University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies Boot Camps

So you think it’s an expensive course?.. it is! But you will get the knowledge, experience, resources and -most of all- guidance worth! I have been looking for a way to finally jump into developing, this course is the best tool.

Long hours, late nights, challenging new concepts, huge economic commitment... if you like a challenge and want to start learning web developing DO IT. But beware it’s on YOU what you take out :-)

I’m taking the live on-line course and the pace is a little fast so you better take it serious. The teacher is amazing, the TA team is knowledgeable and the supporting staff is great. You can tell they really care for the students success, not only for the payment. Career services have been good, I still need to complete this part tho’.

If you are in the industry and have the means, I couldn't recommend this course enough. I am a highschool graduate and have been working in enterprise software support for about 15 years. I've had a piece meal knowledge of the topics at hand but was missing a lot of fundamental knowledge. 

The pace of the course is agressive but not overwhelming and the instructor and TAs are phenomenal. I am just over 50% through the program and am already very confident in the professional level web applications I am now capable of creating.

I would recommend this bootcamp for beginners looking to gain skills in web development as the cirriculum covers a lot of material. Coming from strictly an analytics background, I had a fear of web technologies mostly because I have never explored them before. I had started the web dev course on udemy by colt steele which gave me alot of prior knowledge and made the course easier for me. Six months is ample time to become familar with writting javascript at a comfortable level. More time should be allocated to teaching React (and maybe other frameworks) as these skills are what employers are looking for.

Yes! This program is tough, if you are not willing to put the effort into studying like any other university program you will not succeed, it is not called a boot camp for no reason. But, with saying that, if you are willing to put in the effort for this course the instructional staff and everyone involved with this program is completely hands-on and willing to help you succeed! Not only are the instructors knowledgeable (about way more then just what is taught in this course), the TA's and the tutors genuinely want you to succeed! If you are looking to transition into this field they also have a career services team that helps you get into tip-top shape for the job market! I am currently only half way through this program and I have already received multiple job offers! I would recommend this program to anyone who is serious about making a change in their life, it is truly life changing! 

I am part of the first group of students to attend this bootcamp. Our cohort got off to a rough start with an instructor who was less than ideal. I found that Trilogy listened to our concerns and dealt with them professionally. We ended up with an amazing instructor, four TA’s instead of two, weekly review sessions and access to private tutors.  I feel that they are absolutely committed to see us succeed.  The career services part of the course is kicking into high gear and I find the staff tremendous. They offer detailed comments on our resumes, portfolios and github and are putting on career seminars weekly. This bootcamp is composed of working professionals and the students are from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds.  We are already planning to continue working together once we graduate in October.  

Investing in this program is indeed high-risk, but incredibly high reward. I have learned and applied so many different skills in such a short time that I look back on my own progress in disbelief. This program is NOT for everyone though - it’s called a bootcamp for a reason. Specifically, computer science is a unique area of study where you must rely on self-teaching in order to succeed. If you can’t find the drive to solve advanced problems and understand the way complex machines think on your own, do not waste your money or time. This is a decision about making a commitment to complete concentration. But if you do choose to commit to becoming a software developer, this program becomes a remarkable journey. As you rapidly pickup tougher and tougher skills every week, your understanding of software becomes stronger, and you can carry out larger tasks both inside and outside of school. When I write code and project plans for the employers I have met so far, they are baffled at how I’ve picked up such a clear and broad understanding of project development in only three months. In addition to the academic support, the career support is so motivating and helpful in guiding this change in lifestyle from non-developer to Full Stack developer.

I want to thank everyone at Trilogy and UofT SCS for enabling me to enter the richest and most exciting job market and granting me difficult but rewarding challenges to refine my skills.

Hello Course Seeker!

I am currently enrolled in the UofT program.  Unlike some of the anonymous posters on this board, my overall experiences-to-date have been rather positive.  Sure, there are little hiccups here and there.  However, one has to keep in mind that there is absolutely no program (that is delivered in real-time) in the marketplace that is without flaws.  It is not 100% scripted and edited like the online courses.  You are receiving live instruction from multiple instructors -- in other words, you have the opportunity to gain multiple perspectives on course topics/real-life scenarios from people who are living, breathing, and working in the same biodome.  

I love online courses myself, and have used them to supplement my learning... ...BUT! online courses (including those that may offer real-time chat instruction) cannot replicate the in-person classroom atmosphere that is key to learning.  After all, isn't this the reason why you are reading this?

If you are looking for the PERFECT program, you will be looking and procrastinating for a long, long time.... ....because there is no perfect program.  Programming itself is an ever-evolving discipine that demands a flexible and solutions-driven mindset.  The old adage applies here: "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem".

