Hack Reactor

I started with their Premium Prep Course ($250 tuition, goes toward full course tuition if accepted). Before this, I had no experience with JavaScript or web development. The prep course was easy to follow and the support offered from the Premium option was very helpful. I highly recommend this route because it's essentially free as long as you pass the entrance exam and the staff really was incredible. Coach Kathy gave some solid pep talks every morning and the tech mentors were great when helping with any issues. 

After you pass the technical admission assessment (TAA) you get enrolled in the Precourse. This is about 3-4 weeks of work to get you prepped for the real course. Again there is lots of support from the staff and helpdesk. I received help several times from the helpdesk staff and they were always very helpful in guiding me to find the answer rather than simply answering. 

Now for the main bit. I was enrolled in the Remote Eastern cohort (though everything was remote at the time). The course is split into two phases, the junior and the senior. During the junior phase, there are one or two lectures every day. These were "blended learning" lectures meaning that there were multiple cohorts in the zoom call. The lecturers were all great. They explained relatively complex topics in about an hour, setting us up to use put that info to work in the current sprint. The sprints were two-day projects that you work on with a partner. These are projects to learn the principles of the current topic. You switch partners every time so you'll get to know many of your classmates, which is difficult in the beginning due to the remote environment. All of these lessons lead up to the Technical Assessment which is a gating midpoint exam. You'll have to pass this to go on to the senior phase. As long as you are putting in the work and asking for help when you need it, the TA shouldn't be an issue. 

The senior phase is all about combining all the junior lessons to start building real applications. There are four projects, three in groups and one solo. This was the part where I started feeling like I might actually be a software engineer. 

The staff was incredible in every aspect. The lecturers did a great job remotely (as a former teacher I was always impressed). The cohort lead always brought her inspiring attitude for the morning announcements and was always available for any support you might need. The tech mentors were great as well. They had regular office hours to go over any tech topics you might be struggling with. Most of my interaction with staff was with the helpdesk or the SEIR (software engineering immersive resident. All the helpdesk staff and SEIRs are recent Hack Reactor grads so they have experience with whatever issue you might be having. The helpdesk helped my various partners and me get through many struggles in the junior phase sprints. My cohort was lucky to have the best SEIR. He was super helpful and highly skilled at explaining difficult concepts as if to a child but without being condescending. 

The final week of the course is spent with the Career Services team. They help with your resume, cover letters, salary negotiation, and much more. This is crucial because obviously, the goal is to get a job. After graduating you're assigned a Career Services Manager. This is the person that will help you individually with any job search questions or concerns. Also there optional is the Job Search Program which provides some structure and guidance for your job search. 

I had a great experience at Hack Reactor and definitely recommend it. I want to emphasize though that it isn't for everyone. It's a lot of work. Expect to put in a minimum of 60 hours a week for three months. They provide what you need to be successful, but ultimately it's up to you to do the work. 

I think it's safe to say that Hack Reactor was the most challenging, yet rewarding experience of my life. Based on conversations I've had with graduates from other bootcamps, it seems that when compared to other bootcamps, Hack Reactor is considered to be one of the most challenging and intense programs in terms of technical curriculum. However, despite how intense of a program it is, I always felt supported by the staff at all times and that made the experience much easier. I've recently accepted my first offer as a Software Engineer I at a well established company and it feels amazing to know I've come this far in such a short amount of time. I will always wear my Hack Reactor hoodie with pride as I progress in my new career.

I self-studied front-end software engineering for almost a year but eventually realized self-studying wouldn't be enough to land me a decent job so I decided to join a bootcamp. I've heard that Hack Reactor is the best bootcamp from my software engineering friends and decided to give it a try. That was the best decision I've ever made! The HR software engineering immersive is VERY engaging and forces you to be AUTONOMOUS (a word you'll hear every single day) which is important in your growth and prepares you for the real world. It's definitely not easy and you'll be slammed for 3 months (12 hours a day, 6 days a week), hence the name "bootcamp", but you come out of it learning the same material as a 4-year degree. Another huge benefit of this program is the friends and connections you'll meet. My cohort of 14 have become extremely close and will probably stay in touch for years to come. After the immersive is over, HR has a job search program that helps all students build their resumes, portfolios, cover letters, outreach info, basically everything you would need to land a job. This program really wants everyone to do and be their best and succeed afterwards, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

If you're reading this, you're probably where I was 5 months ago. Trying to decide whether or not to enroll in a software engineer bootcamp and deciphering which one to pick. Well lucky for you, I can answer both those questions (see tldr).

Why did I choose Hack Reactor?

I did my due diligence. I reached out to my network, talked to friends in industry who referred me to bootcamp grads they know or work with. The majority of bootcampers I talked with were HR alumni, and had nothing but good things to say about the program. And a number of those HR graduates were now working at FAANG companies. Will HR get you a job at a FAANG company? Maybe. But my main takeaway from those conversations + now as an alumni myself, is that HR will give you the tools to be able to work anywhere you want and that is why I initially chose Hack Reactor and recommend you do too.

