u/Chanceawrapper wrote (the comment Michael replied to):
I also went to codesmith and think some of what you said is fair, some is not. Maybe my experience was different, but it sounds like you are just stretching the truth. Instructors not being available, I didn't have that experience at all. The classes were not taught by the fellow
u/michaelnovati replied · · edited ★ FEATURED
\- Instructors (all but one) are former students -> Fellows -> hired as "Mentors" -> hired as "Instructor" -> hired as "Lead Instructor", and almost none have SWE industry experience
\- The instructors I know are overworked and told to let people do "hard learning" instead of helping them too much - but they love to help when they can and are allowed. Several people have independently told me this.
\- Did you put your OSP as 3-4+ months of work while double counting all your Codesmith projects as well? Did you put in the Project or Open Source section or did you put it under experience? Did OSLabs have to do a reference call to confirm your time there?
\- I know people hired as seniors who are paranoid they'll get fired when they realize more junior people are outperforming them. I advise a number of these people because they can't talk to anyone about it without getting found out and Codesmith sure doesn't advise them on how to get by on your job you got by stretching the truth.
\- It is indeed a fact that their hiring rates and outcomes are higher than almost all or all other programs. It's also a fact (from leaked data) that the median starting salary BEFORE someone goes to Codesmith is around $70K (in July/Aug 2023 of 70 people), which is also higher than the OUTCOMES of most other programs.
\- Interviewing is not 90% bullshit and that's something Codesmith taught you. If you want to get to a top tier company and do well there and have a fulfilling top tier company career you'll eventually realize that. I've done 400+ interviews at Facebook and it's not bullshit in any way and I talk for maybe 20 hours about the process.