Educator

• Taught programming at univ. for 2+ years
• Taught multiple adult programming classes
• Instructional Pschology (Masters)

Programmer

• Self taught in a variety of web languages (HTML/CSS, Javascript, PHP, Python, Objective C, Node.js)
• Worked as S.E. for 2 mega corps, 6 startups (including Undrip, Scan.me)

2012: 1
2015: 75
 

Coding Bootcamps

My Education Path

Pre-med

+

Bachelor in Humanities (Portuguese)

+

M.S. IP&T

=

Software Engineer

Want to be a software engineer?

Get a four year computer science degree, preferably from:

• Stanford
• Berkeley
• MIT

(avg. cost: $200k)

Learn on your own* and get really, really good.

* Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV)

The internet will save us!

What we miss with online CS education

• Real social interaction (leads to richer learning experiences, motivation, accountability, networking)
• Mentorship (how do I build it the "right way?")
• Project/problem-based learning
• Multi-disciplinary, linear, progressive curriculum

How it works

• rigorous selection process
  • includes interview, code pre-assessment
  • 40+ hrs of pre-course work (flipped classroom!)
• cohort-based, mentored groups
• highly rigorous, fast-paced curriculum
• teachers instruct, mentors are more 1:1
• large portions of project work (includes group settings, sometimes with paid projects/contracts)

Ultra-modern curriculum

• Curriculum is chosen by practicing experts
• Priorities on applicable skills
• Curriculum constantly refined
• Requires on-the-fly flexibility based on student reception

focus on relevancy

• each day begins with challenge/problem
• learning objectives align w/ resume bullets
• guest speakers, industry experts invited

"Hands-on"

• keep students fingers on keyboard as much as possible

• instructor explains, introduces; "guided practice"
• students are walked through a "mini project"
• majority of time is spent on larger project (beyond class)
• previous period's project is reviewed

Some psychology

the challenge of rigor

Students exhibit various coping mechanisms to deal with intense intellectual pressure and emotional toil.

             Give up

             Blame

             Depression

             Work hard

For many of our students, this is the first time in their lives that they have been truly tested academically.

What makes us unique?

Focus on highly engaged mentorship

Less lectures, more practice

What makes us unique?

Housing included

Affordable (~$9,500 compared to ~$19,000)

Why?

Outcomes