| | Roberto | For me, choosing a program to get into web dev came down to these factors: credibility, quality, cost. Here is what I found.
Credibility:
The first factor was easy to tackle. If you go to learn.co you can read the jobs report. It’s an independently audited report that contains job placement (99%) and average salary for graduates. I called-up a friend of mine who is an alumni of one of their in-person programs to get more info. She vouched, and gave a great review.
Now take it from me. This is a great program.
One of my former colleagues joined another popular program (without me knowing, or I would have persuaded her otherwise) and is now hoping that she can find a job. I, however know that the school’s reputation is on the line over me. They very publicly advertise their audited placement rates.
Quality:
The curriculum is based on the in-person program. So, not only are the instructors good at coding, the actual material has has proven itself several times (results seen in jobs report). Not just that, but there is material that is not included in the in-person program. You are simply exposed to more content, and one could argue that this will make you a stronger job candidate.
What’s more, I encourage you to actually do the free coursework. It will only cost a little of your time, but you can see what the program is all about and why students are so addicted. Yes, I said addicted.
A note here on quality. The Flatiron School selects students in what I consider a unique fashion. There are people in the program who have tech backgrounds, have worked with big data, or majored in math, and there are artists, writers, comedians, etc. I say this because the curriculum is extremely accessible. Everyone can get through it, and everyone becomes stronger from it. This is largely due to the content and the format, but also due to the community. At the end of the day, despite their different backgrounds, everyone I have come into contact with loves the program.
Cost/Pace:
You go at your own pace. If you finish in 4 months, good for you. If you finish in 8, fantastic. For the most part people don’t pull out their rulers and start comparing. And why should you? However everyone’s budget is always at the back of their mind.
The team recently launched a second version for $500 instead of $1000 per month. The $500 version is just the Premium version with some support services stripped away. I am glad to be in the Premium version because it suites my needs, and I budgeted for it. However, the basic version students are by no means treated any differently in the community. Honestly most of us don’t know (or care) who is in which plan.
Added bonus: Community
This is a big one. Communities are not perfect. Anywhere. But having been on several on-line learning platforms before, and having worked in education, I can say that the community that is cultured here is very supportive and open. Whether you are outgoing or reserved, you can find a place here. There are virtually no rules to follow though. It just seems to be a product of the people who are admitted, and of course the tone set by the community leaders. |
