BrainStation

First of all I would like to state that these reviews are in fact from wyncode Grads & Alumni (just because it is the first thing I would wonder if I was a perspective student reading this) and anyone can feel free to reach out to me at Jackbgraham2@gmail.com with questions.  Wyncode came by extremely honest with what I would be taught and how I would move forward afterwords.  On top of personally and carefully seeing each one of the students through the actual course, they also continued to offer a tremendous ammount of both technical and personal support after we graduated.  I would and have definitely suggest any Wyncode source to anyone intelligent and driven enough to complete it.  

1 year perspective of an Alumni and Teaching Assistant of Wyncode Academy

I could go on about the positives and negatives of Wyncode, but the 5 stars and positive words mean next to nothing when it comes to what it is that Wyncode has provided to me and many others that I have seen go through this course.

What did I see Wyncode as before I enrolled?

I had no coding experience - I was a chef. I've always had aspirations to do a lot, however I had not means to achieve anything. When I first heard of Wyncode I saw it as an opportunity to learn a skill set that I can create my own opportunities from.

What was Wyncode as a Student?

Every day was 100%, this was Wyncode's 1st cohort and I had no idea what to expect as far as structure and ability to learn from the curriculum; I saw this as an opportunity to use the resources around me and never get my mind off of my goal. As the course went on I never had a shortage of resources, Bryce and Ed were my go-to beacons for all knowledge. And When I didn't understand some code they wrote I was never afraid of asking them to explain, and they always did with very precise detail. But at the end I only got as much as I did from the course because I gave it my every being - Wyncode was my life for 9 weeks, no social life, no school, no work, just code.

What was Wyncode as an Alumni?

A new family. Now this is the really corny part - but it's true, you'll hear it time and time again. This is a bootcamp, we've all be through it, we all know what it's like, we help eachother out. The Wyncode Alumni network is massive and it's only increasing in size, most of the tech companies I know of have a student I've met through Wyncode.

What was Wyncode as a Teaching Assistant?

I've spent most of my time at Wyncode as a teaching assistant, first as a part time TA and then a few cohorts later as a full time Lead Teaching Assistant.

From the end of the first cohort Johanna and Juha asked me what I wanted to do after the cohort ended (job wise), and everytime I would persistantly tell them I wanted to be part of Wyncode. I fell in love with their vision and the tools that were given to me, I knew I had the skills to be able to teach students all that I had learned.

I had helped teach cohorts 2-5, and from that time range I noticed an extreme change in Wyncode's structure and curriculum. Because the staff believes so much in Wyncode's vision they constantly have improvement in mind - "What are we missing from the curriculum", "How can we teach more effectively", "What can we do for students falling behind", "What are hiring partners looking for".

Conclusion aka TL;DR

To re-state the title of this review "The start to an entire new chapter", before Wyncode I was a part time student at MDC and a full time chef and did not enjoy what I was doing - I was always frustrated and tired.

Now I am a full stack developer - my only limit is how much I am willing to push myself to grow, I don't need a 4year degree to show my skill, my work and my knowledge speak for me.

If you are driven, and if you are ready to change what you do - enroll for Wyncode.

If you enroll for Wyncode, be ready to give it everything. Throughout my year of involvement at Wyncode I've seen so many students come though and the ones who have done well are those who made those 9 weeks their life.

You can't make excuses, the results speak for themselves.

Enroll, get prepared, put in everything, carve your own path in life.

I attended Wyncode's second (and best...j.k.) cohort last fall. I can say that it was probably the best and most impactful decision I have ever made. I graduated college (undergrad) with a degree in Humanities (pretty much an art history degree) and mulled about for a couple years with no sense of direction, working a couple part time jobs here and there. Lets just say I'm a huge advocate of alternate education choices like dev boot camps now. 4 years at a traditional college did not give me the skills, opportunites, or job preparation that I needed, but this fledgling start up managed to in a very effective way. When I attended Wyncode, things like curriculum and daily/weekly agendas/operations had not been ironed out quite yet, and we were a big part of the process in getting those things ironed out. One of the best things about Wyncode is that every week, you will get to talk about what worked, what did not, and all of this input gets taken into account going forward. If you are interested in learning to code, there are an insane amount of options out there. Its hard to say which would be the 'best' route to take, and I was not even aware of all of these options at the time, but personally I am extremely happy I chose Wyncode. The founders are great, they are focused on making Wyncode the best and most effective it can be and they genuinely care about your individual success. Our main teacher, mr. Ed (for the Wynwood location) is by far one of the smartest people I've ever met, and definitely  the smartest who has ever provided me tutelage. He's also very patient and a great teacher and will take time to teach and help you on a individual basis. The teachers assistants are also great, and will do the same for you in terms of individual help when you need it. You may even see former students or just friends of Wyncode coming in and helping students out. There is just a fantastic amount of support readily available for you. The space is awesome, a big converted warehouse in the heart of Wynwood that is now a open floor/shared office space. 

