How to Identify a Good (or Bad) Online Coding Boot Camp

As the market for coding and web development continues to grow, more traditional schools are now entering the online coding boot camp market. Offering a coding boot camp allows these institutions to enter the emerging market and meet its growing demand. It is now possible to become a full-stack developer, coding professional, or a skilled digital technology expert through the help of an online boot camp. However, not all today offer the same value and outlook.

It is essential for prospective boot camp learners to understand how to recognize a good (or bad) online coding boot camp. Asking the questions below may help you differentiate between the two and make the right decision regarding your education and career goals. 

1) Will I Learn on my Own Schedule?

Not everyone can take time off work to commit to a rigorous coding curriculum. You should look for one that is built with you in mind, with a part-time structured format to suit your unique needs and commitments. A good online coding boot camp should be designed to accommodate your unique schedule, not the other way around. 

It is important to choose an online coding boot camp that is adaptable to your individual learning style. This will allow you to enjoy a more flexible learning experience. It is also essential to ask if an online coding boot camp places a focus on you, the learner.  

2) Will I Learn the Latest Platforms and Frameworks?

The first step to becoming a successful web developer is to learn in-demand, relevant skills. When looking for an online coding bootcamp, you should seek ones that offer a full-stack curriculum that teaches programming languages and technologies that employers want. By the end of a boot camp, you should be able to take the skills you’ve learned and apply them to a completely different programming language to showcase your versatility as a full-stack developer, coder, and other high-growth roles. 

To learn more about the latest in-demand coding technologies, check out our recent blog post that outlines the Top JavaScript Frameworks for Front-End Developers to Learn in 2019.

3) Will I Gain Real-World Experience and Earn a Certificate of Completion? 

Today’s employers want to make sure that new hires can put their knowledge into action. That is why the best coding boot camps include a team project, one that closely mirrors the work you may do in the industry. These team projects will help you demonstrate to future employers that you know how to code and use the latest web development technologies in collaborative scenarios. Finally, you should also look for a boot camp that will grant you a Certificate of Completion to acknowledge your success after the course ends. 

4) Will I Receive Professional Development Support?

The best coding boot camps will support you during (and even after) your journey. You should look for a boot camp that invests in your professional development. Having this support behind you can help foster your skills while ensuring you stand out in the job market. You will likely find this invaluable as you look to start your new career. A strong professional development team can help you gain employment by translating the skills that you’re learning in the boot camp to your resume. They can help you communicate those new skills to hiring managers and employers, while acting as a bridge between the course and your first developer role.

5) Will I Be Supported Throughout my Coding Journey?

When learning a new skill, it’s essential to have the support you need during your journey. A strong support team can provide unmatched value while helping you succeed. When reviewing online coding boot camps, look for one where you are supported by an entire team such as course assistants, instructors, fellow students, and more. This will benefit you with constant communication, collaboration, network building, and so much more. 

With a wide range of online coding boot camps on the market, becoming a web developer has become more attractive and accessible than ever before. Unfortunately, not all online boot camps offer the same value and outlook. We know that choosing the right boot camp is not an easy decision, so we hope these questions will help you determine which one is right for you.

If you’d like to join an online boot camp that answers yes to each of the above questions, explore Vanderbilt University’s Online Coding Boot Camp designed to prepare you for an exciting and rewarding coding career.