Do I need to have prior programming experience?

As the Admissions Coordinator here at LEARN academy I am often answering all the FAQs that potential students have before coming to LEARN. I thought it would be helpful to start a blog series answering all of the most common questions. Enjoy!

FAQ Blog Part 1: Do I need to have prior programming experience?

I have to admit this is the most frequent question that I get asked and it’s a great question.

So here is the skinny…

No, you do not need to have any prior experience. We recently changed our application process to include an assessment of skill level, so that students of all backgrounds can be successful here at LEARN. We have found there are two effective approaches for potential students thinking about taking the course based on their skill level.

1. Jumpstart!

One approach is to participate in our Jumpstart program. Jumpstart was designed as a way to JUMP into our full time program. It’s 2.5 days of programming. Friday night 5pm-9pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9pm-7pm. You will learn HTML, CSS and Javascript. It’s a really great way for potential students still on the fence about the full time course, or feel they need more preparation before jumping in full time to answer the question “Is programming right for me?” and “Is LEARN the right bootcamp for me?”.

We want all of our students to be successful and Jumpstart really gives you a look into the ins and outs of LEARN. You will meet some of the staff, work with our instructors and get to know our environment and culture. Also by the end of the day Sunday you will have a better idea of whether or not you want to continue to learn about programming.

Some other perks on taking the Jumpstart course prior to the full time program.

• You will have a head start on the full time curriculum.
• The cost of Jumpstart will be applied to the full time tuition balance.
• We feed you all weekend! Friday night we will provide dinner, Saturday and Sunday we will have breakfast lunch and dinner. Free food is always a plus!

2. Independent Online LEARNing and Code Challenge

The other route that students can take to prepare for the full time program is through independent online learning and our online Javascript code challenge.

A lot of our students spend a good chunk of time learning the basics of coding online. I often get potential students who come to me and say I have been learning online but feel stuck. In order for them to move forward in a career in coding they want an in-person, classroom experience. Enter LEARN academy!

In these cases we send the potential student resources where they can start to learn independently with the support of one of our instructors to help them along the way. We provide them with the resources needed for them to successfully complete our online Javascript code challenge.

Our New Application Process

Can’t decide which route to take? Don’t worry once you have completed the first step in our application process, the online questionnaire, you will come in for an informal interview and our staff will decide which path is best for you. You will either be selected to take Jumpstart or complete the online code challenge based on your skill set at that time. That being said, feel free to dive into Jumpstart at any time.

Again, we want to make sure LEARN is right for you, so we take the time to help students with no experience obtain the knowledge and skills to be successful prior to jumping into our full time program.

You can can apply to our Jumpstart program here.

You can start you full time application here.

Keep an eye out for our next FAQ admissions blog all about financing options and scholarships! As always email me if you have any questions: hillary@learnacademy-wp-production.notch8.cloud.