Within 10 weeks of my first application, I had accepted a large salary and a small bonus at a company whose mission I was genuinely excited about.

Before I started at Launch School, I had spent the previous 7 years after college working in restaurants and cafes and bars, struggling to support my son on my own. I didn't even own a computer. I did the prep course on my smart phone. Since I was still enjoying it after that, I decided to commit. That commitment was the best decision I've ever made.

One thing that drew me to Launch School in the first place was their approach to learning. I have never been the type of student to rely on my memory and be satisfied with a surface level understanding. I prefer to comprehend concepts so fundamentally that I can recreate whatever complex ideas on top of them that I need. Mastery takes time and patience but it's well worth it. Launch School taught me in the way that I wanted to learn. And because of the self paced nature of the program, I was able to cook part time, study part time and take care of my kid.

I quit working, accelerated through the end of the curriculum and moved on to Capstone, relying heavily on my supportive family. Launch School was the hardest thing I had ever done. Until Capstone. The time commitment was substantial, the mental demand was exhausting, and the pace was frantic. I was amazed by how much I learned in a short amount of time and by how easily I was able to see problem solving patterns after my time with Launch School. My mentors were endlessly supportive. Computer science gaps were filled. My cohort felt like the cream of the crop. I am very proud of my team's Capstone project. The research was interesting and it was the best team experience I have ever had. It really gave me an impressive talking point with prospective employers and prepared me for collaborative real-world team programming.

Capstone was the hardest thing I had ever done. Until the job hunt. The tech market in the Bay Area is ruthless. I was so grateful to have checklists to help me prepare for this crazy interview process. I was warned to expect lots of rejection, that it would take time and studying, and there would be ups and downs. I did what I was told. I trusted the process. I took care of myself and stuck with it everyday. It worked! Within 10 weeks of my first application, I had accepted a large salary and a small bonus at a company whose mission I was genuinely excited about. I look forward to growing with them for years to come.

I wouldn't have gotten here without Launch School and Capstone. There is no guarantee with this or any school. But it worked for me and I would recommend it to anyone. This new career has changed my family's life. 0 to 120 in 2 years....I'm like the slowest racecar ever!