Bloc is now Thinkful
As of 2/4/21, Bloc is now Thinkful; the curriculum and community will not change.
If you graduated from Bloc prior to Feb 4, 2021, please leave your review for Bloc. Otherwise, please leave your review for Thinkful.
To view updated and accurate information, please visit the Thinkful Course Report page.
Bloc is an online coding bootcamp that incorporates 1-on-1 mentorship to prepare each student for a career as a professional software engineer or UX/UI designer. Bloc's apprenticeship approach is tailored specifically to each student's learning needs. In the Web Developer Bootcamp, the curriculum is centered around frontend JavaScript and students can choose whether to learn Ruby on Rails or server-side JavaScript with Node. Bloc’s project-based curriculum is written by expert curriculum developers and vetted by their advisory board comprised of hiring managers. Students work with mentors 1-on-1 to clarify concepts, pair program, and build a portfolio of sites that will demonstrate job readiness as a professional software engineer. Not everyone can quit their job or move to a new city for a bootcamp, so Bloc has designed a comprehensive bootcamp with this in mind. Students can enroll full-time, or complete the program at a part-time pace. Bloc also offers 80 hours per week of real-time access to an experienced developer to answer any questions students may have.
No prior development experience is required to enroll in Bloc, but a strong desire to learn and take on challenges will be important in each student's success! Bloc has a 100% acceptance rate, but is looking for students who are driven, hard-working, and ready to learn.
Career readiness is important to Bloc- their flagship Track programs include job preparation material and career prep workshops. Mentors will help students put together a portfolio and prepare technical interview questions. When ready, students work with the Career Support team to navigate the job search process with an individualized game plan and exposure to Bloc's Employer Network.
Im currently enrolled in the UX Design track, I am scheduled to complete the program February 2018. I sincerely love this program and my mentor is great.
Pros:
Love how flexible the program is. You are able to adjust the pace as well to be able to work a full time job or do the full time course and finish faster
Easy to read checkpoints.I love how the program is allows you to read the lesson, do hands on work and then submit an assignment. So your not just reading and ...
Im currently enrolled in the UX Design track, I am scheduled to complete the program February 2018. I sincerely love this program and my mentor is great.
Pros:
Love how flexible the program is. You are able to adjust the pace as well to be able to work a full time job or do the full time course and finish faster
Easy to read checkpoints.I love how the program is allows you to read the lesson, do hands on work and then submit an assignment. So your not just reading and getting bored.
Mentors are awesome. My mentor Zach is awesome, he is so thorough when we go through the checkpoints together. He gives me positive feedback as well as critique my work to make it better. He also makes sure that all my questions are answered and I'm not confused about anything. Also having the meeting with the mentor keeps you on track and keeps me motivated not to slack off because I know I have my meeting coming up.
Support is always available. When enrolling you will have access to slack which is like one big chatroom full of help. So if you message your mentor and they aren't available .Ask your question on Slack and someone always answers rather quickly.
Tuition reimbursement guarantee. I love that if I don't find a PAYING position within 6 months of graduating from Bloc , that they will refund my entire tuition. Plus they say they have never had to do that so that just lets me know that the curriculum is awesome. AND IT IS, I'm telling you its great.
I feel like I'm learning so much and Im only a month in. its awesome
Cons
there aren't really any cons except the normal online environment and trying not to procrastinate
Make sure you have time to study and really absorb the material. Try not to be distracted.The program is what you make it. so if you slack off .you can't really blame anyone but yourself because bloc makes sure you. Im still pretty early in the curriculum so I'm not sure about the job support yet but I will write another review when I complete the program.
**Disclaimer - I have been asked to write a review on Bloc, but I am not getting any particular advantage from doing so at this moment. I have given them positive feedback in the past, which may have prompted them to ask me to write a review, but these are my genuine opinions and experiences thus far. I get the feeling that my experiences are not atypical though.
My Context
**Disclaimer - I have been asked to write a review on Bloc, but I am not getting any particular advantage from doing so at this moment. I have given them positive feedback in the past, which may have prompted them to ask me to write a review, but these are my genuine opinions and experiences thus far. I get the feeling that my experiences are not atypical though.
My Context
Overall Experience
Instructors
Curriculum
Job Assistance
In conclusion, based on my experiences thus far, I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to break into the field at their own pace. This is not one of those 9 week crazy bootcamps that charge you $15 grand and try to cram as much knowledge as possible. This kind of bootcamp is well suited for my needs, and I think it is priced right.
