Rutgers Bootcamps

Overall the experience of taking the full stack course was an enjoyable one. It was overwhelming at first but as I got into the course I started to feel more comfortable. The instructors are very informative and helpful and will do anything within their power to help you succeed. The tutors were phenomenal with answering all the questions I had and would even make additional time for me to get assistance if needed. Overall all the staff at this bootcamp is super supportive and will do anything to make sure you succeed. I can fully recommend taking these courses if you are looking for a change of pace in your life.

My experience in the Rutgers Data Science Bootcamp has been fantastic but successful completion in any bootcamp environment (mine was part-time) requires sacrifice.  These folks aren't kidding when they tell you you'll need to dedicate between 10 and 20 hours each week outside of class time but don't let that scare you!  This is worth the investment.

THE GOOD
One thing I noticed early on, and consistently throughout the duration, was the caliber of instructors in the program.  My instructors (Vikas and Arin) foster a great learning environment by starting with caring about my success.  And boy did I have questions!  Both instructors were infinitely patient with my granular questions, I learn best by doing so I SQ3R'd everything (essentially rinse & repeat).  Additionally, it's clear that the instructors are professionals in their fields who draw from a wealth of experience.  They helped me to connect what appeared to be unrelated concepts resulting in deeper understandings.

The second thing is the out-of-class support.  Tutoring and Student Success Managers in particular.  Christie (my student success manager) was kind and helpful, in the last third of the class I had to move out of my home.  Christie presented me with options, including extra tutoring, focused on ensuring my ability to complete the program on time.

The topics covered opened a world to me that I hadn't imagined before.  Understanding how data can be transformed and presented is going to help me evolve my career.  Additionally, the instructors provided TONS of reference material which is useful for assignments.
 
THE BAD
The only genuine criticism I have for the bootcamp is the breakneck pace.  My learning style requires more time to practice concepts and test new ideas.  I spent many a late-night tweaking code (mostly in Python) to get the output just right.

One of my frustrations is the many programming environments lead to syntax confusion.  Coding { } vs. [ ] vs. ( ) and "tothis" vs. "to_this".  This is not a flaw with the bootcamp program but just the nature of programming languages.

THE UGLY
As the old saying goes, there is never enough time.  If you consider this program, you must accept making the long-term decision to spend all your time dedicated to success in this program for the duration.  I spent a great deal of time running different versions of code to achieve the results I desired.  You'll need a GSD (Get Stuff Done) mentality to get the most out of this program.

Additionally, this meant missing family dinners, sporting events, and summer events that had become second nature.  Also, needing help with all of the day-to-day essentials of maintaining a life/household.

FINAL THOUGHTS If you're looking to master the myriad of concepts from this program, resign yourself to years for continuing skills development.  You can get hired straight out of the bootcamp, no doubt!  And it's the beginning of this adventure!  Prepare yourself for a new challenges and struggles.  You can do it and you won't have to do it alone.  ===================================================================================================== 
TLDR
This is a big and difficult challenge but it is doable.   If you are a novice (like I was) this is a great way to focus and make huge gains in skill and understanding.  But the significant sacrifice of time is worth it.  If you want to grow your skills or change your career, you can but you have to earn it.   Clear your social calendar! 

After multiple "No" responses from employers and again receiving a "No" from an employer on a Friday after a long week, I signed up last minute to the Data Analysis Bootcamp at Rutgers.  Probably one of my craziest, last minute, decisions to date but I was depressed about my job prospects and hating my current job, so I needed something to help move me forward.  The class started on a Tuesday, so I had exactly the weekend to decide, sign-up, and pay for the class. 
 
After the first week I wanted to quit.  Not so much because the class was awful, or the instructor was terrible but the sheer force that the information came to you was intense.  At least the first week was not too difficult since I used Excel regularly.  But then a light switched the moment we moved into Python.  I never learned python or any coding.  I was a biology-chemistry major many years ago when I attended University. It was tough.  The syntax mistakes and the late nights dragged on.  I would love to say that the class got easier as time progressed, but it did not.  Each week there is a new topic so the moment you have one topic you get challenged again by learning something completely new. 

