Code Fellows is closed
This school is now closed. Although Code Fellows is no longer accepting students or running its program, you can still see historical information and Code Fellows alumni reviews on the school page.
Code Fellows
Average Rating4.47
229 Reviews
49 Courses
Code Fellows is a technical skills training academy in the Pacific Northwest that offers full- and part-time software development, ops and cybersecurity courses online and in-person from their Seattle, Washington location. Code Fellows guides people from all backgrounds to change their lives through fast-paced, career-focused education. Since their first cohort in 2013, Code Fellows has taught over 1,600 graduates and iterated on their curriculum and format to ensure students receive the most industry-relevant training as effectively and efficiently as possible. Code Fellows shapes passionate learners with immersive training to meet industry needs and improve diversity. Students are immersed in their learning with daily lectures, pair programming, weekly presentations from full-time instructional staff who are seasoned industry professionals, one-week project sprints, and more. Code Fellows graduates work at Amazon, Microsoft, Zillow, Expedia, XBOX, NIKE, Amazon, Starbucks, Nordstrom, and over 800 other companies.
The modular style of the Code Fellows program allows students to test into the course level that is most appropriate for their current skill level. In addition, the modular class structure allows students to choose the schedule and timing that meets their needs.
Code Fellows believes everyone should have the opportunity to succeed. Code Fellows offers scholarships to help individuals who come from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds find rewarding careers in tech. They are committed to breaking down systemic barriers and ensuring all people are treated with respect and dignity. They are united with their staff, students, alumni, and partners in the fight against systemic racism and injustice.
Code Fellows supports both domestic and international licensing partners through its Powered by Code Fellows program. Code Fellows also offers a tutoring program and platform to both students and non-students, technical instructor certification, and corporate training.
229 Code Fellows Reviews
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AnonymousGraduate • Code 401: Advanced Software Development in Full-Stack JavaScript (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineJul 12, 2024Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceSave your money
I completed my 401 course a few months ago. The curriculum was rigorous, as expected from a bootcamp. I excelled in the course, achieving a 98.9% score, and passed my whiteboard interview on the very first attempt, which led me to join the Career Accelerator program. Up to that point, everything seemed promising. But shortly after all my instructors lost their jobs, and the head of job recruitment was let go. The Career Accelerator program is a JOKE! They added us to a Slack channel and...I completed my 401 course a few months ago. The curriculum was rigorous, as expected from a bootcamp. I excelled in the course, achieving a 98.9% score, and passed my whiteboard interview on the very first attempt, which led me to join the Career Accelerator program. Up to that point, everything seemed promising. But shortly after all my instructors lost their jobs, and the head of job recruitment was let go. The Career Accelerator program is a JOKE! They added us to a Slack channel and sent out weekly forms asking where we had applied that week and whether we received any callbacks. That was the extent of their career assistance. For veterans, the program is free, but I paid over $13,000 and can confidently say it was not worth it. Not a single person from my cohort got a job or any assistance from Code Fellows. Please get a degree from college and stay away from codeFellows.- AnonymousGraduate • Code 401: Advanced Software Development in Full-Stack JavaScript (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineDec 11, 2023Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
High Price for Bad Outcomes
Code Fellows charges high-end boot camp prices without the results, curriculum, or staffing to match. Even the people who were getting paid to attend (CF accepts multiple forms of veteran education benefits) regretted attending the CF software engineering program. I would recommend staying away from Code Fellows entirely.
Most instructors didn't seem to have training in how to lead a class through the material, which made it feel like the instructors were always ill-prepared &...Code Fellows charges high-end boot camp prices without the results, curriculum, or staffing to match. Even the people who were getting paid to attend (CF accepts multiple forms of veteran education benefits) regretted attending the CF software engineering program. I would recommend staying away from Code Fellows entirely.
Most instructors didn't seem to have training in how to lead a class through the material, which made it feel like the instructors were always ill-prepared & short on time. Especially later on in 401 (the main courses), this program felt like watching an unprepared person talk to themself as they tried to go through the CF curriculum; this resulted in failing to include the class in instruction, not providing answers to questions, and frequently not even finishing the instruction for the day during class time. The material itself felt thrown together & stale; like someone just googled the topic for each day and picked the first result, rather than curating the material to fit the needs of the students (this was further amplified by regularly running into dead links and outdated material).
Two out of our three instructors had no industry experience. These instructors were better at teaching, and covered beginning material (HTML, CSS, JS), but they didn't always understand the material, and frequently didn't have time to provide answers to questions that came up during class. I had hoped some of this would be addressed once students broke into cohorts with a more specific focus, but that time never came, and a common theme in the program was students/TAs completely lacking the foundational fundamentals to build further understanding.
