What’s Been My Experience of Launch School’s Core Curriculum?

While the Core Program had its highs and lows, overall it was an incredibly transformative experience and a program I was glad to have undertaken. Going through a mastery program is such a unique opportunity in that, not only do you walk away with mastered skills, but you get to challenge preconceived ideas about yourself and what you think is possible.

In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if I was too old or too ‘artistic’ to do Core and transition into a tech career. I worried about my average high school math and science grades and that my previous professions were in design and architecture — careers that I thought would not serve me at all. I feared that I may not have the brains nor the aptitude to become a software engineer.

These beliefs slowly shifted over time through Core, as each time I was able to complete an exercise I wasn’t able to do before, or write more confidently about a programming fundamental. Doing well in assessments and getting kudos from study buddies were also huge confidence boosts.

Now, I’m able to speak confidently about concepts like closures or polymorphism and gracefully solve interview-style programming problems. There are also other non-technical benefits I gained simply by working through a mastery-based program. Ones that stand out to me are clearer, more concise communication as well as improved research and problem solving skills. These kinds of soft skills are invaluable and can serve you regardless of your profession.

I also became less proud and fearful to ask questions in Launch School’s community Slack chat and forums. I learned that it’s better to put yourself out there and face a bit of discomfort, than pretending to know and performing poorly on an assessment. Not reaching out for help or asking questions can breed poor performance, which hinders your progress and can shake the confidence and foundations you’re trying to build as a programmer.

I also learned I could use my art/architecture background to solve problems more creatively. I fully believe no matter your previous profession, there are many skills that you can transfer to programming and apply in ways you didn’t think were possible. All you have to do is look for them.

Though I made a few amazing study buddies throughout Core, my personal Core experience was generally more solitary due to timezone differences. As Launch School is based in the US and I live in Australia, I missed out on several events, and meetups were just not possible. Not everyone was willing to accommodate my timezone and study with me, so a lot of my personal challenges through Core may have been exacerbated by not studying with others as much. I believe studying with others can really supercharge your learning as peers can recognise your blind spots and vice versa.

One of the most challenging parts about Core was managing my own test anxiety. When it came time to prepare for and take assessments it did get progressively better because I knew what to expect, but there were times when it would get the better of me. In the end though, it was never as bad as my imagination painted it to be and I was glad to have risen to the challenge. The other challenging thing was being faced with an exercise or concept I thought I might never be able to comprehend, which can lead to doubt and questioning my resolve to change careers. Fortunately I was able to prove this idea wrong with enough determination to understand the problem or concept in front of me.

One of the best parts of Core was the satisfaction of finally understanding a programming problem or concept that I had been mulling over for days. This is such a great feeling and made me incredibly grateful for having challenged the limits of my understanding. The other best part was the people of Launch School. I don’t think I’ve ever met so many like-minded, hardworking individuals like the ones within the community.

And because of the transformation everyone seems to go through at Launch School, they love being able to turn around to the people behind them and pay forward their hard earned lessons. I really respect that kind of generosity. I too continue to pay forward all the amazing things I learned about myself and about programming at Launch School.