At the beginning, they said to regularly reach out to the tutor etc.  I only used my tutor twice for the whole period because my time between work and class was not very flexible and I found myself working out issues late at night.  You Tube will become your friend.  You will become a google master to find that one piece of code that is giving you issues.  You will become angry and upset, maybe to the point of screaming and wanting to throw your computer.  But when you figure something out, that has been bugging you for days, those eureka moments will be worth it! 

If you are interested in this course, I would suggest taking a basic course on python or a beginner’s course on data analysis to start.  I went in completely new, and I spent a lot of time outside of class getting up to speed.  I did try python several years ago but did not commit so did not get far. Trust me, you will be much happier in the course having some basic coding under your belt.  There are several online options available for this and even things you can do on your own. 

The second item to consider is how much time do you have between work and family life? Are you willing to commit 10 hours for class time during the week with an additional 15+ hours outside of that?  Maybe you know some coding already so it may not take you this long.  It did for me. This is something to consider.
  
Third item and most important in my opinion is how committed will you be?  You will be tired, you will work long hours every week, you will not have a full weekend, and you will want to quit at times.  Think of this class as running a marathon, one foot in front of the other for 21.6 miles. If you are an endurance kind of person, you will make it through this class.  Make a commitment to yourself and then tell your family that you will need assistance around the house. You will need your family on board with this because it is a tremendous time commitment.  I told my Fiancé at the beginning that for the next 6 months we will be homebodies and my time would be divided between work and class work.  He did help with making dinner etc. when I was working on project or other times when I was super busy.  This was a huge help and something you only realize while you are busy.
Either way, I made it.  I did move jobs right in the middle of this course.  It is not in data, but I have used the skills learned in this course and already applied them to my new role.  Would I take it again?  I would with a foundation before the course.  It would have been less grueling and more enjoyable for me.  

The best part about the course is that there are TONS of resources for you provided by Rutgers from career help and class help. The tutors are great.  The instructors have the patience of a saint and will help you.  You will also learn from other students and collaborate on projects. 

So, I will leave you with this, if you are committed, if you have the time, and if you want to learn many things in data that you otherwise would not know, take this course.  But you must be 100% in. When things get tough you will need to remember WHY you started this and continue to commit to yourself throughout the course.  At the end, you WILL have a sense of accomplishment and if you are looking for a career change you will have a great foundation and the ability to build on that.  Good luck to you when you decide to take this course.  It WILL be worth it in the end!

This program does exactly what they say. It is a little fast-paced but if you have a SOLID background in programing specifically 
Javascript You will find this course to provide you with all the needed tools to make it in the software industry. Professor Han is a top-notch instructor Who can easily navigate code and provide you with any solution you may face in the Mern stack. But let's not forget about our TA Manoli who will push you to new limits that you never thought you would be able to reach. I would say Professor Han and Manoli are polar opposites but that makes them the dynamic duo I really have nothing bad to say about the program because if you can survive this then you can make it in any FAANG Company and reach the goals you are trying to attain. Put it like this only do this if you have a passion for tech problem solving or critical thinking. This is for the weak-hearted or the people who feel like they shouldn't have to google answers for all the problems they will face while coding. Oh, I almost forgot You have got to use AskBCS and The tutor(Ricardo) that the program provides are the best and are also just another asset to getting you to fully understand and grasp the content in front of you I love the program and do not regret it at all. if you see shakey reviews honestly those are from ppl who just need to have their hand held the whole time throughout the program I loved every minute of it. Another thing apply apply apply for work on your resume and portfolio and make sure your projects area looking somewhat decent and I'm telling you to put in the work to get them there don't be afraid of not working for this cause this isn't easy career services is helpful but still, you have to be proactive.

I recently graduated from the part time Web Dev Bootcamp and I can say it was well worth the time and money. The course was incredibly substantial in many ways. Not only did it push us to learn and cooperate with our classmates, but it provided us with an amazing amount of resources to work with for future projects and career growth. A sincere thank you to the instructor, Kevin Ferguson, and the TAs Francisco Cruz, Kristen De La Rosa, Manolis Koutouzos and Josh Appel for providing the most educational, supportive, and outright enjoyable class I have ever taken. 

