DevPoint Labs

I attended the DevPoint Labs Part-Time bootcamp from Nov-Feb 2022. While I learned a great deal about React.js and how to build a site, I have little knowledge about the basic concepts of what I'm actually doing. While the instructor will go through a lot of various materials, they have a very poor set up to actually get you to learn the materials. They spoke about quizzes at the beginning of the classes, but I think we only did 1 or 2 of these. If you want to actually feel prepared for a technical interview or to enter the tech world, I would not start here. Also, they did very little to prepare you for the technical interviews and their resume building was a 10 minute slide show. They had 2 out of class opportunities to connect with tech companies, but they were with past students who are not on the recruiting team. Don't waste your money and time here. 

Before going to DevPoint I was in the outdoor industry working a sales job and wanted something different for myself. I was hesitant to leave a good job in an industry I loved but after diving headfirst into the course with no coding experience, I gained so much more than a job. This course provides not only the skills employers are looking for but also an amazing community of support to guide and help you in your life/career. The course requires your full 100% effort but the staff at DevPoint goes the distance to ensure EVERY student gains an education you wouldn't find at a college or university. I was lucky to work closely with the staff and saw how much they care for all the students that come through their program. DevPoint will always be a pivotal moment in my life, providing a career path where I enjoy the work I do and the lifestyle that comes with working in tech.

I went to DevPoint Labs in hopes of getting a career in dev. Now, less than a year later, I have a full-time job as a software developer for a company in Utah County.  Although I thought I could have learned how to code on my own, I certainly wouldn't have had as much focus, help and fun along the way. Nor would I have possibly stayed motivated to really learn the fundamentals of computer programming that are taught at DevPoint Labs. The staff were extremely knowledgable (thanks Nick, Harlan, and Henry) and showed me how to problem solve in really effective ways. My new career is great, and I feel excited to get up and go to work (almost) everyday :)    DEVPOINT FOR LIFE!!!

I graduated in the Winter 2020 cohort at DevPoint Labs in the beginning of February 2021. Where to even start...

Before attending DevPoint Labs I searched and researched every bootcamp known to man (it felt like...) and I looked at these type of reviews tirelessly trying to find the right fit for me so I hope if you are in the same position this can help a little. I came in with no experience at all. I come from an acting, flight attendant, anything outside, background. So by no experience I mean I opened my computer once a month to goof around and never thought about web development. The idea to try was from a friend who recently did a bootcamp, struggled through it, but was successful. And with covid layoffs i really wanted to learn a new skill. I didn't really know what software development was to be honest. While searching I taught myself basic HTML and CSS as that seemed to be recommended by most boot camps. 

I decided on DPL because it was tied to the University of Utah, would have been in person, and rarely heard or saw anything negative about the course. It exceeded my expectations BY FAR. The staff (specifically Will, Nhi, Marc, and Henry who were always a zoom call away to help) , instructors (HUGE shout out to James Yeates...the man's a genius), and TA's (Danny and Simon who were super knowledgeable and if they didn't have the answer they were professionals at finding it) created a learning environment that was tailored to the people and allowed us to learn the best and the most we could. The course is hard. It really is. I had a few "throw an item against the wall" days. I was intimidated going in but like coding in general, you take it a bite at a time and eventually you find yourself comfortable with the material.

Lastly, a few things I would have known beforehand. When they say be more than familiar with the concepts before the first day...they aren't wrong. Be super comfortable with HTML and CSS and really put some work in on the About Me site. I wish I would have done a basic Javascript and Ruby study (at least know what you can use the language for and the concepts...not necessarily the syntax. you'll get plenty of practice with that). If I could go back I would set my computer up a little more too. Clean it up and get ready to use it as the incredible tool it is a capable of. They do a fantastic job at taking a course that is intended to be inperson and making it remote. 

