Horizons School of Technology

Horizons is a coding bootcamp, and it excels at that: a low student/instructor ratio with qualified and experienced instructors, a top of the notch, ridiculously refined curriculum, a very very high potential network, and an ambitious management team. But it is much, much more than just a place to learn code. 

I took a considerable risk to do the Semester immersive course, left a paid internship at a tech start-up in NYC and flew to SF with practically no safety cushion. I was also worried that the curriculum wouldn't be challenging enough since I was already writing code at work, had taught myself some programming languages and learned some CS related concepts in college (I studied engineering in college). Also had a bias against JavaScript at the time, because I didn't have the key to its powers. One week into the program, all of those concerns were completely wiped away: many of my classmates were CS majors/grads and were definitely learning as much as the rest of us, I was very much challenged intellectually allbeit without any negative pressure, and I discovered the almighty omnipotence of JavaScript. Before I describe the non-coding components of this experience, I want to stress how good Horizons was strictly in terms of technical education. I learned to build the front-end of a website in a million different ways, SQL and NoSQL databases, the basics of computer networking and of the Internet and how to practically utilize those concepts to set up a full-stack application, Shell scripting, algorithms and data structures, software design paradigms. And this was just in the first month. The TA's were obsessed with teaching us the best technologies, seeing us implement best practices, etc. The instructors were bottomless tech-knowledge pits (thinking of Demi in particular here #legend). 

Now that I've hopefully hammered home the quality of the coding education, let's move on to the fun (or boring depending on your personality) stuff. The network. This is a one of a kind web of high achieving, ambitious young individuals. It's impossible to objectively define success and satisfy everyone with the definition, but I have seen so many different takes on that word in my time at Horizons. You will be part of a diverse, gender-balanced mix of amazing individuals from all walks of life, and you will create strong bonds with them. You will learn from and debate with hard-working, thoughtful VCs, entrepreneurs, investors, C-level execs from wildly successful organizations about topics ranging from product design, to the meaning of life. And then you will realize that these people aren't very different from you, an adventurer, and knowledge hunter attending a coding bootcamp in SoMA, SF. You will connect with Darwish, Abhi, Demi, Moose and other fantastic human beings who will do whatever they can to help you become better and achieve your goal. You will be in the cradle of innovation, Rome of the 21st century. While grabbing a drink at a bar 2 blocks away from Horizons, I met the CEO of Dropbox. We were blocks away from the offices of the tech companies that people in South Africa, the UK, Chile and Singapore all use to get by every day.

I strongly recommend this experience to anyone interested in the tech industry and entrepreneurship - future software engineers, product managers, entrepreneurs, investors and unicorn CEO's to apply. And if you're selected, don't hesitate, do it!

Many aspiring Horizonites ask me: 
Has the program changed your life in any way?

I applied to Horizons around July of 2016, about a year before the actual program. Horizons emailed our school’s email list, and I was deadset on nabbing that fellowship.

I got it November of that year and committed to starting the program June the following year. I committed to it before committing to any other post-grad plan and banked on the hope that whatever company was going to employ me would be willing to accommodate the Horizons timeline. I committed to it because I knew it was only going to change my career path for the better. It's changed me in reinforcing my abilities and my commitment to entering the tech industry. It's given me confidence in my skills, commitment to a career in tech and a solid and strong community.

In CS classes in high school I always told myself I wasn’t good enough, especially when my (mostly) male classmates told me how early and easily they finished. I never thought I could fathom becoming a software engineer because people were always better and smarter than I was. But going through this program has built my confidence in my technical capacity. I’ve also found so much joy in coding – it’s like a giant puzzle that I MUST solve. I get into flow so quickly now, and it’s hard for me to snap out!

I’m now confident that I can build things for myself and others. The instructors, TAs & founders themselves were extremely kind, caring and helpful. They have your back and you can trust they'll help you grow in any way they can. Horizons is not just any other bootcamp - it's a community. The program and the people in the program have definitely changed my life, and they continue to do so. What more could you ask for? 

Full review here: https://mikareyes.tumblr.com/post/163309869682/horizons-faq-from-a-current-horizonite

Horizons was one of the best educational decisions I ever made. I studied traditional computer science in college. I am an entrepreneurial person motivated by product and people, and I was frustrated that after studying CS in school for 2 years, I still could not easily build my own web and mobile applications. Horizons fixed this in 3 months. I build websites all the time for fun/ projects/ anything now, and I have a mobile application in the iOS App Store. I am also developing a user-facing, social web application in my free time. None of this would be possible without Horizons. If you here words like "Node.js," "API," "node modules," "framework," "back-end," and "SQL" all of the time, but you are still confused about what they mean, you need to do Horizons. I am so much more confident in job interviews after the program, and I am able to code whatever I want in my free time. 

Has anybody ever got into Horizon one?? They were supposed to send me a coding challenge to see if I am eligible for Horizon one. After 1 months of waiting, I scheduled a call to see what is the status of my coding challenge. They canceled the scheduled call. I emailed them, after 2 weeks they said they rejected my application!!!

I have CS degree and worked as software developer for 2 years. The only reason I can conclude why the rejected me, is that I am a foreigner. It was shocking to see how they discriminate toward foreigners. 

Please comment if anyone got into Horizon one.

thanks

Horizons gives you the skills and mentorship to build anything and take it to market excellently.