The problems/issues that have been noted by previous posters are relatively minor in nature.  I say "minor in nature" because problems/challenges are what drive the real learning experience and growth.  The positive experiences far outweigh the negative ones.  I would much rather learn from my mistakes (and the mistakes of others) in a safe learning environment, as opposed to making the same mistakes in a live job setting.

Here are a few of my takeways for your consideration:

• Mistakes can and will occur with any learning institution.  As for myself, my concerns have always been addressed in a timely manner.  The most important thing from my point of view is that the individuals who deliver this learning program own up to the issues identified, and make good on them.  In other words, they do their best to rectify the issue at hand and improve the program for those who follow.  They have a structured quality assurance program in place to address/prevent issues, AND the resources to fix problem areas.  Does the program you are considering have a QA program in place? -- What if one or more of the key instructors in your program are no longer able to teach?  Can alternates be set up quickly? .... 
• Do your homework before signing up for the program.  If you are undisciplined with your time, a procrastinator, or someone who wants everything served up on a silver platter, then this is not the program for you.  You will need to make some sacrifices if you want your dream to come true.
• Many folks in this program have demanding careers and mouths to feed -- time is money.  This program delivers a good balance of formal lecture material, group exercises, and self-driven learning.  Team/pair programming is nice -- however, unless you have a lot of extra time on your hands, your time is probably better invested in reviewing the course material taught and supplementing your knowledge with perspectives from other sources (e.g. online courses).
• The curriculum is comprehensive, market relevant, and the exercises are well-documented (e.g. there is a GitLab repository that you can pull from and review prior to the next lecture, videos, etc.).  This is a battle-tested program with more material and support than you can shake a fist at -- Trilogy is not a small organization -- in fact, I am glad that they are the ones managing the program instead of UofT.  The instructors will not and cannot possibly cover every aspect of the course material provided -- there simply are not enough hours in the day to do this.  One can only learn so fast, even with full-time immersion learning.  I view the program as a curated guided tour.  How much you learn, how far you go, and the quality of the experiences is up to you.  These factors are entirely within your control.
• You get out of the program what you put into it.  If self-paced learning is your cup of tea, then online course programming may be better for you.  However, if your learning style is more structured with deadlines to keep you honest, then a program like this is a no-brainer.  If you don't feel at least a wee bit uncomfortable with the pace or overwhelmed with the material, then you aren't pushing yourself hard enough.  
• Do your due diligence and read the fine print.  Contracts are not always bad, as they confirm each party's obligations/responsibilities.  If you are considering signing up for a program that does not have a contract in place, how do you know what you are getting into?  If you didn't actually read the contract before signing up for the program, and now have "buyer's remorse", you will be in for a big surprise when your computer program doesn't work because you missed a "semi-colon" or forgot to use brackets.
• This is a premium product with moderate pricing.  In fact, I think this program is worth more than $10k.  You are not paying for couches, coffee stations, and unnecessary frills.
• This program will not get you a computer science degree.  If this is what you are expecting, then enroll in one or take the MIT open lecture series to learn more.  Future employers may ask you where you got your training from, but I highly doubt if even a small percentage of them will ask you to yank out a certificate or proof of completion.  Your personal portfolio and your ability to articulate solutions to real-world problems will tell all.
• If you have concerns about this program not being "tax deductible", here is a simple solution:  (1) Think like an entrepreneur and set-up your own company during the course; (2) Challenge yourself to build a revenue-generating commercial product before the end of the program.  You will soon discover that $10k is really not that big a deal.  Worst-case scenario, you deduct the tuition and tax expenditures against your company, and carry them foward to use in a future year.  
• The program I am currently in has three co-horts.  To me, this means that I have access to three times the instructors (the Saturday classes are taught on a rotating-basis), three times the number of colleagues to learn from, and three times the number of TAs that I can learn from.  Given the diversity of students and teaching talent, it would be my own fault if I do not engage others to maximize my learning experience during my time here.
• Not all instructors are created alike, and learning is a two-way street.  If you have concerns/issues with your instructor (or substitute with "boss" in a workplace settting), it is your responsibility to help them grow.  Give people a chance to learn/improve, and you will be forever grateful when you yourself become an instructor or boss one day (i.e. when you are at the other end of the stick).
• With regards to job assistance, the program has many resources to prepare you for future prospecting.  However, no teaching institution or individual will deliver a job with a six-figure salary to you just because you think it.  Putting too much emphasis on an institution's ability to hunt down job leads for you can be crippling on the mind.
• Bottom line:  This is a very respectable program and I would not hesitate to enroll in it again.  If you are highly motivated, self-disciplined, and driven to learn and apply the material, you will go far with this experience.  I am getting great value for my money.  You really can't go wrong with this program -- action is better than no action.  Just do it!

Hope this helps!