Hello there. I've just completed Holberton School year 1 and I'm currently working at my first company. I started Holberton in January and the journey has been amazing. There are some things about Holberton that you should know.
Holberton doesn't have teachers. That's right. No teachers, no lectures. We are project and peer based learners in this neck of the woods. Our projects have deadlines and we have to find resources to get them done. Resources include Google searches, technical blogs, Youtube videos, error messages with more google searches, and maybe even the person sitting right next to you. That's where the peer based learning comes in. While you are trying to become an independent learner you will discover that you do your best learning by collaborating with others.
Holberton focuses on more than just being a great programmer. Writing code is only one piece of the equation. Soft skills are equally as important, if not more. You have to be able to explain your ideas, work effectively in a team, and be able to compromise. Maybe you write the most beautiful code the world has ever seen, but it means nothing if you can't convey your ideas. Social media is a required portion of the course as well. We tweet and we write Medium posts. Maybe writing isn't your thing, but it's a great skill to have in the tool box. There is significant emphasis put on developing these skills.
Holberton will push you to better than you were yesterday. Although there are no teachers we have a staff that truly cares about the success of it's students. I had a few hard situations come up during my time in the program and I was pleasantly surprised by the support i received. These people really care about your future.
I've appreciated my time here and glad to be apart of the Holberton family. Nothing in life is perfect and this program isn't an exception. That being said, I'm really glad that I decided to attend here. I'm a testament to the fact that if you put the work in you can thrive in this program and succeed. feel free to message me on Twitter if you have any questions @mrspencertaylor
I've been attending Holberton for close to a month now. The learning environment is both professional as well as welcoming. Your peers are from varying aspects of life and provide a unique culture that is not seen at many big name schools which require high SAT/ACT scores coupled with a high GPA. Holberton simply cares about your motivation. That being said, you have to be both motivated, and capable of learning to be successful. Coming with a bad mindset will no doubt spell your downfall. If you chose Holberton, be prepared to work, struggle, be professional, and most of all interact with peers to achieve success in your projects, professional, and personal life.
