Immersion

I want to start by acknowledging the value I gained from the program. It provided me with a solid foundation in coding, and I'm grateful to have had this opportunity in New Orleans. It's an excellent way to explore if coding is the right path for you. However, I believe the program's curriculum is outdated, relying on material from years past. Given how rapidly technology evolves, I think it's crucial for the program to keep up with current market demands.
On a positive note, the hands-on experience and the connections I made with fellow cohort members were invaluable.
That being said, I must be honest about the toll it took on my mental health. While the program is designed to be intense and challenging, I felt unsupported and isolated throughout. We can sit and argue all day that you need to just get the work done, and that's it. However, it's important to recognize that prolonged periods of isolation can have a significant impact on anyone, regardless of the pursuit of personal growth. A more empathetic and supportive environment is crucial, especially for those transitioning into software development from a non-tech background.
The program emphasizes values like empathy, but in some interactions with staff, I experienced a lack of genuine concern. I experienced multitude of instances of gaslighting and victim blaming. If you don't do as they say, they can become passive aggressive, threaten your connections with them, and hide it behind words, such as you lacking "integrity", lacking "work ethic", and wanting you to be "successful". There were instances where it felt like certain individuals were more focused on making money than of the well-being of the students. Additionally, I heard about layoffs that disproportionately affected people of color, which raises questions about the program's commitment to diversity.
There were many moments when the approach felt more like "tough love" rather than constructive guidance, bordering on a very toxic dynamic. Communication at times felt impersonal, making me question my value as an individual. There's an intangible quality about the environment that left me feeling uneasy, something I can only describe as cult-like. 
While I do believe Operation Spark improved my prospects in the tech industry, I'm left questioning if the toll on my well-being was worth it. It's a route to consider if your primary goal is a career in tech, and if you're prepared to navigate challenging interpersonal dynamics. The opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals in your cohort is a definite plus. Sometimes, it's all you have since others from your cohort will know exactly what you're feeling/experiencing. 
In sharing my experience, my intention is not to deter anyone, but rather to provide an honest account. If I could go back, I would have appreciated knowing these aspects beforehand. Ultimately, if you're driven to pursue a tech career and are equipped to handle the challenges and get through, Operation Spark may be a viable option for you.

I attended up to Precourse. Be warned that Precourse is when you pay $500 to basically teach yourself and then work on projects all day. You could do all this for FREE using the Odin Project. Also, you will be expected to teach your classmates. Some of whom are too lazy to read the directions/have learned helplessness. A lot of people have no drive and want to be handheld. That is great but I'm not PAYING to teach someone else when I also have to teach myself. Also, the teachers are horrible. I was called into a meeting with several of the admins + Johnny. Johnny proceeded to insult me and tell me I would probably end up working at fast food. They kept telling me I was 'not working correctly' but would not give me any other details. I pressed for information about what I could do better and they just kept repeating 'You are not working correctly.' What am I supposed to do with vague information like that? At the time I was dealing with family issues + money issues. My car was broken. I live outside of New Orleans (about 45 minutes from anything). This means I have to DRIVE over 45 to work. Johnny told me to 'stop being so materialistic.' Ummm I guess Johnny thinks having running water + electricity is materialistic. Because those are things that have to. DRIVE to work to pay for. Johnny got very nasty with me for no reason. There were 6 of them in that meeting and after being insulted for over 30 mins I felt like I could not defend myself. Johnny, please don't speak on things you know nothing about. Such as what life is like for women in rural areas. TLDR: Come here if you want to pay yourself and then be abused by the admins. 

 I was harassed by another student so badly, I had to get the police involved and press charges. When I told Operation Spark about this I was pulled into a meeting a basically made to feel like it was my fault. I was told it would probably be better if I didn't contact students outside of class and just keep to myself. Again, I pressed charges against the person harassing me. They where the problem. They where sending me threats and misogynistic slurs. The experience did scare me and it made me nervous about working with other people. They didn't kick this person out of the slack channel either or the program.  After almost completing Precourse, I was called into another meeting where I was told student had issues working with me. They would not give an actual example. I completed most of the work on these projects on my own because my partners didn’t want to give any input. Neither one of these student had much input. One of them actually asked the teacher if she would 'be able to understand the directions if she read them.' She didn't even want to read the directions herself. When we partnered up, she started acting like it was my job to teach her the material. They said because I was unable to screen share and didn't work with my classmates (they never gave me an actual example). I had issues with a pull request with my second partner, and he didn’t offer me any advice. Just kept telling me ‘I don’t know what to tell you.”  They never gave me direct feedback. I was very vague. So I have no idea what they want me to work on.  So I took their advice and kept my distance from people, they penalized me for that. I wouldn’t recommend this place. I left the last meeting feeling worse about myself than I ever have. 