Loan vs ISA? 

I chose the loan route because of the "relatively" (lol) low interest rate on the loan (dec 2020). Most people in my cohort chose the ISA route. The ISA program is an awesome program (basically start paying back your tuition after landing a job in industry) and definitely a a great option. My advice, do the math. Figure out your total cost for the ISA vs a loan w/ interest, what your monthly payments will be, then weigh the pros and cons based on your situation. HR has partnerships with 2 different companies that make applying & getting accepted for a loan very easy (cosigner options available for those with little/no credit as well). I chose SkillsFund, and after being accepted for the loan they paid my tuition to HR directly, and I never had to worry about a thing.

The pros (listing things I think set HR apart from other programs)

• Interview prep - technical & behavioral, you'll know how to walk the walk, & they'll teach you how to talk the talk too.
• Career Services + Job Search Program (thanks Marah). Coaching on how to network, how to get referrals, how write a technical resume + cover letter, plus a program after the program to help you on your job search. A network of alumni who regularly post job opportunities at great companies + are potential networking opportunities. (I just attended a private info session with a former HR grad who works at Twitch).
• Hands-on practice for a real work environment. Pair programming, agile team environment, tickets, stand-ups, sprints etc. And all of these hone the soft skills you need for any workplace.
• Help Desk + Faculty. Each cohort has designated staff that are available during working hours + often times before and after. Shoutout to Hilary, Julian, Eric, Johnathon, Anthony, & Matthew <3 IN ADDITION, you also get Help Desk, basically a tool to schedule office hours with staff from across every HR campus. 1 on 1 help during the times you get stuck. And i mean it's fuckin fast. I think the longest I ever waited for someone to pick up my help desk request was 5 or 10 minutes. So you get great personalized guidance (technical & non technical) with you local staff, plus the ability to get 1 on 1 technical help from smart people across the country @ a moments notice.
• The program + curriculum itself it as well oiled machine. Lectures, sprints, projects all compound on each other, reinforcing concepts while introducing new ones at the same time. They teach HOW to learn, not just WHAT to learn, and that framework is extremely valueable.

The con (there's only 1 and it's my opinion so I will explain)

My only "con" would be that I personally felt like there wasn't enough focus on solo projects. Out of the entire 13 week program there was only one, dedicated two-day solo project, and one more "group" project that you could pass off as solo work on a portfolio. Now you can and will come out with plenty of project experience, and a number of GROUP projects you COULD put on your portfolio. However, in my opinion, the inclusion of group projects on your portfolio can open you up to some potential risk in the job search. Can you directly pinpoint the things you built on each project and justify why decisions by other team members were made? What if members of your group wrote really dogshit code? Do you want on your portfolio / github for a potential employer to see & immediately "no" pile you because of someone else's code? What happens if you get in an interview and are asked the question, "Why is this on your personal portfolio if you didn't create it by yourself?" or "Why is a certain part of this (that you didn't write) project done this way?" These are all things you will need to able to justify, and talk about in an interview. I'm not saying you can’t or shouldn’t include your group projects on your portfolio, or that "my way" is the right way. There plenty of people who include only their group projects on their portfolios. Just giving you my opinion and transparency. The takeaway, build something you like on the side, so when you graduate, you have something more to show than just group projects. That’s the great thing about Hack Reactor, by the end, if you can dream it you can build it.

If you made it this far congrats. I highly recommend Hack Reactor to anyone who is seriously considering it. It's by no means easy, but neither is being a Software Engineer, which is why they get paid big bucks right? But seriously, Hack Reactor will take you from zero to hero in 13 weeks if you put the work in.

In the middle of covid I made the decision to change careers after investing 5 years and a masters degree into my previous career.  Obviously I did not make this decision lightly.  I had a friend who went through Hack Reactor and he highly recommended it.  He also warned there is little hand holding and they pride themselves on churning out autonomous, gritty but team-oriented software engineers.  Four months from starting at Hack Reactor I was able to secure my dream job as a full-stack software engineer making $100,000 per year, already a higher salary than I was making in my previous career!  I highly recommend Hack Reactor and they have a Job Search Program when you are done with the immersive to help get you that job!

Great curriculum, especially the first phase of the immersive. The process involved:
-a pre-course section about programming-basics that lasted about a month (at $250, it's the best-priced prep-course you'll find in all the boot camps)
-a self-study section (1 month-long) once you were accepted
-a first phase of the immersive (6 weeks) split between the javascript specifics & coding some small apps 
-a second phase of the immersive (6 weeks) containing three big projects (an e-commerce page, a cloud infrastructure,  and a student-chosen project)
-a job-search preparation-week (setting up resumes, cover letters, etc.)
-a job-search support program (up to 21 weeks) containing talks & tech-interview-prep sessions.

