Hi, I’m Brian, a former senior software engineer and now software engineering mentor at Pathrise. I have worked with hundreds of software engineers and web developers to help them land their dream job. Check out my review of UCLA Extension Bootcamps.
- What does UCLA Extension Bootcamps do?
- Who is UCLA Extension Bootcamps for?
- What does UCLA Extension Bootcamps cost?
- Ratings and reviews of UCLA Extension Bootcamps
- Alternatives to UCLA Extension Bootcamps
- How does UCLA Extension Bootcamps compare to Pathrise?
What does UCLA Extension Bootcamps do?
UCLA Extension Bootcamps is an online coding bootcamp that teaches people the skills they need to land a job as a web developer, product manager, or cybersecurity professional. Students can choose between part-time and full-time options in Los Angeles. Due to Covid-19, courses are also online.
Before starting a bootcamp, students complete about 30 hours of self-paced pre-work. The web dev pre-work curriculum includes HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and coding fundamentals.
The 12-week full-time web development bootcamp meets Monday-Friday from 10am to 2:30pm PST. The part-time 24-week web dev program meets 10am to 2pm on Saturdays and 6:30pm to 9pm Mondays and Wednesdays. Students participate in live lectures, discussions, coding labs, and workshops. The project-based curriculum is flexible. In fact, the course is self-paced. The program teaches students to build full stack web apps using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, jQuery, and Node.js. They also learn responsive design, Heroku, Git, user authentication, React.js, MySQL, MongoDB, and more. Students graduate with a polished web dev portfolio to show prospective employers.
On the other hand, the product management bootcamp lasts for 18 weeks. First, students learn how to manage an entire product experience. Then, they develop in-demand product management skills by working on real-world projects. Finally, they complete the program by successfully building up a robust portfolio.
The program includes career services. Students participate in portfolio reviews, resume workshops, LinkedIn optimization, networking events, mock interviews, 1-on-1 coaching, and more.
Who are UCLA Extension Bootcamps for?
People with no experience in web development or cybersecurity who are looking to move into these careers could benefit from the bootcamp. The program is especially helpful for people who are based in Los Angeles or those who are seeking a flexible, self-paced learning experience.
What do UCLA Extension Bootcamps cost? How much work is involved?
Tuition for the full-time web development course is $12,495. The part-time web development course costs $11,495.
UCLA alumni are eligible for a $500 discount. Early registration discounts and interest-free payment plans are also available.
The admissions process begins with a brief written application or phone call. Next, candidates participate in a behavioral interview. If they do well, candidates are given a critical thinking and problem-solving assessment. There is no technical interview or coding challenge.
Ratings and reviews
UCLA’s Extension Bootcamps have mixed reviews. They hold a perfect 5 star rating on Switchup. However, they have 4.57/5 stars on Course Report. UCLA Extension Bootcamps’ students praise the program for its hands-on curriculum, support, and dedicated instructors, but some graduates have mixed feelings about the course’s pacing and job placement.
One of the top reviews on Course Report describes the program as “an amazing experience” that he was confident “will give you invaluable skills.” However, another top review felt that “Project work is very, very rushed” and was frustrated that “the curriculum kept changing.” The review was also critical of career services. They said the bootcamp just makes sure “you’re sending out a bunch of resumes.” In addition, they were worried because “many others have sent out well over 100 resumes and gotten little to no response.” Another graduate was also critical of job placement, warning that that career services are “lack luster” and only consist of “someone telling you how to apply to a job.”
UCLA Extension bootcamps hold a 4.5/5 star rating on Los Angeles Bootcamps, where graduates were impressed by the supportive instructors and practical curriculum. Users on Reddit had mixed feelings about the parent company managing UCLA Extension Bootcamps, Trilogy, remarking “It’s not UCLA it’s Trilogy.” One graduate warned that their career services “can only polish you up so much” and “no one has anything positive to say about career services.”
