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5 Reasons why you should NOT go to a coding bootcampby@mattupham
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5 Reasons why you should NOT go to a coding bootcamp

by Matt UphamAugust 9th, 2019
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5 Reasons why you should NOT go to a Coding Bootcamp. You can learn on your own (Seriously) You can find most of the material online for $50 or for free. You don’t like software and/or technical thinking. You can't take time off to devote yourself, build habits, handle stress. You need to build a solid routine. If you can’�t, you’ll fail. It’s really expensive. $20k+ is a ton of money. No guarantee for a job placement.

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I went to a coding bootcamp 2 years ago. From my experience and people I met, these are reasons why someone should NOT go to a coding bootcamp.

Check out this video for further detail:
5 Reasons why you should NOT go to a Coding Bootcamp

You don’t like software and/or technical thinking

  • coding is not for everyone, it's really painful to do it if you don’t like it
  • you probably won’t perform well on the job if you don’t enjoy it

Influences from family & friends

  • do it for the right reasons (money should be a side effect, not a main purpose)
  • if your parents pay for it, you’ll most likely fail (internal motivation is needed)

You can’t take time off to devote yourself, build habits, handle stress

  • it really is 80 hours a week (if you do the 3 month programs)
  • you need to build a solid routine (if you can’t, you’ll fail)
  • lots of stress, if you don’t cope effectively you’ll fail

It’s really expensive

  • ~$20k+ is a ton of money (yes, not all bootcamps are this expensive, but many are)
  • no guarantee for a job
  • job placement stats are bs (they’re usually manufactured / inflated)

You can learn on your own (Seriously)

  • you can find most of the material online for $50 or for free
  • FreeCodeCamp, OdinProject has the same and/or more material than the bootcamp
  • great inexpensive courses on Udemy, Coursera, Frontend Masters, etc

What are your thoughts on coding bootcamps? Yes, they have their flaws, and it’s not for everyone. But the high-quality ones are not completely terrible.

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