In Epicodus, I went from basic knowledge in programming to being able to write code in such widely used languages as C# and JavaScript. And by the end of the course I learned how to build complex web applications from the ground up using different programming tools. But most important, having 5 weeks of real world work experiences was worth the value of the course.

I would say that Epicodus is great start for prospective developers and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a career in tech industry.

I was brand new to coding when I started at Epicodus. I had never worked in the IT industry. The majority of my career I spent in the medical industry. Like other students with no coding experience, I found the subject of programming to be extremely challenging with plenty of days full of confusion. In fact, I had thoughts at multiple points that I wasn’t going to be able to do this. However, I am proof that having the right educational opportunity and support system as Epicodus provided makes it possible.

I really enjoyed the learning environment and especially that it was onsite. It’s very helpful to have the support of others around you who are going through the same learning curve and the same challenges. Epicodus structured our program by having us work directly with others in a project-based learning environment and this naturally encouraged the formation of relationships that were important for me to make it through this program. The pair programming was often very helpful because there are people with varying degrees of experience and this enabled those of us with less experience to learn from them. Additionally, I thought it was helpful learning to work in real-life scenarios where we as people sometimes agree and sometimes don’t. It definitely helped me learn how to get the work done regardless of the difference in perspectives and to deliver on time. I also really enjoyed the support of the instructors. They were very friendly and encouraging at all times. This goes a long way when you are having a rough day learning to code. They had enough experience to help get me on the right track when I got lost.

Throughout the week there were other real-world skills that we were learning including how to work with source control (Git), how to conduct a scrum stand-up and practice solving algorithms on a whiteboard. I needed to know something about all of these aspects in the various interviews I had. There are times when I would have liked a little more one-on-one coaching but there was a silver lining to that. I was increasingly getting used to the idea of relying on myself to find the answers. Each day as I go to work now, I find that the ability to seek out and find the answers yourself is a crucial skill to do this for a living.

After I graduated, I had no shortage of interview opportunities around the Seattle area. I applied to just about everything even when I wasn’t sure I was qualified for it. Epicodus helped me polish my resume and my LinkedIn as part of their career support. This was especially helpful since I was new to IT.

All said and done, Epicodus was a great value especially for the price and I would recommend this school to others who are looking to get their foot in the door. Key things that you need to know before you start this is that determination and grit are the most important things. There will be days when you are sure that this is too hard for you. It will be much easier to quit. The important thing to understand is that you only need to survive. You will learn enough to open doors if you don’t quit. If you’ve never done coding before, expect it will likely be the most challenging educational curriculum of your life. When you get your first job, it will feel worth it. And I want to say it’s very nice to make the most money I’ve ever made while having a career that allows me to be creative on a daily basis. I really appreciate the opportunity that Epicodus created for me.

I think the key to success was making sure you take the homework seriously. I found a huge difference between simply reading it, and really digging in and trying to understand things on an almost intuitive level if I could achieve it. It seems like this would be a no-brainer, but I felt like I saw several classmates do the bare minimum and it really reflected on their performance in class, and sometimes making pair programming frustrating because having not done the work, it would be teaching them all of the concepts again. Though that was really good too because then it further solidified the concepts in my head.

The cirriculum was dated, and sometimes help wasn’t available very quickly from instructors, but the lack of help was rare, all things considered. I did feel like the staff was stretched thin, but that was my perceptions, perhaps on the other side of the table it’s a different story.

The dated cirriculum was a bit frustration, but I can imagine with little staff to update the cirriculum, it wasn’t easy to stay on the cutting edge. The other thing though… having gone through it, I realized that the cutting edge isn’t necessarily the best place to be because it’s often not vetted properly, so I became less frustrated with the dated cirriculum as I realized that, yes it’s dated… but also it just works without unanticipated bugs. Most of the bugs we’d run into from our stacks would have solutions if we dug for them. Had it been the newest stuff, we’d be debugging javascript based issues without pre-existing solutions, which could drastically slow things down potentially.

