Covalence

I recently finished with my time at Covalence and I only wish that it could have lasted longer. I'll just list some thoughts below.

The Instructors: All of the instructors (but especially Paul "The Man" Dobbs) were great. At nearly every hour of the day, you could reach out to one of the instructors on Slack and ask a question and get a satisfying answer fairly quickly. Paul, our in-class instructor, was always ready and willing to help us with a calm and patient demeanor. He even would be available on some weekends to help us in person on our labs and projects. 
 

The Student Success Duo: In my opinion, this is secretly the best product you will gain out of Covalence. Kimberly and Estes are there to provide you with the tools necessary to become a hirable employee. They were always willing to help me with my resume, review my social media appearance, or practice interview skills. Daily, they are posting job listings and contacting companies who need workers. At least once a week, they were getting someone from a reputable company around town to talk to us and give us advice. Even after graduation, I still see job listings being posted from them and I have the ability to communicate with them and get advice. Can't emphasize how nice this is. 

The Video Lessons: On a normal day at Covalence, you will spend the first half of the day watching a few video lessons. At first, I was a little peeved that we were being taught from pre-recorded lessons, instead of a normal in person lecture. It wasn't until a few weeks in that I began to see the blessing in disguise that these videos were. Many times later did I find myself re-watching the videos to gain a better understanding of a certain subject. With the videos, you have the ability to pause and take notes or contemplate something that was just said. Plus, our instructor would take the time to pause videos in class at complicated parts and help us understand it. These videos are available even after graduation. 


SUGGESTION FOR FUTURE STUDENTS

If you are seriously considering taking this course, try to learn as much about the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript as you can. This class is fast paced and probably the hardest class I've taken in my life. While the instructors are extremely helpful, a lot of the responsibility for succeeding is on your shoulders. The first week or two can be very stressful because you will go over all the basics during this time. Going into the class knowing even a little bit about HTML and CSS will help immensely. I highly reccomend Mark Meyer's eBook A Smarter Way to Learn HTML & CSS. This helped me a lot before going into the class. 


FINAL WORDS

If you have the ability to take the class and are in a place in life where you need to delve into the world of programming but do not know where to begin, I highly reccomend you give Covalence a shot. I even made a few friends along the way because suffering under the intensity of the work seems to bring people together. A few of us even play D&D together on the weekends. 

Give it a shot. You won't regret it.

The environment: 
The Nashville class was held at the Refinery business center, which provided a nice friendly and relaxed, yet professional work environment. Relaxed, yet professional really sums up the vibes of the entire course. The instructors and the students all like to have some fun, make jokes, take a small break to show each other a video, etc., but it never took away from the fact that we were all there primarily because we are enthusiastic about and determined to learn how to code. Also worth noting: Covalence runs a community Slack channel so we could all message each other with problems we ran into (and the occasional meme).

The curriculum: 
What stuck out most about the curriculum most to me is how intensive it it. You will be building front end websites with HTML, CSS and JavaScript by the end of the first week. Keep in mind, the vast majority of students attending the class have little to no coding experience at all. By week 6 you will already be building full stack applications. To keep up in the course, you must always be engaged in what you're learning and not afraid to jump right in. For example: This is what I turned in for the lab assigned to us the 2nd Friday of the course, to be finished the following week: http://www.just-my-type.commonrealm.com/index.html

Your average day at Covalence for the first 7 weeks of class involves a video lecture in the morning and a lab assignment in the afternoon, separated by a lunch break. The video lecture normally consists of a PowerPoint laying out the general concepts of what you're about to learn, followed by a coding walkthrough teaching you what you're going to actually need to do. The lab typically provides a list of tasks which require you to apply the skills you learned that morning, and an advanced assignment to take things a step further, if you get through the basics with some extra time. During lab time the instructors do the best they can to move around the room and help everyone with any questions or problems they're having. The instructors are very patient.

For the final 3 weeks of the class the students are split up into groups of 3-4 and assigned a final project. The final project is a full stack application (web or mobile) assigned by the instructors, although they do allow you to suggest your own ideas too. You will probably learn just as much during these last 3 weeks as in the actual instructional period of the class, because this is where you really learn to tackle big problems on your own and become an independent, self-teaching developer. The final projects are presented at graduation to the staff, fellow students and friends and family. These projects are a great first big piece of experience to put on your portfolio.