Alternatives to UCLA Extension Bootcamps
If you decide not to enroll in UCLA Extension Bootcamps, there are a number of alternative bootcamps and courses for aspiring web developers.
- One of the most well known bootcamps is General Assembly. They offer full-time, part-time, and 1-day courses on a variety of topics like software engineering, data science, UX design, digital marketing, product management, and more. Read more about General Assembly in our review.
- The popular bootcamp BrainStation offers programs in web development, web design, data science, marketing, and product management. Like UCLA, BrainStation features project-based learning and 1-on-1 feedback for students.
- Aspiring web developers can check out DevPoint Labs, a full-time bootcamp with both remote and on-campus options. Like UCLA, DevPoints Labs emphasizes hands-on learning, student collaboration, and instructor support.
- People seeking an online learning experience with 1-on-1 mentorship can also check out CodeX Academy, a self-paced coding bootcamp for aspiring full stack web developers and software engineers. Like UCLA, they feature flexible project-based learning and even include internship opportunities. Read more about CodeX Academy in our review.
- Students can also consider Kenzie Academy, a full-time tech bootcamp that offers in-person and remote courses in 2 tracks: front-end engineering and software engineering & UX design. Learn more about Kenzie Academy in our review.
- Bloc offers online courses in web development and web design. Like UCLA, Bloc’s program emphasizes student support, with real-time instructor feedback and weekly 1-on-1 mentorship meetings.
More alternatives
- The tech bootcamps Lambda School, Byte Academy, and Holberton School have tracks in web dev, data science, and software engineering. They offer students an income share agreement (ISA), allowing them to pay for the program after they land a tech job.
- For students seeking lower-cost web development courses, Simplilearn, Treehouse, and Pluralsight could be worth pursuing. While they may not have the same level of instructor support as more intensive bootcamps like UCLA, these programs offer a wide range of self-paced, online courses to learn essential skills for a career in tech.
- You can also check out Bubble no-code bootcamps to learn how to make products without coding. Learn more about Bubble in our review.
- Women looking to return to the workforce as product managers can benefit from taking the courses at Product Academia. Beginners can check out Dorm to learn the basics.
- Similarly, Blackblot and Product Innovation Educators have PM courses for beginners and more advanced folk.
- Those looking to advance their product management skills and network with a community of peers can check out membership and classes at Product Gym.
- In addition, Codecademy is one of the most popular coding programs online. They provide free courses on many different programming languages. They also offer membership options ranging from $20 to $40. Learn more about Codecademy in our review.
- Aspiring web developers can also check out Udacity and Springboard, two online learning platforms that offer thousands of self-paced courses on a variety of tech subjects. Learn more about Udacity and Springboard in our reviews.
- Finally, edX is one of the largest online learning platforms. They have courses from top universities like Harvard and MIT as well as big tech companies like Microsoft. Learn more about edX in our review.
How does UCLA Extension Bootcamps compare to Pathrise?
UCLA Extension Bootcamps are for people interested in learning the skills needed for a career as a web developer. While an interest in coding is recommended, most UCLA Extension Bootcamps students start with no experience. Pathrise job-seekers should already have a background in their chosen field to get the most out of our technical interview training.
Pathrise is a career accelerator that helps people land their dream job in tech. Our personalized program assists with all phases of the job search including resume and portfolio optimization, cold emailing and reverse recruiting, technical and behavioral interviewing, and negotiation. Fellows in our program see their interview scores double and their application responses triple. On average, fellows find a tech job within just 3-5 months of joining our program.
Our program is flexible. There are only 2-4 hours of sessions per week and 1-on-1s are scheduled as needed. With our income share agreement, fellows don’t need to pay anything until they find a job they love and start working. We never ask for deposits or upfront payments.
Pathrise optimizes the job search through 1-on-1 mentorship and personalized training. If you are interested in working with one of our mentors to ace your behavior and technical interviews or any other part of the job search, join Pathrise.
Apply today.