The instructor (401) that did have some experience worked one job after graduating CF, and then became an instructor after their role switched to hybrid from remote. This instructor was hostile with students who pointed out an error or alternate solution during lecture. When they couldn't get a library to work, they would say it was due to a bug, rather than their lack of understanding. Whenever they couldn't answer a question, they would either say there is no time for it, or that they'd come back to it later (it became a running joke because they never came back to these questions). The worst part of this program was having an instructor who still didn't understand that part of the job is learning how to find the answer, not getting upset that someone asked you something that made you feel uncertain. Nothing was done when the cohort tried to talk to the program about the problems with this instructor, and students stopped raising concerns due to fear of retaliation. In this final portion of our program we had 60% of our cohort drop within the first month. This was not surprising at all, and a lot of the students voiced to each other that they felt like the program was a cash grab. When a dialogue was opened to address some of the concerns, the instructor and admin staff were very confrontational. Time was set aside in class to explain why people were wrong about specific concerns in their "anonymous feedback surveys"; a common phrase thrown around by CF staff was that you "just aren't embracing a growth mindset". This was easily one of the most toxic work/education environments I've ever experienced.
Along with all of the above, the TAs were terrible providing useful input and very limited in availability. Despite being alumni, they didn't understand the difference between var/let/const, and were typically no help outside of telling you to write whatever code worked in their version of the assignment, rather than troubleshooting and explaining the refactor. TAs are paid ~$15-20/hr, need to stay below 30hrs a week, and work within a priority system that more often than not meant they were not available for students when they were requested. When this lack of availability was presented to the school, one of the lead instructors told people that you could pay $30/hr if you needed help outside of your cohort assigned time. Not having available TAs is insane for a program that costs $20k, and even crazier when the instructors think people should be paying an additional $30/hr to be properly taught something that the instructors failed at teaching. The TAs lack of learning, training, and availability all felt like a continuance of the school caring more about their bottom line than creating a suitable learning environment for the cost.
A good remote or self-paced program would be much more beneficial than Code Fellows. For the same price, you could even hire a good tutor to take you through the sticking points each week, while checking on your progress. If Code Fellows is your only option (in-person situation), then I'd take the time to ask questions about your specific instructors (there are some who are enthusiastic & seem to have a passion for the material/teaching), and ask to speak to some of their recent students who have been hired and/or sit in for a class.I do think boot camps work for some people, but not all boot camps care to create a curriculum, update it continually, and spend the time/money to hire & train capable staff; spending six months at the wrong place is an easy way to waste time/money, while also being turned off from the industry. - AnonymousGraduate • Code 401: Advanced Software Development in Full-Stack JavaScript (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineJul 26, 2023Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Challenging yet rewarding
In this school you are going to learn something new every week but you are not going to use everything you learn throughout the whole course some lessons are more of intros to things so you know they are out there so sometimes you will have to do a lot of research on your own depending on what you are interested in - AnonymousStudent • Ops 401: Cybersecurity Engineering (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineMay 18, 2023Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Doesn’t not prepare you for a job.
Our course material has typos, unclear directions, and still needs so much work before it’s ready for students. The curriculum does NOT prepare you for a job. They gloss over one new thing a day and you’re expected to put that in your resume as a skill. The class lecture is supposed to be 3 hours long, sometimes it is 1 hour. You would expect much more from a $25,000 course. Your “career” assignments consist of watching 45 minute YouTube videos that are 3 years old, and they call it “par...Our course material has typos, unclear directions, and still needs so much work before it’s ready for students. The curriculum does NOT prepare you for a job. They gloss over one new thing a day and you’re expected to put that in your resume as a skill. The class lecture is supposed to be 3 hours long, sometimes it is 1 hour. You would expect much more from a $25,000 course. Your “career” assignments consist of watching 45 minute YouTube videos that are 3 years old, and they call it “partner power hour”. Tech is always changing, but they don’t value their students enough to give them relevant material. You are also expected to give free in-depth feedback weekly, and for each new course. Please, especially veterans, do not waste your VETTEC benefit here. I made a grave mistake choosing this course. - AnonymousStudent • Code 102: Intro to Software Development (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineApr 24, 2023Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Overall - horrible experience due to [name redacted] - lack of follow up or communication
I recently completed the Code Fellow Bootcamp course, and unfortunately, I was very disappointed with my experience. One of the biggest issues I encountered was the complete lack of communication from the staff. There were times when I had important questions or concerns that went unanswered for days, if not weeks.
