Self-Paced Remote Fullstack Software Engineering

I enrolled in Parsity looking for some structure to my learning as I transitioned to software development from education. Of course, I found that structure in a curriculum and agenda of projects with deadlines. Perhaps more valuable than the structure, though, was the community. Mentors were eager to help out and just chat about programming and jobs. Group projects were actually a joy and perhaps the most valuable part of the learning experience. My main critique is that I'm not convinced that the tour through the history of web development, including a week Backbone, is necessary in a short curriculum. Also, more might be done to link students with employers. By the end of the program, though, I was skilled both in the MERN stack and in learning new technologies on my own. The job search is still difficult, but the career staff and mentors were great resources for questions. With a comparably low price to other bootcamps, Parsity is a solid option to start your full stack web development career. 

Switching from teaching into the software engineering field was a daunting prospect but joining Parsity helped me transition smoothly.  Like many others have said Parsity has great hands-on practical activities and experiences.  You deeply learn the principles and apply them.  The program is rigorous but if you do the work you will succeed. This program really sets you up to succeed as a software engineer.  I gave four stars to job assistance because they are still growing in that aspect.  The job talks they set up were hit or miss but they are growing in the right direction. Overall if you are looking to change your career Parsity can help you make that change! 

After taking some Udemy courses and doing some 'self-learning' regarding coding, I decided to join a bootcamp to get more hands-on and practical experience. Parsity delivered that and more. From the very beginning, I was learning not just about how to build software but also how to use the skills I learned in the real world. The weekly evaluations were all enjoyable and helpful.One of my favorite things about Parsity is that it doesn't start at an absolute beginner level- one review I read before starting mentioned that instead of going from 0% to 80%, Parsity goes from 20% to 100%. Since I already had some programming experience, this meant that I didn't feel like I was being taught any wasted concepts.Within three and a half months of finishing the Full-time Remote Software Engineering Course, I accepted my first software engineer postion.

Parsity is more than a bootcamp. It's a software engineering school. You're not just going to clone someone else's app and put it up on the fridge for your mom. You're going to learn engineering principles and build your own applications that work across the whole stack. This is not an easy program, but I graduated exceedingly well prepared to show my portfolio and speak meaningfully to senior devs about how and why my projects worked. Two months out from graduation I had two employment offers that were 10k over what I expected to get. This program will require real effort and commitment, but If you're serious about a career change:100% would recommend.

I researched a lot of different programs before deciding on Project Shift, and one of the main reasons I went with them came down to a gut instinct. They seemed really genuine and invested, and it turned out my instincts were right. Everyone was genuinely invested in our growth. I went from having no technical experience, just an interest and a drive to learn and to change my life, and I came out of it with a new career that I love. I feel like Project Shift set me up for success, and I never would have gotten to this place (especially in a matter of months) without their help and support. I learned so much and I feel like I was given good foundations to build on and good strategies to keep learning and growing. So happy I took the leap!

The experience at Project Shift was better than I expected & more than I could have known to ask for, and definitely set me up for success in this field. Over a year out of the program, I'm still regularly leaning on fundamentals that I was taught there, and it gave me the skills and confidence to dive into new technologies beyond the JavaScript that we were taught and to think critically across the full stack of a software application. A few highlights:- The team-building aspect that having a small cohort and regular pair/group projects provides. Not only were the instructors/TA great at explaining concepts, but we were able to learn from each other and learn by discussing concepts with each other. The program does a great job of encouraging that environment.- Career services: not just a buzzword here, but a built-in part of the program that added legitimate value. There was good prep for all kinds of interview phases (technical & non-technical), and they have built a solid foundation of partners to assist their graduates with referrals and networking.- The quality curriculum: real, practical exercises & individual evaluations mixed in with group projects & lectures on fundamentals/design patterns. The instructors go to great lengths to keep the lessons up to date and to reframe concepts based on student feedback - they have a true continuous improvement mindset.

When I first started programming, I was only able to study on nights and weekends due to my job and the progress I did make was very slow. After about 6 months, I realized that if I really want to make this career transition, I would have to dive head-first and do this full time. I started looking into different software engineering bootcamps in the area but Project Shift was the clear winner for a number of reasons. 