Operation spark has the right concept in mind, but has lost sight of their own mission. I like another student mentioned below, finished the pre-immersion section at op spark during covid-19. I was privileged to attend op spark in person pre covid 19 and  now online. When I signed up for op spark, I knew what I was getting into. A family member told me about the program in depth, and I have numerous friends who have completed the program and have jobs today. What was being "sold" to me isn't what happens behind closed doors. The prep course was a great building block for someone like myself who has never coded, nor been confident with higher level concepts. It really is the square one for someone who does not know what a variable is. The teacher for that section and bootcamp, Ryan McFarland was and is still the best thing about op spark. Ryan would go above and beyond to ensure we knew where to look for information, offered links to sources other than op sparks ready made PowerPoints, and was approachable. I say this, because anything about the overall program with op spark changes post bootcamp. Pre course is $500 and no tuition assistance is offered, (you won't find this out until last minute and no payment plan is offered. Pay it, or you're not in the next cohort). From day 1 of pre course until the painful post test interview, you feel like an idiot. You aren't, but your teachers Kaelyn and Ali will make you question how you even tied your shoes this morning. I have witnessed first hand, students being told they cheated on a project, with no evidence, Students being laughed at or having their work chastised; the best example is when a teacher responded to a students questions with "TLDR" better know as too long didn't read, or when Ali told a student "what the f*** is that?" Really welcoming stuff here. When I met Kendall and Cortez at the op spark info session (both amazing individuals who no longer work for the company) I was excited for a new opportunity and I knew I would have to put blood, sweat, and tears into this for the outcome I wanted. What I didn't sign up for: being berated, last minute info about grants, changing loan companies and then asking for $11k not even a week later, no teaching whatsoever, DRAMA in between students and teachers in the middle of our "help desk" sections. I could go on. Also, I've been hearing there isn't real job placement once you graduate! You just apply for jobs on your own and let them know if you got one. I can do that on my own--sounds like the grads are doing that anyway. The purpose of this review was to shed light on what is really happening at op spark. I believe their original mission was noble, but, it no longer exists. To have 19 students get through pre-course and have 5 pass, some of whom do not want to give a cent to this place, but know they got this far, speaks VOLUMES.  You will be asked to pay $11k +, quit your job, and be belittled at the chance of making it. Good luck making a 40/40 on a test and still not going to the next session. I'll be looking elsewhere for my future learning. 

As a recent grad, going through the program offered at Operation Spark was the best decision I've ever made. I use to work for a small company in New Orleans as an IT desktop support, and going from the hardware side of computers to learning how to create web applications all on my own is quite a feat.

Yes the program itself is quite difficult, thats why the program is called immersion, but being able to offer real life skills in fullstack development, I wish I had this opportunity when I was younger.

Best decision I have ever made. While I learned a lot of different theories and even multiple languages in college, non of those classes went as in depth as Operation Spark has. They also hold you to an extremely high standard, higher than many employers will to help you become not only good on your own, but also in a group. They teach everything in what feels like blocks, that you have to get through. This is a hard, challenging course, but the instructors are there to help you, not do it for you. Looking forward to progressing with the program. It has increasingly helped me find more confidence in myself as a developer, something college did not do for me. Anyone who feels this is elementary has not progressed far enough to make accurate judgment call.

Operation Spark changed my life. Coming from a little to none coding background, I am now proud to say that I'm a Software Developer. The instructors are passionate about every student. They teach you more than just how to code, they teach you to learn for yourself. You learn full-stack web development. From the client to the server, to the database. After going through the Immersion program I am qualified to take on any task assigned to me.