Rithm School

I was fortunate enough to attend the full-time web development course at Rithm School as a part of their third cohort.  I can say, with full confidence, that this was one of the best learning experiences that I've had to date.  And here's why.

Learning how to learn

At Rithm, I learnt a whole slew of programming languages (Javascript, Python, Ruby) and their corresponding libraries and frameworks.  But the most important skill that I learnt at Rithm was learning how to learn.  Bare with me, this concept takes a while to explain.

If you haven't done any programming in the past, you will find out that it's exceptionally difficult to learn a new programming language.  In addition to this, you will have to learn how to use libraries and frameworks to make life easier when you're developing an app.  Rithm's curriculum makes it much easier to pick up languages because it challenges you to think about how the language works under the hood (e.g. 'what does the "reduce" function actually do') and why it works that way.  This is drilled into you in the first month of the program (along with how to debug properly) and by the end of it, I was confident enough to pick up languages, libraries and frameworks in my own time and learn them without any assistance.

Smaller class sizes

Rithm has a policy of keeping class sizes small so that there are enough instructors to help out students at all times.  My cohort had 10 students and the difference was noticeable.  I had heard horror stories of students at other boot camps needing to submit support requests online and having to wait for a long while before any help was given.  That's not the case at Rithm.  If you're stuck you can walk up to an instructor and ask for help and guidance at any time.

Company projects

Nothing is learnt well unless it is applied.  This rings true for programming.  You can learn how to program by yourself and build your own projects but that doesn't prepare you for the reality of working at a company.  That's where Rithm's company projects come in to bridged that gap.  Not only will you be working with seasoned software engineers at companies, you will also be tasked with making design/structure decisions as well as planning and executing certain workflows for the company projects.

I personally found that working on these projects helped me discover and evaluate what type of software engineer I wanted to be and the types of workflows that I enjoyed in software development.  This helped shaped my career aspirations and goals.

Great mentors

Elie, Matt and Tim are some of the best instructors that you will come across.  They explain and demonstrate concepts well and take time out to ensure that information is properly absorbed before moving on.  In addition, they are extremely dedicated to keeping the curriculum up-to-date to ensure that you are learning the most relevant material.

All in all, you can't go wrong if you choose Rithm.  Yes, the price is a bit steep in comparison to most other boot camps but the quality of instruction that you will receive is unparalleled.

I attended Rithm as part of its third cohort, and I am so glad I did. I landed a great job offer within a month of graduating! It's amazing to me how fast I was able to make such a big pivot in my career.

I also applied to and was accepted at Hackbright, which has an excellent reputation, but several key differences led me to choose Rithm.

 

Small class sizes

Rithm classes are capped at about 12-16 students per class. My cohort had 10 students, and there were 3 instructors (though they've recently added a 4th). That ratio was incredible. I almost never had to wait to get an answer to a question. I could (and did) raise my hand and ask any question I had during lectures. And there was only one cohort at a time, so we really were a small and tight-knit group. I worried I would feel lost in the crowd at one of the bigger schools that is pushing several (much larger) cohorts through at the same time. I cannot emphasize enough how valuable the small class size was.

 

Excellent instructors

When I decided to attend Rithm, it felt like a bit of a gamble since there weren't really any "outcomes" or reviews to report yet - their second cohort was still in session. But I knew from poking around online that the instructors had all taught at other bootcamps in the past and had outstanding reviews. I also went to one of Rithm's many free lectures (a 6-hour JavaScript clas on a Saturday - totally free!) and had the opportunity to meet and learn from Elie, one of the cofounders and instructors. He really is such an incredible teacher, and that helped seal the deal for me. The instructors were not only incredibly smart but also incredibly kind and patient. Their lectures were well prepared and entertaining. Because of the excellent instructors and the small class sizes, I feel I was able to learn and understand better than I would have in a different environment.

 

Substantial prework

Rithm requires around 100 hours of prework before day 1 of the class. I really valued that because I felt it meant we would hit the ground running and be able to get further in our 13 weeks than we would have without the prework. And I was right! And they were available to answer questions in the weeks leading up to our class. Combine this with the fact that their program is a bit on the longer side (13 weeks compared to 10 weeks at Hackbright), and I feel like I got so much additional value.

 

Company projects

One of the biggest differentiators of Rithm is the fact that students work on two company projects in addition to the more standard solo project that most bootcamps require. These two company projects were not only great learning opportunities, but they were also incredibly valuable during my job search. They gave me real-world experience that potential employers really valued.