During all of the preparation phase and the immersive, you have access to a helpdesk (generally composed of graduates) 6 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Downsides/reproaches:
-The immersive program gives introductory tech-lectures at the beginning of every new sprint. Some of the dry-extract of the lectures can be very light on the content, with guest lecturers sometimes showing up without notes and just reacting to what they see on their slides. Though this doesn't take away from the rest of the program, I often left the lectures feeling hungry for more.
-the e-commerce-page project was too long and could have benefitted from concept-recaps. This is the only section in which we were left unsupported, which resulted in us being unable to complete the last section of the project. My cohort complained, and afaik the staff is updating the curriculum to fix the issue. 

To sum it up:
 At $19k, you're actually getting a lot more than just three months of training. On top of the tech skill, I feel like I came out of the program with a strong ability to autonomously figure out new tech in time-stressed environments, and I'm confident I'll be able to find a job in the upcoming weeks. 
I recommend Hack Reactor whole-heartedly and would take it again without hesitation. That being said, put your seatbelts on, and keep in mind that this program can't work without you giving it your 200%.

Like many people during the Covid-19 pandemic, I wanted to pick up a new skill to fill up my time. I slowly started picking up some Javascript and thought "Hey, maybe I can change careers with this route". I took Hack Reactor's Pre Course program which is free in order to gain some more knowledge and eventually tested into their Full-Time Software Engineering Immersive Program. With the amount of skills that I picked up in the pre course, I thought the program wouldn't be too difficult and I was wrong about that.

The immersive program was by far the most challenging program that I've been to, and the most fulfilling one that I've gotten the pleasure of accomplishing. If you asked me at the beginning of the program what a data structure was, or how could you scale a full-stack application, I wouldn't be able to answer you at all. Through those twelve weeks, I've learned many things about myself, and with the support from my cohort mates, technical mentors, technical lead, and pretty much all staff that I've encountered during my time at Hack Reactor, they've helped make it possible for me to grow into the software engineer that I can be proud of. 

Not only does Hack Reactor dive deep into the programming world, but they also help prepare you for job search by introducing networks and dedicating an entire week to prepare you for the next step after graduation. And for that, I am grateful that I suddenly came across this program and decided to stick with it. 

All in all, if you're someone who likes a challenge everyday for a 12-weeks/40hr-week program, Hack Reactor is the one for you. 

Hack Reactor provides just enough guidance while still allowing students to be curious and autonomous. You will learn certain concepts by completing two-day projects/sprints during the junior phase. During the senior phase you are put into teams and are tasked with completing 3 capstone projects. These projects put you in a simulated work environment that allows students to self-organize and get hands on experience with agile software development with limited guidance. I made the decision to switch careers and started learning JavaScript about 6 months before I started the immersive and I'm amazed at how much I've learned from the program. They did a great job of covering not only technical skills, but soft skills as well. The staff are wonderful and very much invested in your development and success.

I attended HR in 2018 at their SF campus. It was an experience for sure. I did not come from a CS background but had some experience doing QA at a small web dev shop. I will say that if you can / are willing to put in the time, Hack Reactor will support you. They will not hold your hand the entire time or even half that, but they will give you the resources and more importantly (at least in my case) the community to help you best leverage those resources. There was a common joke at the time that all of us had migrated to SF from far away places and paid a large amount of money to just sit in a room and struggle for 3 months. What that experience taught me is how to communicate thoughts to others in a relatable way, how to ask the right questions not only of others but also to google, and how to learn things quickly. I think these things are some of the most important skills that you can have going into the tech industry. HR will tell you to ask questions if you don't understand something, please do me a favor and listen to them when they say that. There is honestly no better space I've yet found to feel so comfortable not knowing the answer. 

At least when you're in person, the additional resources after you complete HR are incredibly noteworthy. At the SF campus, I could schedule mock interviews with other students and instructors, talk to career coaches, and get inspired to keep pushing as many of my cohortmates were also searching out of the base of operations that was located at the galvanize campus. 

I will not lie and say that it is easy. Sure it'll be easier for some, but not so much for others. I am others. I spent the next six months after graduating, juggling work and a job search in a foreign and expensive city with no contacts other than classmates. And I ended up finding work not in SF. It was a draining process. But I have to say it was worth it in the end once I'd finally accomplished what I'd set out to do. 

Enter 2020, I lost my first job to a reorganization and was back on the search in the middle of the pandemic. There is a whole network of people that I was able to contact via a HR alumni's slack group and an extremely talented alumni career coach that put me in touch with some alumni for interviews. When I finally was in the final stages of my negotiations with another company that same career coach gave excellent advice on how to properly negotiate for what I needed from my new employer. 

All in all, I think it's a worthwhile investment, but by no means is it a guarantee of success in a particular amount of time.