If you decide DPL is the bootcamp for you (which I don't know how you would find one better) try these couple things (in my opinion) to get the most out of the course. Do the bonus objectives on all the projects even if it means coming back to it later and adding those steps. Take breaks...the course is supposed to be difficult. It will feel overwhelming sometimes. Ask questions early. Make good friends with your fellow cohort members. I learned ALOT from the people in my class. Sharpen your soft skills (which you will learn alot about too). Most importantly, drink coffee. 

And on a lighter note: TAKE THE RISK. Don't get too concerned about knowing everything going into the course and don't be like me and let the intimidation ("Am I really smart enough for this?")  talk you out of starting. Get familiar with your personal learning style. Make sure you know how you learn best so you don't have to learn how to learn (like me) ...while you are learning...if that makes any sense. The question coming into any bootcamp seems to be "How can I get a job out of this" and if you can put that on hold for three months, dedicate lots of your time, and hone your skills, that question will answer itself.

That was wordy but hopefully it helps someone like me three months ago. I want to again, thank everyone at DevPoint and the students in my cohort for being incredible! 100% would refer this to anyone. 

May Young James live on forever.

k love you bye.

I just finished the course with DevPoint Labs about 2 weeks ago. My experience was fantastic! The team did an awesome job at providing a course that was professional and challenging while also creating an atmosphere that was relaxed and personal. If you take this course you will for sure learn how to code, but you will also learn a ton about the culture and world of programming.  

Our instructor, James Yeates was an amazing teacher! Our lessons were never (and I repeat NEVER) dry or boring or repetitive. Every day I learned something new, and something practical that I was able to use in my assignments later on that day. The curriculum moves quickly but not so much that you can't understand what is going on. Our class was also small enough that we were able to slow down or go a little faster depending on our collective learning speed. 

I really can't say enough about this course. I was on the fence before I signed up about whether I should do the part-time or the full-time course and I can't express enough how glad I am that I did the full-time course. It's a sacrifice of time and money, but the payoff is more than worth it. This course literally changed the direction of my life. The amount of knowledge I gained in 3 months is enough to give me the confidence to go out and truly be a web developer. I definitely would recommend this course to anyone who is looking for an opportunity to change career directions and become a developer. You WILL NOT regret your decision. 

 Going into DevPoint Labs was extremely challenging for me as I had no prior coding experience besides a few html and css lessons. Yes they do require you to complete a pre-course before starting which I did, but I recommend giving yourself a couple of months to get familiar with the basics by working through FreeCodeCamps  HTML, CSS and JavaScript courses because once you start the actual bootcamp it goes very fast and you will feel lost. Having said that I still had a wonderful time getting to know my class mates, working in a team environment and learning a LOT of new skills. The instructor and TA’s were extremely helpful if I had questions on anything they were always there to help guide me in the right direction.  The other nice thing about DevPoint is that once you’ve completed the entire course you still get to keep all the course information to go back and look through. You also have the ability of sitting in on lectures after the course is over which awesome. I'm glad to have completed this bootcamp and i'm happy to say I'm now a DevPointer for life. 

What I got out of this bootcamp far exceeded my lofty expectations going in. It provided the structure and support that I was looking for, and they have adapted exceptionally well to running this bootcamp remotely during COVID. The teachers were excelllent, and the TA's were helpful and available every time I had a question. I felt that I was able to get plenty of "1-on-1" time with the teacher and TA's as well.

The bootcamp focuses on ReactJS and Rails in a very practical way. I have graduated feeling like I am able to build web applications and have a very solid foundation to continue building on. Like any other educational endeavor, you get out of it what you put in, but if you enroll and are serious about the classes, assignments, and hackathons I think you will surprise yourself at the level of coding proficiency you achieve by the end. 

My favorite part of developing was the team aspect. I found out that one of my favorite things when it comes to web development is working with a group of people and problem-solving solutions together. My time at DevPoint Labs has helped me reach my potential. This course has given me a good foundation on how to excel in a career. I am very excited for the future, and I am incredibly thankful for everything that DevPoint has given me.
My best advice for future students on how to stay a head of this course is to do and know all the pre-course work that they give you prior to the beginning of the course specially when you know little about coding and what was very helpful for me was to go over the class video lecture. It will help slow things down in a high accelerated course environment, specially when working a full time job.