Job support: 
Two of the instructors, Estes and Kimberly, offer help with resumes, portfolios, cover letters, job applications and much more throughout the course. They will also personally send out your information to companies they have connections with to get your foot in the door. Covalence also had many speakers come talk throughout the course. Some of the people who spoke in our class include hosts of a local developer podcast, former bootcamp students and local tech recruiters. Throughout the course, Estes and Kimberly also send links for entry level developer applications which they think would be a good fit for us through the Slack channel.

In conclusion: 
If you are determined to learn to code and not afraid to jump right in, Covalence is probably a great fit for you. I really enjoyed my time at Covalence and am optimistic about my coding career thanks to the skills I learned in the class. 
P.S. Sorry for grammatical errors. I'm a programmer, not a writer.

Becoming a developer was something I had wanted to do for quite some time, but was unsure of how to get there. Having already gotten a degree in accounting, I didn't feel like going back to college was the right choice for me at this time, both for financial reasons and the time investment required. Luckily, a friend recommended Covalence to me and it sounded like the right option.

I had tinkered around with web design back in high school and also took a few online courses more recently, so I knew I enjoyed learning the subject matter, but I wasn't sure how I would translate this into a career change or even which technologies I should be focusing on. Covalence really helped by giving me a clear path, showing me how everything connected from the back end to the front end, and making me feel confident enough to actually look for developer positions!

The curriculum is challenging and I very much encourage any future students to spend lots of time outside of class doing their own independent studying and practice. This is not something you can just half devote yourself to. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll celebrate small victories, and you'll definitely curse out your computer a few times. The last two weeks were particularly challenging as we had to use all the technologies we learned to come up with a group project that we would demo at graduation.  However, I feel like those last two weeks were when I grew the most and I'm very proud of our completed project, a food truck locating web app!

The instructor and TA were top-notch and had the patience of saints, helping us with anything we struggled with. Of course, part of the learning process is the struggle, so often I would just beat my head against the wall until I understood it because I'm stubborn like that, haha. However, they were always there when we needed them.

All that said, what would a review be without a couple of critisms though, right?

One criticism I have of the program was that our class was way too big (around 30 students), but I think that's something they learned their lesson on and will watch out for in future cohorts. Also, the mentor program could be a little more robust with maybe some additional scheduled interactions. We met our mentors very early into the class and didn't really know enough to have a lot of meaningful questions or conversations with them. I think it could even be beneficial to have actual former participants come in to tell their stories and provide some encouragement, especially during the more challenging weeks.

It's also worth noting that there's a very good chance you will not immediately have a job upon completion of the course, so I would recommend any prospective students plan accordingly. I know a lot of us were so busy and stressed with final projects that we didn't feel like we had much time or energy to focus on interviewing during the program. However, don't let that discourage you! It will just save you a lot of stress if you're able to plan ahead for that possibility. Once the course is over, just keep learning and applying and make sure to take advantage of the career success tools (and people) that Covalence provides you.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the program to someone who is looking for a way to transition into the software engineering world, especially if they already have a passion for it. I'm not sure I would have ever gotten to this point on my own and for that I am very grateful for Covalence. I'm very excited to be starting a career I actually enjoy!

I was stuck in a series of dead-end jobs that either lacked money, purpose, or both. I originally was looking into engineering school, but found it way too lofty of a price and too long to get through. I learned about Covalence through a friend who refers many people who are trying to break into the world of development, and while i have found free online courses, this is worth it for the benefit of having human interaction and problem solving and learning through teamwork. It is very difficult, as there is a lot packed into the cirriculum, but it's worth the hard work.

