With its history of successfully preparing students for careers in software development, Hack Reactor is one of the leading and most well-known software engineering bootcamp providers. Students can choose from three program options, including a part-time program for working adults. After several weeks of rigorous coursework and live lectures, they will receive career support to help them kick-start their new careers.
Hack Reactor offers several financing options to make their bootcamps accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds, and through a self-paced prep course, students with little or no coding experience can gain the skills they need to succeed in the software engineering bootcamp.
Hack Reactor Overview Table
| Website | www.hackreactor.com |
| Courses Offered | Software Engineering Immersive Software Engineering Immersive, Part Time Software Engineering with JavaScript and Python |
| Course Delivery Method | Live — online lectures, coding lessons, and pair programming |
| Length of Courses | 12-36 weeks |
| Time Commitment | 40+ hours per week for full-time students; 20 hours per week for part-time students
Includes live virtual sessions and independent, asynchronous coursework |
| Tuition Policy | Students can choose from several payment options, including upfront tuition payments, split payments, fixed monthly installments, income share agreements, and financing. |
| Tuition | Software Engineering Immersive: $17,980 Software Engineering Immersive Part-time: $17,980 Software Engineering with JavaScript and Python: $17,980 |
| Job Placement | Students work with the Career Services team for one-on-one career coaching, mock interviews, job training workshops, and resume building. Hack Reactor also helps students find job opportunities via its professional partnerships and industry connections; however, there is no guarantee of job placement. |
| Certificates Offered | None |
How Signing Up For a Bootcamp With Hack Reactor Works
Hack Reactor’s admissions process is time-consuming, taking anywhere from two to four months to complete.
Prospective participants start by filling out and submitting an application. This takes between 10 and 20 minutes to complete, and students will need to share information regarding their coding experience, professional goals, and other relevant background information.
After completing the application, applicants will need to complete two nontechnical assessments, including a Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) and a typing test. The CCAT measures each applicant’s ability to solve problems, process new information, learn new skills, and think critically. This test is primarily used as a predictor of job success. To pass the typing test, students will need to reach and sustain 20 words per minute.
Next, Hack Reactor recommends that applicants complete the free, self-paced Basic Prep course. This prep course is not mandatory; however, it prepares students for the Technical Admissions Assessment (TAA) that all applicants are required to pass before they can be admitted into a bootcamp.
As the last step before admission, applicants must complete Hack Reactor’s coding challenge and TAA. The coding challenge covers the skills and concepts necessary to succeed in the bootcamp. This assessment will give applicants a better idea of whether or not they are prepared for a Hack Reactor bootcamp.
If students successfully complete the coding challenge, they move on to the TAA. As part of this assessment, students will be faced with coding problems that evaluate their fluency in JavaScript and their ability to work in collaborative settings. Applicants can take this assessment up to three times, waiting two weeks between each attempt. After completing the assessment, applicants will be contacted by an enrollment advisor within two business days to discuss their results.
Applicants must schedule their TAA at least four weeks before the bootcamp start date to give them enough time to complete the enrollment process and precourse curriculum.
Once accepted, students will need to sign the Student Enrollment Agreement, pay the program deposit, complete the precourse curriculum (90-120 hours), and pay their tuition (if they chose the upfront payment option).
Hack Reactor Tuition Overview
All three of Hack Reactor’s programs cost $17,980, which is in line with other high-profile software engineering bootcamps like Fullstack Academy and Flatiron School
For students who can’t afford to pay the full tuition upfront, Hack Reactor offers several payment plans and financing options. The split payment plan requires students to pay the first half of tuition on the first day of class and pay the remaining balance at the midpoint of the program.
Students can also choose the Income Share Agreement (ISA), which allows them to defer tuition until they land a job making a minimum salary of $60,000 a year, at which point they’ll pay monthly installments equal to 10% of their monthly income for 48 months or until they hit the cap. The cap is equal to 1.4x the amount that the student defers. ISAs are not available to individuals in Alabama, California, Iowa, South Carolina, and Washington.
Retail Installment Contracts (RIC), which are only available to students in California and Washington, allow students to defer tuition payments until they find a job earning at least $50,000. Instead of making monthly payments equal to a percentage of their income, students begin making fixed monthly payments for 48 months. The maximum monthly payment is $521.50.
With both ISAs and RICs, students only pay while they are employed. If they do not find a job or become unemployed, their payments pause and do not accrue interest.
Students may also be able to finance their tuition via loans. Although Hack Reactor does not qualify for traditional student loans, it partners with lending companies like Ascent and Climb, which help students get loans with fair rates.Students can also apply for a selection of scholarships, and the 12-week Online Software Engineering Immersive program accepts VA benefits, including ET TEC and VRRAP.
Bootcamp Courses Available
Software Engineering Immersive
$17,980 | Online | Full Time | 40+ hours per week | 12 weeks | Starts February 2023
Hack Reactor’s 12-week Software Engineering Immersive program is a live online coding bootcamp that helps students develop in-demand technical skills, including full stack JavaScript, and collaborative programming experience. Students will produce functional applications to add to their professional portfolios, and during the final week of the program, they’ll work with the Career Services team to prepare for their job search by engaging in mock interviews, fine-tuning their resumes, building their online presence, and learning negotiation skills.
- Placement Test Required? Yes
- Interview Required? No
- Skill Level Required? Basic coding and problem-solving
Software Engineering Immersive, Part Time
$17,980 | Online | Part Time | 20 hours per week | 36 weeks | Starts 2023
Hack Reactor’s part-time Software Engineering program consists of online classes that are held two weeknights and one half-Saturday each week. Students must also complete at least nine hours of independent, out-of-class work every week. The part-time program is designed for individuals with zero to beginner coding experience, which makes it ideal for those who are interested in changing careers. The current program will end in 2022, and a newly designed part-time program will launch in 2023. Students will learn cutting-edge tech like React and ES6, along with full stack JavaScript and computer science fundamentals to prepare them for a career in software engineering.