My experience with the Rutgers Data Science/Analytics bootcamp was a very rewarding and challenging process. The course will present you with a lot of tough real life scenarios that require you to think outside of the box and use the tools you just learned. However, the program provides you with an exceptional instructor and TA team along with additional resources that go above and beyond to ensure you grasp the concepts of the material. As long as you were willing to put in the work the instructing team was willing to put in the additional time with you. I can truly say this was a wonderful experience with minimal flaws but if I had to go back and change something I would suggest to touch on best practices for studying/reviewing the lessons and slightly on note-taking code. Big shout-out to my Instructor Nathan! He was great with all the lessons and had great patience with all of his students.  

Before attending the Rutgers Coding Bootcamp I was a recent graduate from Passaic County Community College with an associates in computer science.  Post graduation I had difficulty financially attending further university for a bachelors in Comp Sci, and lacked the skills many employers are looking for.  It was here I decided to enroll in the Rutgers Coding Bootcamp part time course as a means of improving my current skillset and learn the in demand skills needed for a web developer.  My biggest draw to the course were the advertised career services which this course offers in spades with demo day., career milestones, and seminars every week.

From Day  one we began coding and learning how to set up our new environment for the next six months.  I was presented with new programming languages and a new service to work with in GitHub, but in time I learned them with the help of my instructors and tutor.  Throughout the course I could turn to my instructor, teaching assistants, and assigned tutor when my own troubleshooting was failing and pick up new useful ways to tackle a problem.  They have all helped me in numerous ways such as how I code solutions to the task at hand and with how I go about debugging.

Unlike my reflections from college I can say now that I am in the final week of the course that my competence of coding has grown immensely from when I started.  While I am still nervous and excited for the future ahead I'm not leaving this program feeling lost like I did as a College grad.  To my Instructor Kevin Ferguson,  my teaching assistants Josh Appel, Manoli Koutouzos, Francisco Cruz, Kristen De La Rosa, and my student success manager Christie Nadratowski, I want to give you all a heartfelt thank you for preparing me for this road ahead.  I hope you can continue to impact the lives of future web developers who find their humble beginnings at the Rutgers Coding Bootcamp.

So I recently graduated from this bootcamp about a month ago and after applying to over 50 entry level jobs, I am realizing that this bootcamp alone will not prepare you for a job in this field. Even if you master everything they teach you (which you won't in 12 weeks, even if you put in 40 hours of practice a week outside of class like they recommend), you will not be able to compete in the job market right after graduation. Don't get me wrong, the class course was good, the instructor and teacher assistant were good, but I was told by a recruiter before I signed up that I would have companies fighting each other to hire me after I graduate. That was a lie. In summary, I am not saying not to take the course, but if you decide to take it, make sure you are willing to continue learning long after you graduate. This course is just a first step in a long road to getting a job in this field. 

WOW! This bootcamp was life changing, in all the best ways. The communication between admissions right off the bat is fantastic, and transparent. I knew this was going to be a challenge (I may have underestimated truly how challenging, but I made it out alive!), however, there is so much support from start to finish. From the amazing professor and TAs who dedicated so much passion, time, energy and knowledge to our class for 12 straight weeks, to our amazing Student Success Manager who was always just a message away, to the tutoring services, to career services -- I could not believe how truly supported I was throughout the entire journey. It wasn't easy, there were definitely moments were I wanted to scream at my computer or pull some hair out. BUT it was possible, and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! I am so thankful that I took this step, and made a new path for myself in this new career field. I cannot wait to see what comes next!

Hi, my name is Jonathan and i attended the Rutgers Boot-camp.  The Rutgers Jersey City part-time program has a great support system. Kevin Ferguson the lead teacher is very knowledgeable and works in the field he is teaching. When i attended we had two great TA's Francisco and Kristen De La Rosa. They were always there to help; they even would respond to me on off days, not just office hours. The student success manager Christie Nadratowski, really cares about us. She would always check in on us, send funny meme's to us on slack, and most importantly, she listens and i feel she truly cares about us. The program is a bit fast paced but every class is recorded and you get to keep those when you leave and the team are always available for help. I truly recommend this course for beginners and also for those who already have experience. This course is for everyone.

