Hackbright Academy

This program really is as good as it gets.
The instruction is outstanding, and the curriculum is thorough, in both practical skills and CS theory. There’s great community and support for students and graduates, and a large network of partner-​companies looking to hire graduates and other companies the staff and other students can connect a graduate with for interviews.
I went in knowing nothing, one year ago; I graduated in early december and had 3 job offers from great companies before Christmas. The cost of the program is easy to recoup in the difference between pre-​HB wages and post-​HB salary.
I can’t speak highly enough of Hackbright; for any woman interested in learning software development, this would be my top recommendation.

I would recommend Hackbright to any woman – sometimes I have to remind myself that not everyone is as interested in tech as I am!
I’ve written a lot of blog posts about Hackbright, but to break it down, this school changed my life. I was able to get a full-​time engineer job offer within a week of graduating, and successfully negotiated for a higher salary. I think the reason I would recommend that women attend Hackbright over other schools is because having only women students makes it less daunting, and we were able to discuss the female experience in the industry and be prepared. Multiple mentors are great, and since women are in such high demand in the tech industry, a lot of focus is being paid to Hackbright. Also, after graduating, you are part of an ever-​growing alumni group for life. If you get hired by a partnering company, some of your tuition is refunded.
I’ve blogged a LOT about Hackbright. See these posts:
I also have my open-​source learning-​to-​code list:
And here’s a Quora question I answered:
I am always happy to answer additional questions. Email me (my first and last name AT gmail) or tweet me (@michelleglauser), please.

I have graduated from Hackbright in May 2013 (Spring class) and it was one of the best experiences in my life.
As a recent college graduate with little to no prospects in employment opportunities Hackbright was an easy decision to me — I loved technology, analysis, solving puzzles and I knew from the HTML/​CSS class I took in college that I enjoyed doing that kind of work. Even so, this program exceeded my expectations in every single way.
Hackbright is a full-​time 10-​week intensive program, and it is structured appropriately. First 5 weeks the class learns Python, SQL, HTML&CSS, Javascript, Git, CS fundamentals and other full-​stack technologies by completing 1 to 2 day exercises while pair-​programming (switching pairs for each exercise); the rest of the program everyone works on their personal projects. These projects are all challenging and very different from each other (this is why they are called personal), but most importantly during this time everyone learns technologies they are most interested in. Don’t worry, you’ll be guided and will be able to get lots of help during this time. The staff at Hackbright is simply incredible: dedicated to help as much as they can, personable and understanding. Also, unlike other similar programs, Hackbright has a very supportive and collaborative environment. There is a great community of alumni and mentors, and you can get any of your questions answered practically at any time of day.
We had a guest speaker almost every other day and a field trip (to companies such as Facebook, Google, Dropbox, Twilio and others) almost every week. It was a great way to get exposure to different opportunities out there, and see the offices of some of the best companies in the Bay Area.
It might seem improbable that in 10 short weeks you can become a Software Engineer, but it is true. Everyone in my class was making a career change and most people had little to no experience with programming. But the placement rate for graduates is extremely high, and the demand for women in tech is only growing. There is an impressive list of partner companies, and great connections to other companies through fellow classmates/​mentors/​alumni. Hackbright is definitely a worthy investment if you want to become a Software Engineer and join one of the best communities for women in technology.

