Talgat Abdrakhmanov, 32 years old, hometown — Karaganda, student School 42 in Silicon Valley
About School
IT sphere became very popular for the last 10 years and there are many boot camps that teach how to code for certain admission fee. But to find a school which offers you to study for free, this is really a great chance.
School 42 in Silicon Valley gives an incredible opportunity to learn how to code and become a developer. 42 is an innovative engineering and programming college that offers rigorous, industry-leading education in a professional environment. The program is designed to prepare students for the workplace using an instructional design that means students learn skills for the digital world and for the technology industry.
This is a unique opportunity for everyone who would like to become a developer. School 42 offers a 4-week intensive program, named Piscine, which consists of IT courses where you can learn the programming language C. Everyone can join it, you don't have to be a citizen of the USA but you must have legal status and possess either/or: Extended Student's visa /Work Permit / Green Card.
This is a unique opportunity for everyone who would like to become a developer
I knew about this program through my friend back in November of 2018. I just enrolled into Piscine program March 25th - April 19th, just to try it for the first time. I never coded before so it is completely new to me. Let us see how it goes and I will continue to tell about any updates in the school 42 in the future.
How to enrol into university
Everyone who would like to go through career path of IT developer might join the program of Piscine for a month, based on complete tasks within the study and self-discipline, the person might be selected for the future enrollment at university 42. If you are selected, then you may study for the time of 1-3 years depending on your credibility and circumstances. To apply for Piscine program & read all details about admission, you may on the website.
Once you register for the program named "Piscine" you are enrolled. This program gives you one one month intensive training, non-stop studying the code every day. There are 3 times for Piscine programs left in 2019: July, August and October.
In order to apply a person must speak English and possess the documentation that was stated above. Knowledge of programming or IT background is a plus but not necessary. Everyone can join, even if you have never done it before.
Among the students there are some, who have been doing coding for some time and has some basics, there are some, who study coding for the first time in their life. All have equal chances to enrol for 1-3 years program, all have the same opportunity whether or not they have some IT background or completely new at this sphere. There is always a spot for those who want to learn.
I don't have any IT background and I am studying Piscine now, which means that everyone can do the same.
About the process of study
There are no teachers in the school. Only computers, tasks and you.
At the program of Piscine, you learn programming language C. The programs consists of every-day study without teachers or mentors, just on your own, an eye to an eye to a computer, spending 10+ hours in the laboratory. The tasks are given each day, at 8:42 am of the following day you see the new assignments. Every assignment for a day has up to 5-12 exercises that should be completed within 24 hours. If you don't have enough time, you pass those exercises that you finished. Next day you have a new assignment, so it is pretty hectic and intense.
There are no teachers in the school. Only computers, tasks and you
There is no particular schedule, there is just you and your tasks, everyone works at their own pace. Each week, on Friday there is an examination procedure, where each exam counts as very important. That is why there is lots of stress. Some students just drop off and go home. For instance, at the beginning of our Piscine program, there were about 300 people, now, after two weeks of study, there are 110 left.
The tasks are pretty complex and not everyone can solve them, the time limit is also an issue, sometimes you don't have enough of it, cause assignments multiply each day.
About advantages and perspectives
First of all, it is free, almost every school like that costs no less than $5-$6k and maybe even more. Most students (but not everyone) are provided with a dormitory depending on vacant places in the dorms. There is also a canteen build in the dormitory which allows getting food twice a day, lunchtime and dinner for a very decent price, $5-$6 a meal. This is a second good advantage of living and studying in School 42. Location is also great, the campus situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, the city of Fremont, California. If a person gets through the program of Piscine and passes all examination, then there is 10 days period when School directory decides if he/she enrols for further study. Those, lucky ones, who passed through might study for 1-3 years acquiring the profession of a developer.
To be in Silicon Valley and study - of course, is great. All conditions are provided for the student, the only thing you should is - study.
The name of School 42 due to 42 levels of programming. If you study hard, you can reach a certain level for about six months, but it requires you big efforts and self-discipline. Some students tell that with programming level 6, you may search for some internships and try yourself in different places applying for the jobs. The school has a good reputation and usually, if you get some internship, gradually person stays at that company.
I like to study and to study IT for free is a gift of destiny, in my opinion.
About plans
Currently, I am under the program of Piscine and it is pretty hard but I like it. My main hope is to enrol into university, 1-3 year of study, learn it till the end and become an IT developer. C language is a "mother" language of all programming languages, once you learn it, other stuff is easy to learn. My main goal is to enter the full-time program, I hope the dream comes true.
