Coding bootcamp prep can be a stressful time — between figuring out your schedule, getting enrolled, and finding financing, it can be difficult to fit in any groundwork for the curriculum itself. But luckily, our new partner school App Academy is here to help their students enter class as prepared as possible.
Below, we’ve worked with App Academy to provide a few ways you can make sure you are ready for your program, including, yes, a free App Academy coding course!
Campus visits
In our post about choosing the best coding bootcamp for you, we mentioned coordinating campus visits as a way to decide between schools. But that doesn’t just apply to pre-enrollment time. Even if you’ve settled on a program, it’s a good idea to see where you’ll be studying and get a feel for the environment. Of course, this only applies to students of on-site courses, not online!
At App Academy, you can check out their offices in downtown Manhattan or in the historic North Beach district of San Francisco.
Chat with faculty and alumni
While you’re visiting the campus, make sure to talk to teachers and staff to get a feel for what your classes will be like and what you’ll need. This way, you’ll be better prepared for curriculum and teaching styles, as well as getting insider tips for what’s to come!
App Academy’s admissions officers run the campus visits and explain how, for example, students have three hours of lecture in the morning and spend the rest of the time pair-programming. This practical over theoretical educational emphasis, says the bootcamp, helps people gets jobs. Also make sure to ask about App Academy’s Bootcamp Prep, a four-week, part-time course that teaches people advanced-level JavaScript that has helped people get started in programming.
Are you taking an online course or unable to make a pre-program trip? We suggest reaching out online! You can email or live chat on your school’s website, give the school a call, or see if you can find an alumni group who can answer any questions you have.
Attend panels and events
A great thing about coding bootcamps is that many of them will host free or cheap events. From webinars to panels to learning sessions, there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about various topics from experts — or even to get some hands-on experience yourself. Check online for any events scheduled in your area, and arrive for the first day of class with some extra knowledge already under your belt.
Take a free coding course
When we talk to coding bootcamp alumni, many of them cite free coding classes as a great way to get ready for your bootcamp — whether they’re glad they did them or wish they had taken advantage of them. And some schools, like App Academy, even offer free classes themselves. That way, you can get prepared for your coding bootcamp and get a feel for what a class at your school will be like!
Ready to start your coding bootcamp prep? You can check out App Academy’s admissions process, alumni stats, and other useful info here. Or click the button below to see what they offer, and get a head start on your journey to becoming a web developer!