BrainStation

I've taken 2 bootcamps with Brainstation TO and I loved them. The one thing is the levels within the class are very varying. I have some experience with SEO and Google Analytics so it was easy to be engaged and I learned a lot. If you have no experience or desire to prepare a bit before you will be lost. I've done 3 different SEO type courses to help learn from a wide range of teachers and I really enjoy the teachers at Brainstation, especially Jenn Daly. She has corporate, SMB and startup experience so a wide range. The Nov 27th class was a bit too big. SEO and Google Analytics is very hands on and they do a good job of having demo accounts available and teaching you tricks and tools of the trade. I can read the deck myself, their hands on examples and real life experiences was very helpful.

Here is my opinion on the reviews that say you could learn all this for a fraction of the cost in online courses and a couple of textbooks.  If you are a legend like Matt Damon and believe everyone who had any formal education “wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for $1.50 in late fees at the public library,” then you are correct.  There is a wealth of knowledge online waiting to be consumed, and if you have the discipline and drive to teach yourself then you can really learn any programming language you want because it is all out there.  

Unfortunately though, not everyone is a janitor with an IQ over 200, and what you don't get in that fraction of the cost, is a focused and guided track, an awesome lead instructor (Ed), and a supportive community where your success is their primary focus.  Wyncode gives you the foundation you need to then continue learning on your own.  You need to come to Wyncode (or really anything in life) with realistic expectations.  You will leave Wyncode with a programming foundation that you will then spend a lifetime building upon.  You won't be a monster programmer straight outta Wyncode, but you will have developed the tools necessary to start working your way through problems, and each problem you solve you will continue to improve.

Juha and Jo (the founders) really care about each individual student and their success.  Wyncode has a community that you can lean on as much as you want or not at all, but I suggest you use the network around you because that is what you are paying for in addition to the course.  I moved to Miami to attend Wyncode, did not know anyone in the tech scene (or in Florida for that matter), and had a job a couple weeks out from one of the Wynterviews they had set up.  I now work with an awesome group of people here in Miami.

If you put in the time and work, utilize the help they have to offer, and go in with realistic expectations then you will come out ahead at the end of the program.

Best of luck!

 

Wyncode in my opinion is a good investment in a nutshell, especially if you're someone who is new to the programming world and have zero to little knowledge. And that was exactly my experience with programming; I had none.

The Wyncode experience will be different for everybody. Some will go with the intent of just learning where others will go with the intent of starting a career. I fell under the category of having the intent to start a career in programming. So I took the course very serious despite some minor flaws here and there. But overall Wyncode opened a lot of doors and some of the things I thought were irrelevant actually were very relevant. For example, as much as I hated the one on one assigments, it did prepare me for that kind of experience. It also taught me to think differently  and become a better problem solver. Wyncode gives you the basics to build on, so whether you have to learn a different language or new software, you have the necessary skills to learn it.

Another great thing about Wyncode is the community. I met some very talented people in my cohort who I keep in touch with and keep me up to date with the latest technologies or languages since this industry is always changing. Wyncode is also really good about keeping the community abreast of tech meet ups and events which was one of  the reasons I was able to get hired at a company. I consistently went to the meetups there and got to know the staff there and ultimately landed an interview. Wyncode also gave good advice towards the job hunt. While I wasn't a fan of applying to same positions as other Wyncoders, it did do a good job of staying on top of new opportunities and keeping us informed about it. Some of the tactics I used to land a job, came from advice given to us from the instructors and the founders. I really wanted to work for this comapny and I kept staying on their radar which is pretty much the advice I got from Wyncode.

Overall I feel Wyncode was a good investment for me. I went in with the intent of finding a job so my approach to course was 100% commitment. I studied hard and had late nights. In other words, I put the work in in order to take full advantage of what I would take from Wyncode, and it paid off. I was hired within 3 months of graduating. But understand that it is not a guarantee if you don't hustle on your end.The amount you learn in just nine weeks is impressive. And it gives you the confidence to know that you can learn to code.   

