as optimally as possible. I believe that, yes, I can learn what Hack Reactor has taught me AFTER I have gone through it and learned its structuring, but beforehand, I don't think in 3 months time I could ever get to the level I came out as going at it solo.

So, I believe that Hack Reactor is more for the middle-of-the-line students. If you're super smart, you're probably fine without Hack Reactor; if you're not too great and don't deal well with frustration, don't go here either because you'll have a terrible time.

But for the rest, this bootcamp may seem very hands-off and throw you into the mix of things without seemingly preparing you, and you'll definitely look up a lot of stuff and scour through docs, but the reason for that is because that is nearly how it is on the job. I find myself constantly learning more and more by looking for answers, and I see myself getting a lot better because I know HOW to get better, which is the core of Hack Reactor pedagogy.

Coming from a teaching background, I appreciate the way Hack Reactor handles their learning experience. They seem to use good practices, not making it too easy nor too over-bearing for their target students (which, once again, I believe to be the middle-of-the-road students I described). Of course, their support system is not as great as a traditional college/university, but for the most part, I think they give support if needed, and let you go off to your own devices when necessary.

I can't say much for the Job Support category because I received a job very quickly and didn't really experience the outcomes portion, but for the other categories listed, I do stand by the ratings I'm giving (If there was a support category, though, I would probably only give a three stars to be honest).

So yes, take every review here with a grain of salt. If you know how you do autonomously and are willing to give your all to learning, this will be a good experience for you. If you're so smart you didn't need this bootcamp in the first place, well, you didn't need this bootcamp in the first place. Hack Reactor has its pros and cons, and sure, they could list better expectations/qualities of students who will be successful and make their requirements of entry more stringent, but I think the learning process they give is actually sound, pedagogically.

I completed the Hack Reactor curriculum remotely in the spring of 2017. I simply couldn't be happier with the experience. Having an undergraduate background in engineering and a masters degree in secondary education, I feel particularly appreciative of... Read More the high expectations, well-designed support systems, and the variety of teaching techniques used throughout this program. The staff is wonderful to work with and the program does an excellent job of bringing together a group of awesome peers to learn with. Having graduated from Hack Reactor Remote in May 2017, I am excited to be starting my first full-time position as a developer in a couple of weeks. I feel very well prepared for this role, and I attribute much of this to the community of dedicated, curious, and fun people that I worked through the HRR curriculum with. Big thank you to the staff at Hack Reactor.

To anyone looking to work really hard and get to know a lot of great people over the next few months: Hack Reactor is the best program out there. HR was consistently recommended to me by friends in the industry as the best program for learning full stack javascript development. Happy to say that, now that I am on the other end, I know they were right.

If you are looking for a boot camp for the purpose of landing a job or switching careers I would look no further than Hack Reactor. While my experience will vary from many as I took the remote course, I believe that Hack Reactor's curriculum is what educational... Read More institutions should be doing. The course is fast paced and the first half can seemingly crush many individuals will powers. However, it is a worthwhile investment to make it to the second half of the course and the outcomes. What was especially enjoyable were all the little things that were taught in presentations and power hours.

Through it all I enjoyed the experience for the knowledge that I wouldn't have gotten anywhere else and the connections that I now have.

i won't say that hack reactor would be a fruitless experience for all, but if one has the motivation i would not recommend spending 20K on a bootcamp when all the material you need is accessible online for free (or for much cheaper). the best part about... Read More hack reactor is that you get to meet some great people. however there are some aspects of the bootcamp i would completely change if i had the chance.

each cohort has a designated 'counselor' that is with you from the beginning of the program to the end. i wouldnt exactly call these people counselors though, as they're not trained to be therapists. in fact, some counselors seemed clueless as to how to deal with a student's personal problems and don't seem prepared to provide a student with realistic coping strategies. there were times where i felt that the counselors did their students more a disservice than otherwise, and at times seemed to use intimidation in order to 'motivate' students. there have been times where counselor would silently some up behind me and watch me code (although counselors don't know how to code), and i would turn around to find her staring at me in silence (this was so incredibly creepy).
counselors should be renamed 'floor supervisors', as that title more adequately describes their role at hack reactor--their main job is to 'keep track' of their students, collaborate with our tech mentor and make sure things run smoothly. in all honesty though, these people weren't qualified to handle the role of a real counselor: one counselor from another cohort seemed to always walk in drunk and/or high, and my counselor was seemingly always on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and never seemed to listen to what i had to say (which in the real world, would be a mandatory part of their job). i wouldn't exactly call these people well-trained or professional whatsoever. i think if the 'counselors' were replaced with an extra tech mentor it would be much more beneficial... although we didn't even have a tech mentor that stuck around for the entire 13 week period either.

also, the HIRs (or TAs) are all fresh HR graduates who don't necessarily know what they're doing (i had a few cohort mates that could probably teach the TAs a thing or two, making them seem even more useless).