- Placement Test Required? Yes
- Interview Required? No
- Skill Level Required? None
Software Engineering With JavaScript and Python
$17,980 | Online | Full Time | 40+ hours per week | 19 weeks | Starts February 2023
The Software Engineering with JavaScript and Python bootcamp is an online, full-time program that aims to bring students from beginners to professional-level developers as quickly as possible. Over 19 weeks, students who commit to between 40 and 60 hours per week will learn JavaScript, Python, web development, and other in-demand skills. Students will work on several practical projects for their professional portfolios and will have the opportunity to retake modules if they don’t master the material the first time around. After completing the bootcamp, students will receive one-on-one dedicated career coaching services to help them land their first job.
- Placement Test Required? Yes
- Interview Required? Yes
- Skill Level Required? None
A Typical Week at Hack Reactor
The weekly experience at Hack Reactor varies depending on the chosen program, but in general, students can expect to participate in a combination of live virtual classes, asynchronous individual coursework, collaborative coursework, and live coding sessions.
Full-time students kick off their days with live coding sessions followed by live lectures and pair programming exercises. Throughout the afternoon, students work on projects in groups or pairs, and in the evening, cohorts gather for evening lectures and presentations. Students finish their days with coding sprints to develop their knowledge of coding fundamentals. Individuals enrolled in the full-time bootcamp can expect to spend between 40 and 60 hours per week between live lectures and coursework.
The part-time program offers a much more flexible schedule, making it the ideal option for working adults who can’t commit to the demanding schedule that the full-time program requires. The 20-hour-per-week part-time program consists of 11 classroom hours and nine hours of out-of-class coursework. However, those who struggle with the material may need to put in extra hours to stay on track. Classroom sessions include live zoom lectures, whereas out-of-class work involves independent and pair programming exercises.
Additional Features
Multiple Payment Methods
Hack Reactor’s high-quality career coaching services set students up for success in the months following bootcamp completion. Technical interviews are an important part of the software engineering job search, and Hack Reactor prepares students for this through mock interviews and training exercises. The Career Services team also helps students build strong Github portfolios, resumes, and LinkedIn profiles to boost their online presence.
Professional skills development
To find a job in software engineering, students need to be able to do more than code. Hack Reactor places a strong emphasis on helping students develop key professional skills like communication, collaborative programming, and deadline management so that they can succeed in a real-world work environment.
Course prep work
Hack Reactor’s bootcamps are very rigorous, and although students don’t need to have advanced coding experience before getting started, they do need to complete prep work to prepare for their upcoming coursework. Hack Reactor’s self-paced prep course teaches students the basic computer, coding, and professional skills they’ll need to succeed in their bootcamp.
Capstone projects
During the last several weeks of the software engineering bootcamp, students will work on a capstone project to add to their professional portfolios. Finding a job as a software developer requires proof of technical skills and practical experience, and this capstone project provides all students with the opportunity to do just that prior to beginning their job search.
What We Like About Hack Reactor
Hack Reactor is one of the leading software engineering bootcamp providers for good reason. From flexible tuition payment plans to flexible online programs, Hack Reactor is very accommodating and accessible to just about everyone.
Flexible payment options
Although the $17,980 cost for tuition may be intimidating, particularly to those who aren’t completely committed to pursuing a new career, Hack Reactor’s flexible payment plans make its bootcamps much more accessible. Students who can’t afford to pay the entire tuition upfront can choose to make split payments or defer their tuition until they find employment. Hack Reactor also helps students find affordable loans and scholarships to finance their education.
Fully online
Hack Reactor’s bootcamps are fully online, giving students maximum flexibility. This makes it easy for students to balance coursework with their jobs and other obligations. Live lectures are offered through Zoom, and students collaborate with each other online without having to meet in person. Hack Reactor’s part-time bootcamp offers even more flexibility, allowing students to complete their coursework during evenings and weekends.
Comprehensive curriculum
Hack Reactor’s curriculum is designed around the in-demand skills and technologies that will make it as easy as possible for students to find jobs after completing the bootcamp. Students will learn popular languages and libraries like JavaScript, Python, and React, and Hack Reactor adjusts its curriculums as needed to reflect the changing landscape of the software engineering industry. Hack Reactor also takes feedback from students and alumni into consideration when evaluating its curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of all students.
Beginner-friendly courses
The part-time software engineering bootcamp and the software engineering bootcamp with Python and JavaScript are designed specifically for applicants with little to no experience. Although other software engineering bootcamps cater to those with intermediate coding experience, Hack Reactor is an accessible option for beginners who want to make a career change.
What We Don’t Like About Hack Reactor
Overall, Hack Reactor is an exceptional bootcamp provider, but there is some room for improvement.
Limited program offerings
Compared to other bootcamp providers, Hack Reactor’s program offerings are fairly limited. Whereas platforms like Thinkful and Flatiron School offer programs in digital marketing, cybersecurity, data science, and product design, Hack Reactor focuses solely on software engineering. Although this may not be an issue for some students, those who are interested in disciplines other than software engineering will need to look elsewhere.
No guaranteed job placement
Select bootcamp providers offer guaranteed job placement, which gives students peace of mind and confidence. While Hack Reactor does offer exceptional job support services, there is no guarantee that students will find a job after completing the bootcamp. This can be problematic for students who aren’t able to comfortably afford the cost of tuition without a steady salary.
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