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A review of devCodeCamp as a coding bootcamp

Hi, I’m Brian, a former senior software engineer and now industry mentor at Pathrise. I have helped hundreds of software engineers land their dream jobs in tech. Check out my review of devCodeCamp.

What does devCodeCamp do?

devCodeCamp is an online bootcamp that helps people learn the technical skills necessary to land a job as a web developer or software engineer. Students can choose between part-time and full-time options in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They also offer a remote learning option, allowing students to participate in live classes with 1-on-1 support online.

Unlike many other tech bootcamps, devCodeCamp has no pre-work. However, devCodeCamp offers a free “foundations” prep course that teaches the fundamentals of JavaScript. The self-paced course includes recorded videos, demos, and hands-on assignments.

Software dev

The 12-week full-time software development bootcamp meets Monday-Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm CST. Students participate in lectures, workshops, 1-on-1 review sessions, daily “standup” meetings, and other hands-on projects. Moreover, the program teaches students to work with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, C#, ASP.NET Core, SQL, GitHub, React, Node.js, MongoDB, and more. The course also features support through on-demand, 1-on-1 video breakout sessions.

Web dev

Students in the 16-week part-time program web development program meet Monday-Thursday from 5:00pm to 9:45pm CST. Students participate in live lectures, workshops, programming challenges, group exercises, speaker events, and other hands-on web dev projects. In addition, the course teaches students to use MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js, React Hooks, Mongoose, GraphQL, GitHub, and Amazon Web Services. Like the software development bootcamp, the web development bootcamp also emphasizes a hands-on approach to learning. In fact, students hit the ground running with real-world web dev projects and challenges they would encounter working in the industry. The part-time course offers video break out sessions, 1-on-1 support, and instructor mentorship.

Both devCodeCamp courses include a job assistance program. Students learn job search strategies, personal branding skills, resume creation, and participate in technical interview workshops.

As of August 2020, all courses are operating remotely due to Covid-19.

Who is devCodeCamp for?

People with no experience in web dev or software engineering who are looking to move into these careers could benefit from the bootcamp. The program is especially helpful for people who are based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or those interested in project-based learning with lots of instructor support.

What does devCodeCamp cost? How much work is involved?

Tuition for devCodeCamp depends on the course. Students who enroll in the full-time software development course pay $17,800. Alternatively, the part-time web development course costs $15,800.

Financing is available through Skills Fund and Climb Credit. Rates and repayment plans depend on the applicant’s credit history.

The devCodeCamp application process starts with a written application and an optional information session. After submitting their application, candidates then participate in a behavioral interview. The next step places applicants in the “Sub-level” online learning program that reviews basic math skills, reading comprehension, debugging, compiling, logical problem solving and more. Finally, students take a general placement test. If they do well then they are accepted. There is no coding technical interview.

Ratings and reviews

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devCodeCamp has generally positive reviews. They have a 4.8/5 star rating on Career Karma. In addition, they are on CourseReport’s top 48 courses list. devCodeCamp students praise the program for its practical, hands-on curriculum, but some graduates have mixed feelings about the course’s job placement tactics.

One of the top reviews on Course Report says the program has an “amazing atmosphere, learned a lot in a short time.” Although another student considers his “experience at devCodeCamp a success”, he worried about finding a job, concerned that “most employers in the Milwaukee area will not seriously consider a graduate of devCodeCamp as a candidate” and “they charge hiring partners a placement fee and strongly discourage you from going outside of their network.”

Reviewers on Google appreciated the bootcamp’s positive atmosphere and practical curriculum. One reviewer felt “the instructors did a great job” and “the course material was really good.” However, one graduate felt that there was not enough support during the job search. They remarked, “when I started looking for jobs the communication stopped completely.”

Career Karma reviewers were impressed by the fun environment and project-based learning. One student praised the “amazing instructor help” but worried “their job network is not national.” Another graduate loved that the bootcamp has an “environment that really fosters learning” but warned “although there are a lot of jobs in tech open throughout the country, Milwaukee is small” and that “the job hunt will (probably) take longer than you hope.”

The program is rated 4.85/5 stars on SwitchUp, where students praise the course for its hands-on approach to web dev and software engineering. Overall, reviewers seem satisfied by the instruction, curriculum, and the tech skills they gained from the program, but did not feel the job search guidance was up to par.

Alternatives to devCodeCamp

If you decide not to enroll in devCodeCamp, there are a number of alternative bootcamps and courses that can help aspiring software developers and web developers.

