Launch School — My Experience
I have always dreamed of being a computer programmer. As a teenager, I picked up a copy of Programming for Dummies, complete with a CD containing programs for learning Visual Basic, Perl, C++, and a few other languages. I played around with it, wrote a couple of simple programs, and then got into computer repair, a completely different field.
I probably should have majored in Computer Science in College, after all, I am fascinated with computers and technology, and I just can’t seem to stay away. But instead, I studied theology. Then I went to graduate school and studied Divinity, and helped pay my way through doing simple IT work on the side.
It turns out that theology and divinity don’t consistently put food on the table, so over the years I have spent part of my time in various IT roles, and the rest of my time serving churches and ministries. But in 2020, I found myself completely unemployed. So I went back to school and studied Cloud Computing at WGU. I only took the infrastructure courses, but I was able to complete 36 credits in 6 months. And, I obtained 14 IT certifications while completing those credits (OK, I took a few in the two months following the conclusion of my college courses). So, you might think I was a pretty smart dude to be able to accomplish all of that in 8 months. But as it turns out, it did not lead to the job of my dreams. College courses and IT certificates are just pieces of paper, and obtaining them does not require mastery of the skills one uses in the field. And I wanted to obtain one of those coveted 6 figure salaries, not a series of entry IT positions that bored me to death and paid $20-30 per hour.
So I set out on a journey to find a tech-related career path that would satisfy my tech itch and pay me well. After extensive research, I decided to pursue software engineering. Colleges offer degrees in Computer Science, boot camps promise well-paying jobs in a matter of months, and some of my friends have told me that you can learn all you need to learn using free online resources. The options are numerous. I tried the Odin project, Free Code Camp, Codacademy, and even worked through some old-school textbooks on Python and Ruby. But none of them gave me confidence in my ability to become a world-class engineer. I considered returning to a brick-and-mortar college for a CS degree, but the cost and disruption to my family were prohibitive. And from what I read, many graduates weren’t good developers.
I heard about Launch School years ago, I think it was still Tea Leaf Academy back then. I read about their approach to mastery, but the lack of a definite timetable scared me off. You see, Launch School is a work-at-your-own-pace kind of school. Some students take years to complete the program and land a good job. I just didn’t think I had that kind of time. But 6 months ago I decided to commit to working through the program. I have put in hundreds of hours of work these past 6 months, completing the prep-work and the first couple of courses, and I can honestly say that this is the best training experience I have ever had. I am writing this post to share why I believe that Launch School is the best path to learning to be a software engineer. Here are some ways Launch School is different from other options I explored:
- Launch School requires that their students understand every aspect of what is happening in their code. That way when it doesn’t do what we expect, we can easily figure out what it is doing and how to correct it. We have to learn everything in depth. We have to master it. Otherwise, we cannot pass the assessment and move on to the next course.
- Launch School provides a community and support network like no other learning experience I have ever encountered. I meet with students multiple times a week. I meet with TAs for study sessions 1–2 times weekly and correspond with them whenever I have a question. I have worked with students much further in the program who were willing to help me when I got stuck or discouraged. And I have volunteered to work with students who are a course behind me because I want to give back. I haven’t seen this sort of community in any other learning experience.
- Launch School gives us everything we need to succeed. We need training materials, a thorough study program, mentors, feedback, and assessments. The assessments are like job interviews. They require us to talk about our code, to describe in detail what is happening, and to fix broken code. They prepare us for success in the real job hunt.
- Launch School is affordable. At $200 per month, their program is the most affordable path to a credible Software Engineering role I have found.
If you are considering a career change, are interested in Software Engineering, and want the world's best training, I believe you should check out Launch School. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for those who have a passion for technology, a little grit, and a drive to succeed, it is a solid path to a stable and lucrative career.