 

Great content available online for free

Rithm also has so much great content online for free. I still refer back to it, and I find it incredibly clear and easy to understand compared to a lot of the information out there.

 

Outco - job search support

Rithm partners with a great job search support program aimed specifically at software engineers called Outco. Check out their Yelp reviews - they are outstanding. Let's face it, the job search sucks, especially in software. But Outco helped me get my resume in great shape in just a few days, gave me lots of practice with the advanced data structures and algorithms commonly asked about in interviews, and gave me a bunch of nontechnical advice that helped me feel better prepared for phone screens and more. It is a 5 week program immediately after Rithm, and it was a super valuable addition. I got tons of traction, and I landed my first job offer before finishing Outco. (Experiences will of course vary; I have a STEM background, which goes a long ways.)

 

Short commute

For me, it was a much easier location to get to than most of the other bootcamps in the city. So, that was icing on the cake.

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Summary

 

Overall, I can't recommend Rithm highly enough. If you're at all curious, I highly recommend checking out one of their free evening classes or poking around their online content. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

I took the Rithm School part-time JavaScript intermediate course. It is a six week (one day a week) course that goes over basic JavaScript (primitives, objects, arrays, etc.) foundations all the way up to advance topics such as recursion, the keyword 'this' (a confusing topic before taking this class), prototype, DOM Manipulation etc. The instructors Elie, Matt and Tim (experienced professional developers and teachers) are not only passionate about teaching but are amazing at breaking down difficult topics (ie: closure, bind, apply etc.) with ease and disseminating those topics in a digestible manner. If you are thinking of attending, I would advise you attend one of their meetups taught by them. The curriculum and instruction persuaded me to apply/interview for their full-time July cohort, I can't wait to start. Do yourself a favor and checkout the free courses on their website. 

Hi.

My name is Aric, and I graduated from Rithm 2 weeks ago.

As a 19 year old freshman majoring in Computer Science at Azusa Pacific University, I discovered that the higher education system was not for me. I quickly lost interest in my classes because quite frankly, I didn't care about what they had to offer. I wanted to go to school to learn how to code, not spend 60% of my time on Gen Eds.

Needless to say, I didn't take college seriously at all and began looking into bootcamps. At first, my goal was to go to Hack Reactor due to the flashy outcomes statistics, credibility, and overall star power that they have as a bootcamp. Everything went as planned, and I ended up getting into Hack Reactor, as well as Dev Bootcamp and Galvanize(my two backup plans).

I was feeling great, but as soon as I got in contact with these bootcamps my optimism began to fade. They seemed pushy, like they just wanted me to sign the papers and take my money, and it didn't seem like they cared about my best interest as a student. Hack Reactor was calling me almost every other day to check on the status of my decision, and when I asked more questions about the program, the admissions people were not able to answer them or fulfill my request to speak to an instructor who could.

I decided to dig around a little more online, and that's when I found Rithm. It seemed too good to be true, the small class size, experienced instructors, and amazing outcomes program through Outco. It was everything I wanted in a bootcamp, but I was unsure because Rithm was brand new at the time. 

My uncertainty began to fade after my first phone call with Elie. Elie seemed like a nice guy, and he was able to answer all the questions I had about the program. I was amazed that after my previous struggles, I was able to get directly on the phone with a Lead Instructor. We scheduled a technical interview, and after the technical interview I was feeling even better. It was much more involved than the one I had done with Hack Reactor, and the fact that the Lead Instructors do the interviews shows that they really care about the quality of the students that are getting into the program. This was also my first taste of what it's like to be taught by Elie, as the interview has some pairing involved if you get caught up on a problem or can't think of a method.

When I got accepted to Rithm, I had already made the decision that it was my top choice, and I'm so glad things turned out the way they did. My time at Rithm exceeded my expectations. The small class size makes it so that it's kind of like a hybrid between a classroom experience and a mentorship, and whenever lectures weren't going on I was able to get 1 on 1 time with one of the instructors. Not to mention, these guys are the best teachers I've ever had, hands down. They all have years of experience, and it really shows through their extensive knowledge of computer science and web deveopment.