That will be waste of your time and money.
After finishing the Bloc program and landing a job with a great startup, I would say Bloc is probably one of the best choices that exist for a software developer bootcamp. The curriculum is solid, and since it focuses on Ruby on Rails and JavaScript, you're going to come out with knowledge that is relevant for the current job market. Most of my mentors were a huge help and really made me feel like Bloc was worth every penny, but I did have one mentor for a portion of the program that w...
After finishing the Bloc program and landing a job with a great startup, I would say Bloc is probably one of the best choices that exist for a software developer bootcamp. The curriculum is solid, and since it focuses on Ruby on Rails and JavaScript, you're going to come out with knowledge that is relevant for the current job market. Most of my mentors were a huge help and really made me feel like Bloc was worth every penny, but I did have one mentor for a portion of the program that was underwhelming. Bloc doesn't have a placement program or much of an established network when it comes to the job search, but they do equip you with the tools to make sure you're able to land an interview. Overall I would say it's definitely worth it, and if you get a mentor that just isn't a great fit, request a new one sooner than later.
Having to check-in with a mentor on a weekly basis really helped me to stay on track and push through when I'm feeling lazy. My mentor was also a great support system for me, he pushed me to get feedback from our online community and go out to the real world to join meetups. Now I feel much more comfortable seeking and giving feedback to other designers and I know what type of feedback people are looking for. The program is well paced, I did it while I was working full-time. It is a great ...
Having to check-in with a mentor on a weekly basis really helped me to stay on track and push through when I'm feeling lazy. My mentor was also a great support system for me, he pushed me to get feedback from our online community and go out to the real world to join meetups. Now I feel much more comfortable seeking and giving feedback to other designers and I know what type of feedback people are looking for. The program is well paced, I did it while I was working full-time. It is a great way to fast-track your learning in a systematic way.
I enrolled in Bloc as a Full Time Designer Track student and loved every second of it. My job, at the time, was such that I could handle a 40 hour a week commitment to doing the Bloc work, but when life threw a wrench at me and I had to pick up an extra 15 hours of work a week, Bloc made it super easy for me to adjust my pacing with no repercussions. I got an awesome foundation of UX/UI and Frontend principles, got to work on developing assets for some cool projects that formulated my po...
I enrolled in Bloc as a Full Time Designer Track student and loved every second of it. My job, at the time, was such that I could handle a 40 hour a week commitment to doing the Bloc work, but when life threw a wrench at me and I had to pick up an extra 15 hours of work a week, Bloc made it super easy for me to adjust my pacing with no repercussions. I got an awesome foundation of UX/UI and Frontend principles, got to work on developing assets for some cool projects that formulated my portfolio in the end. Prior to Bloc, I would not have been able to put together a UX portfolio coded by hand. Now I have a fully-coded portfolio, and was given amazing career support that led to me getting a job with a startup in Los Angeles, alongside advice on how to negotiate for a higher salary than the one initially offered (which, as a woman who had NEVER negotiated her salary before, was not only super helpful but incredibly empowering and it's something I'll continue to do in the future)! I would definitely recommend Bloc to anyone, especially career changers, who know they have the drive and the passion, and just need a regimented curriculum to help them realize their career aspirations.
I'm currently in the process of taking Bloc's frontend fundamentals course. I can already tell the ways it's going to benefit my current job as well as future endeavors. The schedule is very flexible and my mentor is helpful and willing to work around my day job and is always available when I need questions answered.
Bloc is an intensive and intense program especially if you are full time employed. Curriculum is always up to date and mentors are very knowlegable. I chose the part time path and now I'm almost at the end of the program. I learn much more than what I expected at the beginning and I can build fully working apps totally on my own. Mentorship is great and I think that's the key of success. I suggest Bloc to anyone who is highly motivated in starting a highly satisfing career.
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Bloc is an intensive and intense program especially if you are full time employed. Curriculum is always up to date and mentors are very knowlegable. I chose the part time path and now I'm almost at the end of the program. I learn much more than what I expected at the beginning and I can build fully working apps totally on my own. Mentorship is great and I think that's the key of success. I suggest Bloc to anyone who is highly motivated in starting a highly satisfing career.
The Bloc curriculum for web development is divided up into modules, a set of projects, and career preparation which are estimated at about six months of work. So far I've completed about 20% of the curriculum so please keep in mind that the review is for that, not the entire course
The pluses:
(1) Since it's a home study course, the work can be done on your own time and your own schedule.