Attending Wyncode will give you an invaluable, highly practical, and extremely empowering skill. They will push you to do things you never thought you could, like pitching an app that you built from scratch to a crowd of over 150 people. You will also gain fantastic mentors, and make a bunch of friends with your peers. I also can personally say that I got a job within two weeks of graduation and had many companies contacting me instead of the other way around about job openings. So yes, I would definitely reccomend it!

Joining the Wyncode Miami 4th cohort has been one of the best decisions of my professional life.  The 9 weeks of the bootcamp were jam-packed with challenging projects, insightful and well planned lectures, and drink-from-the-fire-hose abundance of opportunities to join the vibrant tech community of Miami.  I was able to leave my 19 year former career behind and have literally gone from taking my first step into the Wyncode classroom without any previous coding experience,  to taking my first step into a new job as a programmer in 13 weeks to the day!  

The Wyncode leadership, instructors and TAs are completely committed to their students' success.  I can't thank them enough for their support.

My experience at Wyncode has been nothing but positive. The program prepares you for a career as a full-stack web developer, specializing in some of the most popular technologies being used today. The staff is incredible and highly supportive and the instruction is unmatched. This program is directed towards individuals that are serious about making big changes in their lives and are willing to work hard to accomplish them. Overall this life-changing experience has opened many doors for me since I completed it.

If you want to be part of the one of up and coming tech communities in the country, then Wyncode is the place for you. I wouldn't trade the awesome experience I had for anything else!

The instructors were always on top of their game, answering questions and giving inspiring challenges. The leadership team is super supportive in those times when you may feel like an "imposter". There were so many networking events and opportunities to meet potential employers that I couldn't keep up! And there was always time for a little fun too - outings to local restaurants, go-carting, cross fit, and just a great group of fellow students to hang out with.

And of course, I cannot fail to mention, Wyncode is such a supportive enviornment for women! To the point of having the very first lecture feature how women made a huge impact in the technologies we use today. There's even a Women of Wyncode (WoW!) group that creates a space to engage in topics concerning women and diversity overall in tech. 

It's an amazing organization.

There are a lot of ways to learn how to code. But all of them, even the best bootcamps in the country, fail to offer what Wyncode gives its students. Wyncode is not just a 10 hour day of coding everyday for 3 months. It is more than a stellar computer science and full -stack web development curriculum. To analyze it by the technical skills and education it provides for its students is to compare it with every other bootcamp out there. And Wyncode wins that comparison heartily in almost every case. But alas it is a comparison of Apples and Oranges - because Wyncode offers so much more than any other comparable programming course. Jo and Juha hand you the keys to the kingdom of Miami Tech. The intangible value of exposure to industry leaders in the local ecosystem, the stand-alone value of Hiring Partners that come in and actively interview participants while still in the course, the deep entrenchment in not just the methods and workflows of becoming a great developer, but becoming a hirable new face in the local tech scene.

Wyncode is so committed to getting every single one of there students placed and working that it is almost uncanny. So much so, that in my class, 5 out of 20 of us had job offers before the program was even over. That’s literally a 20% placement rate BEFORE graduation. I was hired before I even graduated. And the near 100% post-grad placement rate speaks for itself. That’s all because of the incredible amount of work they put in to make sure you are successful long after program ends. Wyncode will teach you how to code, there is no doubt there. You will be a Junior Rails Dev by the time your nine weeks is over. But it will also teach you how to develop in an Agile/Scrum organization, how to ace an interview, how to be a truly business savvy developer, and will enable you to build relationships that lead to future opportunities.

