101 lines
5.9 KiB
Plaintext
101 lines
5.9 KiB
Plaintext
%p
|
||
One of the most common questions about learning to code is whether one should learn programming by
|
||
him/herself at home or going to a bootcamp. We have seen different responses so far as everyone has a
|
||
different view to it. However, no matter what’s everyone else is about, it’s totally up
|
||
to you to choose what/how you want to learn, because you are the one who knows better than anyone else what make your
|
||
learning better. In this article, we hope to give you some guideline to make the right decision.
|
||
|
||
%h2 1. Coding bootcamp vs self study
|
||
%p
|
||
= blog_image "quote.jpg"
|
||
%p
|
||
The advantages of self-study is that you are given the power to control your learning experience
|
||
including how and what to learn. However, in order to get that job you always want, it takes much more than
|
||
just knowing how to code.
|
||
%li
|
||
Most bootcamp’s curriculum is custom built for their students to learn everything in a short
|
||
period of time. At a bootcamp, you will have the precise knowledge needed to become a junior developer
|
||
delivered to you, instead of having to browse the web for several hours by yourself.
|
||
%li
|
||
At coding bootcamp, you have the access to industry expert. Their role is not only to help you with
|
||
your own learning, but also to give you the support at reviewing your code, polishing your Github,
|
||
giving job recommendation, and helping you with your portfolio. Those are things that you cannot get
|
||
when you’re all by yourself.
|
||
%li
|
||
You need to learn teamwork, because that’s how it is in a professional working environment. Even the
|
||
smallest web development team would have more than 5 people working together in a project. And teamwork
|
||
can never be tested alone.
|
||
|
||
%h2 2. How prepared are you to the challenge?
|
||
|
||
%p
|
||
Most people find themselves having a hard time at coding bootcamp, it’s often because the bootcamp itself
|
||
is already a big challenge. And that is totally understandable, considering how much you have to learn and
|
||
how little time you have there. Most bootcamps would have a strict schedule of 7 or 8 working hours per day,
|
||
for 5 or 6 days per week and a lot of self study in between. That’s why at WebDev.Camp, we always ask the
|
||
candidates to have at least some experience learning to code by themselves with any online resources
|
||
they can find.
|
||
=ext_link "Khanacademy" , "https://www.khanacademy.org/"
|
||
,
|
||
= ext_link "Freecodecamp" , "https://www.freecodecamp.org/"
|
||
,
|
||
= ext_link "edX" , "https://www.edx.org/"
|
||
,etc are the some good free resources you can consider.
|
||
%p
|
||
Learning by yourself is a way of preparing your tolerance to coding bootcamp, it is also a major part of
|
||
your coding job in the future.
|
||
|
||
%h2
|
||
3. Consider your financial situation
|
||
%p
|
||
= blog_image "piggy_bank.jpg"
|
||
%p
|
||
This is so far the most important question that you need to ask yourself. The normal price of a coding
|
||
bootcamp varies from $8000 t0 $20 000, the more popular the bootcamp is, the more expensive it could get.
|
||
However, going to bootcamp doesn’t cost only the tuition fee that you have to pay, there are other smaller
|
||
things that could cost you a lot more than just the bootcamp itself, like housing, transportation and food, etc.
|
||
%p
|
||
Self-study, which is often claimed to be free, often takes longer time to reach the end goal of reaching
|
||
professional level. Bootcampers have learning materials and supports delivered to them almost in an instant.
|
||
Self-learners often have to spend big part of their time browsing the internet to find the right sources of
|
||
information and when they’re still browsing, others might have already gotten a new job. Just because you are
|
||
paying nothing for self-study, doesn't mean that it is totally free. There is a huge opportunity
|
||
cost that you are paying for.
|
||
%p
|
||
If you have made up your mind to join a coding bootcamp, having a decent amount of saving before going to
|
||
bootcamp is highly recommended. Or if you haven’t well-saved for yourself yet, ask for some loans from your
|
||
family and friends, they might be glad to help if they know that you are investing in your future.
|
||
|
||
%h2
|
||
4. Choosing between different coding bootcamps
|
||
%p
|
||
There is no absolute winner for the best coding bootcamp. The best one for you is the one that fits your personal criteria.
|
||
%p
|
||
First of all, the
|
||
=link_to "bootcamp curriculum" , "/course"
|
||
need to align with your level. To attend a full-time immersive bootcamp, you better learn yourself some code first,
|
||
not only because it is the minimum demand that they have, it also helps to learn better and faster in such an environment.
|
||
%p
|
||
As mentioned previously, attending a bootcamp doesn’t cost you only the tuition fee, other additional costs like
|
||
housing and food could end up make a bigger part of your spending. When choosing a coding bootcamp, it’s better
|
||
to take consideration of all those fees together or you can just simply find one that offers
|
||
= link_to "accommodation and food." , "/camp"
|
||
%p
|
||
= image_tag "slider/lunch.jpg"
|
||
%p
|
||
Depends on your personality and conditions, you might also want to choose going for a bootcamp in abroad. Coding
|
||
bootcamps in Europe are often more affordable compared to many in the U.S. Living abroad for a while can also boost
|
||
up your energy and enrich your personal culture.
|
||
%p
|
||
If you want to learn more details about different options for bootcamp, there is a great
|
||
= ext_link "guide for choosing a bootcamp" , "https://www.coursereport.com/coding-bootcamp-ultimate-guide"
|
||
written by Course Report that you might want to have a look at.
|
||
|
||
%h2 Conclusion
|
||
%p
|
||
Your learning doesn’t just stop once you finish a bootcamp or find a job, self study is important as a part of
|
||
your daily life but if there is a way to learn more effectively, coding bootcamp is one of your choices.
|
||
Check out this
|
||
=link_to "article" , "/blog/the-distraction-free-path-to-becoming-a-professional-programmer"
|
||
if you want to gain more insights about the coding bootcamp boom in recent years.
|