Their curriculum is relevant for today’s job market and constantly evolving to follow the direction the industry is going. I had a number of software engineering friends vet the curriculum before I signed up and they all agreed that it’s solid as well as extremely ambitious. By teaching full-stack web development, you are able to view both sides of the coin and this gives a much more holistic view of what it means to be a software engineer as well as making you much more employable. React is already a part of the core curriculum and they’ve adjusted to also include React Hooks (it wasn't a thing when PS first opened) because it's become so popular in the industry. When other technologies or features emerge to be industry standards, I know they will adjust their curriculum accordingly to best equip students to succeed. 


They do a great job of teaching the fundamentals and the why rather than just the what. One of the most common criticisms I’ve heard about bootcamp graduates is they learn a couple of fancy tricks but when their job requires them to learn a new technology, they aren’t able to because they don’t have a foundation. Project Shift does a great job of laying a strong foundation so your career doesn’t stagnate and you’re able to go way farther than just junior developer. At demo nights, students will often incorporate technologies like Ethereum, Vue, TensorFlow, or D3 into their final projects that weren’t covered in our syllabus. The quality of education we receive is so solid, we’re able to teach ourselves and implement which is essential for a successful career as a software engineer.


The team really cares and have placed a heavy focus on quality over quantity. Real talk, the Project Shift team could be making much more money if they expanded. The demand is definitely there because roughly 20% of applicants are accepted to each cohort but they have no interest in doing this because of their commitment to providing a world-class educational experience. Knowing that only the top 20% of applicants are accepted also means everyone wants to be there and you're in the trenches with people who are just as driven as you. Coding 60 hours a week is tiring but when you're doing it together with people who love it just as much as you, it helps and inspires you to push harder. It’s super cheesy but I feel like I’ve gained a family after completing this program because we've gone to war together. 


Career services and mentorship. You’re paired with at least one mentor who works in the industry and there’s a lot of thought that goes into the pairing. The team has a lot of connections in the area and the mentors are all wonderful people who genuinely want to help you become a better software engineer. I still keep in touch with my mentor and he’s helped me in so many different aspects of my career. 

About a year ago when I was researching different coding schools, I was also on this site reading reviews. I would roll my eyes every time people would say their coding bootcamp was life changing but it’s really true. When I was at my previous job, I was constantly anxious because I didn't feel like I was in control of my career and like I was on the wrong path. With the skills I’ve gained with Project Shift, I know I’m on the right path now and am so excited for where this road will take me. I recently started job hunting again and I had an offer in hand within 3 weeks with a considerable bump from my previous career. The team believes in their program so much, they've commited to publishing their job placement stats with cirr.org. They're also the only bootcamp to do this in NC. The Project Shift brand carries considerable weight and its only getting stronger as alumni go onto bigger and greater things. I honestly believe we'll have alumni joining FAANG companies in the next couple of years (it would be much sooner if we were on the west coast). 

The Project Shift team are some of the most authentic, intelligent, and dedicated people I have ever met. If you’re serious about making a career switch and willing to put in the hard work, Project Shift is the place for you.

I recently completed the Software Engineering Immersion Program at Project Shift and can't say enough about my experience there.  I had no coding experinece whatsoever and had no job expereince in the software world either.  I enrolled in the 3 month program and did the 1 month prep course prior to the program as well.  In just 2 months and 1 week after completing the program I received an offer at an incredible software company in downtown Durham, north of $70K with incredible benefits.  I know my expereince may not be the same as everyone else's in terms of results, but I know that it's the same in terms of the experience.  The experience of going through that rigorous of a program with a team that genuinely desires to see you succeed and like-minded individuals who too are looking to change career paths and pursue their dreams, is simply incredible.  There was no sentiment of jealousy or envy or rivalry in my cohort, but rather we truly were rooting for one another and celebrated each other's success.  Going forward I intend to stay involved and well connected to my new Project Shift family and hopefully help pass the same value that I received onto the next generation of software engineers!

