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Launch School

Date last updated07/04/2023
Programs availableOnline, Full-time
Financing optionsUpfront Payments, Loan Financing

About Launch School

Launch School Reviews: Is Launch School Worth It?

Yes, Launch School is worth it for students looking for a completely immersive online program to help them get the best tech jobs. Launch School reviews applaud the school’s affordability and accessibility along with the quality of its unique video-based platform.

Launch School bootcamp reviews average 4.6 stars out of 5 on Career Karma. One recent Launch School Core Curriculum review mentions how their problem-solving skills and coding knowledge provided by the Launch School method of learning helped them land a six-figure developer job.

Launch School’s curriculum is designed to help students master programming concepts with long-term goals in mind. To achieve this, training at Launch School uses a mastery-based approach that includes a series of assessments and tests with high benchmarks and passing standards. This process helps students build a strong foundation in JavaScript. Ruby, CSS, HTML, Git, and Linux to name a few subjects.

Curriculum

Instructors

Job Assistance

Overall Experience

Helped me become a better operator

Launch School Review: starstarstarstarstar
more
Created 3 years ago
I completed Launch School in 2013, to boost my understanding of software engineering, despite more of an operations focused career path. The instructor team was really strong, context was engaging and the projects were fun.
Pros
Great instructors, enjoyable content. Could do live or self paced.
Cons
Nothing that I remember.

Launch School is Not a Bootcamp

User avatar
Juan Palma graduated Launch School
Launch School Review: starstarstarstarstar
more
Created 4 years ago
I can’t stress it enough, so I’ll say it again: Launch School is not a bootcamp. Launch School is a self-paced program to become a software engineer designed around Mastery-Based Learning. To give you some context, a typical bootcamp’s curriculum is usually completed in a matter of weeks, but Launch School took me two years to complete. It’s by far the best learning experience I’ve ever had. Now that doesn’t mean Launch School is perfect, or that bootcamps are bad. Mastery-Based Learning is not...
Pros
- I could take as long as I needed to understand a topic. - Really hard assessments made sure I actually understood a topic. Assessments were in the form of essay-oriented written tests, take-home projects and 1-on-1 live coding...
Cons
- It may not be good for you if you don’t want to wait possibly years before hitting the job market. - It may not be good for you if you don’t enjoy online learning. - It may not be good for you if you prefer a classroom setting where...

Be proficient learning more important Web development topics that never change with an incredible and active online community

User avatar
Antonio Serna student at Launch School
Launch School Review: starstarstarstarstar
more
Created 4 years ago
I can't be happier in Launch School, the TA and other students are very proactive, I do from 2 to 8 study sessions with very nice and active people around the world and I do feel I am getting my most important skills as developer very solid basis.
Pros
- Community - Learning material that makes the difference - Mastery and proficiency as a path - Strict and hard exams, many of them as interview style - The course is quality/price unbeatable - Once you finish you will be ready to reach...
Cons
- Is not a short path, is a long one. Expect to be studying for more than a year (even with some work experience and/or related studies). And this is one of the basis of the course. Not time, Mastery base. - Sometimes is hard to be alone...

Launch School Job Placement Rate and Outcomes

Launch School job placement rate is one of the highest of any bootcamp. The school reports that in the past four years, 100 percent of capstone graduates received job offers within 180 days of graduating. Not only that, but Launch School claims that its graduates have average salaries of over $100,000.

Launch School does not have a job guarantee. However, the Capstone program offers students one-on-one mentoring with a strong emphasis on finding work. This is proven by the impressive job placement rates.

Launch School career services are part of the Capstone program. This includes mock interviews, networking, and portfolio help. The goal of the Capstone program is that students will be prepared and trained for a career-launching job.

Career Paths
Education Background
Skills
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Launch School Courses and Curriculum

Launch School courses adopt a mastery-based core curriculum. It takes a bottom-up teaching philosophy, which is ideal for helping students master programming concepts. All Launch School bootcamp courses within the core curriculum are mandatory as the school focuses on offering comprehensive education.

Launch School online prep courses are free and are ideal for beginners. They teach the basics of programming, what to expect from the developer job market, and summarize the paid Launch School programs. The two core Launch School programs are not free, but the school has its own deferred payment program that prospective students can apply for.

Core Curriculum

Duration:

64 Weeks

Cost:

199

Pace:

Part Time

Schedule:

N/A

Format:

In Person

Cities:

N/A

Show more info

The Core Curriculum represents the "Study" phase of Our Pedagogy (https://launchschool.com/pedagogy) and is where we employ Mastery-based Learning (https://launchschool.com/mastery) and take a bottom-up teaching philosophy to help students build long-term mental representations of progressively more sophisticated and integrated concepts. Everything in the Core Curriculum is deemed fundamental and is mandatory.

