Hi, I’m Patrick, I write about the job search. After graduating from Cornell, I became a content lead at UBS where I helped professionals at Fortune 500 companies understand their stock options, salary, and benefits. When I’m not writing about the hiring process, I write novels for teens. Check out my review of UCR Extension Bootcamps.
- What does UCR Extension Bootcamps do?
- Who is UCR Extension Bootcamps for?
- What does UCR Extension Bootcamps cost?
- Ratings and reviews of UCR Extension Bootcamps
- Alternatives to UCR Extension Bootcamps
- How does UCR Extension Bootcamps compare to Pathrise?
What does UCR Extension Bootcamps do?
UCR Extension Bootcamps offers part-time courses to help people start a career as a full stack web developer. No previous experience is required, but all students complete a self-paced pre-course tutorial before starting the web dev course. While students can usually choose between remote and on-campus options in Riverside CA, all courses are currently being taught online due to Covid-19. The part-time 24-week web dev program meets from 10am to 2pm on Saturdays and 6:30pm to 9:30pm two weekdays per week. Students are also required to do roughly 20+ hours a week of coding work outside class. The course features live lectures, discussions, coding labs, and workshops. The program teaches students to build full stack web apps using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, jQuery, and Node.js. They also learn responsive design, React.js, Heroku, MySQL, MongoDB, Git, QA best practices, and more. Throughout the program, students build web dev projects that they can add to their portfolios. When the bootcamp ends, students get access to online continuation courses to help them build up their portfolio and practice their Python, Java, C#, and other coding skills. The bootcamp offers job support. Career services include portfolio reviews, resume workshops, and technical & behavioral interview training. Students also work 1-on-1 with a career coach to prepare them for the job search.
Who is UCR Extension Bootcamps for?
People with no coding experience who are looking to launch a new web development career could benefit from the bootcamp. The program is especially helpful for people who are based in Riverside as well as people with full-time jobs looking to learn on the side.
What does UCR Extension Bootcamps cost? How much work is involved?
Tuition for the web dev bootcamp is $10,495. UC Riverside alumni are eligible for a $500 discount. Early registration discounts and interest-free monthly payment plans are available. The admissions process begins with a short application form or a call to the admissions office. Next, candidates have a behavioral interview over the phone. Select candidates are given a critical thinking and problem-solving assessment. No technical experience is required.
Ratings and reviews
UCR Extension Bootcamps have mostly positive reviews. They hold a 4.76/5 star rating on Course Report where grads praise the hands-on curriculum and instructor team. The top review was impressed by the hands-on, collaborative environment, commenting “working with others makes learning more fun, and easier.” Although the grad also felt the “instructor and TA’s were fantastic”, he warned that the bootcamp’s fast pace “was hard” and “frustrating at times”. Another grad described the staff as “qualified and knowledgeable” and felt she had “a good experience” that was well worth the cost. However, she warned that their career services “do NOT help you find a job, but they do help you become employer competitive.” A student on Reddit felt the bootcamp was helpful for students “starting from zero” experience, but had mixed feelings about the career services and reputation, commenting “I don’t think employers care much about it.” Another student on Reddit was disappointed with Trilogy’s job support, commenting “no one has had anything positive to say about Career Services.” Career Karma’s blog rated the bootcamp 9/10, impressed with the “university reputation” and “excellent instructors” but warned that “job services are somewhat lacking.” Overall, grads seem satisfied by the tech skills they gained from the program, but some would have liked more job support and a slightly less intense pace..
Alternatives to UCR Extension Bootcamps
If you decide not to enroll in UCR Extension bootcamps, there are a number of alternative bootcamps and courses for aspiring web developers.
- The popular tech bootcamp General Assembly has full-time, part-time, and 1-day courses on software engineering as well as other topics. Courses feature a project-based curriculum, mentoring, and 19,000+ hiring partners. Read more about General Assembly in our review.
- Similarly, BrainStation is a well-known bootcamp with programs in web development, web design, and more. Like UCR Extension Bootcamps, BrainStation’s bootcamps are hands-on with opportunities to build portfolio projects.
- Aspiring web developers can also consider CodeX Academy, a self-paced coding bootcamp with mentorship opportunities. Learn more about CodeX Academy in our review.
- Students seeking 1-on-1 mentorship can check out Thinkful, a bootcamp that teaches courses software engineering, UX/UI, and more. Like UCR Extension Bootcamps, their program includes personalized career coaching and projects students can feature in their tech portfolios.
- University of Richmond and Berkeley Bootcamps also teach hands-on courses in web development. They are run by the same parent company managing UCR Extension Bootcamps, meaning their curriculum, pacing, and career support programs are similar.
- Busy students who want a part-time learning experience with self-paced courses can check out edX, one of the most popular online learning platforms. They host courses from top universities like Harvard and MIT as well as big tech companies like Microsoft. Learn more about edX in our review.
- Students on a budget can check out Udemy, an online program hosting thousands of affordable self-paced video courses on web dev, cybersecurity, data analysis, and much more. Classes cost about $10 each.
- Similarly, Codecademy teaches free courses on web development and dozens of programming languages. They have membership options ranging from $20 to $40 per month for greater course options and support.
- People seeking low-cost tech training can also check out Udacity. Their introductory courses are free, but students can upgrade to paid “nanodegree” programs for greater course options. Students get both a 1-on-1 industry mentoring and a career coach to prepare them for their job search. Learn more about Udacity in our reviews.
- Students interested in self-paced tech learning can also check out Springboard, an online educational resource that helps people launch a career in tech. Students in their program build over 14 portfolio projects with weekly mentorship meetings. If students don’t land a great job within 6 months of graduating, they get a full refund. Learn more about Springboard in our review.
How does UCR Extension Bootcamps compare to Pathrise?
UCR Extension Bootcamps are for people interested in launching a new career as a web developer. Most students in the program start with no formal web dev or tech experience at all. Pathrise job-seekers should already have some background in their chosen field so they can fully benefit from our technical training. Pathrise optimizes the job search through 1-on-1 mentorship. Our experienced mentors have helped 700+ fellows land jobs by assisting with all phases of the job search including resume and portfolio optimization, cold emailing and reverse recruiting, technical and behavioral interviewing, and negotiation. Our flexible program only requires 4 hours of group sessions per week and 1-on-1s that can be scheduled as needed. The curriculum is tailored to fit the unique needs of each fellow. We offer a 9% income share agreement (ISA) so our program is free until you land a great tech job. On average, fellows in our program land a job in just 3-5 months. Pathrise is a career accelerator that helps people land their dream job in tech. With our training and guidance, fellows in our program see their interview scores double and their application response rate triple. If you are interested in working with one of our mentors to land your dream job, join Pathrise.
Apply today.