It was during college when I frist got introduced to programming. I completely fell in love with it! Ever since I am always coding during my free time, just for fun. Although I did enjoy my time in college I had to stop my education due to financial reasons. One of the things I've realized as a computer science student is that computer science DOES NOT equal programming with that being said you can get a job in software development without a degree in computer science (I am not trying to rule out education, all I am trying to say is that there are other means to get into the field). So I've decided to join Project Shift and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made!

My experience at Project Shift was an unforgettable one that I will forever cherish! What separates Project Shift from other coding schools is that here you're not just 'another' student. You become part of a community of developers where everyone is humble, eager to learn, and always up for a challenge. The instructors are truly amazing human beings. They truly want you to succeed. You get individual attention where they go over your weaknesses and fill in the gaps in your knowledge. This is something you can't really get in a big school. This is why each cohort has a limited number of seats. Because of the small size you will get to know everyone there's no hiding! 

Due to the fact that this is a really fast paced program I would advice future students to come in with some coding experience (create some projects!), just know the basics. It will help you in the long run. You will learn the rest at Project Shift! I would also say that you should keep coding even after the program ends this is a field where you must constanly keep leaning (this is why I enjoy programming). You will struggle but you will succed!

Life after Project Shift? I received an offer from one of Aaron's connection just within two weeks after graduation! I will forever be thankful to Project Shift for this amazing opportunity and turning my hobby into a full time career. This is just the beginning of an epic journey!

I was one of the oldest members of my cohort. I am a father of two, a husband, and I have bills to pay! I spent the last ten years at a job that I was growing increasingly burnt out on, and I decided it was time for a change. I didn't make a lot of money, so I was perpetually paycheck to paycheck. As gratifying as public service was, the cons were outweighing the pros, and it was just no longer sustainable. I decided to try and teach myself code. I spent the better part of a year learning web development. Things would come up, and I'd take a little break...maybe not so little, and I'd have to relearn a lot of what I was working on. Then I decided to get "serious" and started coding everyday, even if only a little. I got better, but I felt I still had a long way to go to make the career transition that I was planning.

It was then that I started researching code schools in my area. I looked at several, one "affiliated" with a local university, a couple of online bootcamps, some part time, some full-time. And then I found Project Shift. It stood out.

They focused on teaching programming fundamentals. They included some Computer Science topics in the curriculum. They purposefully kept their groups small. And they taught full stack JavaScript, which I liked. Basically, they ticked all of my boxes. They gave me the warm and fuzzies, where all of the rest seemed to fall short.

So how was I going to pay for all of this? It's not just the tuition, but also living expenses as I would have to quit my full time job. It was a tough decision. It would be (in my mind) a big gamble. 

So how did it turn out?

I'm two weeks out from graduation, and I have a wonderful job offer with a large tech company! Your mileage may vary, but for me, I nearly doubled my income. Not to mention the other great benefits. And I get to work on cool, cutting edge, technologies. It's literally everything I could have hoped for. 

The curriculum is thorough, but not exhaustive. After all, part of learning to code is learning to learn new tech, and Project Shift encourages that. 

There is a ton of mentorship. You will have an individual mentor, access to a team of mentors on a Slack group, as well as the staff; all of whom are incredibly helpful. 

There were several opportunities built in for networking with local devs like an invitation luncheon, a few panels/discussions, field trips, etc. 

The work evironment and the local scene are very conducive to being productive. You have 24 hr access to the coworking space where they are located. I spent many nights and weekends coding away at the office.

There is plenty of help if you get stuck on a problem. The onus is really on you to seek help when you need it. 

There will be boat load of career services training in addition to all the programming. This is invaluable and has played no small part in the traction I've been able to gain in the short time since I've completed the course. And it continues far beyond graduation.

There are wonderful moments of ephiphany where you accomplish more than you thought you could. 

So...the cons?

It is a lot of work. A LOT! I spent a good 70-80 hours a week most weeks. 

It moves fast. Sometimes it felt like we were moving on to an entirely new topic before I could grasp what were were just talking about. 