In addition to the lack of communication, there was a severe lack of ownership taken by the instructors and staff. When I encountered issues, instead ...I recently completed the Code Fellow Bootcamp course, and unfortunately, I was very disappointed with my experience. One of the biggest issues I encountered was the complete lack of communication from the staff. There were times when I had important questions or concerns that went unanswered for days, if not weeks.
In addition to the lack of communication, there was a severe lack of ownership taken by the instructors and staff. When I encountered issues, instead of working with me to find a solution, they brushed me off. It was frustrating and demotivating, to say the least.
To make matters worse, there were several instances where I tried to reach out via phone call or email, and my attempts were completely ignored. It was incredibly frustrating to feel like I was being ignored, especially since I had invested so much time and money into the course.
Overall, I would not recommend the Code Fellow Bootcamp course. The lack of communication, ownership, and responsiveness made it a very frustrating experience, and I feel like I did not get my money's worth. If you are considering a bootcamp course, I would recommend looking elsewhere.Jeff Malek of Code Fellows
CEO
Apr 26, 2023
Succeeding at Code Fellows requires grit, tenacity, kindness, patience, and personal accountability - the same things that are desired by employers. For those of you reading this who are considering Code Fellows and have these qualities, you will be welcomed with enthusiasm and will do well. This student does not represent our typical student, nor the values we work hard to uphold at Code Fellows. Code Fellows dismisses students for violating our Code of Conduct (https://codefellows.github.io/code-of-conduct/). We will not tolerate harassment of our employees on review sites like this or elsewhere. - AnonymousJava Developer • Student • Code 401: Advanced Software Development in Java with SpringMVC & Android (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineMar 17, 2023Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Mind and life changing.
Code Fellows gave me a place that facilitated material and provided accountability. The instructors and the teaching assistants shared their wealth of knowledge and gave room to grow and learn. Java 401 was challenging to learn a new language but extremely rewarding. I believe java laid a great foundation for software development. - AnonymousGraduate • Ops 101: Explore Ethical Hacking & Cybersecurity Careers (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineMar 06, 2023Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Excellent and Amazing
I gone through very exciting experience while learning ethical hacking and cybersecurity course from Code Fellows. Course is presented nicely and it was well elaborated. Instructors are so helping in nature. - AnonymousStudent • Code 401: Advanced Software Development in Full-Stack JavaScript (Full-Time, In-Person) • SeattleFeb 03, 2023Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Satisfactory
Overall the courses and instructors are fleshed out and get the job done. Looking forward to job searching and implementing teachings and habits instilled by Code Fellows. Ryan Gallaway is a phenomenal instructor and really is there for the students. TA's are extremely helpful, especially Katharine Swilley & Justin Hamerly. - AnonymousStudent • Code 401: Advanced Software Development in Full-Stack JavaScript (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineDec 01, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob AssistanceN/A
Code Fellows is great!!
I took the courses for the Advanced Software Development in Full-Stack JavaScript Certificate. The faculty were excellent and I leave confident in my abilities and ready to start a new career. - AnonymousGraduate • Code 401: Advanced Software Development in Python (Full-Time, Online) • OnlineJun 25, 2022Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Comprehensive instruction with career transition support
I just graduated from the Python 401 course at Code Fellows, and my experience was a favorable one. The curriculum is up-to-date and relevant, while the instructors are enthusiastic and attentive to student needs. What I found most valuable, other than the technical content, was the focus on job-search readiness and interview skills. There is also a data structures/algorithms focus that other schools lack. If you are self-motivated, curious, and interested in pursuing software develo...I just graduated from the Python 401 course at Code Fellows, and my experience was a favorable one. The curriculum is up-to-date and relevant, while the instructors are enthusiastic and attentive to student needs. What I found most valuable, other than the technical content, was the focus on job-search readiness and interview skills. There is also a data structures/algorithms focus that other schools lack. If you are self-motivated, curious, and interested in pursuing software development as a career, check out Code Fellows. - AnonymousOps 201: Foundations of Computer Operations (Full-Time, In-Person) • OnlineAug 21, 2020Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Seattle Ops 201 d1
you are here to gain the experience and the way to learn new things and ways to learn through learning (sandbox learning), you will be the best and you will feel proud of your self especially on the project week - AnonymousGraduate • Code 401: Advanced Software Development in ASP.NET Core (Full-Time, In-Person) • OnlineSep 17, 2019Overall ExperienceInstructorsCurriculumJob Assistance
Great Experience, Perfect For Hands On Learners
I had tried my hands at traditional schools a few times and always found myself rather bored with the slow progress that was made. A friend had suggested trying out one of the day long 101 courses offered by Code Fellows so I did it. After that course and talking with some of the past graduates that were there helping, I decided to give it a try. I took 201 and 301 back to back and then decided to take the C#/ASP.Net 401 that was in a few months. While the amount of information thrown at y...
