Tech Bootcamps are popping up everywhere, but how do you know if a bootcamp will work for you? I’ve asked myself this same question, and ultimately decided on General Assembly. I am not going to review the school itself in this blog. Instead, here is a list of the questions going through my head while I pondered joining a bootcamp.
#1 Why do I want to do this?
Tech Bootcamps provide intensive, focused training in a tech subject. Typically, schools require full time attendance (9 to 5 every day), part-time attendance, or online attendance within a span of 8-12 weeks. Some schools can stretch beyond 6 months of full time training. They can cost anywhere from monthly installments of $200 to upwards of $20,000 per cohort (semester).
So the first question to ask is: “why do I want to this”…
Whatever reason you come up with, make sure that you at least like technology. Don’t do it because you think a bootcamp can guarantee a six figure salary. Do it because you have an awesome business idea, because you have the curiosity, the interest, and the commitment to stay in the tech industry. Bootcamps can get you in, but they can’t KEEP you in.
#2 Am I new to this and am I a learner?
Some schools state that they can take you from 0 to 100 – beginner to job ready. In my opinion, this is dangerous for the school and for the student. Beginner students fall within a spectrum – from those who know nothing, to those that know quite a bit. The most successful students bring some prior knowledge to the table. Be fair to yourself and assess what you know early on. Contact the school and ask them what level you should be in in order to be ready for that class. Ask a credible source that can verify your current knowledge, such as a friend in the industry.
Get yourself acquainted with the industry lingo, tools, and top resources. Take a month’s worth of Code Academy, Lynda.com, or other low cost/free online tutorials to bring you up to speed. Bootcamps move FAST, so give yourself a fair chance and start the learning process before you pay.
By the way, the tech industry is a moving target. No one can claim to be an expert at anything. Expect to be a lifelong learner. If you don’t like to learn - you will suffer.
#3 Have I tried other venues?
I tried many different resources before joining General Assembly. I started with free and low cost resources like Coursera’s Human Computer Interaction course. I supplemented Coursera with Lynda.com and Udemy courses on UX. I then found myself interested in prototyping and decided to try coding on Code Academy and Code School. In a few months, I realized that I simply do not learn coding well on my own. I also felt frustrated at how slow my progress was, and decided that I needed the discipline of deadlines, clear projects, and a mentor to guide me. So I took the next “fiscally responsible” step and joined Thinkful ($200/month). Thinkful is an online development bootcamp that comes complete with a mentor you meet with on a weekly basis. What I learned at Thinkful is that I needed in-person classes…
What’s the lesson here? Bootcamps cost money, try to figure out as best as you can the structure that best suits you. You may find that you do well in teaching yourself, or you may find that you do need a more structured teaching framework.
#4 How do I learn?
Look back to the last successful learning experience you had – what made it successful? What didn’t you like about it? Question #4 and #3 are related, and that’s because these questions are incredibly important. Chances are, how those classes were taught had an effect on your outcome. Most bootcamps will be heavily hands on – if this is not how you learn, you’ll have an issue. Other bootcamps pair you up with someone and you code or sketch together. If you have issues with someone closely examining your code, this won’t work either. So it’s important for you to know how you learn so that you can ask the appropriate teaching style questions to the school of your choice.
#5 Can I afford it?
Be brutally honest with yourself when answering this question. Some people are lucky enough that their companies pay for these classes. Others, like me, are self-funded. How well you can afford these classes depends on your current living situation, if the school is in-state or out of state, whether you choose full-time or part-time classes, and whether the school offers financing.
Remember that most full time programs will not allow you to work. Some schools provide financing, payment plans, grants, and discounts. Even so, you are still looking at cost of living, and debt added to your budget either during class or after class completion. So make sure you really can handle the cost, otherwise, take a breather and save up some money.
#6 Do I have the time?
If you decide to join a full-time program, you have no choice but to have the time. In fact, schools won’t allow you to work part-time. You will be that busy. If you choose a part-time program, be ready to be busy as well. This is where having some prior knowledge can save your sanity. Classes move fast, and if you fall behind, life will be miserable for you. Be prepared to have deliverables on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Expect to leave your spare time free for study groups, homework, industry events, and other unexpected goodies.
#7 What results can I expect out of this?
This is a hard one to answer especially if you’re a newbie to the tech industry. What you get out of this experience is very closely associated with how realistic your expectations are. This means looking carefully at how much you already know, your motivation, how strong the program is, and doing due diligence on school research. Speaking for myself, I wanted to take a project from A to Z in User Experience, and I got that. I wanted to know enough HTML/CSS to code a simple prototype – I got that. However, I’ve watched people leave extremely disappointed when they weren’t able to become an expert programmer, complete with a website that will soon make them millions of dollars and land them on the cover of Fast Company. This is an unrealistic expectation for MANY students. To make matters worse, schools are notorious for showcasing the work of the best – which can make their program seem like a magic pill.
Ask yourself what success means to you. Then, locate prior students, ask forums for advice, or speak with a credible industry source to verify if your expectations are realistic.
#8 Do I have people in the industry I can go to for help/advice?
The most successful students end up spending time reaching out to external resources, be it friends, industry leaders, Meetups, or tech communities like StackOverflow. Not only are connections helpful when it comes to your homework, but they also comprise your networks for jobs!
#9 Have I contacted enough bootcamps?
All bootcamps have similar teaching modalities, but the devil lies in the details. It’s important to take the time to research as many bootcamps as you can. Remember that bootcamps are a business, and as such, they want your money. It’s your job to find out if they’re worth it. Ask as many questions as you can. For example, ask the rate of completion, job placement rate, and average student placement salary. Ask how many students migrated there from other cities versus students who are native to that city. Try to find out the cost of living or the average debt a student leaves with, and if there is some support. Ask for a description of the ideal student, and then who makes up the average student. Find out who the teachers are and read up on them! Finally, ask to be connected to a prior student for further questions. If you do get connected to a student, ask if she or he is happy with the program, if they received a job offer, and if they were happy with the salary. Bottom line: try to find out if it was all worth it. If you can swing it – visit the campus and the city before you go as well.
#10 Am I willing to continue the work after completion?
To be frank, it is not the classes that will land you the job – it’s your portfolio. Full-time classes are a little better than part-time classes when it comes to portfolio building. Full-timers can expect to have a few examples to showcase, but part-timers will have to work a little harder to build theirs. Even if you don’t land that dream job, it’s important to continue honing your skills and building your portfolio.
If you are a student fresh out of high school, you are lucky; these questions will save you a lot of grief. If you’re like most of the country, you probably owe student loans, so these questions can help you avoid additional debt. Just remember that this field requires you to be a lifelong learner. So consider all of these factors, identify what you need, and good luck!