My team and I developed a seriously impressive Capstone project (that had multiple people ask why we weren't turning our open-source framework into a business!) and provided many opportunities to impress during job interviews.

Starting Launch School can feel like a leap of faith, as it's formatted very differently from classic education. However, mastering the fundamentals of software engineering proved to be WELL worth it, giving me the tools needed to break down and understand any new engineering technology or concept. This led to my team and I developing a seriously impressive Capstone project (that had multiple people ask why we weren't turning our open-source framework into a business!) and provided many opportunities to impress during job interviews.

Additionally, I really appreciate Launch School's inclusivity for aspiring women software engineers, given the stark gender disparity that persists in the industry. Within the prep curriculum, women's substantial contributions to the field were highlighted. While completing Core, the Women's Group gave space to disclose our unique perspectives, support one another, and share invaluable resources. During Capstone, both of my mentors happened to be women, which, when speaking with friends in the industry, is unfortunately rare. As someone who may have gone into computer science at a younger age if there were better representation of women in STEM, I am grateful that Launch School "walks the walk" when it comes to its female students.

I would recommend Launch School to anyone looking to become a software engineer. While it took serious perseverance and hard work, the results are well worth it. I am now making 45k more than I did as a physical therapist, with substantially more career growth opportunities, all while doing something I really love!