I decided to attend the Web Developer Bootcamp at University of Denver based on the reviews of this site. That has turned out to be one of the best education decisions I have made to date.

I was previously in the medical field, but realized that it was not for me. I knew I needed to do something else, so I started to look into web development. I learned a lot of HTML and CSS on my own, but realized that I needed some guidance and help with Javascript and other technologies. I applied to the part-time DU bootcamp, got in, and started in July 2018.

It is now October 2018, I’m halfway through the course, and I couldn’t have better things to say about the faculty and staff as well as my peers. Everyone has been extremely helpful in my learning experience.

What I have learned so far: HTML, CSS, Javascript, jQuery, Node.js, SQL, beginning Express.js now.

In regard to the part-time curriculum, I have found it to be extremely helpful for my own development. It seems that as opposed to the full-time course, I have more time to soak in the information and understand it with each homework assignment. I realize not everyone can do the part-time course due to the time commitment of 6 months, but I would say it is definitely worth it.

My teacher and the TA’s have all been super helpful when I have questions. I feel comfortable asking them questions during and outside of class. They are present in office hours before and after each class and will respond often via slack even during the week.

Tutoring sessions are also very helpful. During a Node.js assignment that would’ve taken me twice as long to finish on my own, my tutor walked me through the process and helped me understand it and just about finish the assignment within 1 hour.

I also chose this program because it is hosted by an institute of higher learning. I feel that the expectations are just as demanding, and the quality of learning and support are just as good as a full-time student at DU. Classes start on time and are packed with learning. These aspects make me feel confident in the quality of education I have paid for with this course.

I rated curriculum and job assistance 4 stars because I have not finished the program yet and also do not have a job in web development. I am confident though that DU faculty will do whatever they can to help me out! The job assistance that extends beyond the curriculum gives me confidence that they won’t leave me hanging.

Overall, I would highly recommend this bootcamp! Great faculty, great staff, great peers – 10/10 in my book.

October 9, 2018

At the risk of shooting myself in the foot…I’d like to present a reality check of the DU Data Analytics bootcamp based on my experience last year and hopefully help someone who’s considering whether or not to drop 10 grand on the dream.

First of all, class lectures were pretty frustrating and more demoralizing than encouraging. Secondly, the support system isn’t really geared for those who are struggling.

Pros

Intelligent quirky instructor who has real-world experience

Tutors can help flesh out the lectures and allow you to complete the homework

Career counseling provided some feedback that was insightful

Cons

Instructor teaches at a high level that is often unrelatable or not simply explained.

Student Success Manager is virtually absent and too busy to respond to inquiries (although I suspect this review might get his attention)

Weekly survey feedback is never addressed.

Career advisors don’t have any particular industry contacts to share. Their advice is generic and widely searchable.

Conclusions:

I learned a lot and racked my brain to extremes. If I had to do it over again though…I would make the following adjustments:

Look at educational organizations that guarantee money-back job placement. Thinkful is one such organization in Denver.

Explore free online resources. There are many great educators that record videos on specific programs. I learned the most this way actually and have been tempted to design a free curriculum for prospective learners.

Look for instructors who have a balance of field and teaching experience.

Despite all the rave reviews on this site, I’m not the only one from my class who had a similar experience as described. Very often after class I would commiserate with others who were equally frustrated.

I’d like DU’s program to succeed and to get that dream data job that I sacrificed so much for (a career change). But the reality is it’s been four months since I graduated and I’m still applying without much success. I’d rather be telling you a different story and I hope that will change in the months to come, but for now this is the stark truth.

I hope this feedback helps prospective students decide what to do based on a more rounded picture.

March 5, 2019

I enrolled at DU’s Bootcamp and began my program in September 2018. I was nervous about the courseload, and nervous about being ‘smart enough’ to learn how to code. I’ve been a massage therapist since 2003, a musician/vocalist/songwriter my entire adult life, I’d received my A.A.S in English in 2011 (at age 28), and had been working for three years as an educational administrator for a national association. Although my position had given my brain some exercise, and I realized I enjoyed problem solving and logic, I had never done anything like coding.

I graduated high school with, roughly, an eigth grade math level. I bounced around a lot to different high schools, and, quite honestly, didn’t make it to class many days my junior and senior year, so I missed out on a lot. I took a non-credit bearing math course before I could even take a college math course when I obtained my A.A.S. And although I was in AP Lit classes in high school, and took honors courses in my community college- there was always that dark, shadowy place where ‘math’ sat in my mind. I’ve always loved science and theoretical physics, but any time I looked at BS degrees, I closed the tab after reading the math requirements. I had convinced myself that my brain just ‘didn’t work that way’ for a long time. So part of me wondered if I had what it would take to become a proficient developer. The only html experience I’d had until that point was making my mySpace profile look super sweet all those years ago!

I’m also a single mom- when I started the program my daughter was 13 and my son was 4. I work full time and I’m a homeowner. I don’t have family that lives in Colorado either- my folks live back home in upstate NY. I had a lot on my plate!
As expected, the first few weeks of school were rough with getting into the groove of going to class after work, and not seeing my children as much. I dealt with a lot of mom-guilt, but would remind myself that this was temporary, and that I was doing this to better our lives, and it would be worth it.