I had planned to start grad school ten days after completing Wyncode, but that all changed when I found something I genuinely loved doing.  It isn't for everyone, but it's a whole lot more than the sum of its parts - it's a community that you can't get if you just do an online course, and it's a fire under you that will force you both forward and upward.  If nothing else, it will force you to come to terms with whether this is a life you want or not.  It's hard, and you will be tested.  But don't let that scare you.  If you want to be a developer - if you want a career that's made by thinking on your feet and a bit of a cavalier spirit, then do it.

I always had an interest in programming, but never went beyond a bit of training in Java from college.  A family friend recommended Wyncode, and I had exactly 9 weeks before school started, so I figured I might as well do it.  Best decision I've ever made.

There's a base structure to the boot camp, but what you take from it is all up to you.  Many of us went all day, every day - from 9 AM to sometimes even 4 AM.  You definitely don't have to do it, but every ounce of effort you put in, you get back out.

By no means is it a perfect course.  The head instructors are phenomenal, but sometimes the other instructors are maybe not as helpful as they could be.  Students usually bond more with the TA's and find them to be more helpful, and often more knowledgeable.  Wynwork - job-placement assistance - is helpful for sure, but at the end of the day you getting hired is based on your ability to hustle.  It's not a complete knowledge set - you won't be ready to work at Google, but you should also know that going in.  This course is designed to get you started - to give you a skill that you have the ability to grow.  It teaches you the basics and how to learn more.  The rest is absolutely up to you.

I'll never forget what Johanna Mikkola - one of the founders - told us on one of our first days: that we were about to experience something akin to swimming in high seas, and that Wyncode's job was to be a lifeboat always keeping pace beside you.  She told us that we might swallow a little bit of water, but they would never let us drown.  And they didn't.

I started with minimal programming experience - a year out of college with a degree in Biology and a background in research.  I ended as that, but also as a full-stack web developer with a genuine skill.  And a Pitch-Day Winner.  And a member of our C10 family.  And soon after, hired by a great company.

I purposely came to Miami from New York to attend Wyncode, and it has been a wonderful experience. As someone with zero coding experience, Wyncode's 9-week intensive was ideal for me. Bootcamps which were 3+ months long didn't appeal to me, as I didn't want to invest too much time to begin with. Nine weeks was sufficient to dip my toes, get a great foundation, and gauge whether I enjoyed coding (which I totally do). The content, weekly one-on-one’s, implementation of student feedback and overall helpfulness of the staff exceeded my expectations.

The support from the staff and alumni is amazing, and they’re all awesome people. Wyncode instantly made me feel at home, and I've made a ton of great friends for life. Even where Wyncode is located, at a co-working space called The Lab Miami, there is camaraderie amongst the tenants, a great sense of community, as well as opportunities to collaborate and meet people in the startup world.

As for the job search, I was impressed with how Wyncode facilitated many interviews and introductions for us. They always kept students abreast of hackathons, networking events, meetups, hiring opportunities, as well as coding resources for students' use.

Although Wyncode provided an excellent environment to learn coding, ultimately I was the one dictating my experience. I got exactly what I put into it. The point is not to know everything or depend on Wyncode to teach me everything, but to learn how to learn. I don't consider myself to be the smartest, but I am hard-working. I went from not knowing any code to winning my cohort's pitch day! All in all, I'm happy that I chose Wyncode :)

Am I happy with my decision to attend Wyncode?

Absolutely. I would definitely do it all over again. I have learned to read and write code in several languages. And also to think like a developer. More importantly, I learned how to teach myself to learn new technologies and programming languages. This is so important because this is a daily part of being a programmer. You will constantly have to solve problems and figure things out on your own - so get used to that. The perseverance is what will make you a great programmer. I also made some GREAT friends and will always be a part of the Wyncode network or WynFam.

 

Would I recommend it to a friend?

I actually got turned onto Wyncode from a friend of mine that attended a cohort before me and had a great experience. 

Yes, I would recommend Wyncode to a friend. However, with caveats...