I was worried before the bootcamp that I would struggle, as I heard it can be a very difficult experience, but even though it was challenging these guys made it easily digestible by breaking down complex topics and explaining them using more 'human' terminology. Even when I didn't completely understand a new topic, I was able to go through the curriculum on my own and figure things out, or get 1 on 1 help. This was the first time in my life that I really felt challenged by education, and I fed off of the challenge and friendly competition that the bootcamp environment provides. The instructors really pushed me to become the best version of myself.

I have now built multiple Full-Stack web applications that I am extremely proud of, and I have no doubt in my mind that as I enter into Outco I will land a job and be able to contribute to a team in a big way.

Overall, choosing Rithm was the best decision of my life, and I would do things again the same way given the opportunity.

https://aricwl.github.io/Portfolio-Site/

Above is my personal site, from there you can find my email, Github, and LinkedIn. Feel free to email me any specific questions you have for someone who has already gone through the program, and I will answer them as honestly as I can.

Best, 

Aric

Rithm was the best decision I made. I have never learned from such an incredible instructional team. Not only were they extremely technically competent, they were extremely supportive and encouraging. We each were assigned an advisor and encouraged to talk and meet with them frequently. They gave helpful code reviews daily. I loved all of the applications and projects built throughout the program, and I was able to use the projects built during the bootcamp during my interview process. After the program, you are given a Career Services advisor who is the most hand-on person I have met. They meet with graduates weekly during the job search process and will reach out to those she has not heard from in a while. They coordinate meetups among the graduates to provide a network of support. As soon as anything happens in your job search, they are there to help you along. I am now moving to Paris to be a full-stack software engineer in Paris thanks to Rithm.

As a graduate of Rithm School's July-October 2022 cohort, I highly recommend the program for its small class size, excellent instructors, personalized code reviews, and post-grad career services. 

The small class size fostered a collaborative and supportive learning environment, allowing me to get to know my classmates and instructors well. Instructors and TAs reviewing my code during class and for weekend assessments was particularly valuable, helping me solidify professional coding habits. We did a lot of pair programming, which was awesome for catching errors, producing better code, and improving communication skills.



The company project was another highlight, providing me with real-world experience that I could reference during interviews. After graduation, the Rithm team provided lots of support during my job search, from interview prep to offer letter reviews. Their guidance helped me improve my job search strategy, resume, and interview skills.



Overall, I am grateful for the knowledge and experience I gained during my time at Rithm School and highly recommend the program to anyone interested in pursuing a career in software engineering.

Had an incredible time at Rithm. The instructors knew what they were talking about, the instruction was clear, the work was aligned to what they taught, and they update their coursework often to reflect the needs of the industry as it changes. The company project allowed me to really see what it would be like to work (and WFH, as it were) and prepare myself for the real world. The job search process was well-thought out. We had a week of instruction around the job-search process with guest speakers (who weren't just alums of Rithm School, but from other non-traditional pathways) as well as scientifically-backed lectures and tools to use during this process. After Rithm, the support continued both technically through office hours and one-on-one conversations with Zach, the career coach. Highly recommend attending. 

Going to Rithm School was the best decision I’ve ever made. 
I got my dream job (software engineer) in a company I deeply care about in San Francisco and I made lots of new friends while doing it. You *can* have your cake and eat it too!

Prior to Rithm I got accepted into Hack Reactor and was thinking of joining their course. After lots of research, touring multiple bootcamp offices and talking with previous grads I decided on Rithm. 
In hindsight, I’m super glad I chose Rithm because:
•    working on the company project prepared me for real world engineering work (gathering reqs, creating prototype, communicating with stakeholders, collaborating with team members, code reviews, pull requests, etc)

•    Instructors were experienced developers *and* fantastic teachers. We got to ask any questions we wanted because they keep class sizes small; this meant we could get clarification on advanced topics to better understand them.

•    Example of above: I’ve asked other bootcamp grads about things like CSRF tokens, preventing XSS and other web security issues. Often they had not heard of CSRF or didn’t understand implications of XSS beyond the basics. I’m super happy that Rithm instructors invested time in this area.

•    Curriculum is relevant and highly in-demand: Python and Javascript/Node with React – demand for React devs is off the charts in the Bay Area. Rithm also provided lots of practice with computer science topics like data structures and algorithms. This was crucial for job interviews.

•    Most importantly: support and feedback are exceptional. Elie, Matt, Joel and Michael all go the extra mile and come early / stay late to make sure you’ll be successful. They are amazing. They truly care and that makes all the difference.

Bonus: Rithm office at Sansome St is fantastic - lots of space to collaborate, code and whiteboard!