Coding Dojo

It has been a little over 5 months now and I still haven't been able to find a job in the field. Only one of my cohortmates has been able to get a job and she actually quit the bootcamp after two months. 

After applying for jobs and going through a few interviews I realized that coding dojo does not prepare you for the real world. The technologies they teach are not enough to help you get a job.

For the python track they teach you a mvc framework they created called Pylot. (which is useless because nobody knows what the hell pylot is)

The whole industry is gravitating towards react and here they are teaching angular. 

The IOS track is terrible. Every week they host a hackathon and expect you to google everything and learn it on your own. (i.e. Core motion) Which is okay for the real world but I'm not paying you 12 grand to google things. 

The only good thing was that the instructors were very nice. But even so the instructors are just fellow previous students who attended the bootcamp and have no industry experience. Are they really the right people to be teaching? 

I highly recommend that you DO NOT go to this bootcamp. Maybe if you have a lot of money to waste or just don't care. This whole experience has scarred me from coding bootcamps. My advice is to just learn it on your own with an online education supplement.

in regards to the coment below, the reason they are not "hungry" and let you extend your payments is because they have a major issue getting people to attend. For anyone looking for bootcamps. please do your research before selecting one. If you have the time and money go to one of the more selective ones as they actually have companies recruiting from them. dont waste 10k to watch videos while the uninterested disengaged "teachers" hang around their office and do nothing all day. you can get the exact same if not better experiecnce by gettinga few colleagues together who are also intesrested in learning software and signing for udacity or udemy together. The dojo was a dissapointment honestly and it seems like a lot of people get swindled into signing up and taking out loans for this. they need to be reviewed by some kind of accredidation firm because its basically a for profit school type scam. sure you learn a lot. but its no different than learning on your own. ones that fal behind get ignored and are left to fend for themselves. 

it's been over six months now and I still can't seem to find one of the many developer jobs that were apparently out there when I started the bootcamp. I have three black belts, which is supposed to be the highest honor at CD, but the problem is, a lot of what they teach is now outdated and no longer in demand. Rails and swift were huge back in 2014, but now everyone and their grandmother can make iPhone apps, so those jobs are way too competitive on the west coast. The Mean stack was the one stack that I felt would be my greatest asset, yet it too is becoming less popular with react and happy being the go tos for startups. The dojo is a great stepping stone into understanding the various parts that go into development. But I didn't pay 12k for an overview. There's much that needs to be learned after the bootcamp in order to be truly competitive on the job market. In hindsight, i regret not paying the extra $6-8k to go to another bootcamp that taught one technology but thoroughly. My entire cohort is pretty much in the same position. Only about 5 have found jobs and that's because they were already working in tech before they started. I really don't understand why this company is expanding the way it is either. What's the point of filling the market with hundreds of lame coders that have your name on their CV. They need to focus on improving the platform and truly making the students job ready instead of just trying to make money by accepting anyone who applies. Sorry if this review was too negative, but I'm just being real. Don't waste your money here unless your doing this for fun or already have a job lined up. 

Going to Coding Dojo was a game-changer for me. I was fresh out of graduate school in a degree not pertaining to technology. I was challeneged by an IT Specialist to try coding. I downloaded an app, followed the instructions and something clicked in me when the code responding to my input. I knew I wanted to code from that day. I looked for local ways to learn how to code without having to go through an entire degree again. I found the Coding Dojo and applied, got accepted and got to coding. The immersive experience was just what I needed to get my hands dirty and get the wheels of a programming mind turning. Through the many hours I spent coding, I can say that it worked. The payoff was great as long as you put in the work. The teachers were kind and helpful, and the energy of everyone trying to get throuhg the material hours on end was inspiring. I now work as a Developer and that tenacity to continue to learn technologies and languages has remained in me. Very highly reccommend. 

Coding dojo was a great bootcamp for me. By learning three full stacks in three months, I found that I could pick up any additional technologies easily, now that I knew how to learn them. Coding Dojo also places an emphasis on data structures and algorithms, which is very important in understanding computer science fundamentals, as well as in technical interviews. What I noticed about those who were having trouble with the course was that they were not used to the intensity of the program, and fell behind and never really caught up. If you think this may be you, study up on computer science and programming languages before you enter the bootcamp. Having a solid foundation on day 1 will be extremely helpful.

