Discover the importance of coding bootcamp prep and how it can enhance your programming skills and knowledge. This article will explain why this preparation is crucial for your coding journey.
Coding bootcamps are a great way for people from different backgrounds to get started in software development, but they still take a lot of work. Software engineering is an increasingly competitive field, and coding bootcamps can be competitive as well.
Many underestimate how important it is to prepare for coding bootcamp, and some don’t even know how. One great way to make sure you’re ready for your first day of bootcamp is to take a Bootcamp Prep course.
Why Bootcamp Prep is Important
Being accepted to and working your way through an immersive programming course can be life- and career-changing for aspiring software developers, but you’ll be able to get the most out of it if you come prepared.
Increase Your Chances of Acceptance
As with most educational programs, you have to apply to a coding bootcamp, and acceptance isn’t a guarantee. Some of the best coding bootcamps only accept a small percentage of their total applicants. Preparing for the work you’ll be doing in a bootcamp helps demonstrate your commitment to the entire process.
The Bootcamp Prep courses from App Academy, for example, have been shown to increase the chances of acceptance to our Campus Program from 3% to 62%. That’s a significant increase and truly highlights how Bootcamp Prep can positively impact the overall learning experience.
Familiarize Yourself with the Material and the Campus
Coding bootcamp training can give students the upper hand when encountering difficult development concepts and tasks as they progress through their curriculum. Having done the work ahead of time to prepare and to start developing necessary learning skills, these students have an edge when mastering related coursework.
A prep course can be a great choice for applicants who want to make sure they can keep up with the fast pace of bootcamp lessons.
In some cases, too, taking a Bootcamp Prep course can help familiarize yourself with the campus and the professors you might encounter in the full-time bootcamp. App Academy’s Bootcamp Prep Live, for example, is taught on site at one of our campuses (New York City or San Francisco), meaning students have a chance to get used to the space and future instructors before enrolling in the full-time immersive program.
Figure Out if Coding is Right for You
Bootcamp Prep courses give interested individuals a chance to see if coding is right for them, before they enroll in a full-time course. Being accepted into a coding bootcamp is not only a huge opportunity, but it’s also a huge commitment. Some students might not realize that coding isn’t actually for them until it’s too late.
App Academy’s Bootcamp Prep courses give students a broad overview of programming concepts, painting a better picture of the industry and the skills students will need to succeed. This is the sort of information that’s immensely useful when deciding if coding is the way you want to shift your career.
Learn More Than Coding
Bootcamp Prep doesn’t just introduce prospective students to coding and hard skills. It’s also an opportunity to wrap your head around core concepts, acclimate to different instructors’ teaching styles, and take part in a larger community of developers. All of this gives students a comprehensive understanding of what they might be able to expect from a career in software development.
As part of App Academy’s Bootcamp Prep courses, we administer two mock tech interviews at no extra cost. This can help prepare students for real tech interviews, before they’ve even been accepted. Making a career change is about a lot more than just learning the technical skills, so we include career prep along the way, even in our Bootcamp Prep courses.
For those who purchase a premium plan, we include four mock tech interviews.
Tips for Applying to Coding Bootcamp
You might have a good grasp on how to prepare for coding bootcamp, but potential candidates should also understand the application process so they can continue to improve their chances of success. Coding bootcamp training covers many important concepts that prospective students can leverage during the application process to help them stand out from the crowd.
At App Academy, we look for a number of different skills and qualities in our applicants, some of which include:
- The drive to succeed
- The ability to problem solve
- Comfort with making mistakes and trying again
- Being a self-starter
These are the sorts of qualities that can help us understand if an applicant will be successful in an immersive coding bootcamp. It’s an intensive experience, so applicants should be comfortable working long hours and splitting time between the bootcamp and their other responsibilities.
If an applicant has already completed a Bootcamp Prep course, it’s clear that they have some experience with what it takes to successfully complete a coding bootcamp and continue to develop their coding skills.
How to Know if You’re Ready
Before committing to a career in programming, it’s important for candidates to know how to prepare for coding bootcamp as well as when they’re ready to dive in. Having an understanding of when you’re prepared to jump into the full-time program can ensure that you’re set up for success.
If you’re wondering whether you’re ready to take on an immersive coding bootcamp, ask yourself some of the following questions:
- Given your current skills, can you see yourself becoming a software engineer?
- Are you committed to putting in the necessary time and effort to quickly master difficult coding concepts?
- Did you have trouble with the Bootcamp Prep material?
- Did you perform poorly in the admissions process of other programs you’ve applied to?
- Do you think you’d like being a software engineer?
- Are you an active problem solver?
- How often do you complete what you’ve started?
Making sure you’re in the right headspace to take on a big commitment is key to transforming your career.
App Academy’s Bootcamp Prep Courses
Our Bootcamp Prep courses begin with an introduction to web development and JavaScript fundamentals, advancing through four modules that cover important concepts associated with basic software development, problem-solving, and interview techniques.
We’ve designed two Bootcamp Prep options to accommodate different students. We have an in-person and an online option, so whether you learn better in person, or you don’t live near one of our campuses, you can still enroll in Bootcamp Prep.
Bootcamp Prep Live
Our Bootcamp Prep Live course provides a JavaScript curriculum with over 40 hours of content. It also includes one-on-one mock interviews, in-person instruction on one of our campuses, and the help of a supportive community.
Bootcamp Prep Online
Bootcamp Prep Online is a full remote experience that still teaches everything you need to prepare yourself for the Bootcamp application process, but without the in-person component.
In this online program, students have access to a live chat with instructors as well as a virtual community of individuals capable of giving feedback on coursework. Bootcamp Prep Online provides 1:1 tutoring support, so you have all the tools you need to succeed in a digital learning environment.
App Academy Can Help You Change Your Life
If you’re just starting to consider a career change, App Academy’s Bootcamp Prep courses are a solid stepping stone for transitioning into software engineering. We’ve helped thousands of students get hired across industries through our courses, and our Prep courses ensure you have what it takes to succeed in a full-time bootcamp and beyond.
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