I went to HB for 10 weeks in Summer 2012 and it changed my life, for the better. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I had taught myself a *little* bit of HTML, CSS, and SQL databases before deciding to make the career change; some of my classmates had taken CS courses or were other types of engineers, while others had literally no training or experience at all. Within the first few weeks, we had all learned so much from training sessions, guest speakers, and a lot of pair programming. From a day to the next, my knowledge and abilities in Python, shell, Git, and just understanding programming in general increased dramatically. I slept so deeply because it was such a mental challenge, in a good way. If you like to learn, this program will be difficult but truly fun.
The last weeks of Hackbright are all about a personal project, and it doesn’t get any easier. Most people learn a lot about javascript and frontend development during this time, while others dive deep into another area they’re interested in. Either way, you’re there working harder and writing code and doing more than you would have ever thought possible, with a group of amazing women doing the same, and instructors supporting you and answering all your questions. It’s hard to describe how important this community environment is to get through the process of learning so much and changing careers. You’re honestly in a vulnerable position, and it’s so easy to get emotional and doubt yourself, and want to give up. The community at Hackbright means that you’re not alone going through it and you get so much farther.
I consider most everyone in my class at HB to be a close friend — and I’m not like a sorority girl at all. It’s a transformative thing to do, and it’s amazing to bond and share with your group and the alumni network, and also a larger group of mentors, supporters, and connections in the bay tech scene and around the world. When we were learning Python, I reached out to the biggest celebrity around, Guido van Rossum, creator of Python. And he responded, and met with us. You can’t get much more nerdy cool than that!
A little on the logistics, apply whenever you’re even thinking a little that it’s something you want to do, because there are 3 – 4 classes a year and you don’t want to miss one and have to wait 3 months. Class runs 10 – 6 M-​F, excepting holidays (as chosen by the class), you’ll have an ample lunch break and there’s a kitchen there to keep food. It’s a relatively casual environment so if you’re late or leave early or need to miss a day for whatever reason, nobody will be mad at you, you’ll just have to catch up if you missed something. I personally think that you’ll get the most out of HB if you plan for evening and weekend events (meetups, talks, hackathons) that aren’t related to the actual class and are totally optional, but you’ll hear about and will really enhance your understanding and learning if you can go. Some people have worked part-​time but I think it’s really hard to do.
The two most common concerns I hear about about the price and getting a job. Here I’m going to ask you to trust me, and you don’t know me, so this might not work, but try. When you finish Hackbright, you will be an engineer. You will be able to create things that otherwise you never would. Many, many, many companies will find this skill to be very valuable. A job match depends on so many different things that I couldn’t tell you exactly how that will work for you. But, if you want a job, you’ll be able to find one. And at that point, the cost of HB won’t matter, because you got a job at a partner and they paid your tuition, or you got a scholarship or tuition break and it wasn’t so much anyway, or now you’re working as an engineer and money is not such an issue as it was in your past life (that’s how it happened for me). I know firsthand how hard it is, but it’s worth it and you must trust and jump.
If you’ve read this far, you or someone you know is pretty interested in Hackbright. But you probably still have questions. So, don’t be shy! Email or call them, and you can even come by to see the space. Reach out to me or any of the other alumni. Do whatever you need to resolve those doubts.
And please, even if you don’t choose Hackbright, don’t keep working doing something that doesn’t satisfy you. It might take longer, but you can learn a lot of things online, and by attending events and connecting with people in the tech industry. If you’re reading this, you want the challenge, so don’t settle. You’re good enough, you deserve it, your own happiness is worth it. Fight for what you want.
Probably, you’ll learn a whole lot about yourself and gain new strength that will change your life too.

Graduated from the Spring 2013 batch and could not be happier with my decision to do the program. Before starting, I came up with the three main reasons I had decided to take the jump, and in hindsight they all hold true:
1) Enthusiastic and dedicated alumni. Thanks to the twittersphere and general internet community, it was extremely easy to connect with past participants and gain insight into their experience. Everyone whom I contacted was happy to speak with me, emphatically recommended Hackbright, and allayed my biggest concerns (cost and job placement).
2) Highly respected partner companies: This list is really impressive (
). And there’s a ~ 90% placement rate for graduates.
3) «Worst-​case scenario»: I come out poorer, unemployed, and with zero interest in pursuing software engineering. This was very unlikely. Even so, I would still have a network of accomplished people and a new set of this economy’s most relevant skills. So yes, «worst-​case».
Now that I have graduated, I can happily report that point number three is moot for me (though definitely a concern for prospective students). I am now employed at an education startup in San Francisco and will be able to quickly recoup my investment. More information:
The 10 weeks themselves were extremely rewarding. The bar set by the instructors will challenge you beyond your personal expectations, resulting in more refined skills and higher confidence in your abilities. My classmates are now some of my best friends and the instructors have continued to provide mentorship and guidance.
If you like solving problems, I would recommend, without reservation, attending Hackbright Academy.