Most individuals considering a coding bootcamp don’t realize they could acquire the same skillset (if not a more robust one) by enrolling in an
accredited university program.
For those willing to invest thousands of dollars on a coding certificate -- and potentially forego thousands in salary if you need to quit your job to make time for classes -- it’s only logical to thoroughly research your options.
Bootcamp Certification vs. Accredited Certification
Most bootcamps will promise to take you from having zero coding experience to an expert level in a couple months. You typically have to spend 40 to 60 hours a week and up to $30,000 in tuition. The psychology of a bootcamp is that when you live, breathe, and dedicate all of your money to a cause, surely you can’t lose.
The idea is nice, in theory.
But what if you have kids and a full-time job and, well, less than $30,000? What if you’re enrolled and realize you can’t absorb that much information in such a pressurized environment, with such a
limited amount of time?
What if you finish the bootcamp and then realize the institution you attended doesn’t hold much sway with employers?
Those who sign up for a coding bootcamp generally know they are taking a gamble -- with their time, money, and ability to learn a lot of complex information in a very short time period. But why take a gamble when there’s a smarter, safer alternative?
Earning your computer programming certificate from an accredited university may be the answer -- and there are far more benefits to doing so than are apparent at first glance. For one, university educations are heavily relied upon to produce the “soft” skills (such as leadership development, communication skills, and a collaborative mindset) students often require to succeed in organizational settings.
Another hidden benefit is that the duration of a university certificate program provides the necessary length of time for a student to process a large amount of complex information and commit it to long-term memory. It has been proven, through decades of research, that material is much better absorbed over a longer span of time. The phenomenon is called the “spacing effect,” and it’s why cramming for a test is a far less effective learning style than actually paying attention to lectures and doing classwork. By the same token, it’s why learning how to code is going to take a reasonable amount of time.
And, if you’re going to pay up to $30,000 for a coding education, wouldn’t you want to be assured it’s worth something? Certificates from university institutions bear the stamp of accreditation, meaning they must live up to standards set by a board of higher education. So, when a future employer reads that you earned a certificate from an accredited university, your resume will speak for itself. If you decide to pursue a university degree in the future, you will have earned college credits from completing a certificate.
Find out more about
CSU Global’s Computer Programming Certificate.
