If you are searching for a coding bootcamp to help prepare you for a career in the tech industry, this Code Fellows review is a great place to start. With courses designed to prepare you for careers in software development and cyber security, Code Fellows is a great bootcamp to attend for any aspiring tech professional.
Code Fellows offers a menu of programs, financing options, and even career coaching services. Many Code Fellows graduates find jobs in major tech companies during their post-graduation job search. In this review, we give you all the information you’ll need to decide whether Code Fellows is the right bootcamp for you.
Code Fellows is an awesome and relatively affordable coding bootcamp. It offers a range of options for the courses and learning schedules, making it easy for anyone to attend.
Code Fellows offers two different fields of study: software development and ops and cyber security. Both areas of study consist of programs that are tailored to your level of expertise. Each program is further divided into courses.
The programs are designed to be taken in sequence, serving as a prerequisite to one another. That is, you can’t advance to a higher-level program without taking the one before it, except if you test into the program. The more programs you complete, the deeper your understanding of the field gets and the more skills you earn.
The software development program consists of five programs, which can be alternatively called by their program codes. These are the Beginner (100), the Foundations (200), the Intermediate (300), the Advanced (400), and the Continuing Education (500). Taken in sequence, these programs are designed to transform you into a professional software developer.
The Beginner’s program consists of Codes 101 and 102. Code 101 is a one-day workshop that gives you a peek into software development, specifically on the relevance of HTML and CSS and the career paths within the field. If you find yourself wanting to learn more after the workshop, sign up for Code 102, a week-long introductory course to software development.
Code 201 (Foundations of Software Development) and Code 301 (Intermediate Software Development) teaches you the foundations of software development. You’ll learn how to code in languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as learn about data structures.
The Advanced (Code 400) program comes with five Code 401 courses that you can choose from depending on a specific skill that you wish to train for. You can choose to specialize in advanced software development in full-stack JavaScript, Java, Python, or ASP.Net Core to name a few.
Lastly, the Continuing Education (Code 500) program offers eight Code 501 courses designed for working professionals looking to upskill. Code 501 (Intro to Data Structures and Algorithms) is the only Code 501 course that is followed by a Code 502 course, titled the Master Data Structures and Algorithms.
The Ops and Cybersecurity program follows a very similar path as the software development program. However, this one helps prepare students for careers in IT support, network operations, and systems administration. It also does not offer a Continuing Education (Code 500) program. The classes you will take are Ops 101, Ops 102, Ops 201, Ops 301, and Ops 401.
Ops 101 is a one-day workshop that demonstrates what it is like to work in this field. Ops 102 (Intro to Computer Operations) teaches you the basics of ops and cyber security, focusing primarily on how to configure and work with computers.
Ops 201 (Foundations of Computer Operations) and Ops 301 (Networking and Systems Administration) are the more intermediate-level classes. In these two, you will learn about IT support operations and how to solve common technological issues.
You will also get to practice using and resolving issues in different operating systems such as Windows and Linux. By the end of Ops 301, you should be able to do a lot of the work systems administrators do.
Finally, Ops 401 (Cybersecurity Engineering) develops your skills in performing cyber operations. You’ll learn how to conduct risk assessment and management and finish off with a full penetration test.
Code Fellows only has two locations, with one of them being onsite. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Code Fellows temporarily moved all of its instruction online.
The daytime program schedule is an awesome option for anyone who wants the feel of working a full-time job. As long as you don’t have anything going on between 8:30am and 6pm, you will be good to go. This schedule requires you to be in class for a full nine hours, five days a week, for approximately four to 10 weeks per program.
The nights and evenings schedule is the best option for those who work during the day, or simply prefer studying in the evenings. You will spend four days a week in class from 6:30pm to 9:30pm, and on Saturdays, you will be in class from 9am to 6pm. Because the classes are shorter, this schedule typically takes a bit longer to finish. Nonetheless, it is a good option for those with busier schedules.
Code Fellows offers several self-paced class options, which are completely online and allow you to study when you have the time and energy to do so. This option is fantastic for anyone who works full-time or simply cannot get away for an entire day at a time. Unfortunately, it is typically only the beginner-level programs that come with a self-paced format.
Completing a full deck of programs, from the beginner’s to the advanced level, costs roughly $23,100. You can also enroll in the programs independently, and spend anywhere between $99 and $12,000 per program.
While these are much cheaper than a four-year college education, they can still be quite expensive to some. Luckily, the bootcamp offers different ways to finance your tuition.\
Code Fellows is a relatively easy coding bootcamp to be accepted into. The application and interview processes are quick, especially in comparison to other coding bootcamps. The entire process is built around ensuring student success.
The first thing to do when applying to Code Fellows is to contact an advisor with the name of the program and course you want to enroll in, as well as the schedule you prefer and the start dates you are considering. You will then be contacted for a phone interview, which typically lasts between 15 and 30 minutes.
After the phone interview, you will be asked to complete an entrance test. This test is designed to measure your abilities in the program’s study areas and help determine if you are a good candidate for the program. Once you complete this test, you will be contacted for a technical interview to discuss the entrance test. You will then be notified if you are accepted or not.
