Codesmith

Anonymous

10/6/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“An outstanding program that works.”

Codesmith’s focus on creating talented engineers cause it to truly stand out among the rest. Before joining, I was coding as a side hobby while working. After some months I decided that I wanted to make a serious career change. I chose to look into some… Read More programs in the Los Angeles area, and noticed that there were weekly meetups held at Codesmith HQ, so I thought I would check it out. I was extremely impressed. Not only was the community full of energy and passion for what they do, but the focus on advanced topics like closures and execution context proved to me that Codesmith was the real .

I joined the July cohort in 2017. Joining the program was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. The intensive program was extremely challenging, but with hard work, you will become a highly capable engineer. I am now working as a software engineer in LA, and I am enjoying every minute of it. Not only did the program land me a job, but it facilitated my rapid growth in knowledge and confidence which allows me to stand out as a talented and respected engineer. Could I have got a software job without Codesmith? Probably. Would I have the ability and confidence I have today? Absolutely not. This is why Codesmith was worth every penny, because for myself, average is not good enough; I want to be exceptional.

Dhani Mayfield

10/6/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“A Program of Growth”

Let’s talk about transforming yourself. You very well may be at the initial steps I was only a few short months ago. What’s in consideration is an arena of challenge, unfamiliarity, and creativity.

I wince from the urge to say the word ‘given’ when referring… Read More to Codesmith. It isn’t a word that is necessarily bad. Yet it draws unnecessary focus and doesn’t reflect what you ultimately gain from such an experience. Nonetheless I will start with what Codesmith does in fact “provide”.

1) An intensive multidimensional curriculum

2) Exceptional professional advice

3) Career support and networking

The underlying brilliance of Codesmith however is missed in this simple list. Codesmith more so than any other verb cultivates marvelous things in the individuals who attend the program. This is of course because the Codesmith environment and community is ingrained with an altruistic spirit to propel others.

If you were in search of a big reveal in to why Codesmith is a superb choice – this is it. In the field of accelerated learning Codesmith reaches the greatest of heights by living the words “We are all excellent, and we will grow to be more excellent.” It is a beautiful thing.

Codesmith brings its residents in as family. This is an enormous backbone of support you may never see outside of your very own family. As it must, the program unleashes the gamut of web and software development obstacles. This is never an exciting part when I am talking about Codesmith. I am of the believe that the spoken material can be learned quite isolated with only the right handful of books. Torturous yet possible. What develops as you grind unit by unit is ability of course. As you take in your surroundings you realize the community is at your finger tips. When you stumble then stumble and your ready to not take another thrust up you are brought up by your cohort mates. Finally, when you have seen so much of the process that looking back you see the pattern of challenge, resilience, and accomplishment you realize a tremendous confidence.

Codesmith is a great whirlwind. I have probably not given justice to what I truly believe it is. Though what I know it is not is a magic door to success. Be prepared to join something that deserves your all if you attend Codesmith. It is a place that you should make the most of and that will be so many levels past the industry curriculum.

Dave

10/6/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“Codesmith is legit”

If you’re motivated and want to break into tech as an engineer, Codesmith is an excellent option. My cohort finished in January, and two weeks later I had competing job offers with salaries and job responsibilities in line with those that Codesmith advertises… Read More (by “in line”, I do not mean “close to but not quite”, but rather “exactly as described based on their messaging.”)

As a qualifier, I did have some prior programming experience and studied a technical subject in school (zero web development or formal computer science, though). Nevertheless, there were others in my cohort with far less technical backgrounds who saw similar or more impressive outcomes. After about 2 and 1/2 months now, the majority of my cohort was hired. Still, I highly recommend learning as much as you can before Codesmith. If you come in with more knowledge, you’ll probably find it easier to get a ton out of the experience.

Many of the other reviews have accurately covered aspects such as the staff’s support and availability, the curriculum, the community, and the challenging time commitment — I agree with everything that’s been said there. In my opinion, there are two things Codesmith does that set it apart and allow for such good outcomes:

1) The program is rigorous and places a strong emphasis on fundamentals — especially in javascript. 3 month bootcamps have to teach you practical skills, but Codesmith is able to strike a balance between teaching enough practical stuff for you to be useful, while going deeper into some more theoretical territory so that you can come away with a foundation for understanding why things work they way they do rather than just knowing “how to make a single page app.”

2) They select people who genuinely enjoy learning and are drawn to the approach I mentioned in the above point. You can make a lot more progress faster if you’re immersed in a group of people who are all motivated to learn, help each other out, and go explore “under the hood” (a phrase youll hear quite often there). Codesmith excels in putting together groups of people who willl push each other to improve.

If you’re interested in technology and have thought about transitioning to engineerig, I highly recommend Codesmith.

