My last-minute application to Wyncode’s 24th cohort was nothing short of a blessing, but not for reasons you might expect. Along the way I was pushed to the edges of my sanity with projects, but somewhere along the way I woke up to the weird realization that I had found something meaningful to do with myself. As a college graduate with a soul for the arts, a tendency towards analysis paralysis,and a slim pocketbook, I really needed Wyncode more than I’m willing to admit.

I quickly hustled my way to employment within a month of graduating (not the norm), and though I still struggle to target where I fit in the vast possibilities of my coding journey, it feels pretty neat realizing that I just learned this stuff like 15 weeks ago.

Maybe it isn’t for everyone, but it IS for anyone willing to put in the work. I’m not a genius but I’m a grade-A workhorse, and I inevitably learned a ton.

If you want to coast with chill nights and weekends off, this is not the program for you. Naturally some people have it easier than others, but there’s always something new in the air worth learning. The latest iteration of their program includes a lot more react and js, which is the good stuff too. I kind of wish I waited a couple more months to start. React is LIT.

If you want 24/7 access to a nurturing hub of friendly coders with eclectic interests, this is your spot. 🙂

June 14, 2018

Note: I went to this school while the head instructor was still there teaching classes on-site, so I cannot review based off how the current instructors are. I DO know the curriculum has improved since I been there, but I don’t know if the new instructors are an improvement.

The TAs and staff are great, curriculum is in-depth, but do not expect a handout. It is very much a sink or swim situation, and you will only succeed if you demand attention for your questions. Basically, be annoying and you will have your needs met. Yes the TAs care, but there’s alot of people you’re competing with. Remember, it’s technically a for profit school, so get your money worth.

Also, be prepared to be job hunting for 3 to 6 months. That’s with applying the same kind of intense focus you did while going to class. Be annoying, and they will help you. If you’re not okay with that and want something to coast thru without shaking it up, don’t go here.

June 14, 2018

I came from an established career and knew very little about web development and project management before I came to Wyncode. I had been curious about it for years; I self taught when I had time using Codecademy and Treehouse, but nothing came close to the rigorous structure and guidance provided at Wyncode. I was very happy with the quality of instruction and the range of topics covered. Our teacher was an MIT alum who taught the practical side of webdev, but also made sure to elaborate on the history and theory of the concepts, so it felt more like a “CS Lite” course than anything. The result was a deeper understanding of WHY we do certain things in a certain way, and more well-rounded educational experience overall. The main teaching method at Wyncode is trial by fire: a lot of times, the students are given challenges and problems and are expected to dive in headfirst. In my humble opinion, this is the best way to learn. Having training wheels on all the time never taught anyone anything; you have to overcome a problem by attempting it, chiseling away at it, coming at it with different approaches until you overcome it. Luckily, the TAs and assistant instructors at Wyncode are absolutely fantastic and will help you and guide you every step of the way. The only thing they won’t do, is do the work for you.
My only gripe about the program is the near-worship of the Ruby language and the Rails framework. I have been spending the last couple of weeks applying for jobs and have been hit with the rude awakening that not a great deal of employers demand Ruby knowledge in particular as a skill. Focusing on JavaScript and its related libraries and frameworks would have made more sense from an employment standpoint, but that’s just my opinion. Outside of that, I am very happy that I decided to go through this bootcamp, and I found it to be a valuable investment.

June 18, 2018

This is a long review but please hear me out …or you’ll skip out on the scholarship!

I had the immense opportunity to join Wyncode in the summer of 2016 (cohort X) for the full-stack web immersive program when it was still 9-weeks long. Although the school has grown and changed quite a bit since then, there are still many things I can share about the experience…since, of course, it was so memorable.

Don’t get me wrong…it was definitely a challenging experience but a personal one every student had to go through. Despite the crunch of learning so many skills in 9 weeks (now the curriculum is 10 weeks), it certainly filled a lot of gaps in my self-education. The last few weeks were the most difficult as I had to wrap my head around advanced concepts in a short amount of time, like being given one day to pick up ajax or authentication. Practice is key though. In the last week, in preparation for Pitch Day, there were limited TAs available to help, which at the same time, may have been a good thing because you were forced to be creative with the final app to make things work.

One of the main reasons why I chose Wyncode was for its well structured curriculum and the support not only from the instructor and TAs but also from the other students, surprisingly. I got my first impression when I went to Pitch Day of cohort 9 and felt the enthusiasm and energy of accomplishment from the group. It was as if they all had been on the best ride of their lives. However, it wasn’t until I actually started the program that I experienced the same sensations and reaped up all the benefits, some of which I’ll share with you now.

First.

Ruby is definitely an easy language to learn and although, it may not be as in-demand as other languages, I think it was a good choice that Wyncode made for students who are spanking brand new to coding. Later on, I would use the programming concepts I learned with Ruby when working with python and javascript.

Second.

I, personally, loved the one-on-ones, the morning briefs and the group self-reflection meetings held frequently. As introvert as I am sometimes, it gave me an opportunity to self-reflect, help others, confess challenges (whether personal or coding-related) within the group and contribute to the improvement of the learning experience. With the cohort’s feedback, Wyncode coordinators made adjustments sometimes and I think that was very wise for a coding bootcamp to do that.

Third.

I think it is very important that teaching/mentoring be in a way that guides students to think for themselves on how to come up with solutions to problems. That way, it stimulates creative juices. This is one of the reasons why I enjoyed the one-on-ones so much. Of course, you also have to have the drive and determination of trying to understand what you cannot understand (temporarily), but it helps that the TAs don’t go straight into giving out the answers …neither do they spoon-feed. They question your decisions and force you to take time to let things sink and let the lightbulb turn on naturally.

Fourth.