  • The popular bootcamp General Assembly offers full-time, part-time, and 1-day courses on software engineering, data science, UX design, digital marketing, product management, and more. Read more about General Assembly in our review.
  • Another popular tech bootcamp, BrainStation offers programs in web development, UX/UI, data science, marketing, and product management. Like devCodeCamp, BrainStation focuses on hands-on learning, as well as offering immediate feedback to students.
  • The bootcamps Thinkful and One Month have tracks in software engineering, UX/UI design, and data science.
  • Flatiron School, Nashville Software School, Eleven Fifty Academy, Georgia Tech Bootcamp, and Tech Talent South teach courses on topics like software engineering, data science, UX design, and cybersecurity analytics.
  • Aspiring software developers can check out Fullstack Academy or Redwood Code Academy, which offer full-time and part-time courses in software engineering. 
  • Similarly, Launch Academy has full-time software engineering courses in Boston or online. Or consider, Zip Code Wilmington, which has courses in Delaware and online. You can also check out Austin Coding Academy.
  • Likewise, Grand Circus, Boise CodeWorks, Clarusway, Epicodus, DevPoint Labs, and Tech Elevator teach courses on Java, front-end, and C# .NET. They have online and on-campus options.
  • Women, GNC people, and trans people can check out CodeOp, which has courses in web dev, data, and product management. Or, consider Kal Academy, which works with women and underrepresented groups on software engineering, web dev, and data.
  • Aspiring software engineers and web developers can also consider CodeX Academy, which is a self-paced coding bootcamp. Learn more about CodeX Academy in our review.
  • Coding Dojo is a good option for software engineering beginners. Their bootcamp focuses on fundamental skills needed to land an entry-level job in tech.
More alternatives
  • The well-known bootcamp Lambda School offers 9-month courses in software engineering and data science. Students have the option to pay for the program with an income share agreement (ISA).
  • Similarly, Holberton School and Rithm School are bootcamps with courses in software engineering that also offer ISA options. 
  • The full-time bootcamp Kenzie Academy offers in-person and online courses in 2 tracks: software engineering & UX design and front-end engineering. Learn more about Kenzie Academy in our review.
  • Those interested in web developers can also check out Bloc, which offers self-paced courses in web dev as well as design. 
  • Students may also consider Udemy, which has thousands of affordable video courses on software engineering and web dev, along with many other topics. Individual classes cost around $10 each.
  • Codecademy is one of the most popular coding programs online. They provide free courses on many different programming languages. They also offer membership options ranging from $20 to $40 per month for more course options and greater support. Learn more about Codecademy in our review.
  • You can also check out Bubble no-code bootcamps to learn how to make products without coding. Learn more about Bubble in our review.
  • Students interested in online learning can also check out Udacity and Springboard, which host courses on a variety of different topics, like web dev, software engineering, data science, analytics, and more. Read more about Udacity and Springboard in our reviews.
  • Similarly, Learn UX, TreehouseSimplilearn, Ironhack, and Pluralsight offer low-cost web dev and software engineering courses, and could be a great choice for online learning on a budget.
  • Finally, edX is one of the most popular online learning platforms. They have courses from top universities like Harvard and MIT as well as big tech companies like Microsoft. Learn more about edX in our review.

How does devCodeCamp compare to Pathrise?

devCodeCamp is a bootcamp for people interested in learning the skills needed for a career as a web developer or software engineer. While an interest in coding is recommended, most devCodeCamp students start with no experience. On the other hand, Pathrise job-seekers should already have a background in their chosen field to get the most out of our technical interview training. 

Pathrise helps fellows with all stages of the job search, including resume and portfolio optimization, cold emailing and reverse recruiting, technical and behavioral interviewing, and negotiation. The curriculum is tailored to each individual program fellow’s needs, with 1-on-1 sessions that can be scheduled as needed and focused on whatever topic the fellow is working on. 

Our program helps fellows find jobs all around the country and we never confine them to a network of partners. Fellows see their application responses triple and interview scores double while in the program, which means they find a job faster than they would on their own.

Pathrise is a career accelerator that helps people optimize their job search through 1-on-1 mentorship. If you are interested in working with one of our mentors to land your dream job in tech, join Pathrise.

Apply today.

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Brian Wong

Brian Wong is an experienced senior software engineer and has worked at top bay area startups and organizations. In his free time, Brian works with Pathrise SWE fellows to help them land their dream job and learn insider tips on how to ace technical interviews.

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