I had tried my hands at traditional schools a few times and always found myself rather bored with the slow progress that was made. A friend had suggested trying out one of the day long 101 courses offered by Code Fellows so I did it. After that course and talking with some of the past graduates that were there helping, I decided to give it a try. I took 201 and 301 back to back and then decided to take the C#/ASP.Net 401 that was in a few months. While the amount of information thrown at you can be a bit overwhelming at times, the instructional staff does their best to work with you on reinforcing what you were taught in lecture as long as you ask. My classmates were all pretty amazing and we all worked together as much as possible to get through some of the more challenging assignments together. For me having the "lab" time at the school with support from my peers, TA's and Instructor really made the difference. The instructor for my 401 was almost always willing to answer questions or help out with a problem on the weekends as well which I thought was pretty amazing. I definately recomend trying out at least a 101.
Code Fellows Alumni Outcomes
98%
Employment Rate
100%
Graduation Rate
72,500
Median Salary
Of the students who enroll at Code Fellows, 100% graduated. 96% of graduates were job-seeking and 98% of job-seeking graduates found in-field employment after 180 days and report a median income of $72,500. Below is the 180 Day Employment Breakdown for 1096 graduates included in this report:
180 Day Employment Breakdown
| Description | Percentage |
| Full Time, In-Field Employee | 81.7% |
| Full-time apprenticeship, internship or contract position | 12.1% |
| Short-term contract, part-time position, freelance | N/A |
| Employed out-of-field | N/A |
Notes and Caveats
Here are are the details on how we track Employment Data
* These outcomes are not audited by Course Report. In some cases, data is audited by a third party.
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Career tracks
Code Fellows Alumni Reviews Summary
Based on 220+ Code Fellows alumni reviews on Course Report, students appreciate the immersive and comprehensive curriculum, particularly in full-stack software development, cybersecurity, and ops courses. Alumni often mention the effectiveness of hands-on project work and the support from experienced instructors. The modular structure and industry-relevant curriculum are particularly appreciated. One reviewer said, "The instructors are fantastic and the curriculum is very well thought out." However, some students noted the fast pace and intensity of the programs, which can be challenging for beginners.
Overall Experience
4.5
Instructors
4.6
Curriculum
4.5
Job Assistance
4.2
More Information
Guarantees Job
Job Assistance
Includes Housing
Offers Corporate Training
Accepts GI Bill
Licensing
Code Fellows is a private vocational school licensed by the State of Washington. Code Fellows was the first code school in Washington State to be approved by the Veterans Association to receive the GI Bill. Learn more at www.codefellows.org/gi-bill
Awards
Recent Code Fellows News
By Jess Feldman
By Jess Feldman
By Jess Feldman
FAQs
How much does Code Fellows cost?
Code Fellows costs around $12,000. On the lower end, some Code Fellows courses like Ops 101: Explore Ethical Hacking & Cybersecurity Careers (Full-Time, In-Person) cost $99.
What courses does Code Fellows teach?
Code Fellows offers courses like Code 101: Explore Software Development (Full-Time, In-Person), Code 101: Explore Software Development (Full-Time, Online), Code 102: Intro to Software Development (Full-Time, In-Person), Code 102: Intro to Software Development (Full-Time, Online) and 45 more.
Where does Code Fellows have campuses?
Code Fellows has in-person campuses in Seattle. Code Fellows also has a remote classroom so students can learn online.
Is Code Fellows worth it?
The data says yes! In 2019, Code Fellows reported a 100% graduation rate, a median salary of $72,500, and 98% of Code Fellows alumni are employed.
Is Code Fellows legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 229 Code Fellows alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Code Fellows and rate their overall experience a 4.47 out of 5.
Does Code Fellows offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Yes, Code Fellows accepts the GI Bill!
Can I read Code Fellows reviews?
You can read 229 reviews of Code Fellows on Course Report! Code Fellows alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed Code Fellows and rate their overall experience a 4.47 out of 5.
Is Code Fellows accredited?
Code Fellows is a private vocational school licensed by the State of Washington. Code Fellows was the first code school in Washington State to be approved by the Veterans Association to receive the GI Bill. Learn more at www.codefellows.org/gi-bill