I like the diversity of activities. One day, we were given the opportunity to do some quality testing on an iOS app, …another day, we had a networking opportunity with a Wyncode partner, …another day, we had a shindig at the wynwood yard, …another day, we had a Friends & Family event to present our first app. It was never a boring moment.

Fifth.

Wyncode partners are many and there’s definitely many opportunities to get employed even before graduating, provided you put in the research and are interested in working for them. However, before and after graduation, you also have free access to Wynwork, a bi-weekly job support session that helps Wyncoders with interviews, resumes, negotiations, etc. I went to a few sessions before I left for a master degree program abroad and I can say first hand that the resources and advice they provide is very valuable. The more you go, the better it is to get in the right mindset and in preparation to present well,…the business of you.

So…all in all, you are what you make of it. If you are ready to take the next step in creating web apps or making them intuitive and interactive with UI/UX design, Wyncode is it.

Before you enroll though, just fill out this form: https://goo.gl/forms/UJouC7etDNJX5olm2 and you’ll receive a partial scholarship. On top of that…you don’t have to pay tuition back until you’re employed. Whoop! Whoop!

Feel free to reach out to me on twitter @naestevez if you have any questions. 🙂

June 23, 2018

Wyncode is the best bootcamp in South Florida!!! I visited other competing bootcamps and I can tell you that Wyncode has the best teaching staff and everyone is super friendly. I did their full stack program and after graduation I found a job through their hiring connections right away. The skills that you gain are incredable and you will always feel challenged, no matter what skill level you start with. Wyncode is absolutely the best and they have the biggest network of South Florida!

September 20, 2018

I really enjoyed my Wyncode experience. The teacher is very knowledgeable, approachable and patient. You really get what you put into it like most education programs. I immersed myself in the program and dedicated my life to the bootcamp for those 8 weeks. In doing that I got the most out of the teacher, guest speakers and my peers. I will say that related previous careers like design, psychology, information architecture, software development, etc will help you out a lot more than if you have no related previous experience. The only bad thing I can say about the program is that it’s marketed as a education-to-hire, and this is not the case. There’s no guaranteed job at the end of the program. You have to work and network in order to get a job in a new industry (if that’s the case), but it’s the same concept as in the program itself, you have to work hard and be passionate about it.

October 9, 2018

I’m a proud alum of Wyncode’s UX/UI Immersive, having graduated in July of 2018. Going into the program, I had zero graphic design experience- to be honest I had only learned of what UX/UI was a few months before applying! The bulk of my professional background was in youth development and teaching (shout out to TFA). I left the classroom in 2016 to join forces with my wife in helping to run the small culinary business she established in South Florida. As a teacher and then as Creative Director for my wife’s business, I developed strong research and communication skills, including a keen ability to empathize with my students and later on with our customers. I’m saying all of this because those are the skill sets that I carried with me to Wyncode’s program, those are the skills that I leaned on during the program, and those are the skills that landed me the position I’m currently enjoying- Associate Product Manager for a cloud communications company in South Florida.

The learning curve was steep- but I think you have to expect that in a boot camp classroom setting. There are boatloads of information that you will be presented with daily in class. I think it’s imperative to absorb what you can and not set unrealistic expectations of yourself…. you will NOT be a UX/UI guru at the end of the program. Wyncode provides a very solid foundation of basic UX/UI principles, and then it’s up to you to continue practicing and developing those.

The instructor, Gessica, pours out her heart and soul into the class. Given my background in education, I really valued her energy level and passion for the subject matter. The TAs provide added support and guidance during labs. One area for improvement would be additional TAs to ensure more direct (1 on 1) support.

One of the Wyncode’s strongest areas is undoubtedly the job placement component. The fact that they guarantee job support for life is pretty dam remarkable! As with the classroom experience, you will get out what you put in (same goes for life!). There are multiple opportunities on a weekly basis to check-in and get structured support during your job search. I do wish that Wyncode were able to keep their relationship with Career Score, as the services they (Career Score) provided were phenomenal.

In summary, if you are a focused, curious, open-minded go-getter, I would 100% recommend Wyncode’s UX/UI program. It will challenge you. It will change you. It will empower you.

December 19, 2018

So you’re sitting around trying to decide if you should do the Wyncode UX/UI Immersive program. The answer is that you absolutely should. You’re probably thinking:

Q: Can I really learn enough in 8 weeks to get me started in the industry?
A: Yes, you can learn that and more. The curriculum is hefty but digestible and the class projects reinforce what you’ve learned.
Q: I don’t know anything about design, will I be successful in the course?
A: Yes, you will be. You don’t need any prior experience going into the program. The amazing instructor, Gessica, and the awesome TAs will give their all to make sure that you’re grasping the concepts and excelling with the content. People in my cohort didn’t even know what UX/UI was and now they talk about it like they’ve been pros for years.
Q: Can I really afford this?
A: Yes, you can. Women can apply for the Women in Tech Scholarship. Wyncode also works with companies that offer financing options to take the stress out of the $$ aspect.
Q: Will I fit in?
A: Yes. Everyone who walks through the Wyncode doors feels at home. The staff is welcoming and accommodating, my classmates became instant close friends and in no time I thought of everyone as family.
Q: What sets Wyncode apart from other coding bootcamps in Miami?
A: A few things. 1. Gessica, the instructor is mind-blowing. She is so knowledgeable, patient and fun to work with. She’s a UX og and knows the industry inside and out. 2. They teach you how to properly convey your process and tell your story, which is what gets you hired in the end. 3. They have a hub where designers and developers can work together under one roof. 4. They have a full team committed to career resources, and they are absolutely amazing.
Q: What am I waiting for?
A: I literally have no idea. Apply today! You won’t regret it.

December 28, 2018