The Capstone Program

Duration:

24 Weeks

Cost:

N/A

Pace:

Full Time

Schedule:

N/A

Format:

In Person

Cities:

N/A

Show more info

The Capstone Program is an optional, admissions-based, and final phase for students who have completed the Core Curriculum, which is our Mastery-Based Learning courses. The goal of the Capstone Program is to give students an intense finishing experience that results in a career-launching job. Because the end goal of Capstone is very ambitious, it requires in total 4 to 6 months of full-time focus, and possibly even longer. The first 3 months will be classroom instruction Monday-Friday all day; after that, there will be a 1-3 month Career Search process. All participants are selected among our top students from the Mastery-Based courses. It's not uncommon for Capstone participants to call it the hardest thing they've ever done. The projects, graduates, and salaries coming out of Capstone are outstanding and rival those at top-tier universities. See the Results & Outcomes page (https://launchschool.com/results).

Launch School FAQs

What Is the Launch School Cost and Tuition?

Launch School bootcamp costs from $199 per month for the Core Curriculum to 18 percent of your first-year salary or $18,000 for the Capstone program. Launch School price is determined by standard payment or deferred payment.

The monthly cost for the Core Curriculum is $299 per month under the deferred payment program. However, this cost is not paid back until the student receives their first paycheck. If a student doesn’t find a job that pays at least $60,000 a year then they pay nothing.

Launch School tuition is not free, but they offer free coding prep courses to prospective students. This means prospective students can learn the fundamentals of software development and see if Launch School is right for them without making a financial commitment.

What Is Launch School’s Acceptance Rate?

The Launch School acceptance rate is not available to the public. The free prep courses and Core Curriculum are open to everybody and there is no strict admissions process. All that is required is for students to sign up on the website.

However, this school has a rigorous curriculum that requires students to take frequent assessments to gauge their coding skills at every level. The Capstone program requires students to have graduated from the Core Curriculum with high marks, and while exact Launch School acceptance rates are not available, this program is difficult to get into.

How Can I Pay for Launch School?

You can pay for Launch School tuition with several payment options and financial assistance. Launch School payment options include:

  • Standard Payment. The standard payment for the Core Curriculum is $199 per month. For the Capstone program, the standard income shared agreement is 18 percent of a students' first-year salary or $18,000, whichever is higher. There is no upfront payment option available for either course.
  • Launch School deferred tuition. The Launch School deferred payment program (DPP) includes both the Core Curriculum and Capstone programs and therefore has a strict admissions policy. The Core Curriculum cost is $299 per month and the Capstone program is 18 percent of a student’s first-year base salary or $18,000. Fees are deferred until you earn $60,000 in a technical position. Otherwise, you pay nothing.

How Do I Apply to Launch School?

The Launch School application process for standard admission is straightforward. Steps to apply for Launch School are:

  1. Sign up through the school’s official website and create a free account.
  2. Complete the free online prep classes.
  3. Enroll in the paid Core Curriculum if you wish to continue your studies at Launch School.

The Launch School application process for deferred payment is stricter and more complex. Steps to apply for the Launch School deferred payment program are:

  1. Fill in the initial DPP application form.
  2. Complete the free online prep classes.
  3. Take a technical assessment.
  4. Attend an in-person interview with the Launch School admissions team.
  5. Fill in the final application form.

Launch School is easy to get into for those interested in standard payment. You can take the free prep courses with no obligation to sign up for a paid program. Furthermore, there are no requirements to sign up and take these classes.

For those interested in the deferred payment program, the application process is stricter and more difficult. This program requires students to commit to the free prep courses, the Core Curriculum, and the Capstone program. As such, it is a complex and time-consuming process.

How Do I Get Accepted into Launch School?

To be accepted into Launch School, you should first sign up through this school’s official web portal. Afterward, you should start with the preparatory course, which is free, before choosing to enroll in the Core Curriculum program.

What Is the Launch School Admission Process?

Once you sign up for Launch School’s free preparatory course, you are automatically admitted. The core curriculum is self-paced so you can start learning at any time. After you finish the course, you can choose whether or not you want to proceed with the paid option.

What Launch School Interview Questions Should I Expect?

You don’t need to prepare for Launch School interview questions because Launch School does not have an interview process. The mandatory prep course serves as the same function interview because it can help both the student and the school decide if the program is the right fit.

However, students who wish to apply for the Launch School deferred payment program will be required to attend a Launch School interview. The interview will assess if you the student is the right fit for Launch School and if they should be considered for deferred payment.

Students applying for the DPP must commit to the Core Curriculum and the Capstone program. Students will have to show that they are willing to commit to this in the interview. Furthermore, the admissions team will make sure that prospective students fully understand the repayment options and answer any questions about the DPP.

