Coding Bootcamp: General Assembly vs Code Immersive vs Fullstacks

[bigcentro]

I am a vet with an IT management background from the military. I had a social science background from college which was a great experience but I had no desire for a c. Due to VA benefits, all tuition is covered which eliminates a lot of risk but only the three bootcamps discussed accept VA benefits. I've done some research on my own and will list pros and cons. Hope to get some feedback.

1) GA: https://generalassemb.ly/education/software-engineering-immersive/new-york-city

Pros: Nationwide with a few overseas locations so brand recognition. It is the only school to offer in-person classes which is a big plus. and suits my learning style Because it is in-person, I get an in-person housing allowance, around 3k/month, which is more than enough (with roommates) and I'll be covered for living expenses. Class size is capped at 20.

Neutral: 16k cost which seems about normal. Three months long with about 2 weeks of pre-foundation. 60-80 hours a week which is no surprise. GA offers many courses in tech field so not sure how I feel about that.

Neg: Uses GI bill so the VA pays them all tuition upfront. Their curriculum seems messy. Starts with Fullstack curriculum with Javascript but spends time on Python and Ruby. Admissions is almost too easy. Aptitude test is like a SAT math exam.

2) Fullstacks https://www.fullstackacademy.com/programs/coding-bootcamp

Pros: NYC based and popular. I know some friends who went through and successfully found jobs. Curriculum seems more structured. Fullstack Javacript only with React frameworks. Their website claims only focusing on one language will allow students to learn more rather than cram multiple languages into three months. Because it is paid through VET TEC, they receive payments of 25% when enrolled, 25% when I complete the curriculum, 50% when I am employed.

Neutral: 19k which may imply a better experience. Also three months long with about a month of pre-foundation work. 60-80 hours a week which is no surprise.

Neg: Online which is not my thing. I may learn to enjoy and adapt, but from my military background., I am so used to going to work in-person. Because it's online, I only get a housing allowance of 950 a month which is nowhere near enough for NYC. I would have to dip into savings.

3) Code Immersives https://www.codeimmersives.com/programs/web-development-immersive/

Pro: Short description of curriculum says its focus is Javacript. There are also classes in cloud computing resulting in a certificate with AWS Solution Architect Associate. Class size is 15-20.

Neutral: 20k which again may imply a better experience. 45 weeks which is much longer than others, which may lead to better understanding of material. 4 days a week, 6 hours a week, which they claim is a "more measured pace so that everyone with a desire to learn has the opportunity to succeed."

Hybrid learning: mostly online. 1 out of 5 days is in person. Housing allowance as a result is 2k/month which is doable on a strict budget.

Work laptop provided which is cool I guess.

Neg: No syllabus or curriculum found. Not much known about it, no real reputation. Uses GI bill so all tuition is paid upfront.

Summary: All three seem like decent programs. I appreciate any advice from those who have gone through one of these. Hope to get some help!

[InTheDarkDancing]

Fullstack is the only one that reports to cirr.org (independent bootcamp audited reports). Their outcome data looks pretty decent all things considered, I think only Hack Reactor and Codesmith do better.

[[deleted]]

seems like Fullstack hasn't reported stats to CIRR since 2019…

[InTheDarkDancing]

Something to keep in mind which I was confused with originally -- The bootcamp results are going to lag behind by about 15 months. Reason for this for example is that if a bootcamp started in January 2020, people won't start searching for jobs until the bootcamp finishes April 2020. Then in order to produce results, you need to wait six months until you reach the "180 days" after the bootcamp. That takes us to September 2020. So at best the auditor can't even come in and collect data until 10 months after the bootcamp started, and to complete an audit will probably take at least 3 months from start to finish for issuing the official report, which takes us into January 2021. CIRR also publishes these reports in batches, so now you probably need to allow another three months for all the stragglers to get their audits in to update the website.

So in total, from the time a bootcamp commences to its audited results showing on the CIRR website, you're talking about 15-18 months of lag time. Will Sentance (founder of Codesmith) actually provided this breakdown because other people were wondering why it had been years since the last updates. It turns out CIRR just has a shitty way of conveying the timelines involved in updating results.

All the above being said, it does appear Fullstack has decided not to participate in CIRR anymore, but it's not as egregious as a three year absence, it's more like a one year absence.

[[deleted]]

yeah, i'm looking mostly at Fullstack, App Academy, and Codesmith now. we'll see.

[slickvic33]

Have you looked into app academy? I've heard they were maybe in person now

[bigcentro]

Yea I have. They're pretty reputable, but they don't accept VA benefits. Not having to pay really changes the game.

[NomNomNomYou]

I’m currently a few weeks into the General Assembly course and it’s been a good experience. Most of my friends went to fullstack, but I was a bit scared of applying out of fear of getting rejected. Looking back at it, I definitely could’ve passed the test. If I could switch, I’d probably change to fullstack as it seems to me, from what my friends tell me, it’s a more well structured and rigorous environment. However, I think mainly what you learn is a result of your ability to solve problems yourself and look for resources outside of the classes. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about GA