My experience with Covalence was great.  Having some knowledge of HTML CSS and Javascript prior to starting the camp, my knowledge of these subjects has improved drastically.  During this bootcamp, differenct aspects where covered along with examples of how it is used in real world applications.  I was introduced to node.js during this bootcamp which as a great asset to have.  I learned how to implent node.js with angular js, and how to use cloud base services such as AWS and heroku.  We also learned about SQL, and how it is used with web development.  During this camp, students had oppurunity to talk with employers in the technology field in which they offered advice about what future employers would be looking for from Junior Web Developers.  All in all, I'm glad to have been apart of this bootcamp, an using the adivce, tips and tricks I have learned, continue to pursue coding not just as a hobby but a potential career in the future.

Covalence not only taught me how to code but how to learn. I was put in a position where it was crucial for me to process what I was being taught before rushing to apply it, which helped me to excel. I believe whole heartedly that taking this class was by far one of the best decisions I have ever made. Covalence challenged and pushed me to learn how to use the skills that I have to help others succeed in this field as well. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a graduate from such a stellar program!

You get out of this class what you put in. But if you have any programming background, steer clear, find a more aggressive boot camp to push and challenge you. Covalence caters to those with no programming experience at all and moves at that pace. If that's you - this is probably the program for you, you will have a great experience.

I truly believe they give students a great foundation with which they can work with, but not one in which you'll be ready to provide meaningful impact at a development shop on your first day out of the course. They may try to sell you otherwise.

In my experience, instructors are phenomenal. They have passion and empathy as they were likely a student prior and will help you as much as they can.

Not a bad program, good content, good experience. They could go a ltitle easier on the "let us bring value and meaning to your otherwise devoid life", maybe they already have. Just try to read through the sales pitches and accept them for what they are.

I started going to Covalence a little over 3 months ago. I initially enrolled in the self-guided plan (Molecular) that offered instructor support via phone, Skype, and  the Discord channel. When they rolled the Catalyst out I decided to go ahead and jump in that. I want to mention I only did this because I liked the idea of being able to go full time which is perfect since i'm currently in college and can finish before I go back. I am currently waiting to start the Catalyst, and I couldn't be more excited! The wonderful people at Covalence will always take swift and efficient measures to make sure you get the help you need. They also are open to listening to the students to ensure their product is properly able to engage us and help us learn.  The instructors literally hand build most of the applications we use and because of that, they are able to change and adapt the platform at a moments notice to make it better for the whole community. If you are concerned that the program is only offered online do not let this deter you from them. I have honestly never seen a more efficient method of learning online than the unique way they have set up their curriculum. Let me tell you I have taken a lot of online courses. Interacting with the team at Covalence with their customized online infrastructure is arguably quicker and more efficient than doing so in person, in a lot of cases. They offer career services, I can't speak on that part too much yet because I'm not done with the program, but I have no doubt it will be of the same high quality just like everything else they offer.

I had the privilege of being a part of the last in-person Full Stack class at Covalence's Birmingham campus. My instructor, Paul, was an excellent teacher and was very patient with me when I struggled through some of the material. I came into this class with no coding experience at all except for the pre-work for the class. I will say that this made the class extremely difficult for me at times. I would encourage anyone interested in joining a coding bootcamp to start learning right then and there. It will do nothing but help you in the long run. There are tons of free courses online that can get you started. Even though the class was tough, I was able to persevere with help from my instructors and classmates and I can't believe how much we were able to learn in 10 weeks. It is nothing short of amazing how we went from struggling to use HTML to display words on a page to creating a full stack mobile app in such a short amount of time.

I can't comment too much on how much job assistance I will be receiving because I am really just beginning to search. However, so far I have no complaints at all. Kimberly is really nice, helpful, and is always posting potential job opportunities through the community channel on Discord. This online community is a great thing to be a part of in itself. People are always chatting on there and willing to help with side projects, work, etc. 

Now that I have gotten all of the praise out of the way, I would like to explain why I gave 4 stars instead of 5. Our class was a little unfortunate to have our instructor find another job around week 7. This would have been totally fine but we never really got a full replacement for him. The last 3 weeks were dedicated to our final project and sometimes it felt like we were waiting around for help because the other instructors were too busy planning for the next class and such. They defintitely did still help us but it would have been nice to have had the dedicated instructor that we paid for. Luckily, our final project still turned out really good and I am happy with my experience overall. This is a great group of people and they seem really passionate about what they do!