How To Succeed at Your Coding Bootcamp

Category: Learn To Code, Published: 10/12/2021

Have you been thinking about enrolling in a coding bootcamp but aren’t sure whether you have what it takes to get through it? We’re willing to bet that you do. Coding bootcamp involves total dedication to learning a marketable skill that you’ll have for the rest of your life. Sabio’s program gives students everything they need to make sure that they get through the bootcamp successfully. Keep reading to see what you can get out of a coding bootcamp and how to guarantee your success.

What is a Coding Bootcamp?

Coding bootcamp is just what it sounds like - a condensed, intensive training program that teaches aspiring coders to gain the skills they need to enter the workforce. Once you graduate from coding bootcamp, you’re on the job market, competing for high-paying tech jobs right alongside other industry experts.

Depending on your career goals, you can attend a full-stack web development program or specialize in Node.js or .NET. Sabio’s full stack program offers 13 full weeks of immersive training that gives you the hands-on experience and knowledge you need to start your career in tech.

Why Go To Coding Bootcamp?

Are you wondering whether you really need to go through a rigorous program that takes up a lot of your time for a few months? We get it - not everyone wants to drop everything and throw themselves into something they don’t know a lot about when they don’t know if it will be worth it. Here are just a few of the many reasons to enroll in coding bootcamp:

It Teaches Specialized Skills

If you want to set foot on a path to a programming career, there are a few different ways to do it. The obvious choice is to get a 4-year degree in something like computer science, which will help develop a solid foundation for the training required for programming.

The problem with a 4-year degree in a broad subject like computer science is that your degree won’t prove to prospective employers that you’re an expert in coding and programming. Listing a coding bootcamp on your resume gives concrete proof that you have what it takes to specialize in the field.

It’s Cost-Effective

Getting a bachelor’s degree takes at least four years and can put you in significant debt. Research indicates that the average cost of college in America is $35,720 per student per year, and that means that after four years, the average student will have either spent or racked up debt, amounting to $142,880.

And those costs are for the average college. The average ivy league school tuition was $56,746 for the 2020-2021 academic year. 4 years at that cost equals a grand total of $226,984. Considering that the average entry-level programmer in the US makes $56,893, those tuition rates are staggering. If you attend an Ivy League school, it could take you at least four years to make the amount you spent on college.

Sabio’s coding bootcamp, which includes a PreWork course, 11 weeks of pure coding, two weeks of job preparation, and access to countless resources to help you find a job, will cost a total of $15,000. If you end up making the average American entry-level programmer salary, your tuition will have paid for itself in less than four months.

Want to find out what some of our graduates have been up to? Click here to read our alumni’s success stories!

It Gives You More Opportunities

Completing a coding bootcamp program gives you exclusive career options that might not have been possible otherwise. Here are some examples of careers that recent coding bootcamp graduates have landed:

Web developer
Designer
Software Engineer
Developer Advocate
Product Manager
Chief Product Officer
DevOps Engineer

How To Get Through Coding Bootcamp Successfully

If you’re thinking about applying for coding bootcamp or have recently enrolled and aren’t sure what to expect, you’re not alone. The program can sound intimidating at first, but as long as you set yourself up for success, you’ll be more than ready to get started. Here are some tips on how to make the most of the experience:

Set Reasonable Goals

If you walk into coding bootcamp expecting to be the world’s best programmer by the time you’re done - slow down! Setting measurable goals that are more attainable will really boost your confidence throughout the process. It’s always better to overachieve and exceed your own expectations rather than fall short of your goals for yourself. It’s also wise to document your goals and keep them close - you can even bring them to class with you each day. If you ever get stuck or frustrated, it will help to take a deep breath and review your goals.

Have a Plan

Writing an organized plan can help break down seemingly impossible tasks. This applies to anything you’re having difficulty with - whether it’s your homework or study load, or your career trajectory. Break down what you want to achieve and have milestones to give yourself a chance to regroup along the way.