Wyncode is a leading institution in the Miami tech scene with an amazing group of people standing behind it, and the opportunities afforded to Wyncode students can be found at nowhere else that I've looked. From one on one time with amazing Teaching Assistants to group programming sessions with industry leading Senior Devs - all the way to angel investor guest speakers and interviews with the top local tech companies - Wyncode will get you where you want to be. You just have to put the work in, and you'll see the results sooner than you think.

If you're serious about taking this step - a leap into a new direction in life - becoming a developer in South Florida - there could be no better place to do it.

The following represents my opinion, and mines alone.

Wyncode was what may turn out to be the most important learning experience of my life.

In 9 weeks, and only with the most intense effort from myself, and the support of the staff and admin, I was taught what I would consider a second to none foundation to beginining a career as a web developer. 

The admin and staff will tell you, you will get out of this course what you put in, and I couldn't agree more.

I secured a developer position with a spectacular organization essentially the night of pitch day, and for this I give alot of credit to the social and business lessons which the course also stresses. Of course, at the end of the day, I put in the work and effort, again supporting the self investment concept Wyncode strongly pushes.

This all shows exactly what Wyncode has to offer: the tools for success for those willing to use all of the resources they provide, and also willing to fully invest in their own success.

In sum, I would strongly recommend Wyncode to anyone, and at the same time advise that those interested do their independent research to see if this course is for them, because it could end up being the most intense learning experience they have yet encountered.

I first learned about Wyncode through a friend when I told him I was ready to really commit to learning programming, and I still haven't thanked him enough for recommending me this amazing place. For my research, I actually read all the CourseReport reviews that were available at the time, and one in particular really caught my attention. My writing this review after completing the cohort is one of the many ways where I've come full circle.

I just finished the cohort last night (March 12th, 2015), and I can already tell you it was an experience that changed my life. Wyncode is aimed at taking you from zero knowledge to junior developer, and although they cannot guarantee a job, they will do everything in their power to get you there. There are interviews, guest speakers, networking events, and workshops. Two other classmates and myself actually had signed our employment letters the Wednesday before finishing the program, and two others had job offers as well.

For those still on the job market, Wyncode has prepared great resources and a contact list to help them get jobs as soon as possible. They keep partnering with more and more hiring partners, and they are looking at it from all angles. They really want graduates to succeed.

Regarding the education, Ed Toro is simply amazing. He is very passionate about what he does and is a great eduactor. He is so knowlegeable and smart, you learn every single day. There is no day where you are not learning. There are projects and homework from day one, there's prework to be completed, there's always extra reading. You really need to be committed to making it work.

As for myself, I play soccer for a semi-pro team so I had four hours less than everybody else to work so I had to get up earlier, and really spend most of my day working, but it paid off, if you come in with the attitude of hustling at all times, you will succeed and do amazing. Honestly, it's amazing how much I've learned in what seems like such a short period of time. 

Regarding the TA's, I can't say enough good things about them. They are very knowledgeable as well, and they are usually alumns from previous cohorts who really know what new students are going through. They really care about our future and it shows. Walter, Frank, Auston, Damon, Sean, Ray, they are always there to help. 

And who could forget about the amazing Diego Lugo, the operations manager. He works non-stop and is always giving his one-hundred percent. He wants to have everything ready all the time and is super friendly, I have never seen him on a bad day.

Lastly, the final project is a true learning experience. We learned so much not only about coding, but about working in teams, managing time, coming up with ideas. I can say that I am ready to start working right away after Wyncode as I have a great understanding not only about the technical aspect, but the business aspect as well.

The last full-circle point is that I said to the staff on the first day that I was going to win Pitch Day and they said they'd hold me to that. They really push students to give their best and that's what I am truly thankful for. In this type of program, you really have to make the most out of it, and they are going to push you to do so. They won't let you slack off because they truly care about you succeeding and doing great.