I worked as a manager for a call center for about 9 years. With a wife and a child coming along during that time, it became harder financially for us, and I considered a career change, but I felt stuck at the job and didn't know how to go about it. In August of 2019 I had received a brochure on Rutgers Coding Bootcamp, and I became interested as I researched more about the industry, but I almost let it get away from me when I found that the class schedule couldn't work with my work schedule.
Come September, our office closed down and I was laid off. This ended up being both a blessing and a curse: I was out of a job, which is never easy, but it opened up the opportunity to take the jump into the Bootcamp, so I registered for the part time Full Stack program from December to June.
This was one of the most challenging and thrilling experiences I've had. I learned that I REALLY enjoy the logical process and problem solving that comes with coding, and it felt natural for me to implement. The struggles were very real, but it made the victories so much sweeter. I made a lot of good friends along the way, and despite the fact that COVID 19 came and interrupted our lives, it didn't stop me from pushing forward to finish the course. By the end, not only have I felt incredibly accomplished, but I discovered that this was something I knew I was meant to do.
For anyone taking the bootcamp, my advice is that, just like anything that we are learning for the first time, it's going to start off as a frustrating experience because no one knows anything. What's great about the bootcamp is that you will have a LOT of support: on top of your instructors and Teacher Assistants, you'll have Student Success Managers that will help guide and encourage you along the way, especially when things get tough. Tutors are available in case there's something you don't quite understand. Career Services help to make sure that by the time you're done with the bootcamp, you're ready to jump back into the job hunt. Take advantage of all of the services that are offered to you, because everyone there is working hard to see you succeed. And believe me when I say you'll feel incredible once you've overcome the challenges the bootcamp throws at you - probably the best kind of rush and excitement I've ever felt. Last but not least, don't give up - try and try and keep trying. You'll be so surprised at the progress you've made. Just know your expectations about the course - it is NOT EASY. Knowing that can help you mentally as you reach your goals.
Good luck to everyone! This was a wonderful experience for me and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to do something different in their lives.

So I took the data science course, I'll say what we were taught was some what relevant but my class specifically was always behind, eventually they replaced the professor in the middle of the program and we ended with different educators for each weekends. This put a lot of people behind, or original educator should have been replaced earlier not when we were in the middle of a new language. I ended up not showing up anymore since I had to do all the work on my own anyways. The TA's were awesome I well say. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, save your money it's not what your looking for. I ended up getting a job in automation but that's because I taught my self the information I needed, not even a language taught in class ( C+). Tldr: waste of money, better off saving that money and self learning. Wish my class could get there money back a lot ended up dropping out.

As Oracle database developer with many years of experience, I took decision to upgrade my skills with latest technologies for data analysis and machine learning. I am fully satisfied and feeling confident with my decision after completing the course. The course is perfectly designed to get full hands on with concept wise activities. In additionn to great teaching of concepts, the course is equipped with full of class actvities, home work assignment and multiple projects at various levels. I got full confidence each week of the course after the class activities and home work completion on topic that is covered during that week. As student we need an extra effort during this 24 week period to be in class and reviewing the topics each week to be in pace with course. This course really helped me a lot to apply the new technologies in my current work and gave me lot of confidence for future.
The Instructor , Teaching Assistants ,Student Success Manager and everyone involved from enrolling to graduation day are excellent with full support and response that you need all the time. I strongly recommend this course for those who are looking for career in latest data analysis technologies. Thank you for all the staff for Great Offering that is proven as successfull programme for many students.

I signed up to this bootcamp just in the hope of learning something new and make myself familiar with the latest technolgies but I came out with so much more. I was looking forward to each class, each homework and each project throughout the course, the curriculum is quick paced and that is what keeps us on our toes and make us give our 100%. The short deadlines, the late nights, the group projects everything was worth it. The instructors were amazing, extremely knowledgable and encouraging, the TAs always helpful, the student success managers always there to give a ear whenever we had issues. I graduated feeling a lot confident about myself and my coding abilities, I would recommend this course to anyone who is up for challenges and have a zest for learning!