Anonymous

10/6/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“A Truly Special Place”

Coming to Codesmith for the first time can be a bit of a surreal experience. I remember when I walked through the elevator doors to attend “JavaScript: the Hard Parts,” not sure what to expect. I was nervous because I hardly felt like I had a grasp on… Read More the easy parts of JavaScript and was certain I was in over my head. What’s a higher order function, anyway?

6 months later, I’m writing scalable web apps and front end architectures using bleeding edge technology and I’ve got data structures and algorithms practically oozing out of my fingernails. I wouldn’t be the Software Engineer that I am today without the support of my cohort mates who struggled with me through the program and the staff who guided me throughout the process.

The amount of attention paid to each student to ensure their success throughout the program and beyond is astonishing. I’ve seen staff stay long after their scheduled hours, just to work through challenges with students or give impromptu lectures, not because they have to but because they genuinely care about all things software and web-related and want to share their knowledge with others. That enthusiasm to dig deep into computer science and JavaScript fundamentals permeate the entire space, an awesome startup like environment where day after day people are coding late into the night.

Codesmith isn’t a bootcamp. It’s a community of people who are extremely passionate about learning and building new things- a truly special place I’m so thankful I was able to be a part of.

Anonymous

10/6/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“Exceptional programme with a solid community”

Before Codesmith, my scope of software engineering was narrow. I wasn’t familiar with software architecture and design patterns, let alone knowing what frontend and backend frameworks were. I was a UX designer, and I was determined to build out the functionality… Read More of my designs . With Codesmith, my analytical, technical, and management skills were catapulted into a level far beyond my expectations. I was always a firm believer that the journey is the most important component in learning. It’s the way you’re learning that makes that difference. The Codesmith team and my cohort mates definitely pushed me to aim higher and were the best support system that any programmer could have asked for. Definitely the most friendliest, intense, silliest, and damn great community to be a part of.

Kyle

10/5/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“Life changing”

Codesmith is truly a transformative experience. Prior to Codesmith I didn’t have a technical background or any prior tech experience, and was looking for a career change. I began to assess all my options available to make the switch to a new career in… Read More tech. There were the numerous for-profit trade/career colleges, most of which seem great at first, but then as you dig deeper are very gimmicky, poor quality, and most are extremely expensive. Of course there’s the traditional route of going to a community college & a state school or university, but being in my mid twenties, the extended time it takes to complete a degree, plus the limited career help and lack of modern in demand technologies, was not an investment I was willing to start. I decided I would continue working and self-studying in my free time with ambitions of making the switch on my own. The amount of resource online these days is amazing but starting out it can be very daunting. Without any prior programming experience, knowing what to look for, what to learn, and the quality of what you were learning was rough and a very slow process.

After a few months of learning html, css and the fundamentals of javascript, I wanted to speed up my learning and level up. I didn’t want to continue this way on my own and began to look for Meetups to attend and learn with others. Through attending multiple Meetups is how I discovered coding bootcamps! It was awesome, and I felt energized and excited at this new approach to learning. I looked into all the Los Angeles bootcamps and I recommend you do the same to find what would fit you best. I went to many Meetups but the one that stood out the most was Codesmith’s free Javascript the Hard Parts meetup offered every Thursday. You get a glimpse into the Codesmith mentality and community and is a perfect opportunity to see for yourself what Codesmith is all about firsthand.

The reason I favored Codesmith over the others was that it was clear it wasn’t another coding bootcamp. Codesmith is an immersive residency and has 3 core values that sets it apart. Complete dedication to every student, an autonomous and deep understanding for learning, and a devotation for the community. Community is such a huge aspect of Codesmith and one of the many things I loved most about Codesmith. Codesmith hosts and sponsors many weekly and monthly events, is always looking to give back to the tech community in LA and beyond, and is an extremely diverse and inclusive space. Plus the alumni support is great and very connected, and they even have multiple times throughout the program when alumni comeback and share their stories of life during and after Codesmith.

The team and staff are amazing. Everyone is extremely nice, thoughtful and there to help you succeed. I felt comfortable sharing and expressing any concerns or feelings throughout the program. The curriculum is top-notch and well rounded. It still amazes me the amount of content I learned in a short amount of time. Spending six days a week and more then eleven hours a day onsite, it becomes more then just a program or school, you become a tight knit family with your classmates, the staff and the other cohort. Everyone is there with the mindset to help one another, and so should be your mindset going in.

With all that said, Codesmith is intense. It is challenging, tough, inspiring, motivating, and rewarding. Codesmith is an extremely fast-paced fully immersive program and is very demanding. Best way to succeed is to fully dedicate yourself for 3 months and make the tough sacrifices necessary to give your all during the program. This is truly one of those kind of experience when “the more you put into it, is the more you will get out of it”. Take full advantage of everything offered, your classmates, the instructors, the staff, the connections, the networking, the events and will be amazed at how far you’ve made it.