I'm sure you've heard this in every review and will hear it often once you're at Wyncode, but here it is again:

What you get out of Wyncode is determined by what you put in (just like everything else in life)

Yes, the job placement stats are a huge selling point and are vetted by a third party. I would say they are pretty accurate. Yes, local companies are excited and interested in Wyncode graduates. But keep in mind, jobs are not being handed to you. Again, just like everything else in life, you have to earn it.

Would you expect a hand out in any other field? I'm guessing your answer is no. So don't expect anything different here. Look at this opportunity as an accelerated jumpstart to your programming career. The real work begins upon graduating from the program. 

Something you may want to think about prior to attending Wyncode or upon completion: determine if you want to become a developer or just want the coding background for other types of careers. Most people in my cohort wanted to become developers. On the flip side, one person came in with a strong advertising background and wanted to gain coding skills in order to be a stronger, well-rounded professional in the advertising world.

*Very Important (especially if you want to become a developer)*

DO NOT STOP CODING.

You may feel you've reached the finish line, but don't fool yourself. Keep up the momentum coming off of 12 hour days and keep the Wyncode mentality and work ethic churning. This will absolutely separate you from the crowd and your 29 other classmates who will all be competing for the same jobs. The first people that get hired are the ones who continue building things right after Wyncode.

Keyword, building. Continue making commits on GitHub and have something to show prospective employers. Companies want to know you are serious about being a developer and are constantly coding. 

I'm 5 months out of Wyncode. One thing I have learned is that coders code and build things without having to be told to. Either you are into this or you are not. The best programmers are ones who are always working on something. Stay in touch with classmates and work on projects.  Attend hackathons. Become part of the community. 

Wyncode opened up doors and opportunities for me that would not have been possible before. 

Yes, I wish there was more time on JavaScript. They actually just added an extra week for front-end stuff, so there ya go.

 

 

 

Did a advanced level part-time course with them that is no longer offered.

Really didn't learn much of anythning... the instructor spent so much time debugging his code and offering vague explanations that we were all very lost. Some were stuggling with simply getting things to work, some struggled to get a deeper understanding of the material because instructor can't answer questions. 

Also terrible in following up ... we were told we would get a video tutorial on the rest of the material which we didn't cover when we ran out of time and course ended.... we never got said video. 

Terrible waste of my time and $.

We started with about 12 ppl and by the end most had dropped out. 

I offered to provide feedback to the founder but they weren't interested.
FYI lighthouse labs in toronto seems to have better quality instructors and take teaching more seriously. 

I went to Wyncode with no previous coding experience at all to pursue a carrer change. The enthusiam, 24/7 support and encouragement was more than I ever expected. All the support and guidence needed is easily available. You get out of it as much as you put into it!  The TA's and instructors are incredible. They are always (ALWAYS!) available morning, noon and night! The environment is motivatational, not comeptitive. The program is always evolving and  improving since the instructors are very receptive to the daily and weekly feedback. 

You learn the fundementals of computer science which is a great starting foundation.  At Wynocde you learn how to code but you also join a coding family (community). Wyncode sets you up with everything you need to get and excel at a job.  

Everything below is based on my experience:

I would like to start off by saying everyone’s experience is going to be different. If you make the decision to “punch the clock” and set your eyes on the prize of becoming a “Full Stack Developer”, here are somethings you need to consider: 

 

“You get out what you put in…”

The saying above is something you will hear quite often while attending the full-time intensive program. This is definitely a true statement not only for the “bootcamp”, but also in life. If there is anything you need to make sense of, is that this program will give you a good foundation but you will not leave the course knowing everything there is to know about web development, especially within such a short time frame.

 

My Overall Experience:

I definitely enjoyed my time at Wyncode and met some awesome people which I still connect with as an Alumni. I’m almost certain I would not be in the position I am now without it. I have built a strong foundation of the coding basics and how to learn which is the most important skill in this industry. I am able to grow as a developer and have the knowledge to progress on a daily basis on my own. On the other hand, being a graduate of Wyncode, I’ve realize the Tech Scene is not an easy scene to jump right into as entry-level or junior developer. This leads to many hard times, decisions, and misguidance which is an area Wyncode should strive to improve in. “If I had to do it all over again I most definitely would. The network you build and the foundation you can work off afterwards is phenomenal.”