Overall I’d say it was a great experience, and nothing beats the value of the internship that they placed me in. Having even 5 weeks of real world work experiences was worth the value of the program without a doubt.

The teachers here were some of the most amazing individuals I have ever worked with. They were all very passionate about coding, teaching and were always available when you need that extra little assistance and push. You never felt below anyone, but instead the teachers treated you as equals, as adults and they never had a problem admitting their faults and always did their best to find an answer for you. The morning standup and white board session with the teachers was always a breath of fresh air and a lot of fun. It was nice to get an idea an what that day would entail and a go place to ask those difficult questions. It was also a great place for the whole class to throw ideas at one another.

Regarding the assistance for prep for pre-job search and post was super useful as well. Epicodus has some great individuals in house who are available to guide you in the right path to be as presentable as possible on paper and in person before going into the job search and interviews. They not only help you with prep. work, but they are there to assistance on the job search and interview process.

Another great thing the school offers in a 5 week internship after you finish your curriculum. Epicodus works with a lot of various local companies who open their doors to newly grads. So you are leaving your school and going into the job field will real life experience. You can’t beat that.

To sum it up, Epicodus teaches you how to learn, how to work in teams, how to be on your A game in the job search market and all for an amazing cost. I mean you cannot beat the pricing here people. Y’all need to get on board here. You won’t regret it!!!

Both of the teachers I had there were fantastic. I spent most of my time with Franz, who was an amazing teacher. He is friendly and understanding and made sure to get to know his students. He always gave helpful feedback but also let you struggle for a bit on your own and give you the opportunity to work through the issues in your code first (I see this as a huge positive, you don’t learn without failure). The same can be said for Lena, while my time with her was much shorter (only one section of the course) she had a bright and friendly attitude and was there quickly to support you if needed.

While Epicodus and it’s staff are a great resource to have both in and out of the classroom, you definitely get back as much as you put in. I’m sure that this is true for most code schools. If you go, put in the effort both in and out of class, and try your hardest to succeed and understand the concepts given to you then you’ll be rewarded. The pair programming was interesting at first, but I felt like it made the cohort closer and help me both understand my code as I explained it to others and not be afraid to reach out to my classmates for help when I needed it. Every day is new opportunity to learn, especially in any field that requires programming, things are always shifting and changing and if you’re not down to be continually learning, then I don’t think Epicodus would be right for you. But, if you enjoy learning new things and challenging yourself, then I would say Epicodus is a great choice to develop yourself and new skills.

One of the largest draws for me was the onsite ‘internship’ at the end of the program. You get to interview with companies around the area and then join them for 5+ weeks to work on real projects in a real environment. While my internship wasn’t the most stellar and there wasn’t much for me to do at the company I was at, I still made the most of it and decided to learn new frameworks and languages. I definitely don’t fault Epicodus for my internship experience, but I will say there’s a small chance you won’t get the company you want or that you’ll be doing work that isn’t best.

I definitely recommend Epicodus to others out there who are passionate about learning a new skill and diving into a completely different career. The coursework was challenging and fun, the internship was a unique experience, and the career support was great as well. I was able to find a job as a Front End Web Developer 2 and half months after finishing and while this wasn’t a lead given to me through job assistance, they were still extremely helpful with tips for interviews and career resources. I had a fantastic experience.

Happy Coding!

The internship oppurtunity alone is worth the price of admission. I was placed with a professional and respectful company that ended up hiring me out of the internship.

I would recommend Epicodus to anyone who wants a career change, and I have recommended it to close friends and family.

After the course, I felt quite well prepared for the interviews with the companies hosting Epicodus interns (yes, you have to go through the real interview process to get the internship placement, which is an especially valuable experience on its own).

I would recommend Epicodus to anyone who has a desire to start a new career path in software development (and who is ready to put an effort to get there).

I haven’t had the chance to join a full-time class, but I fully intend to once I have the budget and time to do so. Taking the part-time class was totally worth it. I actually took the skills I learned in that class and made a brand new website for my company. Like I said before, there are plenty of incredible online resources, but if you find yourself needing more structure and a great learning environment — choose Epicodus.