Key takeaways
- It can be a good idea for coding bootcamp applicants, especially those with little to no coding experience, to take a bootcamp prep course before beginning their program.
- Most coding bootcamp providers offer prep courses; some of these prep courses are free.
- Taking a bootcamp prep course is just one way to ensure success in a coding bootcamp: you should also research interview questions you are likely to be asked and assessments that your coding bootcamp will require as part of the application process.
- Today, most bootcamps are offered online, so preparing to work in a distraction-free environment will be key to your success.
You may believe that the top-performing software engineers are just “naturally” good at learning languages. However, when it comes to coding, as with any skill, the fastest learners are disciplined, passionate about the material, and well-prepared. All software engineers start out as beginners, but the most successful ones? They are challenging themselves—learning and practicing new skills—to deepen their expertise and prepare themselves for new tools, new problems to solve, and new tech jobs.
Becoming a high-performing software developer requires preparation that begins well before landing your first coding job. That’s why many coding bootcamps require students to complete a mandatory introductory prep course. In these courses, students learn basic programming languages prior to their full bootcamp program experience.
Before we discuss prep courses and what to expect on a daily basis, let’s talk about what to do before you even start thinking about a prep course for your coding bootcamp.
You’ve found a coding bootcamp you want to attend. Now what?
If you’re reading this article, you’ve likely already chosen a coding bootcamp based on your desired discipline (such as full-stack, front- or back-end web development, data science, AI, or UX/UI), intended start date, budget, and a host of other requirements on your personal checklist.
Once you submit your application to the in-person or online coding bootcamp, you have a few next steps:
- Anticipate and calculate your budget for paying for a coding bootcamp. Keep in mind that bootcamp prep costs can vary widely, with some bootcamp prep programs offering free options. Some programs may also deduct the prep cost from your full bootcamp tuition if you are admitted.
- Research bootcamp scholarships that may be available to students.
- Contact a bootcamp admissions representative to learn more about outcomes data: how long it takes, on average, for their bootcamp grads to land a job, the median salary for the most recent cohort, or whether they have job placement options.
- Schedule an interview with the coding bootcamp. This interview may or may not include a coding challenge or other assessment, depending on the admissions criteria of the school. We’ll discuss this a bit later in the article, but regardless of whether they require a coding challenge for admission, it can be beneficial for any student to complete a prep course before beginning their bootcamp. Fundamental coding skills require practice, and it would be wise not to go in cold.
These are tactical steps you need to take as a bootcamp applicant. However, this guide is going to focus on the mental ones. First, we need to examine the elements of a good software engineering prep course.
Enroll in a guided or self-guided coding bootcamp prep course
The most reputable coding bootcamps either offer a coding bootcamp prep course or require students to complete a prep course prior to admission. This is for the benefit of both students and instructors: An immersive bootcamp will introduce students to complex programming language courses, a daily or weekly coding challenge that students will work on themselves or in a group, and the curriculum is designed for students who already know the building blocks of languages like Javascript, HTML5, CSS, and Python.
To find a coding prep course, you need to know where to sign up. There are standalone bootcamp prep course options offered by many schools. This type of coding program might be offered as a monthly subscription or a flat fee over the course of a month. (For example, Full Stack Academy offers a free, self-paced online coding bootcamp prep course.1)
Oftentimes, many students will find that there is a prep program that teaches basic coding skills included with their bootcamp tuition. If not, free bootcamp courses like Codeacademy and freeCodeCamp provide robust lessons and practice for learning basic JavaScript functions, data types, and data structures.2,3
You’ll also want to dive deeper into higher-order functions and callbacks to develop the best habits for building your code. A prep program is integral to students at every level of coding skill, but especially those without any type of computer science background.
Preparing for an online coding bootcamp
Today, almost every coding course is offered fully online. While the pandemic forced the global population to make significant adjustments to how to live and work, most bootcamps changed their curricula to be available in a virtual environment. This means you can attend almost any bootcamp without a commute, and that you can more easily fit classes and coursework into your schedule.
With both online and in-person options now available, different types of learners may need to reappraise how they focus on tackling a data science challenge or new coding skill in a place where distractions might take over.4 In that same vein, those who thrive on being in the presence of others are being challenged to demonstrate their passion for attending a coding bootcamp in a fully remote coding interview.
Here are some tips to help traditional classroom learners gear up for an immersive boot camp offered online:
- Set your laptop up in a coding battle station. Over the next four to six months, your coding skills will be the priority. Clear your desktop of clutter and begin a new folder for your coding projects. An in-person coding course might be in a classroom with fewer distractions than your home office; if you are attending an online course for the first time, you may want to try to mimic that environment.
- Organization is a first step, but students trying to complete a difficult coding challenge will want to reach a state of flow. If you need a distraction-free environment while completing a prep program or coding course, there are several apps and browser extensions, like Freedom, that are highly rated to help you focus and be as productive as possible.5 In addition, your phone’s built-in “Do Not Disturb” mode helps to pause alerts and limit distractions. Apple’s cross-device feature, Focus, is wonderful for pausing alerts and texts as well.6
- Prepare for an online coding bootcamp interview. While interviewing online might be its own kind of adjustment for interviewers and interviewees alike, it doesn’t mean the questions will be any easier. Your interviewer will want to see that you’ve come prepared.
Prior to your coding interview, research the type of coding challenge they’ll ask you to complete (if any), avoid common mistakes, and be sure you’ve completed a bootcamp prep course that covers JavaScript, HTML5, and/or CSS.7 - Coding bootcamp doesn’t end at the bell. Whether you are completing a full- or part-time online coding bootcamp, you’ll have homework. In the first month of your immersion, you’ll be attending software engineering lectures and digesting new programming languages. You’ll be assigned coursework that you may work on until the end of the day. Then it’s off to dinner and then…back to your coursework.
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, the most successful software developer is the one who puts in the time after hours, honing their coding skills and connecting with faculty and peers.
Conclusion: Successful future bootcamp graduates begin with the right prep
Whether you’re attending a back-end, front-end, or full-stack web development bootcamp, the most successful bootcamp graduates are the ones who are most prepared. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, web developers are in high demand.8 Doing the prep work and having a strong foundation in coding skills for your bootcamp prep course and your main coding bootcamp is critical.
Find an in-person or online coding bootcamp that’s customized to your location, interest, and learning style. Once you do, begin researching the right prep program that will provide you with a solid foundation, starting from day one.
Sources
1 https://www.fullstackacademy.com/bootcamp-prep
3 https://www.freecodecamp.org/
4 https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/types-of-learning
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