Some of the material starts out pretty esoteric, but becomes clearer as you progress. So it takes a bit of faith in the process, but can be a bit frustrating at times.

And of course, it isn't cheap. But what kind of value is it. Well, like I said, two weeks from graduating and I essentially doubled my salary. 

Is it for you?

You'll need to be driven and proactive. Seriously, not just buzzwords. This isn't high school, the responsibility will be solely on you.

You'll need to be humble and willing to ask for help. Throw whatever shred of ego you have out the window. It will only impede your progress.

You'll need to be able to play well with others. Much of the learning is done in a pair programming environment, and it is a small, intimate group. 

So, do I recommend it? Unabashedly YES! If you are considering investing in a code school to help you change careers, I could not recomment Project Shift any more highly.

Project Shift is a great software development fellowship. Days are long (9am-5pm, M-F), and weekends are busy (eval projects pretty much every weekend), but after 12 weeks, you will be amazed at how much you learn. The instructors care about creating junior developers who have the tools to continue learning, and can contribute positively to a team/company.

There are two aspects of this program that I especially liked. Firstly, the career development and mentorship components are very good. It is a vital part to success, not just an afterthought. Secondly, the last two weeks of the program are dedicated to a final group project and an individual capstone project. These were a lot of fun, and lessons learned came up frequently during job interviews after the course was over.

I went to Project Shift with absolutely no tech background. My background was sales and financial planning. I was living in the Middle East when I heard about Project Shift. In April 2018, I flew to Durham and attended (My pregnant wife remained in the Middle East until we met up after Project Shift concluded).

It was an absolutely amazing experience with Aaron, Sean, and Morgan. This course/fellowship requires a lot of hard work, but it pays off. At the end of week 8, I was hit by a car on my bike and suffered a rough concussion. Project Shift did everything they could to try and help me catch up from missed time. Regardless, I missed almost 2 weeks of content.

But! In spite of all that- the day after out final project demo, I got a remote contract offer to work from the Middle East. While that was happening, I started the interview process with a couple companies. Three months later, I had companies sending counter-offers against each other to try and get me to work for them.

Now- I am working for an amazing company where I am excited to go to work. I am able to support a family with a single income.

To summarize: Less than a year ago I made the decision to completely changed careers into the tech world and because of Project Shift, I have experienced amazing opportunity followed by amazing opportunity.

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.

Pros

Accomplished my goal of stepping away from IT support/ops and into a JS engineering role
Provided a good framework in which I could code every day (including 8-12 hrs per weekend at my own pace) for three months
It's a small startup with hard-working staff who care about your success personally
Cohorts are limited to ten people, so you really get to know everyone including the instructors
Attempts to teach concepts in a logical order, sometimes taking the harder route of learning an older framework first so that you have more context for the new one.  Flipside of this is that we were stuck in outdated land for a long time. 
Took me from being shaky at simple scripts to writing a functional full-stack app. 
Projects provide real artifacts to show off (or to hide forever ;) )
Price was reasonable for quantity, quality, and availability of training and staff, and for the increase in salary I saw before/after the camp. 
We had an awesome TA who went way above and beyond and truly made the difference in all of our success.  Can't praise him enough. 
Public demo night was an awesome opportunity -- I had three people from name-brand companies approach me about jobs after watching me present.  That's value. 

Cons 

Growing pains.  I was part of the third cohort.  They're still figuring things out, such as: 
Unrefined training content was littered with spelling, grammatical, and code errors.  Daily struggle.  I hope they're working on it but I really didn't see any acknowledgement of the issue or action taken to fix it.  Everything is usable but... it can feel unprofessional. 
Logistics.  We moved offices three times in three months.  Future cohorts shouldn't run into this, but it was a distraction and we were treated like second-class citizens by one of the offices ("go park half a mile away in a sketchy lot where people don't feel safe at night").  
Geared towards people truly switching careers, so they sometimes don't really know how to handle tech professionals with overlapping experience.  With an IT background I often did not find any value in the trainings geared towards teaching computer science, and there were sometimes inaccuracies in the material.  They should really structure this in a way that allows for opting out and focusing on coding. 
I did not use job support services as I found a job myself part way through the program.  The requirements to get the services felt like they would be pretty burdensome, so have a frank conversation about expectations for both parties prior to enrollment.  I don't think they explicitly offered this service when I enrolled, as we never talked about it until like halfway through the program. 
There were a couple instances where I felt like staff went too far towards acting like cool kids -- keep finding the right balance of teacher/mentor vs. student.