THE GOOD STUFF

Their 3 stack approach.  While I was in the bootcamp I was a bit frustrated with the 3 stack approach.  Each month, you have to relearn the basic syntax of the basic data types, for loops, while loops etc...  In the end, I think this was one of the most valuable lessons.  So much of being a successful developer is having confidence in yourself, by learning 3 stacks you start to realize it isn't the language (so much) that matters but the underlying logic and practices that they all share.

The ever evolving platform.  Coding Dojo's materials are all taught on an online platform (which you have access to for 6 months after you graduate!) that contains some of the most relevant technologies.  At first blush, it is a lazy approach that just links to some not so high quality videos that aren't always in line with the assignment you are working on.  It's frustrating, it's sometimes sloppy and it never seems enough.  However, I've come to learn that isn't because the dojo is lazy.  In actuality, it's because they are always evolving.  They are constantly adding new material at a rate the is impossible to be subject to a good edit.  But even that they aware of and improving on.  They have added the ability for students to report errors to help make it better.

The Instructors. By in large the instructors are very knowledgeable.  But the truth is they can't know everything, it's impossible.  The good instructors aren't afraid to admit that, and the really good ones find time to spend with you to dig into it.

THE BAD STUFF

The Instructors.  Yeah I know.  But the truth is the instructors aren't always accessible, even during the normal working hours. I know the Dojo asks a lot of their instructors and they have duties beyond just the classroom, but their students shouldn't have to suffer for it.

Seem to accept anyone who can pay.  I worked really hard to make sure I was ready to join an intensive bootcamp before doing so, it was vital part of my success.  This wasn't the case with everyone I met at the Dojo. I'm not sure the admissions bar for coding dojo is high enough and they let folks in who just aren't prepared for the workload and learning curve a bootcamp demands.  (I averaged 70 hour weeks and could have used more!) To the Dojo's credit, they let student who struggled in the first stack essentially start over free of charge.

Large class size.  The average cohort size seems to hover around 25.  That's a lot for any teacher to give any one-on-one attention. 

No feedback on assignments. You are given several assignments each day.  Some are quick and easy, others are more in depth and involved.  None of them are graded, which is a huge minus in my book.  Not even code reviews.  I know the large class size is part of the problem but they would be wise to find a way to give some feedback along the way.

WHAT REALLY MATTER IN THE END

Others have said it and I'll echo it.  You get out of it what you put into it.  The classes are large; help isn't already available.  But the material is awesome and you need to have faith in it. Stay humble, stay positive and be prepared to stay late.

Don't join a bootcamp blind.  The job placements rates you see are (I'd guess across all bootcamps) misleading.  They are based on number of graduates, not number of student accepted.  Take classes (online or in person) that will get you exposed to the basics.  You really do want to be able to hit the ground running.

The unspoken value of bootcamps is that they surround you with like-minded people. They bring in speakers from tech companies.  Get to know as many of them as possible.  Networking is HUGE.

 

Coding Dojo was a great experience for me. I never had any experience coding before this but I believe I learned a lot from the past few months. There were times I didnt believe in myself because it was so difficult, but things got easier as I kept pushing on. You really do have to become dedicated and motivate yourself to keep trying...you will only get out what you put in like you are told numerous times.

Currently still looking for a job, as I have been trying to build my portfolio/resume. I'd advise others thinking of joining to study hard so you can pass your belt exams asap, giving you more time to work on projects. Also make sure to do your best on algorithms as they will be important for interviews later.

I came into the Coding Dojo bootcamp with very little prior coding experience. However, I found out that becoming a good developer is possible even if that person had totally different background. I also came from a different background and decided to change my career to Web developer after taking a basic Python course from online. One of the reasons I want to become a web developer is that I can create whatever I can think of with coding.  In order to learn more and improve my coding skills, I decided to attend a coding bootcamp.

