Myths About Coding Boot Camps

If you’ve decided to learn web development, you’ve probably done some research to find a method or program that’s right for you. A quick web search will turn up a lot of resources on the subject, and webpages for programs called “coding boot camps.” This may have sparked your interest, and like everything else, there are some myths out there about coding boot camps that we’d like to debunk — at least when it comes to our programs.

Myth #1: Coding boot camps are for people who aren’t serious about a career in programming.

Quite the contrary — coding boot camps are actually for people who are certain about starting their career in web development and have taken the initiative to dive right in. If you consider the lesser length of time it takes to complete a coding boot camp versus pursuing a 4-year degree or more, it takes a passionate kind of individual to kickstart their career by choosing to attend an intensive coding boot camp.

Myth #2: Since boot camps are shorter than a traditional college education, I won’t learn as much.

Similar to a traditional college education, the student will get out of a coding bootcamp what they put into it. Regardless of the time frame, if you’re dedicating yourself to learning the material and putting it to practice, you will be able to use your skills in real-world web development projects. The truth is that you do have to put in the work in order to get the most out of the program.

Coding boot camps are shorter than a college education, but the intensive curriculum ensures that students learn a range of concepts and skills that they can use to start or further their career.

Myth #3: I’m too old to attend a boot camp and change my career.

Many coding boot camp students are seasoned individuals seeking a change in their current career path. Many seasoned professionals that have already had plenty of years in the office have spent way too much time in a job that doesn’t fulfill them, and now they’re making a bold leap toward a career that does just that.

As long as you’re an individual that has determination, willingness to learn, open-minded, practical and analytical, and you possess the passion to learn the industry, age has no bearing on your ability to succeed in a coding boot camp.

Myth #4: I don’t know anything about computers or coding, there’s no way I could learn computer programming in only a few months.

You don’t need prior experience to be successful in a boot camp.  Don’t let your fears or doubts deter you from getting where you want to go. Plenty of students arrive at coding boot camps with very little knowledge about the field, so you’re not alone. After all, that’s what the class is here to help teach you.

As long as you enter the boot camp with a hard working, “can-do” attitude, you’ll do just fine. Most boot camps are designed with all skill levels in mind, which helps create an open and supportive learning environment, so there’s no reason for you to hold yourself back from learning to code.

Myth #5: Most programmers I know are men. Maybe the field isn’t for me because I’m a woman.

Women hold over a quarter of the nearly 4 million computing jobs in the US today, and this number is growing. There’s never been a better time or a bigger need for women to be part of today’s digital revolution. Studies show women are often at the forefront of early adoption of new technology,  so don’t let the notion of a “boys club” halt your dreams. 

There are a plenty of leading ladies in the field of code, like Ada Lovelace, Jean E. Sammet, and Grace Hopper—and we need more! For any women out there who are intimidated or unsure if this field is for them, these women have proven that they can do anything they put their minds to, and you can too.

Now that we’ve helped debunk these common myths about coding boot camps, we hope that you’ll consider one more seriously. If a coding boot camp sounds like it could be the right fit for you, learn more about web development here or speak to an admissions advisor.