I have 2 bachelor's degrees from highly regarded universities and an extremely academic family (PhD's all around); so quitting my life and opting for code school instead of grad-school was a hard sell, both to myself and my friends and family.  Still, after years of thinking about it, looking into various coding programs, I decided to go for it.

I did A LOT of research on my program options, but chose Project Shift for a few reasons:

1. small cohort - they cap each one at 10.

2. competitive program where everyone has to apply and to go in knowing some basics.

3.  teachers who are currently/had previously worked as developers.

4. there is no job guarantee 

**Now I think I should explain #4 because some people might be confused about why no job guarantee was actually not attractive.  To me, guaranteeing a job is suspicious.  I have friends who graduated from one of the best law schools in the country and have had a hard time finding a job.  Finding a job is hard work and it seems just a little too good to be true to guarantee a job.  I figured that there has to be a catch; and after some research and chatting with friends, I realized there is- a job guarantee is just that - you may have a job - but it may not be somewhere you want to work; and if a program guarantees jobs, well, you better bet that you will have some pressure to take whatever is offered, even if it's less than ideal. 

I won't say that schools offering a guarantee are bad - I am sure that there is some competitive pressure to make this type of offer and I don't have experience with them, so I can't really speak, personally, about how these promises pan out.  I can say, however, that I opted for a program that didn't make any guarantees other than giving their all to teaching you and prepping you/helping you in the job search process; and I feel like Project Shift did exactly what they promised (and more).  I recommend just doing research and asking a lot of questions - when are people getting jobs, where, do you have a list of where each student is employed that I can see?

Students should be prepared to work... A LOT.  I describe it to my friends as taking 5 college classes in a summer school session. BUT, the rewards are awesome, the people are nice, and I found a job within a month of finishing Project Shift from a connection that I made during the program.  It's work that I am interested in at a company that is really impressive.

I couldn't be more pleased with Project Shift - excellent level of education.  Awesome program where I ended up with my own final full-stack application and experience in a simulated agile environment to talk about during my interviews.

If you are like me and have been thinking about this for ages but are worried about taking the leap, I say go for it!

I would like to start off by saying that this was one of the most challenging seasons of my life. Coming in with hardly any software experience, I knew there was going to be a steep learning curve. However, Aaron, Sean, Morgan, and the TA made this curve achievable. Project Shift not only taught me how to become a programmer but also how to learn and to keep learning. The approach is so much different than what I have heard about other courses. They actually care about the whole person and take time to walk with that person through the ups and downs during the course. Once that confidence was instilled, I was able to really begin applying what I was learning. If you are on the fence then you are where I was when I started this journey. As I look back, I know it was totally worth it. 

I find myself telling anyone who asks about Project Shift the same thing: it was the most enjoyable and engaging learning program that I've ever experienced. If you're serious about switching into a career in software development, I highly recommend Project Shift. For a time, I was skeptical about code schools, but the more I learned about this program, the more I realized that it checked off boxes that other schools couldn't. After interviewing with Aaron (the founder and one of the instructors), I felt confident that this was a serious opportunity for someone like me who enjoyed coding on and off for years but wanted to dive deeper and start a new career path. I love that the cohort size is capped at 10 students. This maximized my ability to learn and made me feel as if I was more than just a warm body filling a seat. I quickly discovered that both instructors, Aaron and Sean, are enthusiastic and tireless in their efforts to help you learn the nuts and bolts of being a successful software engineer.