Wyncode was a great experience for learning how to code. I was in the first cohort and was wary of trusting in Wyncode, since they hadn’t proven themselves in the South Florida market. It happened to be a great decision and I happily have a new career as a junior developer.  Their instructors and staff are incredible and truly help you every step of the way. Whether you’ve never seen a line of code or you just want to learn a new language, you can rest assured they will tailor the learning towards your needs. I do suggest studying and doing the pre-work as well as other online tools to get you prepared for the fast paced course material. If not for that, I would have been very lost through it all. They are currently branching to Fort Lauderdale, which is great for people who live north of Miami. Before I started Wyncode I began going to Ruby Meetup groups, one of which is in Ft. Lauderdale. Damon Davidson runs that group. I learned so much and felt like he was so knowledgeable when interacting with others about their problems and questions in the Ruby world. I enjoyed his teaching style and think he will be an asset to Wyncode as lead instructor in their Ft. Lauderdale location. Ed Toro (Miami Lead Instructor) and Damon Davidson (Ft. Lauderdale Lead Instructor) are very intelligent individuals that will help each person strive to learn as much as they can in the little amount of time given to the cohort. If you have any interest in programming or being in the tech scene, Wyncode is a great choice to start that journey. Just be prepared to work harder than you have in the past and know that in the end it will be well worth it and lead you to a thriving career in the tech industry. 

I entered Wyncode hoping to learn to code, and got so much more than that. I left feeling empowered and able to not only build whatever I wanted, but to take myself seriously as a leader and entrepreneur. Located at the LAB, Wyncode is in the heart of Miami's startup scene and there were always exciting events happening around us. The program is quick to adapt to student feedback, and it is all driven by a fantastic core leadership team. Jo and Juha are personally invested in each student, and Ed can teach like it's nobody's business. In the nine months since i've graduated, I've watched my peers get amazing positions and pursue really cool opportunities. For a solid education in coding, a crash course in entrepreneurship, and a vehicle for integrating yourself into the Miami Tech community, there is no option other than Wyncode.

If you are reading this and considering joining Wyncode, I was in your shoes a couple months ago and had some of the same questions. How credible are web development bootcamps? Is paying $10k (cost as of cohort 3) for a 9 week program really worth it? And most importantly, will I be able to land a job once I have completed the program?

My background is unique, but I was in a position many people find themselves in. I had an engineering degree from a great university, but I had pursued an entrepreneurial path. While being out of school for a few years, I found that employers did not find my degree to be relevant. Too much time had passed by, and I was now in a position where I needed to return to school to gain a skillset that would make me employable.

This is where Wyncode does a great job of filling a niche. I had two choices in my mind: to go back to university and earn a Masters, or to join a web development bootcamp. The decision is a matter of time and money. Pursuing a Masters is a multi-year endeavor and costs multiples of the amount of a program like Wyncode. On the other hand, Wyncode is a 9 week program, only costs $10k, and will develop me into as good if not better of a hiring candidate. During my time at Wyncode, I would also build out a portfolio of projects and receive assistance from the co-founders in obtaining a job through their hiring partners and other resources.

The staff is the most valuable asset that Wyncode can offer you, from the top down. The co-founders, Jo and Johanna Mikkola, are great people. Wyncode is not just a business for them. They are about helping people achieve their goals, and they go out of their respective ways to make sure it happens. The lead instructor, Ed Toro, is an MIT grad with over ten years of real life development experience. He is StackOverflow condensed into one human being. The TAs, Frank and Walter, are Wyncode alumni. They have been through the program and are very skilled Rails developers. They have seen several cohorts go through the program, know what it's like to struggle through a 9 week program, and help guide you through it. They have interacted with hundreds of junior developers. They have seen the story play out hundreds of times. They know exactly what it takes to get you to where you need to be to get hired as a junior developer. They are the soldiers in the trenches.

A final selling point is the space that Wyncode is in: The LAB Miami. In the space, you will interact with tons of young developers. This gives you an opportunity to network and receive advice from people who are more than willing to help you, give you guidance, and potentially put in a good word for you with an employer. You have access to these resources 24/7 while you are in the program.

So would I do it all over again? Absolutely! Wyncode has an almost perfect placement rate for their graduates. If you put in the required time, you will be relatively guaranteed a job within 1-2 months of graduation. The people are amazing and an invaluable resource to your education. And as far as the $10k for 9 weeks of education? It is an investment in your future and a drop in the bucket compared to more traditional learning routes. Even if you attempted to learn on your own, it would take far more time. That's time you would otherwise be getting paid while being employed after your 9 weeks with Wyncode.