Your journey doesn’t stop either after program. It is key you keep the same intensity going during the job search phase. A wonderful standout experience at Codesmith is the hiring day event. It provides such an awesome space to meet companies to network and jump start your hiring process. It is vital to stay in touch with the staff at Codesmith during your job search for endless amounts of support and guidance they provide to help you improve your interviewing and networking skills.

If your looking for an experience that offers top-tier challenges & curriculum, a thriving community, and a location that is in the heart of it all and only a few miles from the beach, you’ll find it and more with Codesmith.

Richard T.

10/5/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“Wonderful and life changing.”

Codesmith is one of the most life changing experiences that I’ve encountered and I couldn’t have been more grateful to them for what they’ve allowed me to achieve. I was a little hesitant to join the program at first because I was unsure whether or not… Read More an immersive program will help me elevate my skill set, but I am completely blown away by the things that I’ve learned during the program. It was extremely fast paced and difficult, but at the same time, it was extremely fun and rewarding. I met some amazing people that I still keep in touch with to this day – they are almost like another family to me. It is unreal how closely you can bond with one another when you struggle together to achieve your dreams, and I am so happy because of it. If you are looking to make a change in your career or to elevate your engineering skills, I encourage you to check out their weekly meetups – Javascript The Hard Parts! You will not regret it. With that said, I definitely recommend Codesmith and I can assure you that the program is what it says it is. I am now a software engineer working in a tech company in downtown la making over 110k. I am very happy with where I am at, and I owe a lot of it to the wonderful Codesmith community !

Joseph

10/5/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“Codesmith Community”

Before joining Codesmith, I was really hesitant as to whether joining a coding program was really worthwhile, or all hype. After going to my first JavaScript The Hard Parts, I was pleasantly welcomed by the Codesmith community. People were super nice… Read More and socialable and shared their wonderful experiences with me. That’s when I knew this was the place for me.

At Codesmith, sure you’ll learn full-stack JavaScript, but what really makes Codesmith special is the community built around it. They truly care about your success and will help you any way possible. The support doesn’t stop when you graduate, they continue to check up on you to make sure you are doing what you need to. If things don’t look right or don’t seem to be working, they continue to work with you until it does.

It’s not easy, and you won’t be spoon fed knowledge, but if you are willing to put in the work, you won’t regret choosing Codesmith.

Deep

9/27/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“A transformative experience”

I’m going to have to keep this short, as I really need to get going to work this morning – to my full-time job as a full-stack software engineer. Codesmith, like most things in life, will give back as much as you put into it. I firmly believe it’s the… Read More best program you can go to, but obviously I haven’t been to any other immersive programs. However, there are a few things I can say for certain (with as much objectivity as possible):

1) The campus is great. The space is open, and the amount of smart, driven (yet kind) people walking around and working together elevates your own abilities. If you have a chance to attend a Thursday, JavaScript The Hard Parts session, I highly recommend you do so to catch the vibe.

2) The quality of the production (final) projects are better than any I’ve seen out of other programs. This is important, because if you are career-changer like me, this will be your most prominent item on your resume. My team’s production project web-dsp was demo’d on the mainstage at the Google I/O developer conference (and they found us, we didn’t contact anyone). Another team’s project, Reactide, was a #1 trending Github repository for weeks.

3) They care about your outcome. The job search process is no fun for anyone, especially if rejection stings. There’s support along the way even after the program is done, and the final weeks of the program are really geared towards making sure you have the tools you need to succeed.

On a subjective level, I feel like I’ve made lifelong friends with people from the process, which is obviously invaluable. And I had a good bit of fun while really expanding my scope of knowledge and ability each day of the program. If you’re able to get in to Codesmith, just do it!

Hamza

9/27/2017

Course
Full Stack Software Engineering Immersive Program

“An Amazing Learning Environment”

Two things set Codesmith apart in my opinion.

1. The people: There are hundreds of coding bootcamps out there and it was difficult to figure out which one was the best for me. I visited as many as I could, and tried to figure out what was differnent about… Read More each one, and what schools existed to just take my money. I attended JS The Hard Parts at Codesmith’s headquarters in LA, and was blown away by everyone’s willingness to help me learn. That continued after I started as a student. Everyone at Codesmith, from the instructors, to the fellows, and even the students was willing to stay late and help me become a better developer. On top of that, the students at Codesmith are exceptionally gifted and talented people who previously have gone to the worlds best universities and have been very successful in other careers. You can’t help but learn faster when you are surrounded by such talented people all day.

2. Focus on personal growth: Throughout the program, but especially during the project period, students are pushed to step outside their comfort zones to become better thinkers, programmers, and people. People at Codesmith are always encouraged to pursue new technologies and learn new programming paradigms. Codesmith understands that the industry is always changing and while the curriculum is in JavaScript, the purpose of Codesmith is to teach you how to think as a professional developer. At Codesmith, you are always pushed to strive for more. The culture of creating autnomous problem solvers is really what makes Codesmith different.