During my cohort, the lessons were generally straightforward yet challenging. Learning was enhanced by pair programming, which was built into most lessons. The curriculum was well thought out and well paced. To me, Project Shift does a great job of teaching practical development skills in current technologies while also incorporating universal programming principles, which are applicable regardless of which language or technology you use. Also, the instructors make themselves readily available when you feel stuck or have questions.

Before and after the cohort ended, both Sean and Aaron went above and beyond for my career search - they responded readily to any questions I had via chat message, video chat, and meeting in person. Both gave helpful advice and guidance throughout the process or applying, interviewing, following up, etc. Less than three months post-Project Shift, I started my career as a full-time software developer, and I owe that to a connection I made through my Project Shift mentor. I can say with confidence that this program prepares you to become a software engineer because from day one on the job I have been applying lessons learned from Project Shift.

When I started looking at bootcamps, Project Shift immediately stood out to me. I was very excited about their selective admission process. I was confident that if I was accepted I would succeed.

Before I started, I was a bit worried that 3 months would not be enough time to get job-ready. The precourse work prepared me for what was a very fast paced curriculum. I worked many weekend and evening hours to make sure I got as much as I could out of each lesson. The curriculum builds at a very good pace. I was constantly challenged, but the material was never beyond my understanding. Aaron and Sean were both very easy to talk to and were always willing to answer questions and help me understand anything that I wasn't sure about.

I had a job interview on the last day of the cohort with one of Sean's connections. After a follow up interview and a code challenge, I was hired.

My experience with Project Shift has turned out better than I could have ever expected. If you are passionate about programming, and you are willing to work your butt off, you will not regret this investment in your future.

I was a member of Project Shift's first cohort and, being a former teacher, I knew the first iteration of any course was probably going to be a bumpy ride. But I did it anyway for a couple of reasons. First of all, I just really liked Aaron. Is that a dumb reason? Maybe, but it worked out. I could tell he was passionate about what he wanted to do, and I loved his enthusiasm. Secondly, I liked that the program was competative to get into and they wouldn't just accept anyone. Another bootcamp I was 'courting' at the time that shall remain nameless made it obvious (to me) that they were just trying to fill seats. That was very offputting to me because I wanted to be in a course with others who had similar abilities and goals since this was such a tight timeline.

The actual course exceeded my expecations. Like I previously said, I was expecting a ton of hiccups, and Aaron and Sean were both extremely candid about how this was the first time and they were probably gonna screw some things up. And for sure there were issues here and there, but overall, the curriculum was really well thought out. You could absolutely tell how much time and energy they put into deveoping the course materials. Also, I found the lessons easy to follow and, more importantly, easy to learn from. I liked working closely with the other members of the small cohort (there were only 7 of us), and I really felt like I got to know everyone and we had a ton of fun.

In terms of post-bootcamp, it's only been a few weeks so I cannot really speak to long-term career prospects, but I will say that Sean and Aaron have been super supportive and have put all of us in touch with people in their large network, many of whom have job openings. I was lucky because I landed a part-time contract position like two weeks out, which works perfectly with my schedule. It was really a best case scenario for me, and I found out about the opportunity via one of Sean's connections.

I chose Project Shift for a number of reasons: I wanted to learn JavaScript, I didn't want to have to choose between front-end and back-end specializations, I liked the approach of learning big-picture concepts alongside practical skills, and I thought the selective admissions and small class size would mean getting the most out of our 12 weeks. I was definitely not disappointed. I worked hard and learned a TON. 

Each week of the course has a different focus. Monday through Thursday, students partner on guided lessons. Fridays are for all-day evaluations (the name sounds scary, but they felt more like a project than a test), which were almost never completed by the end of the day--expect to spend plenty of weekend and evening hours working on these.

I expected to learn a lot and I did. Maybe the thing that surprised me the most was how much fun our cohort had together--over the course, we had a slew of class inside jokes, periodic ping pong breaks, and prodigious use of the Slack party parrot.

I gave four stars to job assistance as our career counselor left mid-cohort and the mentor and guest speaker programs are still being worked on. Less than a month after the end of our program, it's too early to know much about job outcomes. Speaking for myself however, I had the great fortune of finding a job within a few weeks of graduation.