How Do I Pick the Right Coding Bootcamp?

July 6, 2022
T.J. Kidder

Did you know there are more than 500 coding bootcamps around the world? So, if you’re looking for one, you’ve got a lot of options to choose from. But having so many coding bootcamp options also brings more confusion for programming enthusiasts.

So, especially if you’re a beginner and looking for a suitable option to start your coding career, choosing the best coding bootcamp becomes critical to success.
But like most newbies in any field, making the right call for a coding bootcamp may not be as straightforward as it seems. This is why most of us search for the best coding bootcamp online without understanding its essential elements.

However, it’s a risky option because everything you see online may not be accurate. On top of that, glittering and appealing websites with highly positive reviews and testimonies can intrigue you into making a wrong decision.

So, in this post, we will try to help you understand how to make the right choice for a coding bootcamp and what factors should be considered when making your decision:

Find answers to all these questions to help you pick the right coding bootcamp to start your programming journey.

What is a coding bootcamp?

While entering a coding bootcamp seems like the best thing, it only makes sense if you truly understand what a coding bootcamp is. Then, you can better understand whether it’s meant for you or if it will be a waste of your time and effort.

Coding bootcamps provide accelerated and intensive learning opportunities and are intended for beginners. Generally, coding bootcamps focus on digital skills like digital marketing, coding, data sciences, web development, etc.

Unlike a conventional university or college curriculum, coding bootcamps are incredibly fast-paced. Hence, they require more dedication and time from the students. As a result, coding bootcamps often force learners to leave other activities and fully immerse themselves in the learning process.
This may seem like a drawback at the start. However, coding bootcamps can enhance your skills to astonishingly higher levels. They are ideal for people who want to switch career paths toward coding or programming.

Typically, an average coding bootcamp lasts about 14 weeks, while some can go for more than six to eight months. Given the popularity of coding bootcamps, there are more than a hundred coding bootcamps in the US and Canada, with several others around the globe. Generally, coding bootcamps focus on the most recent technologies and programming languages. Therefore, you will find too many Python, Ruby, PHP, and JavaScript bootcamps these days.

Finally, coding bootcamps can have different objectives and preset outcomes. Some coding bootcamps offer a one-month internship, and some offer extensive job placement support once you’re done. A standard coding bootcamp should leave you with the following:

Better coding and programming skills
Enhanced skill set and understanding of the modern technological tools
Experience in working on multiple and complex projects
Internship experience with qualified professionals
A specific job position in your specialization area

Based on these outcomes make it a little easier to figure out the top coding bootcamps and what your life after coding bootcamp would look like.

What are the different types of coding bootcamps?

Coding bootcamps can be the ideal source of learning for many reasons. The most important of all reasons is that they are highly flexible regarding learning hours. Furthermore, as a student, you can pick from different types of coding bootcamps according to your preferred learning style.
Unlike college or university learning, where you don’t have the flexibility of timings, coding bootcamps are pretty flexible and often let you work at your own pace. Primarily, coding bootcamps are of the following types.

Full-Time In-Person Bootcamps

These bootcamps are quite like schools and colleges. They require full-time immersion and in-person presence on campus. Typically, these bootcamps run from 40 to 80 hours a week.
In such a coding bootcamp, you study in a typical classroom or lab, so you have enough technical support and equipment on-campus to help you through everything.
Typically, full-time in-person coding bootcamps could last from two to seven months. After that, it depends on how deep you want to go while learning a specific skill.

Full-time Remote Bootcamps

These are also known as online coding bootcamps, one of the most preferred options nowadays. Moreover, with the boom in online learning during the pandemic, it’s much easier for modern students to adapt to online learning techniques.

These are full-time coding bootcamps, but they operate remotely. So, it’s convenient for students to join from anywhere within the preset regions. Furthermore, since these online coding bootcamps can provide their services virtually, people can participate from anywhere with a good internet connection. Also, some programs can provide their services internationally if you are an international student. So, just confirm they can offer you support before you start the enrollment process.

Generally, remote coding bootcamps operate for 40 to 60 hours a week. You will use technologies like Zoom, Slack, Google Classroom, and other similar tools to view your lectures, learning material, and submission of your course assessments.

Typically, online coding camps provide learning in UX design, software development, full-stack development, and other areas with well-defined outcomes. While these programs are remote, the best programs still provide an engaging classroom environment. You want to make sure that you have the best learning opportunities available. Smaller classroom sizes will, with at least a 10:1 instructor ratio, help you get the most support and the best outcomes. Also, if you can’t make it to the campus physically, online bootcamps will help you acquire a similar quality of learning from the comfort of your home.

Self-Paced Online Bootcamps

Professionals who want to switch career paths or learn new skills can benefit from coding bootcamps. This is where self-paced bootcamps are so handy. Self-paced bootcamps give you the flexibility to work at your own pace. Therefore, you don’t have to commit too much time every week. Typically, these bootcamps require 10 to 20 hours a week. However, they run much longer than full-time bootcamps. Self-paced bootcamps allow students to work at their own pace and submit projects and assessments conveniently. However, one of the biggest challenges of this route is a lack of support during the program and after graduation.