The reasons I chose Coding Dojo were that it offers 3 full stacks and also has a great curriculum. I gained a lot of knowledge and learned a lot from there within 14 weeks. The instructors are really helpful and knowledgeable. Their teaching strategies are really helping us to become efficient developers. Their 20 minutes rule is training us to become independent and self-sufficient developers since we have to figure out how to fix the bugs and how to improve our codes on our own by reading documents online when we work in tech industry.

I also like their career advising since the advisor is really helpful and provides us a great source of strategies and tips in networking and interview processes.

I really recommend Coding dojo to future web developers who are willing to learn and put a lot of efforts in order to become a self-sufficient developer. 

I was very nervous and scared when I came in the first morning.  I was 42 years old, a woman, and no prior experience with programming.  Computers were for checking email, getting on Facebook, and buying things on Amazon.  

I arrived early and saw one other person sitting in the fundamental cohort area.  And it was another woman!   Or course, I chose the seat next to her and ended up sitting next to her for all three stacks.  We found each other's typos, struggled through assignments, stayed late, and laughed together.  And I imagine we will share each other's struggles and joys while going through the process of finding a job.  

I have thoroughly enjoyed the comradery and atmosphere at the Dojo.  It is relaxed but we are still expected to learn and get through the assignments.  Anytime I was stuck on an assignment, there was always a fellow student to ask for help.  And it was very useful to try to help someone else who had a question.  It would reinforce what I had learned or if I had actually learned it.  The instructors are friendly and approachable.  They were there to help if needed but expected us to help each other and use Google first.

I cannot believe the things we were able to learn and build during our time at the Dojo.

I came into the program with no prior coding experience (I knew what an html opening/closing tag was, but that's about it). I finished undergrad with a degree in Psychology (heavy on neuroscience) and a minor in dance. I was pre-law, took the LSATs, and realized that that path was not quite for me. I was interested in marketing and curious about the tech industry, so after graduating in August I began working for a tech startup in Mountain View. While marketing is definitely interesting, what I really wanted was to learn to build the app (the startup's main product was an iOS app) and work on its more technical aspects. So I talked to the CEO of my company about his experience and suggestions (he had a master's degree in CS from Stanford as well as plenty of experience in the field), took an HTML/CSS class from Codecademy, a tech/media law course from Coursera (to get familiarized with the history, economics, and legal issues of the field) and wanted to learn more. Learning online was free, however not as effective as I had hoped when it came to coding. So I did more research and found myself at Coding Dojo's open house. The rest, as they say, is history. The hours sounded intense, however the program's curriculum and approach seemed promising. So I took loans, signed up, and gave my boss a few weeks' notice. As other students have said, you get what you put into the program. The curriculum is fast-paced and there is much information to absorb in a very short span of time. However, if you give it your all, there is so much to learn! The tools and skills I have gained here over the course of the program are incredibly useful, and quite frankly more than I thought I could learn in a year, let alone a few months. The instructors are not always approachable, however your peers are a great resource! One of best aspects of this program is its flexibility. Unlike university, here the focus is learning, not earning a grade/certificate. If you don't put in the work, that is your own loss. And it is also the beauty of this program--everyone here is driven to learn and help, our goal is the same. The atmosphere is incredibly positive, everyone wants to learn and help! I struggled through a lot of the assignments, however I learned from my mistakes and was able to help others. There is career support after graduation, which is a huge plus. If you give it your all, dedicate yourself to learning, and show up every day (this is crucial), you will come away with an invaluable set of skills and connections.

 

I came in to Coding Dojo not knowing what to expect. On the first day I was nervous, but with in the first five minutes I was put at ease by the friendly and welcoming instructors. 
I was in college for four years before deciding that I wanted to do something different with my life. I chose to attend Coding Dojo because after researching many different coding boot camps, Coding Dojo appealed to me as being the most comprehensive, immersive of them all. 
The learning platform that Coding Dojo has created is a great step-by-step way to learn new languages, and made learning three full stacks in 14 weeks as easy as it could possibly be.
As great as the learning platform was the best part of attending classes at Coding Dojo was the instructors . They were all very knowledgeable and caring, often staying late in to the night to help with any problem that we might have.
The other great resource during my time at Coding Dojo was the other students. Every one comes in every morning ready and eager to learn. 
In conclusion, the reason I left college and wanted to become a web developer is so that I would never have to write another essay ever again.