Is Launch School Hard to Get Into?

No, Launch School is not hard to get into. Students only need to sign up through the school’s official web portal. However, the school’s curriculum may be considered challenging due to the number of assessments and high marks required to pass. Failing and retaking a given unit more than three times will stop students from moving forward with their studies.

Does Launch School Offer Prep Courses?

Yes, Launch School does offer prep courses. The Launch School prep course is mandatory for all prospective students and is aimed at developers who are just starting.

The course is self-paced, online, and takes between two and eight weeks to complete. This free prep program covers the basics of programming, what to expect from the job market, and what Launch School offers.

Does Launch School offer workshops?

No, Launch School does not offer workshops. Workshops are lightweight courses or events that introduce prospective students to subjects taught by the school. However, the free Launch School prep courses provide a similar role to workshops. Like workshops, they help students to figure out if software development is for them.

Are There Any Launch School Scholarships?

No, you cannot apply for a Launch School scholarship. However, in 2019, Women Who Code (WWCode) offered five $1,000 scholarships to its members to help them pay their Launch School tuition.

Does Launch School have a refund policy?

No, Launch School does not have a refund policy for tuition. Payment is made monthly without any commitment. Therefore, students can leave anytime they choose and still retain access to their classes for the remainder of the month. The flexibility of payment means that there is no Launch School refund policy.

Students who are enrolled in the deferred payment program can leave anytime they like and will only be required to pay Launch School back for the time they attended. Like the standard payment, there is no Launch School refund policy for deferred payments.

How Much Do Launch School Graduates Earn?

Launch School graduates earn over $100,000 per year, according to its official reports. Students get jobs that pay high salaries within the first 12 weeks of graduation. Launch School claims that graduates working in New York City, San Francisco, and other US cities receive job offers with salaries ranging from $113,333 to $133,333.

Does Launch School Offer a Job Guarantee?

Launch School does not offer a job guarantee, but it does offer an ISA and job placement services. If you don’t find a job, you don’t have to pay. Students who do not take the Capstone Program are not eligible for job placement services as Launch School does not believe this program can be offered at the Core Curriculum price point.

What Companies Hire Launch School Graduates?

Launch School graduates work for many top companies across the world, including Intel, HP, Deloitte, PayPal, WealthSimple, Walmart Labs, Etsy, and Zurb. A portion of the capstone program includes helping students through the job search process.

Is Launch School Accredited?

Launch School is not accredited like a college or university. Most bootcamps are not accredited or do not hold traditional accreditation. While many of these alternative learning options are not accredited, they are still licensed education providers.

Is Launch School Worth It?

Yes, Launch School is worth it if you want to be a professional software developer. Launch School is an excellent choice for students who want to break into the tech industry. Master-based learning ensures graduates are efficiently trained and you will receive an exceptional education.

Whether you pay the standard tuition or opt for the deferred payment program, Launch School bootcamp is more than worth the money. Capstone graduates receive an average income of $118,404 within twelve weeks so your investment in this school will help you land a lucrative career.

Launch School Reviews: Is Launch School Legit?

Yes, Launch School is legit. Launch School reviews speak highly of the community, curriculum, and career services on offer. You only have to look at the job outcomes section of the Launch School website to see the proof that Launch School is legit. Launch School Capstone reviews and testimonials are glowing with praise, with graduates using terms like “life-changing” to describe the program.

According to the official Launch School LinkedIn page, Launch School graduates have found work for prestigious companies like Apple, PayPal, and Mastercard. Furthermore, Launch School bootcamp reviews often mention that high-paying software development jobs were easy to find within weeks of graduation.

Is Launch School a scam?

No, Launch School is definitely not a scam. This highly-regarded bootcamp has been around since 2012 and is one of the oldest coding bootcamps around. It is also one of the biggest coding bootcamps in the world.

Graduates have been hired by companies like Intel, HP, Deliveroo, and Etsy to name a few. There are hundreds of testimonials from graduates who speak highly of everything they learned at Launch School. Furthermore, the non-commitment payment scheme means that students are not locked into expensive payment options that they can’t get out of.

FAQ

Answers to commonly asked questions

What courses are offered at Launch School?

Launch School offers several courses in different tech subjects, including: Core Curriculum, The Capstone Program.

What types of programs are available at Launch School?

Launch School currently has Online and Full-time types of programs available to new students.

What financing options are offered by Launch School?

This school offers a variety of different financing options, including: Upfront Payments, Loan Financing. With these payment methods, nearly anyone can attend Launch School.

Where is Launch School available?

Launch School is an online program. Check out its student reviews to figure out if its the right program for you.

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