In this first interview, you will be answering very general questions about yourself. The interviewer will likely want to know about your background, how you got into coding or cyber security, what previous experience you have, and what your career goals are. They may also ask why you chose Code Fellows and what you hope to gain from your chosen program(s).
The technical interview gets a bit more difficult. You will likely be asked to explain any code you wrote and used for the entrance exam, and the interviewers will critique your work. Be prepared for questions about code stacks and basic knowledge of the program’s study areas, as well as your coding skill set.
Code Fellows reports an impressive job placement, with 93 percent of its graduates currently finding employment in the field of their studies. In fact, out of the 93 percent who are currently employed, 77 percent are salaried employees.
To help students in their job search, Code Fellows offers an abundance of career services. In your classes, you will receive career coaching that covers everything from professional etiquette to networking and job readiness. After you graduate, you will have access to the Career Accelerator services, offering job search preparation services, mentors, mock interviews, and connections with hiring companies.
Making a decision about which bootcamp to apply for can be difficult. While Code Fellows is a fantastic bootcamp, there are a few things to consider prior to applying.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to you. Are you pursuing a career in cyber security or software development? Can you learn in an online environment? Do you have the time to spare for learning?
If you stumbled on one question, don’t fret. There are plenty of other bootcamps to explore, from data science bootcamps to web development bootcamps. But if you answered yes to all three, then consider enrolling in Code Fellows.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Find the best data science bootcamps to get you hired.
Get matched to top data science bootcamps
By continuing you indicate that you have read and agree to Study Data Science Privacy Policy
Powered By
Anonymous
The Fellow Program in DataScience was a great opportunity to change careers for me
In terms of knowledge, teachers are very technical, lessons and workshops very organized and job oriented
Tech companies visit the campus on a regular basis, explain what they do and you have a direct access to apply
Last but not least, we’re now a real alumni community from different nationalities and working in many tech sectors
September 18, 2019
Anonymous
Learning to be a programmer is like learning to be an artist. It’s something that builds up day by day – the more you push yourself towards doing it, the more it opens different paths for you.
I am here to speak for my story with this boot camp, and let me tell you: If you really are passionate about tech and think that it’s where you see yourself in the future then Code Fellows will never fail you!
I finished my bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and worked in the telecommunication sector for a tiny bit but never felt that I belong to that world. I wanted to nourish my outdated and conventional programming knowledge with an intense education that introduces me to a new set of modern tools/skills in the programming realm and that’s where I started the search.
I ditched two CS/Computer Engineering Masters programs that I was admitted to from two of the top 20 universities in the world to start with Code Fellows – Having been through a 4 years program in the past that was very slow for me, I didn’t know if I really want to go through that agonizing experience all over again.
I started in December 2016 and left Code Fellows completely by April 2018. Of course, it started with the 101 course where I had all my questions answered about this Bootcamp. Then for 102, 201, 301 where JavaScript was the dominant subject. Those courses are short but they were more than enough to push me move forward and believe that I want to learn more!
In the second quarter of 2017, I decided I want to master Swift since I had passion for building iOS mobile apps. I was lucky a 401 was offered at the time to teach that. It was pretty amazing curriculum that I wouldn’t be able to put together in 10 years from now. I built apps, made friends, enjoyed the feeling of pride that I built something from scratch entirely by myself!
All classes at Code Fellows have a max number of seats per course which really helps keeping the focus on every student to get the most out of the respective curriculum. Also, there’s a Teacher assistant for every batch of students who has been the same curriculum and same doubts that every new students come across. Learning by yourself is never fun and having TA’s as well as other driven students really makes all the difference!
I finished my first 401 and was very happy with what I learned but tired a tad bit because of how intense the course was. I took some time off celebrating my accomplishment then decided it’s the time to learn on my own. I spent a couple months going through different programming books and preparing for interviews all between my house and the campus where I am welcomed anytime after graduation. It’s very easy to tell that I was able to pick up new things on my own more than ever before! I had the chance to also TA for students and experience how amazing it is to teach students how to get through hard concepts and finish assignments. The repetitive experience is what made the best out of me.
Didn’t take more than 3 months until I decided I wanna learn more, so I joined another 401 cohort to learn ASP.NET Core! It was again another intense but awesome learning experience!
Some students might consider me insane since not everyone can bare the intensity of one year of education in a bootcamp environment especially at the Code Fellows. But it’s my passion after all and I looked at the progress I went through rather the instantaneous outcomes. I landed a job of my dreams and I can’t thank Code Fellows enough! 🙂
Anyone who ever criticizes or leaves a negative feedback on this school is probably because they are living in a world of fantasy, where they think finishing a 6 months program will make you reach the moon without any additional efforts. Patience, motivation and compassion is much needed for anyone to get into the tech industry, otherwise it’s hard to believe you can make a progress in this field.
PS: There’s no perfect curriculum nor the best school in the world. There’s a school that pushes you and teaches you how to succeed; My 5 stars goes to Code Fellows for that reason.
