Welcome to the big show! We will do our best to set the stage, here, but really, it's pretty simple.
You're probably tired of hearing about how intense the next 15 weeks are going to be, but IT IS TRUE.
In over seven years we have learned that the biggest factors in completing the program are:
- Putting in the time
- Letting us know what is in your way
If you put in the time we require and do the things we ask, you will likely complete Prime and be in a great spot from which to launch your new career. If not, you may not complete the program.
We can be very flexible and adaptable if we know something is in your way. But we can't read minds and we can't control your time outside of class.
Prime requires 60+ hours EVERY SINGLE WEEK in Tier 2 and Tier 3. And this is to Meet Expectations. If you aren't spending that amount of time it is going to show up in your work and in class. We will notice.
Look at your calendar and the things coming up in the next 14 weeks. Your Weekends will be spent working on Homework and transforming into a professional programmer. Missing a few weekend events to help launch a new career seems like a small price to pay. If things are in your way, let us know ahead of time, not the following Monday!
In Real Terms:
- M–F: 9-5 in class (40 hours)
- M–W: 60+ minutes homework (3 hours)
- Th–Sun: Weekend Challenge (16+ hours)
Total: 59+ hours. That's like a full time job AND a part-time job, all at the same time!
It is a Marathon. You need sleep to learn. You need rest to be at your best :)
Do not stay up all night working. It will catch up with you!
These are the things we expect you to be doing at Prime:
- Be on time to class.
- Attempt ALL assignments.
- Communicate. Tell us what is in your way or if you will be late/absent.
- Ask for help. We're on the same team. You don't get a GPA. Cheating only hurts you.
If we notice you are not doing the above, you can expect that we will reach out and want to talk about it.
Becoming a programmer is not a one day event. It is a journey. The Reflections tab in the Portal is your chance to reflect on your learning and how it's going. Note that this is primarily for you. While we can see the entries, we do not monitor it actively.
If something occurs to you during your reflection you want to talk about, click the checkbox for "I'd like to request a 1:1 with a staff member who is not my instructor" and it'll get routed accordingly.
You will get many assignments, sometimes multiple in a single day of class. You must practice the code we cover in class in order to learn it.
Your goal is to complete the Base requirements on each assignment.
- Spend a minimum of 60 minutes actively writing code each night (not watching videos)
- Watching videos is not actively coding - get your fingers on the keyboard and work through those errors!
- Make at least 2 code commits on each assignment
- Come to class WITH QUESTIONS AND ASK THEM
- Turn in the work you do
If you don't finish, prep questions for tomorrow!
Pay attention, get involved.
- Type along during lecture, this provides another repetition of practice
- Share your screen when you need help debugging
- Volunteer once a day to answer a question in lecture
- Bring 2 questions to class each day and ask them in lecture or review times
- Ask questions during lecture, not during breaks - you need to participate
In order to graduate from Tier 2 to Tier 3, you must:
- Score Meets Expectations on >50% of assignments, with your initial submission
- For assignments with a Needs Improvement grade:
- Code Challenges: resubmit by Friday morning of the same week
- Weekend Challenges #1-3: resubmit by Thursday morning of Bridge Week (week 9)
NOTE: you will have time during week 9 to work on these!
- Attend class and arrive on time, with no more than 24 hours of absence.
Our goal is for everyone to graduate and succeed at Prime. If we see that you're not on track to meet these requirements, we will talk with you about your progress and look for ways to adjust your approach to the material.
You will not leave Prime with a Transcript. Your scores and feedback on code are provided to you alone. We provide written feedback on all Graded assignments so you can Improve.
Read your Feedback and try to make the changes in the next assignment. With few exceptions, we will not ask you to spend much time on past assignments after they are graded. We move fast and we try to focus your time on moving forward.
| Grade | Topic |
|---|---|
| Missing/Incomplete | Not submitted! |
| Reinforcement Needed | Base requirements not met |
| Meets Expectations | You got it! This is a great place to be. |
| Exceeds Expectations | Holy cats! Above and beyond. |
- Weekend Challenges
- Code Challenges
We don't expect perfection. If you are working hard and largely completing work, you'll probably be fine. We look at these scores over time – so try not to sweat the occasional low score. This stuff is hard.
- We expect you to score Meets Expectations on 50% of these Graded Assignments.
- NOTE that as you resubmit work, we won't re-grade or adjust your grade.
If you fall below this trend over a course of weeks, we will talk to you about your progress and how it is going. We'll be looking to adjust your approach to the material.
Likewise, scoring "Reinforcement Needed" on all your work is not a good trend. These scores are meaningful and represent your progress at the time.
We move fast! We also can't tell how you are doing without seeing your work. So missing or late assignments is a HUGE DEAL!
- If your graded assignment is late we will talk with you about what is going on.
- If you are missing multiple graded assignments we may halt your progress.
Again, we need to see your work in order to help you learn at the pace we require.
Our weekly Code Challenges are intended to give us the best view into your individual progress with key components of the curriculum.
If your Code Challenge is scored "Reinforcement Needed" it will be marked "Resubmission Required" in the Portal.
- Take our feedback and complete the assignment to Base requirements
- Be sure to ask questions to each other and Instructors!
- Your Resubmission will have a Due Date. It is your responsibility to get that done on time!
In the end, Prime is an intense experience, and we want you to succeed.
What we need from you is a willingness to:
- Take Chances, Make Mistakes - More learning happens when you make mistakes. We ask that you try everything we throw at you.
- Ask for help from your instructors - We can't read your mind. You have to be proactive and advocate for your own education.
- Use Prime Staff for help - Everyone at Prime desires to help you - all staff and all of the instructors. Talk to us!
- Use your Peers - Your biggest asset is your cohort - make the connections and struggle together. You will be stronger together.