I entered this program very green and very nervous. I had little experience coding and was embarking on a new career in a new field. It's truly incredible all that I have learned and accomplished in six months. My instructor, tutor, and TAs were wonderful - so patient and smart - even when I felt stressed I never felt alone. I entered knowing only HTML and CSS. Now I can build a server and React app - amazing! My confidence has soared and I have made a family in my cohort that I am forever thankful for. I am excited to start my career in web development and I have the strength and support of the Rutgers Bootcamp to thank for my preparedness.

If you're thinking of registering my advice is - DO IT! 

If you're enrolled my advice is - install the slack app on your phone so you're always up to date with shared resources and support, take advantage of the free tutoring, and make time to stay for office hours. 

You CAN do it! And there's so much help if you need it!

Working in HR for 6 years in different industries, interviewing hundreds of people, I think this is enough for me to understand "You'll need this in the future", "this", I mean, the developer mindset. Take a look at the "Zen of Coding", you will understand why a programmer mindset can help you in lots of ways ----whether it is a challenging software problem or “hacking” other aspects of your lives like travel planning or winning the game in Dave & Buster's or relationships.

I got a management degree (yep, not a science degree) and zero experience in coding. But all these "disadvantages" did not stop me. Because when I thought deeply about the kind of work I truly love, I realized I’m happiest when I have my head down, solving problems. And taking Rutgers Bootcamp Program is a great decision I made to help my career change. I’ve never pushed myself as a learner as much as I’ve had to in the last year. I learned:

• Languages: JavaScript, HTML, CSS, SQL.
• Frameworks/Libraries: React.js, Node.js, jQuery, Handlebars, Express, SCSS, Responsive Design, Bootstrap.
• Software/Engines/System/Deployment: MySQL, MongoDB, Git; Heroku, Netlify.

And most valuable part of this program is you will learn how to "learn" and how to destructing the assignments. I want to give a shout-out to instructor Alex and TAs (Andrew, Z, and Brian). 

So if you’re at that career change crossroads to become a programmer, scared to take the leap—take it. It’s never going to get easier, but it will get less scary as soon as you take that first step. This program is definitely the first-step worth taking. 

Prior to taking the Bootcamp I was creating websites using Wix/shopify/weebly etc. for clients and wanted to understand more about what went into building a website and hosting the site myself. I used to dabble in code back in myspace days so when I saw Rutgers was having a part time bootcamp I jumped on the opportunity. I liked the fact that I could still work my fulltime job and attend the course. 

Compared to other Bootcamps I saw online Rutgers was close to my work/home and a name I trusted. The class goes over different languages like HTML, CSS, Javascript, jQuery, Bootstrap, ajax, MySQL and more. All of these languages will be helpful to know through my Web Dev journey and I am greatful I have had such a great experience learning the basics of these programming languages. 

My professor Alex Rosenkranz and all the TAs (Brian, Z, Andrew), are always working with you and push you when you want to slack off. I had a great experience everytime I went to class.

I would (and already have) highly recommend Rutger's Coding Bootcamp to friends/family/strangers.

After only 2 thirds of the bootcamp, I landed a job as a web developer at the United Nations. Many, many of my colleauges landed jobs at Amazon, Chase and became React Developers and Software Engineers at some big names companies. The support you'll receive is beyond exceptional, the materials will really prepare you to the real job market needs and demands. Excellent experience. Excellent support during and after bootcamp. 

Here is a video about me that Rutgers Coding Bootcamp has done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ID0NSHBZa4&t=1s 

You can receive a support from the CEO of the company, an amazing guy with intelligent outspoken and humble personality. Amazing team. I loved each and every one of them. I don't know what's amazing about them but you feel that all of these people are gathered around you for you to succeed. They push you to succeed and they go above and beyond what's needed to make sure that you are receiving a second to none quality of education. 

Do you need a bootcamp?

Absolutely yes. Retooling is a must in todays day in time. Every 4-5 years you must retool and sharpen your skills to stay on top of the fast changing technology. 

Can any bootcamp provide the right retooling to you?

Absolutely Not. I have done my homework very, very well before signing up to Rutgers bootcamp. I have collected data about each and every school in the NYC-Jersey region and I didn't choose Rutgers bootcamp for a random reason. I used to live in CT and I moved my entire family to Jersey to attend this very bootcamp and not any other one.