How to Prepare for a Tech Bootcamp

You’re on your way to becoming a student at Flatiron School, and it’s not too early to begin looking ahead at what you’ll need to accomplish before your tech bootcamp cohort begins. 

Choosing to begin a coding bootcamp is a big decision that is both financially impactful and life-changing. At Flatiron School, we want to ensure you have as seamless of an experience as possible. 

Here are some tips from our admissions team about how to prepare for tech bootcamp. 

1. How to pay for the tuition?

Flatiron School offers tuition payments in three ways – pay upfront, loans through Ascent Funding or Climb Credit, or a 12-month installment plan. 

Note: Both loans and the installment plan require a credit check for approval. Read more about the payment options here. 

Pro tips for financing:

1. Make sure you give yourself enough time to apply for a loan or installment plan. 

2. Both options can take several days to process. 

3. Tuition is due one week before your class starts. This means, your loan must process or your payment must clear the bank and be processed on your account on the Monday prior to your start date.   

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2. Submit your proof of high school completion 

Everyone who attends Flatiron School must have proof of high school completion. Once you’ve been admitted to Flatiron School, you’ll need to submit a copy of your diploma or GED. If you don’t have your diploma, don’t worry. You can get an unofficial transcript from your high school’s office, so be sure to contact them now regarding that process. College transcripts or diplomas are also accepted. 

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3. Gather your “school supplies” — the computer requirements for bootcamp.

We have specific laptop requirements for Flatiron School, as it’s vital each student has access to the same operating system and a powerful enough computer to complete course work. 

Software Engineering and Data Science students are required to have:

• Laptop with latest version of either Mac, Windows, or Linux 
• 8GB+ of RAM
• 128GB+ hard drive 
• A working webcam, speakers, and microphone 
• See complete requirements here

Cybersecurity students are required to have:

• Laptop with latest version of either Windows or Linux
• 2GHz quad core or faster 
• 16GB+ of RAM
• 256GB+ hard drive
• A working webcam, speakers, and microphone 
• See complete requirements here

Product Design students are required to have:

• Laptop with latest version of Mac OSX
• 2GHz or faster with 64-bit support
• 8GB+ of RAM
• 128GB+ SSD
• A working webcam, speakers, and microphone 
• See complete requirements here

Why do we have computer requirements? 

These are minimum requirements so you don’t experience compatibility issues or slowness with your code due to lack of processing power, RAM or storage. You will also need to have a strong and stable internet connection. A working camera and microphone are also necessary for class.

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4. Choose your start date. 

Cohorts start on 3, 6, or 12 week cadences depending on what discipline and modality you’re enrolling in. The onboarding process into all cohorts can take anywhere from two to 4 weeks. 

When considering which cohort you’d like to join, there are several important factors students should be aware of when making a decision. 

First of all, between paying for tuition or securing financing, paperwork, and pre-work (explained below), the onboarding process into all cohorts can take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. 

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5. Complete pre-work. 

Pre-work is designed to prepare you for bootcamp by giving you a foundation in the concepts and skills you’ll need to succeed in your course.

Pre-work is done online and is a mix of lectures, videos, and reading material that will take anywhere from 30–60 hours. Prework must be completed one week before your cohort start date. You will also need to pass a test after you have completed the material.  a post test. 

Choose a start date that gives you plenty of time to complete your pre-work first. Determine how much time you have to commit to prework. For example, if you’ll be working full-time up until your program begins, you’ll at least need 3-4 weeks to complete pre-work. But someone who is working part-time or who isn’t working might be able to complete the pre-work in 2–3 weeks. 

Ready to get started? Apply today or book a 10-minute chat with admissions. 

If you’re not quite ready to sign up or are just getting anxious for your course to begin, try one of our free intro lessons or join us for an event. Remember, we are here for you along the way. 

If you have any questions about our program offerings or preparing, book a quick chat with an admissions representative. 

Disclaimer: The information in this blog is current as of April 20, 2022. Current policies, offerings, procedures, and programs may differ.