The Benefits of Engaging with Tech Elevator Prework Before the Bootcamp

Life doesn’t slow down simply because you’ve enrolled in a coding bootcamp. And at first glance, the idea of doing work before starting an intense learning experience may seem intimidating – but Tech Elevator Prework is designed to make your overall experience less daunting by getting you in the right mindset for long-term success.

Read on to learn about prework, including how you’ll learn, what you’ll learn, and why it’s a valuable use of your time.

What is Tech Elevator Prework?

After incoming students are accepted and enrolled in the Tech Elevator bootcamp of their choice, they’re given prework, which includes a mix of readings, hands-on problem-solving exercises, and self-study materials.

Prework is broken down into four sections:

• Algorithms: You’ll work on problem-solving abilities by documenting everyday processes.
• Programming: You’ll learn how to write program code using JavaScript.
• Software development tools: You’ll work with tools that software developers use regularly.
• Preparing for the bootcamp: You’ll discover which resources and strategies can help you be successful in the bootcamp before it starts.

The Key Benefits of Tech Elevator Prework

While completing prework before your bootcamp start date is not required, it’s highly recommended. Here are two major reasons why:

Preparation

Prework will help prepare you for the pace and intensity of the bootcamp. As noted above, prework contains a lot of material. You’ll spend a good amount of time on it (on average, 35-40 hours), during which you’ll be introduced to new concepts and ideas.

All of this effort serves as a warm-up for what’s to come in the program. Our instructors note that students who complete prework often demonstrate persistence and grit, time management, and the ability to fill in knowledge gaps. These qualities correlate strongly with performance during the first few weeks of the bootcamp.

According to recent graduate Samantha Stinchcomb, completing the prework helped her adjust to the bootcamp’s fast pace, especially during the initial weeks of the program.

“I was one of the students who felt comfortable in Module 1 because the material felt like we were just adding things to our knowledge base that we gained [during] prework, and practicing the concepts and increasing our logical thinking skills,” she said.

Expectation-Setting

Prework has been mentioned in Tech Elevator alumni surveys as a valuable aspect of the overall bootcamp experience – and something worth the time and effort. It’s valuable for every incoming student, but it’s particularly useful for incoming students who have little to no previous coding experience, or for those who have been out of a classroom or learning environment for a prolonged period.

“It had been a really long time since I was last a student, [and] the prework was essential for getting me comfortable with how we were going to be learning and working,” said Tech Elevator graduate Toni Moore.

Interested in the Tech Elevator process? 

If you’re already enrolled, we encourage you to take the prework seriously so you’re ready to go on day one of your chosen program. If you haven’t yet applied to the bootcamp, get started with our Aptitude Test.

 

Written by Margaret Green,
Technical Skills Development Manager