How to Prepare for A Coding Bootcamp

So you’re an aspiring web developer who wants to take the next step and sign up for a coding bootcamp. But how do you prepare?

Regardless of which course you choose, it’s important to prepare for the coming weeks of projects and learning. After all, most coding bootcamp students have very little prior experience in web development, so you’ll be learning a lot of new skills in a short amount of time.

But you won’t be alone! Keep in mind that with community-based coding bootcamps like Nucamp, you’ll have a mixture of remote and in-person support from your peers and instructor to help you navigate your way to coding like a pro.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare ahead of your course.

Logistics

Be prepared to consider how coding bootcamp fits into your existing schedule. Coding bootcamps like Nucamp offer students the opportunity to complete a majority of their coursework online, meaning that it can easily be scheduled around a current job or other commitments. Nucamp ensures that your coding skills are put to work with weekly project assignments, helping to hold you accountable for completing your coursework on-deadline - a huge advantage over other online learning platforms that are not deadline-driven. Make sure that you set aside time to complete this work in addition to other commitments you may be balancing during your course.

Also consider location. Many full-time, in-person bootcamps are located primarily in large U.S. cities - in fact, 50 percent of all coding bootcamps are based in just 10 cities. If you are based outside a large city, you’ll need to ensure you have transportation to get to these programs. Community-based coding bootcamps like Nucamp, however, offer a mixture of online and in-person learning - remote learning is paired with a once-weekly in-person meet-up of peers and instructors that are grouped by location, making these workshops easy to get to regardless of your location.

Cost

As with any course, coding bootcamp students must consider cost. However, most coding bootcamps offer courses at a fraction of the cost of a computer science degree from a traditional four-year university, making their return on investment quite high. Community-based coding bootcamps in particular are cost effective due to the remote nature of their curriculum. As compared with in-person bootcamps, overhead costs for things like rent are eliminated, making tuition much cheaper.

Nucamp offers a three-tier curriculum structure starting as low as $320 for the Web Development Fundamentals, $1,260 for Front End Web + Mobile Development, and $1,620 for Full Stack Web + Mobile Development. It also offers monthly payment plans at no additional cost so that students can space payments out over time, and even offers an early bird discount for students who register for a course at least two weeks before its start date.

Support & Self Care

While going through a coding bootcamp, you’ll be learning tons of skills that are new to you in a relatively short period of time. It’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed at one point or another! To prepare for this, seek the support of your friends and family ahead of starting bootcamp, creating a support system to help you through times of stress. Also remember that you’ll have the support of your fellow students and instructor! Whether remotely or at the in-person workshops, the community-based coding bootcamp structure nurtures this collaborative and mutual support.

Also remember to prioritize time management for self care. Ensure that you’re continuing healthy habits throughout bootcamp, such as exercise and taking breaks, to help you manage stress and stay well throughout your course. 

Plan Ahead

Nucamp coding bootcamps have clearly-defined schedules for what skills will be covered during each week of the course. As time allows, familiarize yourself with this content as well as the project deadline schedule so that there are no scheduling surprises once you start bootcamp. Also ensure that your computer and all related technology you’ll need throughout the course is ready to go.

It may seem daunting, but also try to look ahead to life post-bootcamp. What kinds of jobs are you seeking with your newly acquired coding knowledge? Having some vision of this can help guide you through your bootcamp journey, seeking networking opportunities with your peers and instructors so that you’ve got the connections you need to start your new career as a coder after graduation.

READY TO SEE IF CODING IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

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