Start With the Basics

Jumping into a coding bootcamp when you don’t have any background knowledge is a recipe for disaster. If you don’t know the basics beforehand, you risk falling behind and wasting your own time and money. The best way to prepare is by going through a structured prep course and studying the groundwork in the weeks leading up to your bootcamp. Sabio’s coding bootcamp starts with a free, 4-week PreWork course that gives you all of the basic knowledge that you’ll need to be successful when the intensive bootcamp classes begin.

Fully Apply Yourself

If you’re planning on wearing yourself thin by not clearing your personal schedule before you start coding bootcamp, there’s a good chance that you won’t make it through the program. Coding bootcamps require you to immerse yourself into a lifestyle for the duration of the program. If you want to be able to learn the skills you need to launch a successful career in just a few short months, your full attention to the material is important.

Ask For Help When You Need It

If you’re a person who doesn’t like to admit when they need help or is afraid to seek out the assistance you need - now is the time to face that fear. Over the course of your coding bootcamp, it’s practically guaranteed that you’re going to need help or clarification at some point on some of the material. Your instructors are there to help you at all times, and it’s important to utilize them whenever you need to. Staying quiet when you’re struggling is detrimental to you and your career goals.

Another important thing to remember is to ask for help at home, too. If you’re struggling with the long hours and workload involved in your coding bootcamp, you might start finding it difficult to keep up with your personal responsibilities. Reach out to friends and family when this happens and ask for a home-cooked meal, for someone to walk your dog occasionally, etc., so that you can devote the energy you need to get through your course. You may be surprised at how willing others are to help.

Collaborate With Others

Everyone learns at a different pace, or in different ways. When you’re in classes with different types of people from diverse backgrounds, you’ll almost certainly run into people who are faster or slower than you at learning the material. This is totally normal. While a classmate may be more adept than you are at one concept, you might surpass them on another one. This is where the old saying comes in: two heads are better than one.

Ask some classmates if they want to form a study group, or join one that has already formed. There’s a good chance that you’ll learn the information quicker and gain a deeper understanding of the material when you’re discussing it with your peers.

Don’t Give Up

The last piece of advice, and arguably the most important, is to never give up. This journey is going to be difficult - they don’t call it bootcamp for no reason! There will be times when you’re so frustrated and exhausted that you may want to throw in the towel. But no matter what, you have to trust the process. The statistics don’t lie: 84% of Sabio graduates are employed in the information technology field. Remember that you’re getting this education for a reason. If you can make it through a few short months of hard work, you will have a wealth of opportunities available to you.

How Can Sabio Help You Succeed?

Before you even officially start a Sabio coding bootcamp, we give you the tools necessary to succeed in the program. Our complimentary, 4-week PreWork program gives you an overview of the materials and skills you will need to participate, and ensure that you’re ready for the course. This is when you build the foundation for learning JavaScript.

Next comes the 13-week coding bootcamp program. Instead of just teaching you the concepts and letting you figure out how to retain the information on your own, our immersive program ensures that you get as much personalized attention as you need. Our instructors teach coding in a way that is directly applicable to real-world jobs.

Often, college graduates can feel lost, and like they’ve just been thrown into the “real world” without any help finding a job. When you choose a coding bootcamp like Sabio’s, your access to industry experts doesn’t end with graduation. Once you finish the program, our instructors and staff continue to provide you with the resources you need to secure your dream job in the tech field. Part of our commitment to students includes ongoing professional development - for life!

Each year, all of our alumni are invited to various workshops and hands-on lectures that are given by top experts in the tech field. We also give students access to professional development courses that help new startup owners stay on top of their game in the industry.

Conclusion

It’s true that Sabio’s coding program isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you mentally prepare yourself by using these suggestions, you’ll breeze through the program. Once you’ve graduated and landed your first tech job, all of your hard work will have been worth it.

Ready to get started on your coding career? Apply today!