 

Curriculum:

As far as the curriculum everyone, will have a different opinion but this is where I stand. Ruby on Rails is the programming language being taught at Wyncode as I write this review . Most of the companies in the South Florida Tech Scene I looked at and have applied for mainly work out of different programming languages and stacks such as Javascript Frameworks, PHP, C#, C++, and ASP.net; this is something to keep in mind.

They do dive into Agile Methodologies which is extremely important for today’s Tech Scene. Although it might seem pretty boring or pointless the first week or so, I spend most of my time in this new field spending half of my days working around being agile. 

During the bootcamp, you might find some subjects to be irrelevant but they come into play once you move on to start-ups and big opportunities. You may think some subjects are not relevant but in fact they are. Wyncode tries to make sure you soak in as much material as possible before you go into the real world of development. 

One of my main issues was the speed of certain lectures, this wasn’t often but when it occurred it was very frustrating at times. It can be very hard to keep up, especially when following along with the instructor who writes code at 70+ wpm, while trying to comprehend the entire lesson. Another thing to know is that that sometimes what you were taught would only cover a portion of what the homework assignment would entail, which forces you to become a soulmate of google and learn to teach yourself. This can be frustrating for some but was a minor issue for me.The frustration you go through while in the bootcamp will also translate into becoming a better programmer in the long run because you’ll learn to deal with hard situations and come up with solutions.

 

Instructors:

The instructors and TA’s were amazing and somehow are always available to answer any questions, whatever time of day they were just a simple slack message away. 

Don’t be scared to ask any questions, in this field there is no such thing as a “stupid question” we’re all here to learn and grow. It’ll seem like those teaching you at the bootcamp always seem to known the answer and that might make you feel like your far from becoming that stature, but best thing for you to do is to take advantage of it and ask as many questions as possible. 

 

Job Assistance:

Not to brag but I’d like to start off by saying I was the first person in my cohort to receive a job right out of Wyncode and I want to tell you everything I did and Wyncode so you have some sort of ground to work off of. You are given all the tools to succeed while in the bootcamp to receive a job coming right out but there is so much to learn, you come out realizing you need to keep hustling and striving to learn a ton more before being on your way down your new venture.

As for me, I stayed focusing on building my network to the biggest I possibly could while being in the cohort and also maintaining those relationships as an alumni. During the bootcamp you will have multiple outlets on learning to do so with free workshops before and after class. There also tons of meet ups during the cohort that you have to take advantage of

 

WYNWORK

Wynwork is a way for alumni from Wyncode to find opportunities in the job search. Wynwork supplies you with companies/ hiring partners who are looking for developers looking to make there way into the industry. The main thing you should keep in mind with Wynwork is that everyone attending the cohort and previous cohorts will be tackling the same applications so you’ll need to try and be persistent as well as different in some form or fashion for those specific job opportunities. 

 

***Side Tips***

Tip #1
If your looking to work in a different market out of South Florida, you need to put in the extra effort of building a network there as well. For example, if you plan to work in New York:

• Join Slack groups for New York Devs ( To be more specific look up by “city” )
• Join LinkedIn groups as well as added companies and developers from those companies, that way you communicate with them, build a relationship, and find out what there looking for.
• Add recruiters based out of the state/city so you can have someone help give introductions in the area.
• Email and call companies based out of the state or city you planned to work in, seeing what they have to offer and what there looking for. 
•  

***And if your like me, take a flight out and build your network in the state. Plan accordingly so that you have meetings, interviews, as well as meet-ups to get the most out of your trip.***

 

Tip #2

Do research on the companies you plan to work for, I can’t stress this enough. If the company your interested in is not a RoR stack based company you need to hustle and dive into the language they use. That way you have a better understanding when you get the interview and you won't be lost when they ask questions about there stack. Just state how passionate you are about the industry and how you’ve got your feet wet in the stack they use. That way you can at the least dive in and learn on the job! 