November 20, 2019
Anonymous
When I first started looking into Boot camps I was a huge skeptic. It’s a HUGE investment of not just money but time. After doing some research and speaking to a few industry professionals, I made the decision to take a leap of faith with Code Fellows. Going into it, I knew very little about programming and extremely nervous. All I did know is from what I had research online and it certainly held true. In order to succeed in an accelerated learning environment, you need to invest 110% of yourself. A concept that you learn today you may not grasp until tomorrow or the next day but perseverance is key to learning. Thankfully, Code Fellows provided a supportive environment where my instructors and TA’s were always willing to lend a hand or even just an ear to bounce ideas off of. Ultimately, I’m happy I made the decision to pursue a career in Software Development and am grateful that I chose Code Fellows to help launch my career.
Pros:
– Collaborative and open learning environment
– Supportive staff
– Career and industry focused learning
– Fun campus with monthly happy hours
Cons:
– Long nights (you get what you put in)
February 20, 2020
Anonymous
After almost ten years of working a series of unfulfilling jobs I decided it was time for a career change. From the years I spent as a technical recruiter I knew that software development is a growing field, pays well and would allow me to affect meaningful change on a large scale. I spent ten month studying on my own and started applying to jobs but was told over and over again that I lacked the skills and experience necessary to be a developer. I was ready to give up when a friend of mine, who had successfully transitioned from a career in music to software development, told me about his experience at Code Fellows. After learning about the curriculum and speaking with the Code Fellow’s recruitment team I took the leap.
Pros:
– The instructional staff consists of top-notch educators who are also experienced developers
– The curriculum is constantly updated to ensure the latest and most in-demand technologies are being taught
– There is a big focus on learning to write software with other developers (something that you can’t do on your own)
– Code Fellows is well known in the Seattle Area and being a Code Fellows graduate carries some weight
– You get to network with many other soon-to-be developers
Cons
– Code Fellows is a big investment (both in time and money) and there is always the concern that you won’t get a job afterwards
I cannot recommend Code Fellows enough! I learned vastly more in the 4.5 months I was a student at Code Fellows than I did in the ten months I studied on my own. Having a team of instructors/mentors walk you through a world-class curriculum means that the entire experience is tailored toward gaining the skills necessary to become a professional software developer. Of the 20 or so people I went through Code Fellows with, almost all of us have jobs as developers (some in big companies like Amazon, AT&T and Uber) and I’m confident those who don’t will soon be employed. I truly believe that investing in yourself is ALWAYS a good idea and that is exactly what Code Fellows is, an investment in your future.
April 11, 2020
Anonymous
I came to Code Fellows with absolutely zero experience coding. Code Fellows provided me with a foundation to think like a developer and approach complex problems with confidence. Learning to code is not easy, but the challenge is so rewarding! Throughout my time at CF, I felt encouraged and supported by my instructors and peers. As a woman of color, it was important for me to immerse myself in a program that embraces diversity and inclusion and that’s what I found at CF. They take pride in creating a safe learning space for everyone, regardless of race, gender, or background.
April 14, 2020
Anonymous
When I decided to make a career change and after being on the self-taught coding route for a while, Code Fellows came highly recommended by a friend who had gone through the program and had landed herself a new career as a software engineer. I thought about it for a bit, as it’s a big decision and commitment, but ultimately I decided it was a good decision for myself and my family. Turns out it paid off.
Code Fellows proved to be an incredible place to learn not only software development skills, but also other skills needed to be successful in the industry; from career coaching to learning how to work collaboratively in groups/one-on-one. As an added bonus, I had some amazing classmates in my cohort and friendships developed while there have lasted outside of school.
Pros:
– Knowledgeable and dedicated staff (both instructional and support).
– Thoughtful and evolving curriculum.
– Supportive and inclusive environment.
– School staff is open to, and encourages, feedback.
– Great location.
– Networking opportunities available weekly.
Cons:
– Expense, but it’s worth it. Plus, scholarships are available to those who qualify.
– Time commitment. Again, it’s worth it. The curriculum is fast-paced, so you’ll need to be committed if you want to be successful.
June 15, 2020
Anonymous
I didn’t realize how great the curriculum was until I had done a couple interviews after the class was over. Everything I was up against in the interview was covered in detail during the class. The class moves quickly, so you might feel like you aren’t grasping everything at times, but you will be surprised at how much you learned in such a short amount of time. The instructor is great and speaks from experience. The class is challenging, but you grow to be a better developer from it. By the end of the class, you get to say that you’ve built an API that anyone can consume, and a full-stack C# application that is deployed in the cloud as well as a learning a number of data structures problems that are covered daily. The only con I would include is that the speed of the class can be an issue and it can be difficult to complete assignments on time.
September 25, 2020
Anonymous
I had a good experience learning Python. There was a good amount of support during the expected working hours, and for the most part, the desired outcomes were clear. We covered many useful things about the language, and when I graduated I felt comfortable continuing my learning process. The career coaching section of the program was very useful, and I graduated feeling prepared to take on interviews. A month and a half out, I still do not have work in the industry.
October 1, 2020