the curriculum (first six weeks), i believe, needs a little fine-tuning. i would probably move the order of sprints around (back-end would be introduced earlier, students should have access to slides at least a day before a sprint starts, etc). after each sprint, a solution video was released, which i only found somewhat helpful. i believe that if provided a live solution lecture where students were able to ask questions, it would be much more beneficial. for the last six weeks (project period), you're basically learning everything on your own.

a lot of time was wasted NOT CODING. from 'tapouts' to feedback sessions to shoutouts to lightning speeches, and, not to mention lectures--there were multiple things constantly keeping you from doing what you're supposed to be doing most: writing code. the atmosphere was extremely disruptive, from people standing around while talking and laughing loudly, a group of guys throwing around a soccer ball (there are a bunch of expensive laptops/monitors/electronics in the room, what the hell are these people thinking?) to someone ringing a gong, to seemingly tribal rituals which including the entire room clapping at once before a quiz/collectively performing violent drum rolls on desks right before a lightning speech. perhaps being part of an underwhelming female minority in a room overflowing with testosterone can be blamed for this, but the environment was not at all conducive to studying or writing code.

while it seems that most coding bootcamps including hack reactor are making attempts to combat sexism within the the tech industry and diversify their student body, the reality is that you have an influx of young men coming into hack reactor who make up the VAST majority of their students, and by societal design will most likely still have sexist tendencies. in defense of hack reactor, i would say that anyone who were overly sexist would definitely be removed/not admitted into the program, but at the same time there is only so much that can be done. examples: i've had an instance of one of my programming pairs putting his hand on my leg repeatedly, guys who misinterpret your kindness and sense of humor as you being attracted to them, meeting up with one of the TAs outside of hack reactor to study/tutoring only to discover he was just interested in trying to get into my pants-- these experiences were all extremely demoralizing for a female with the hopes of breaking into a male-dominated industry. just a reminder to all females interested in attending hack reactor (and i'm sure this is true of all co-ed bootcamps) to stand your ground and don't be so quick to trust just anyone in your cohort.

lastly, after befriending a few former HR staff members and hearing about the lack of transparency, high turnover rate, lack of organization and treatment of their staff i can't say that my opinion of hack reactor has improved any. my experiences weren't all bad, but there is a long list of things needing improvement. to sum it up: for such a hefty price tag, i would have hoped for a much better experience.

I have to say Hack Reactor was one of the much enriching experiences of my life. It's been a little over a year since I quit my day job and began my journey of learning with Hack Reactor. A year and three days to be precise. My only other prior programming... Read More experience was a little SQL I learned through work. It helped in my experience however it's not necessary. My peers came from all walks of life and ages. One member of our cohort did the program on the other side of the globe and would be awake and engaged in PST time. Another just finished high school and pursued Hack Reactor immediately after.

Hack Reactor in my own slightly biased opinion is for everyone. However, it takes a particular mindset and willpower to be a good fit. I didn't get into Hack Reactor on my first attempt. Nor did I get accepted on my second attempt. I wasn't ready for my third attempt. The Rocky theme was playing in my mind this whole span of 4 months and sure enough, I was ready on my 4th try. I say this not to discourage you. I know of individuals that got accepted on their first go. If you're committed to learning and the process they'll work with you.

My first application was googling enough JavaScript to understand the application test. I didn't make it and they gave me some homework. I studied up, put in the time and also took one of their prep classes to understand JavaScript enough to move forward. I was really skeptical of going to HR because they're a lot of predatory schools out there. The open outcome statistics and the sheer amount of support provided made me sure of going with Hack Reactor. I did research beforehand on a few other boot camps beforehand and Hack Reactor. There were a few free options I found intriguing, however, the grasshopper learning from the grandmaster approach was more appealing to me.

I was a part of Hack Reactor Remote's 18th cohort. Challenging and excitement went hand in hand every day. Their take on curriculum with pair programming, learning how to learn and working in teams were fundamental to my growth as an engineer. Changing the curriculum to match the industry and market is also an impressive feat.

The sense of community within the program drove me to learn more and have fun while doing so. The program is intense and having peers and a support system there are rich resources that are crucial to success. Everyone in my cohort wanted the best for each other the environment is really collective and collaborative. Slack was just filled with resources, encouragement, and articles on what's new in the world of Web Dev / Javascript.

After the program, I was offered the opportunity to stay on board for another 3 months as a resident. Giving back and leveling up at the same time for me was going through Hack Reactor again as a sort of victory lap. After learning JavaScript solidify your understanding by explaining it and working with students to get the most out of their experience.

I'm grateful to be in a time where you can go to school entirely online and get a high-quality education in short period of time. As for work prospects, I have worked several contracts in front and back end. I'm now full time as a front-end engineer at a small firm that works for CBS. Going through Hack Reactor doubled my income, gained mastery of a skill, and I made wonderful friends and great memories.