In conclusion, I know this is a lot to soak in, but ultimately the decision is yours. Like I said before, if I had to do it all over again I most definitely would. The only difference is I would spend a majority of my time during the bootcamp building the best portfolio possible and adding as many side projects to it, because that is what is going to separate you from the crowd. Good Luck and hope anyone pursuing Wyncode has an amazing experience like I did and if you need any help or advice, feel free to contact me.

 

Wyncode’s slack channel: Jschloss309

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jschloss309

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jschloss309    

Email: jschloss309@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

Why did I do it?

Before Wyncode, I was working at a small investment consulting firm. I was close to graduating college and I was considering taking the Series 65 to become an investment advisor. I had always had an interest in coding and over the years I had done bits and pieces of a few codecademy courses, but never could put it together to actually build something. I knew I really liked coding and the satisfaction of building something cool, so I quit my job, dropped out of college, and enrolled in Wyncode. It was a tough decision and I don't regret it one bit.

 

What did I get out of it?

I worked my ass of and learned a ton. It's cliche to say, but you do get out what you put into it. Ed (the lead instructor) is incredibly knowledgeable and earnestly cares about the students and building a thriving tech community in Miami. If you're not picking his brain whenever you get the chance, you're doing it wrong.

The most obvious thing that you get out of wyncode is that you learn how to make web apps. If that was all you got out of wyncode, it probably wouldn't be worth the cost, considering all the great resources available online. This is what you get from Wyncode that you can't get online:

1. Lifelong friends
2. An incredibly motivating environment (you will want to work all day and night)
3. Soft skills (writing emails, networking, speaking, etc)
4. Job support
5. Access to the wyncode slack channel (an invaluable resource)
6. Access to other wyncode resources (I use these all the time)
7. Access to an awesome coworking space, the LAB Miami
8. A large and ever-expanding network of tech people.

Any Complaints?

There are only two things that I really hear when people complain about wyncode: not enough focus on JavaScript and not enough job support. I agree with the first one. I didn't feel like I learned enough about JavaScript during the course, and really I didn't pick it up until after the course was over. Fortunately for you guys, Wyncode just added an extra week of JavaScript practice to the curriculum. They're always listening to feedback and improving.

The second complaint is about job support. I disagree with this pretty strongly. The wynterviews (every student gets interviewed in their final project groups by local companies) are a huge opportunity. There's also a growing name recognition that comes along with being a Wyncode grad, since so many are kicking ass all over the place. You have an instant network with the other wyncode alumni that you can leverage for opportunities. It took me awhile to get hired, but I owe it entirely to Wyncode. I got hired after doing well in a hackathon that was exclusively for wyncoders and employees of the company that put it on.

 

TLDR

If you're not happy with what you're doing and you want to work in an awesome industry building cool stuff, but you don't know how to get started, do Wyncode and live happily ever after.

My exerience with Brainstation was amazing!. The structure of the curriculum enabled students to learn concepts in the most effective manner. The staff here are friendly, knolwedgable and always willing to help. The program is pricey, but if you are passionate in development, it is definately worth your time ( or learn it yourself that may take you years).

Some tips for people enrolling:

1) Dabble with programming to see if you like it. Knowing some basic javascript will clear some pain in the long run. The pace of the curriculum is quick so getting familiar with the language and syntax will ensure you don't fall behind. 

2) Be assertive in asking questions and claryfing conepts repeatedly. Brainstation is a friendly learning envrionment and most people don't come from a programming background.

3) Most importantly, have realistic expectations. Brainstation will give you all the tools and knowledge to become a full-stack developer in 10 weeks. It is the fastest way to become one. However, don't treat it so lightly as it will come easy. Because the pace goes pretty quickly, get ready to put in the extra hours of work and even working on it on weekends. I recomend putting all your heart and soul in those 10 weeks!