Part-Time

Part-time bootcamps are meant for working professionals. These bootcamps run on weekends or night hours, allowing employed students to manage their learning activities. Part-time bootcamps have a weekly learning period of 6 to 9 hours. Therefore, they last up to 9 months long. At the same time, part-time bootcamps require you to work about 10 to 15 hours besides your classes. Therefore, these are ideal for new boot campers who are focused on getting a new job or promotion at work.

What coding languages do you need to know?

When first starting your coding journey, knowing where to begin and what coding languages will give you the best opportunity to succeed as a developer can be challenging. Many coding bootcamps focus on one specific programming language, either front-end or back-end. This is not an ideal game plan. Focusing on either the front-end or back-end when you start will limit your growth because you will not be able to see the big picture.

Front-End vs. Back-End vs. Full-Stack

To better understand how web applications are created, you need to understand the different layers. Modern websites and applications have two layers that are essential to how they work, and as someone just getting into web development, you should strive to understand how both the front-end and back-end of websites work.

What are front-end programming languages?

The Front-End of a website consists of everything the client sees through a web browser. This includes the structure, the images, the interactivity, and the styling of all the different web pages.

There are four different front-end programming languages you should focus your learning on:

HTML
CSS
JavaScript
REACT

What is HTML?

HTML, HyperText Markup Language, is the standard markup language for web pages. These elements are the building blocks of web pages and are represented by < > tags. This includes header tags, paragraph tags, images, videos, and all the fonts on a web page.

Here are four reasons you should know HTML:

HTML provides the underlying structure of all web pages.
HTML is the fundamental markup language.
HTML creates a standardized system for organizing text files.
Simple HTML text formats can be read and edited by any operating system.

What is CSS?

CSS, Cascading Style Sheets, is a styling language used to describe how HTML elements are to be viewed. This includes manipulating features like font sizes and colors and the ability to change the layout of web pages for different screen sizes.

Here are four reasons you should know CSS:

CSS allows consistent styling throughout your web pages and applications easily.
CSS is compatible across all browsers.
Integrating CSS into your web pages can lead to faster page speeds.
Implementing CSS responsive design allows for the same look and feel across different devices.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is an object-oriented programming language used to create and control the dynamic aspects of a webpage. JavaScript allows you to create interactive elements, control multimedia, animate objects, and everything else.

Here are four reasons you should know JavaScript:

JavaScript makes web pages user interactive and dynamic.
JavaScript is an untyped/loosely typed language suitable for beginners while still incredibly powerful.
JavaScript is one of the most popular scripting languages in web development.
Finally, javaScript is a large and open-sourced community with well-documented online resources.

What is REACT?

REACT is a JavaScript library used for building User Interfaces. It was created by and is currently maintained by Facebook. Developers can declare what the User Interface will look like, and the magic of React will take care of the how by translating this to the browser.

Here are four reasons you should know REACT:

REACT allows developers to create reusable user interface components for large and small web applications.
REACT is an open-source library with a large and supportive community.
REACT is the leading industry standard for front-end libraries.
Testing with REACT is easier using programs like JEST and Enzyme.

By combining the power of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and REACT, you will understand how the front-end of websites work. However, this only gives you half of the picture. To get your website or application fully operational, you will need to have a back-end for your website.

What are back-end programming languages?

The back-end of a website refers to everything happening behind the scenes. The stuff you don’t see. This is where all the data is stored. The back-end of a website consists of a server, an application, and a database.

The back end of a website maintains all the technologies that allow the front end to work in the first place. While there are a million different programming language combinations you could choose from to create a functional back-end for your website, here are the three best suited for individuals just starting on their coding journey.

Ruby
Rails
PostgreSQL

What is Ruby?

Ruby is an object-oriented programming language created by Yukihiro “Matz” Matsumoto. The goal was to develop a programming language focused on simplicity and productivity.

Here are four reasons you should know RUBY:

Ruby is an expressive and intuitive language that is great for beginners.
Ruby is a modular language that can link with many external libraries (called gems).
Ruby is backed by a large and welcoming community with plenty of online documentation.
Ruby is a great object-oriented programming language that is a joy to use with many utility.

What is RAILS?

Rails (Ruby-on-Rails) is a web application framework written in the Ruby programming language. Rails includes everything needed to create database-backed web applications according to the Model-View-Controller (MVC).

Here are four reasons you should know RAILS:

Rails is a Full-Stack Framework built in the Ruby programming language.
Rails provides an extensive library of built-in tools that boost productivity.
Rails is an excellent introduction to the Model-View-Controller (MVC), which divides a web application into three interconnected parts.
Rails is easily configured and allow developers to build web applications faster.

What is PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL is an open-source, object-relational database system that uses and builds upon the SQL language. PostgreSQL comes with many features designed to help developers build applications, manage, and protect their data no matter the size of the dataset.

Here are four reasons you should know PostgreSQL:

The future is powered by data, and PostgreSQL is a solid data storage solution.
Learning the principles of relational databases will unlock more power within PostgreSQL.
PostgreSQL allows you to extract data from a database with SQL.
PostgreSQL is one of the industry’s most powerful and standard relational database solutions.