(2) It's not easy. I've had previous experience with programming and web...
The Bloc curriculum for web development is divided up into modules, a set of projects, and career preparation which are estimated at about six months of work. So far I've completed about 20% of the curriculum so please keep in mind that the review is for that, not the entire course
The pluses:
(1) Since it's a home study course, the work can be done on your own time and your own schedule.
(2) It's not easy. I've had previous experience with programming and web development, yet am being challenged and am learning quite a bit.
(3) Curriculum is further subdivided into "checkpoints" where you're required to complete a specific task. The combination of typing in code you're given plus having to look for your own solutions works for me. There have been some videos too, but they've mostly been short and to the point.
(4) Decent variety. The coursework so far has introduced source control through Git, HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript, plus doing exercises and tutorials at different sites like codewars and codeschool.
(5) Mentor. It definitely helps to have someone there that you're accountable to.
(6) Bloc staff has been courteous and prompt in their replies.
The (possible) minuses:
(1) None for me personally.
(2) The curriculum is very challenging, so those who have no experience with programming or web development may need to slow down and get help from their mentor to absorb the material.
(3) You need to be self-motivated, but that's always been true in a home study course.
I have really learned a lot at Bloc. I like how you are taught material, but then given a project to do on your own. It allows me to figure out how to code on my own without being given the answers. At the same time my mentor is great for when I do get stuck. I feel that from the beginning they try to put you in a world similar to a job where you won't always have someone there and do have to figure it out on your own.
I credit Bloc's Design track for giving me the fundamentals and community to be able to be the product designer I am today. I'm forever grateful to my mentor, Aaron, and have only the best things to say about my experience as a student!
I have had a successful career in the Aerospace industry and have always had many web startup ideas in my head, but never took the time to learn to code. Well, I passed my 40th birthday and thought that I'm not getting any younger or that there would never be the right time to plan with family. So after previous failed attempts to learn to code, I finally took the plunge and applied to Bloc's Part-Time Web Development Track program at end of 2016.
Now, I'm asking myse...
I have had a successful career in the Aerospace industry and have always had many web startup ideas in my head, but never took the time to learn to code. Well, I passed my 40th birthday and thought that I'm not getting any younger or that there would never be the right time to plan with family. So after previous failed attempts to learn to code, I finally took the plunge and applied to Bloc's Part-Time Web Development Track program at end of 2016.
Now, I'm asking myself, why I didn't start earlier! I've always been a life long learner, with BS Mechanical Engineering and MBA, but I have learned so much! I have enjoyed my mentors as they have provided startup perspectives by helping me go beyond the curriculum to understand how everything relates to a founder assembling a team and launching a product.
Overall, this is the best decision and I look forward to my future endeavors as I focus on launching my startup.
Employed in-field | 75.0% |
Full-time employee | 52.5% |
Full-time apprenticeship, internship or contract position | 22.5% |
Short-term contract, part-time, or freelance | 0.0% |
Started a new company or venture after graduation | 0.0% |
Not seeking in-field employment | 0.0% |
Employed out-of-field | 0.0% |
Continuing to higher education | 0.0% |
Not seeking a job for health, family, or personal reasons | 0.0% |
Still seeking job in-field | 25.0% |
Could not contact | 0.0% |
How much does Bloc cost?
Bloc costs around $9,600. On the lower end, some Bloc courses like Web Developer Track cost $8,500.
What courses does Bloc teach?
Bloc offers courses like Design Track, Web Developer Track.
Where does Bloc have campuses?
Bloc teaches students Online in a remote classroom.
Is Bloc worth it?
The data says yes! In 2019, Bloc reported a 0% graduation rate, a median salary of $62,400, and 75% of Bloc alumni are employed. The data says yes! In 2016, Bloc reported a 41% graduation rate, a median salary of $65,411, and 80% of Bloc alumni are employed.
Is Bloc legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 477 Bloc alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Bloc and rate their overall experience a 4.61 out of 5.
Does Bloc offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Right now, it doesn't look like Bloc offers scholarships or accepts the GI Bill. We're always adding to the list of schools that do offer Exclusive Course Report Scholarships and a list of the bootcamps that accept the GI Bill.
Can I read Bloc reviews?
You can read 477 reviews of Bloc on Course Report! Bloc alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Bloc and rate their overall experience a 4.61 out of 5.
Is Bloc accredited?
While bootcamps must be approved to operate, accreditation is relatively rare. Bloc doesn't yet share information about their accreditation status.
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