In the first couple of months, there were days that I felt like I didn’t understand anything at all, and it made me question my choices, but I knew I wasn’t alone and that it was normal for my brain to be overwhelmed. I made the decision to utilize a weekly tutor- which DU provides as part of your tuition. I found a pattern that every couple of weeks I’d have a ‘brain-melting’ class, and I would go home that night and not code at all. I’d just sleep. The next day, while working on our homework for that week, suddenly things would start clicking, and that trend continued throughout the course. I started actually looking forward to those classes because I knew that my mind was getting stronger. It’s like a muscle with a new, hardcore workout..first your body feels like jello, but you rest, eat right, and keep going- and you start noticing tone and definition, and you’re not as sore, and you get stronger. My excitement for having the tools to build some awesome applications soon overrode my anxiety and fears, and I became more confident that I could do all of these things. After each successful project, I gained more confidence in my abilities-which definitely seeped into other parts of my life. You don’t need to be good at traditional math to be able to code. You need to be a problem solver. You need to enjoy logic. You need to enjoy finding efficient ways of doing things. Most of all, you need to be tenacious and determined. Not one to give up easily and throw in the towel. I think a lot of moms already have a lot of experience in those areas!
Time flew by, and as we approached our capstone project, I started realizing that I wanted to do it alone. Not because I thought I could easily manage an entire full-stack project by myself, but because the thought of doing it alone seemed outrageous to me. Could I actually do it by myself? Something that I’d had 2-3 classmates helping me with this entire time? 98% of me thought that was impossible with a 3.5 week deadline. But that 2% of me that had watched me raise two children while spending 30+ hrs per week between school and homework, that part of me that looked forward to the ‘brain-melting’ days, that part of me that was convinced I could do it with the support of my incredible instructor, well…that part had gotten pretty loud.
Three and a half weeks later, I stood at the podium in the hall in DU- in front of two classes of students and staff, and I presented a deployed, interactive stage/band scheduling application (complete with user authentication/password encryption, all built using React.js with Node.js and an express server), I’d singlehandedly built for a festival in MN I’d been attending since 2006. The best part is that at least one of the festival promoters is going to promote my application, and more are coming on board as we speak, so my app is actually going to be used by potentially thousands of people at the end of August! I can’t tell you it was easy…it was not. None of it was easy. But the feeling of being able to build applications, knowing how versatile this work can be, knowing that I’m actually kind of good at it (and getting better), and watching it come to fruition, while knowing that I made that happen? It was so worth it.

I’ll be working on it until my August 1st deadline, but you can check it out it here: https://intense-scrubland-36992.herokuapp.com/

I start my new position as a web developer at my current company within the next couple of weeks.
Today (the day after my final presentation) my teen daughter casually said, “So, if people ask me what you do, you’re a web developer now?” and my son blurted out, “No, she’s a super hero! Right, Mom?” and honestly, I kinda feel like they’re both right.

So if you’re on the fence, especially as a Mom, and think you can’t do this program because you have a lot going on…if I can do it, so can you.

The tech world needs more female super heroes.

April 7, 2019

Taking The University of Denver Boot Camps Full Stack Web Development Course was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The curriculum was challenging but the support from the teaching staff was wonderful. I am especially thankful to have had Sarah Cullen as an instructor, she is an incredible teacher and mentor. The Teaching Assistants are great too and the access to weekly sessions with a tutor is extremely helpful. I took it into my own hands to prepare my portfolio and apply for jobs, but I was hired at an amazing company with awesome benefits within 2 months of graduating. I also made friends who I hope to continue coding with for many years to come. If you are looking to get started in the programming field I would highly recommend this course!

June 28, 2019

Very challenging and rewarding course. I had no experience with coding, databases, web development, or machine learning. My personal goals were to learn more in these areas and I definitely did. The teacher, staff, and tutors were excellent. Course is very fast paced, students need to be able to put in the 20+ hours outside of class. Very happy I finished the course and look forward to using my new skills in the future! I do wish we spent significantly more time in python, sql, and tableau, but that is a personal preference.

August 8, 2019

Prior to entering this course, I had decent experience in a technical environment collaborating with Data Analytics and Science teams. However, I didn’t have many opportunities in the field to learn the craft of programming, data analysis, and data science. So, I sought after a program that could provide the hands-on experience to jumpstart my career.

I had been inspired to dive into self-taught work and various MOOCs (Codecademy, Coursera) to learn independently, though nothing encapsulated the day-to-day experience and career perspective quite like the University of Denver Data Science and Analytics Bootcamp.

If you are looking to jump into the zone, work your hardest, and earn yourself the skills to head steadfast into your dream job, this is the best opportunity.

I had the pleasure of working with talented cohorts with diverse backgrounds, receive quality assistance at my highs and lows, train with a brilliant tutor along the way, receive exceptional career service throughout and even after this program, and showcase projects I never thought I’d be able to accomplish.

I’m grateful for this program, but be prepared to work in and outside of the course diligently!

August 15, 2019