Intensive training teaches you to build advanced software applications end-to-end. Teachers come directly from impressive roles in Silicone Valley and know the best, and most current, ways to build software.

Experienced entrepreneurs are extremely accessible, providing valuable advice and connections.

My Horizons-built business found an investor by the end of the program. Near four months later, the Horizons team continues to be incredibly helpful.

The best way a Business Major (or any student for that matter) can spend a summer. I learned more highly applicable skills in the 3 months than a year in school. Now, I'm using the skills I learned to build a startup. 

Instructors & founders were great and ensured we truly understood the topics. The other students were highly motivated and a joy to work with. The speakers they brought in were world-class and helped us think about tech and investing at the highest levels. Overall, the environment made it enjoyable to work long hours and solve tough problems. 

I highly recommend Horizons.

As a business major pursuing an interest in technology and entrepreneurship, obtaining viable programming skills has been a goal of mine for a long time. However, I could never find the time and opportunity to fully immerse myself and commit to the endeavor, and instead decided I would wait and enroll in a coding bootcamp after I graduated from college... When I found out about Horizons, I seized the opportunity and plunged headfirst into 13 weeks of intensive coding. At the end of the summer I had spearheaded the development of a passion project from idea to launch (www.cortexgame.com) and had gained the skills and confidence needed to continue my growth as a programmer and to seek internships in the technology sector. Horizons has been a tremendous asset in my personal growth and has enabled me to effectively bridge the gap between my business education and the coding skills required to succeed in the world of tech entrepreneurship.

At some point or another, everyone seems to feel a disparity between their passions and reality. For a long time I too have felt that my various interests will be left unpursued due to my lack of applicable skills. For anyone who feels the same way, I highly recommend taking a course at Horizons. Regardless of your experience with coding or technology, the intructors will make sure that you get all the tools you need to make your ambitions come to fruition. The perks of Horizons go far beyond the technical level as the instructors also provide invaluable advice on both a personal and professional level. 

Despite my lack of a tech background, I attended Horizons with the sole intention of finding a job after. Within a month of finishing the course, I had interviews lined up and a few offers to sift through. 

I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the instructors, oftentimes they put in more hours than the students, and they were always helpful and understanding. 

I would recommend this course to anyone that's willing to bust ass and has the desire to learn. 

From the rigorous and expertly crafted curriculum, to the incredible people that you're constantly surrounded by, Horizons leaves no stone unturned. Their summer immersive didn't just teach me full stack web and mobile development - it also gave me a priceless network of peers and mentors, and it revolutionized my views on learning, entrepreneurship, and the world. I can't think of many experiences that have yielded so much for me.

Attending Horizons and meeting everyone involved with their program was among the best decisions I've ever made. I've never felt more empowered to do everything I've always wanted to, among great friends and future colleagues. The curriculum hear is top notch in terms of preparing students with the skills they need to succeed in engineering roles. What I enjoyed most though was the entrepreneurial spirit of the student body, founders, and speakers that came to visit our school - there's a bright future ahead for everyone who attended Horizons.

Horizons was one of the best decisions I ever made. I was able to learn the fundamentals of developing and creating products, meet amazing people, and hear from prominent thought leaders in technology. I had a small understanding of the basics of programming before starting Horizons, but within 3 months I knew the ins and outs of the developing to the point where I, and a couple of my friends from Horizons, were able to launch an app on the Apple and Android App stores.

Horizons is an amazing program, and I would recommend to anyone thinking about getting into or wanting to enhance their technical skills.

I came in looking to learn how to build something with my bare hands (and as a non-cs major). After a few months with Horizons, I felt pretty confident that I could build anything I wanted or at least learn how to build something, if it wasn't apparent. Throughout the program, the lectures were fantastic (shoutout to Moose and Graham!) and during the pair programming, I could tell many of peers were very sharp and pushed me to be better. Furthermore, if you got really stuck, TA assistance was very accessible from ex-software engineers, who were quick to assist. The whole concept of the demo day / hackathon I thought was well executed and contributed to Horizons feeling more than just a coding bootcamp to get you a job (although it very much can do that). It felt like you were really there to learn and build something great. Factor that with the guest lectures, where we got top people in tech to talk about how they made it and advice for us. The whole Horizons experience, in my opinion, will be more than any other bootcamp out there, its THE gateway into the tech world.

If you are looking to gain fundamental knowledge on web development or software engineering, look no further. Horizons will give you the tools you will need to build some amazing products and launch a career in software engineering.

Throughout the course, Horizons had TAs that were dedicated to staying up with us until the crack of dawn so that we could understand the course material. Towards the end of the program, you are given an opportunity to create your own product (great for people who come in with start-up ideas) or work for an actual start-up (some of our students worked on a project for Optimizely). These projects were monumental in supplementing our coursework and giving me the real-world application to what we had spent learning in the first half of the program.

Finally, Horizons was incredibly supportive during the job search. I was able to schedule multiple mock interviews with TAs and get very personal feedback on how to improve before my actual interviews (something that can be pretty costly -- think gainlo.com). TAs also provided resume help and also tips on negotiating salary/benefits once you get an offer. 

If you are hoping to switch careers or gain insight into the software engineering world, I would highly recommend Horizons.