Full-Stack Web Development – Bringing it all together

Now that you clearly understand how websites and web applications are built and the different layers inside each component, you can probably see why it is essential to know front-end and back-end programming languages. Understanding both of these will allow you to create web applications. In addition, possessing this skill-set makes you a Full-Stack Developer. Being a Full-Stack Developer is the perfect situation you need to be in and will make you tremendously valuable to employers. This skill-set will also allow you to further specialize in the programming languages you find most appealing.

What is the cost of coding bootcamps?

Coding Bootcamp costs are comparably much less than college fees. It’s mainly because coding bootcamps focus on teaching specific skills that can help you get a decent job in your niche. Typically, the total tuition cost at a four-year university can be over $130,000, while most coding bootcamps generally cost under $20,000.

In the USA, the median coding bootcamp cost is around $13,500. However, some bootcamps price as low as $3,500 and as high as $30,000. It mainly depends on the type of Bootcamp and your preferred payment method. Some bootcamps require you to pay upfront, while others allow installment plans or payment after you get a job. Whatever the case, the cost of coding bootcamp is one influencing factor when you’re choosing between a college education or going to a coding bootcamp.

4 Ways to Fund Your Coding Bootcamp Experience

1. Financing

Like acquiring a student loan, financing can be one of the best options when paying for a coding bootcamp. This allows you to receive the necessary funds and spread the cost over time. Some institutions like Meritize look beyond your credit score and let you defer payments until you complete your training. Another option is working with a local credit union or bank and acquiring a personal education loan.

2. Coding Scholarship

Be on the lookout for coding scholarships. This allows you to reduce the cost of tuition. While some are restricted to specific demographics, some are open to all individuals. In addition, some coding bootcamps are striving to expand the tech talent out there with more women and diverse individuals.

3. Out of Pocket

This choice can take some time to save up the necessary funds. Sometimes, other family members are willing to contribute to your coding education. While it does seem like a significant investment, think of it as investing in yourself. Plus, the return on your investment will significantly outweigh the cost of attending a coding bootcamp.

4. Job-Oriented Payment Plans

Some coding bootcamps offer payment plans like Income Share Agreements or Deferred Tuition Agreements. There are some significant differences between the two. Still, they both provide the flexibility of not having to start paying off your tuition until you find employment and meet a minimum income threshold.

In review, there are multiple ways to start learning how to code, each effective. When choosing which learning path is most effective for you, take a minute to think about it. What does your timeline look like? How much money do you have to invest in your new skills? Are you completely motivated to do this independently or need mentorship along your journey?

Do they have internships and career support?

Is it worth it to attend a coding bootcamp? It usually comes down to results, and if you were able to make a successful career transition. Your success post-graduation depends on the career support and the professional growth provided to students. Typically, not many coding bootcamps offer internship opportunities to their students. However, those that do are ones you really should look into. These work-based learning opportunities help bridge the gap between the classroom and real-world coding projects. It also gives you that first line of experience, which is extremely important and challenging for new coders.

Industry Relations are Key Aspects of Bootcamps

The best coding bootcamps also have strong hiring relations with employers and provide their students with career support. They can help students build networks within the industry and access meetups and community events. Moreover, they also focus on:

Interview preparations
Building portfolio
Online presence

Thanks to such immense support, most coding bootcamp graduates find jobs after completing the bootcamp. According to some stats, most coding bootcamp graduates can find employment within a few months of graduation.

What do salaries look like after graduation?

Salary is an excellent parameter to judge how effective coding bootcamps are. As most Bootcamp graduates get reasonable jobs, they get handsome salaries too. For example, graduating from a boot camp can help developers raise their salaries by 25% in the US. A typical coding bootcamp graduate can see a starting salary of around $45,000 – $65,000 when they first start out.
But several factors affect the salaries. These factors include:

Employment region
Previous experience
Previous income
Graduate Skill Level

Location is perhaps the most significant factor in employee salaries. In regions where tech growth is advancing faster, the average wages are much more significant than in most other areas.
For instance, California is the most profitable region for tech graduates, with an average salary of more than $100,000 annually. Then comes New York, with an average salary of nearly $75,000 a year. However, these regions also have a higher cost of living, so it’s essential to consider all aspects before you decide to move in search of a better tech job.

Conclusion

Coding bootcamps are critical for shaping your career as a professional developer. So, it’s essential to make the right choice. Since there are many types of bootcamps with different features, you must know what you want from a coding boot camp.

Now that you know how to choose the right coding bootcamp, you should be able to make a better decision about your tech career.

If you want to adopt coding as a profession, LEARN academy is the best coding bootcamp to help you launch your new career in tech. Their four-month program is live-remote so that you can join from just about anywhere in the United States. You’ll learn and collaborate with your classmates and instructors for three months inside our virtual classroom, where you will learn the ins and outs of full-stack web development.

During month four of the program, all students will participate in a remote internship, where you will take what you learned inside the classroom and apply it to real-world coding projects. Then, after graduation, you will work with our Career Services team. From your resume to your cover letter, portfolio, interview prep, and everything in between, we’ll design a customized job search plan to help you launch your new tech career.

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