What to know before starting Flatiron School
If you’re thinking about joining the Flatiron School’s online immersive Software Engineering program, then this is the place for you. Here I will explain to you something i wish i would’ve known before starting.
Pre-work
In the weeks prior to starting, you will be assigned to complete 150 hrs of pre-work (maybe more for a slower learners like me). With the pre-work you will gain knowledge of the basic fundamentals of the Ruby language. The information you will be exposed to may be a little overwhelming but no worries here’s what to expect.
Key Take aways
Programming as Conversations
There is 4 Tracks(folders) that go over “Programming as Conversation” . In these tracks you will gain the very basics of the Ruby language. You should build a solid understanding of ALL of the information in these 4 tracks (learning this will help you when learning most other logical programming languages as well).
binding.pry
Binding.pry will be your good friend for the times you write ruby code. Really try to understand how it works, once you do, you will probably never want to stop using it. Its function is to assist you when looping through arrays or hashes. It will tell you what a specific variable is at a specific time. This approach will be far more effective compared to assuming a variable value.
Ruby Enumerable’s and Better Tools for Collections Work
One of my biggest pieces of advice is to try to get a good understanding of how iterations work. You might start off with while loops which is 100% OK, but challenge yourself to implement the use of enumerables. One piece of advice from my instructor(Marc Majcher) is to
- ) Make it work
- ) Make it pretty
Once you get a while loop to work abstract your code and try to clear out a few lines of code while keeping the same function. Starting off this will not be easy, but if you can figure this out you’ll be in good condition for weeks to come.
CHALLENGE : complete Hashketball and then see how you can simplify the code even more.
Github
In the pre-work you will be introduced to a website called Github which is an online repository vault. Github allows the possibility of version control and collaboration within a project. You will learn how to set it up in during pre-work & might still not understand exactly how to use it. DON’T SWEAT IT save yourself some sleep and if you can’t wrap your head around the concept, that is what week 1 is for! You will no doubt get a better understanding of Github in week 1. You will most likely feel a-lot more comfortable with it after just a few days. Once you understand Github you will most likely never stop using it, so make sure you get a good foundation with it.
Phase 1 advice
As i made my way through Phase 1 I opened my eyes to a-lot more than just code. While the commitment, effort, and focus were among the top contributors of my so far success, that’s not the only reason i made it through Phase 1. Your COHORT and INSTRUCTORS will be a tremendous help to your success. Create a good open relationship with them as you continue through the course. Never be afraid to open up, ask questions, and ask for help when you don’t know things.
Make yourself available to others. Helping others does not only benefit the other party but you too benefit from it. Verbalizing concepts can help you really understand the concept and how it works.
Practice. You might have heard the saying “practice makes perfect”, well it’s true. Good news ! Flatiron gives you access to multiple labs and modules to practice, so TAKE ADVANTAGE! As my instructor says “do it until it’s boring” (Marc Majcher) taking this advice will burn the algorithms in your memory and will set you up for success!
Your Health. As you gain more insight in coding it might be tempting to stay up all night and learn as much as you can. DONT. You don’t want to do this, and it is not the best for your health. Take breaks when necessary and get sleep. Your brain will thank you by allowing you to focus and be energized. Also listen to your body. When your body wants a break from code, or it needs to move around, this is probably a good time to step away from the computer and stretch out. Doing so can remarkably help your focus when you return.
All in all this course will transform you, No Doubt. This course can take you from knowing nothing to knowing something in just a matter of days. The important part is… are YOU willing to put in the time and effort?