| | Linda Vu | I would do voluntarily do this program again just to hangout with Aaron and Sean in the fun learning atmosphere they created. The intimate class size and heart that they have for this program is not to be understated - I genuinely felt like I was a part of a family there, and still do as part of their alumni network. This is not to downplay the fact that this was one of the most taxing things I've ever done in a 3-month span. It is NOT easy, but the reward of how much I was able to learn about web development and my own personal growth in that time span is more than enough to make me look back on it fondly.
Pros:
-Intimate class size allows you to get to know peers as well as instructors
-Convenient location in downtown Durham's WeWork, which is fully stocked with amenities and surrounded by cool local businesses
-Offers a part-time preparatory course that is very cheap and can be applied to your tuition for the full-time class, should you enroll
-Despite his expertise, Aaron has the energy of an upbeat puppy, which makes you feel un-judged and able to learn things even though you may feel a lot of self-doubt
-Curriculum is highly relevant in terms of full-stack JavaScript technologies and frameworks
-Inctructors take care to give you the context and history of the technologies you're learning so that you have a big picture of the web development world
-Algorithms and Big O notation
-Has an impressive local network of recruiters and current software engineers to connect you with
-Assigned a personal mentor that I connected with outside of class for added perspective
-Sean's tough love is exactly what I needed to prepare me for the most challenging job interviews
-They STILL help me with technical questions and career advice over slack even though I'm no longer a student
-I moved to my hometown of Charlotte right after the course ended, and found an amazing local network of developers thanks to a tip that Sean gave me via message (this same network helped me land a dream job as a Software Engineer at Skookum)
-The group project final and your solo demo are challenging and way more relevant to a potential employer than the projects I've seen from other bootcamps
Cons:
-You feel the repercussions more in a small group if some of your classmates have a different definition of working hard compared to you (referring to the final cohort project)
-It's a fast-paced program and you WILL fall behind if you don't constantly push yourself. This is all bootcamps though.
-Our cohort felt the growing pains in a pronounced way because of the location changes leading up to the new WeWork building's grand opening. This is unlikely to be a factor for the cohorts after us since Project Shift is all settled into the new building now.
-Communication pitfalls were frustrating at times when we weren't sure which instructor was arriving/when with how the days were split.
-Typos and grammatical errors in the lessons occasionally annoyed me, though the actual intellectual content and resources of the lessons were all there. Just something that should be improved for professionality and branding's sake. |