 DevPoint Labs has an incredible knack for teaching the fundamentals, providing assistance outside of class, and putting you on your feet to have the confidence to apply for jobs, create your own projects, and to continue learning and improving as a developer after you graduate. My favorite thing about DevPoint Labs is how they offer the ability for you to sit in on classes before you start and after you graduate, they WANT you to stay connected. Henry and Danny were the two primary instructors for the class and they brought this level of passion to what they do that inspired me. All staff members really show their passion for what they do and show you what you are learning opens so many more opportunities for you. Thank you to DevPoint Labs for having me apart of their program and I look forward to having an employer say "He's from DevPoint, we want him" or for someone to see a project I made and want to learn how to do so as well. 

My time at DevPoint Labs was a great experience. With the COVID pandemic it was difficult to know if a bootcamp would be as valuable without in-person classes, but DPL did a great job to assuage those feelings from the get-go. They offer a free consultation with a staff member to answer any and all questions about the course, and to assure you that while this course can help you code, you will have to work hard at it. And that rang true, the course was an arduous journey but completely worth it. Our class had a wide range of experience, from CS degree owners to complete amateurs, but all of us felt comfortable with the class and its instructors. The staff are knowledgeable, approachable, and actual working web developers, so they have excellent insight on the industry and its expectations. Don't expect hand-holding, but the TA's are great at helping through bugs and frustrations that come with coding. I feel confident in my abilities to step into the web development world, and that stems from my time at DevPointLabs. The only minor issue I had was that you will have to research questions on the "why" of a concept on your own. This class is very much a practical tutorial on web design and development, so if you are curious on the essentials of code or specific mechanics of a language, expect to have a harder time than you would just using the knowledge given to you. This is a web development course, not a coding course after all!

I think what's important to remember with any bootcamp is that you really do need to be 100% committed to using this experience as a springboard to what you want to do. It will get you exposed to the material, but of course won't get you the job. If you have the time, don't just use this opportunity to socialize. Study before class. Study after class. DO go online and complete the FreeCodeCamp HTML, CSS and JavaScript courses. Learn how to structure and style content but go ALL IN with JavaScript and programming fundamentals and concepts. Understand how the basics work at least before you start. Getting here and not knowing what the instructor is doing is just going to put you at a real disadvantage. Also, once you have the basics generally down, START STUDYING PRACTICE PROBLEMS. Study the Pomodoro exercise, FizzBuzz, Fibonachi sequence, etc. Make a cool 'about you' page beforehand and know Git like the back of your hand. Again, FreeCodeCamp has a great section just for interview prep. I'd do one problem a day and really understand it if I could do it over again. 

Bottom line...If you're going to take this course, it's crucial you know what you're looking at BEFORE DPL and can actually engage in the daily exercises/challenges. If not, you'll feel frustrated or will just feel behind the whole time. Take this from someone who completed everything but was behind a lot because I didn't prepare as well as I should have. 

Now that the tangent is behind me (haha), I will say that DevPoint was one of the most awesome experiences in my life based on the amazing people I met and the passion they have for the field. I moved on a whim from 1800 miles away knowing nobody and now have a life here. It took me several months, but I secured a position eventually. DPL has guest speakers in all the time (ask about the man the myth the legend Ken Wheeler) and really fun events (a few hackathons). Participate, participate, participate! Network all that you can and attend a few UtahJS meetups and make friends. Have something that will really impress people on Demo day  (no, I'm not talking about just the subject of the project you'll be assigned to build, but HOW IT WORKS!). Be able to explain how the frontend is structured, what API calls are being made, the basic backend makeup and functionality, the database..Just know how it's all connected and how the application works more than what it shows and you'll be golden. Let your nerd flag fly. LOVE DPL & LOVE UTAH.