---
title: NSS Bootcamp Vs. Self-study | The Benefits and Pitfalls of Self-study
description: Last week we posted about eight of our web development alumni who started learning to code with self-study resources prior to deciding to attend a bootcamp. A couple of them made brief efforts towards finding a job before deciding to attend Nashville Software School (NSS), but all of them knew something was missing from self-study. We asked them about the pitfalls of their self-study journey that led them to pursue a bootcamp and why they chose NSS to help train them for a new career. Here is what they had to say in their own words.
---

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# [NSS Bootcamp Vs. Self-study | The Benefits and Pitfalls of Self-study](https://learn.nashvillesoftwareschool.com/blog/2019/08/01/nss-bootcamp-vs-self-study-the-benefits-and-pitfalls-of-self-study)

 Written by [Mandy Arola](https://learn.nashvillesoftwareschool.com/blog/author/mandy-arola) | Aug 1, 2019

Last week we posted about eight of our [web development alumni who started learning to code with self-study resources prior to deciding to attend a bootcamp](https://learn.nashvillesoftwareschool.com/blog/2019/07/25/exploring-a-career-change-the-benefits-and-pitfalls-of-self-study). A couple of them made brief efforts towards finding a job before deciding to attend Nashville Software School (NSS), but all of them knew something was missing from self-study. We asked them about the pitfalls of their self-study journey that led them to pursue a bootcamp and why they chose NSS to help train them for a new career. Here is what they had to say in their own words. The *emphasis* is ours.

### What Led These Self-studiers To Consider A Bootcamp?

#### The Pitfalls of Self-study To Change Your Career

###### Jordan Castelloe, Web Development Cohort 23

“I felt like I was learning in a vacuum. *I had no context for the tools I was using* and no way of knowing how they fit into the larger development ecosystem. I learned some JavaScript and some Ruby, but I had no idea how they worked together.

The world of software development seemed so huge and *it was hard to know what to prioritize*. It was kind of like standing in front of a giant buffet where all the food is completely unfamiliar to you and trying to pick the best possible plate. 

I decided that, if I wanted to pursue this seriously as a career, I needed more structure. I wanted someone to help me prioritize and make sure I was building good habits.

NSS felt like home as soon as I walked in. Some of the first words out of John's mouth were "software development is a team sport", which was a concept I'd never even considered. I'd been so focused on learning how to code that I hadn't even thought about what an actual developer work environment might be like. I loved that the instructors had worked as developers. NSS's mission lined up perfectly with the type of economic development work I'd been doing back home \[in North Carolina\]. I applied the next day.”

###### Jonathan Edwards, Web Development Cohort 27

“I decided that if I seriously wanted to make a career change (I was working in digital marketing at the time), then I needed to be serious about how I learned the material. Trying to teach myself everything in my free time would be possible, but *it was going to take much longer*. I knew that if I wanted to succeed at this, I needed to fully commit to it and surround myself with other people who also wanted to change their lives and careers.”

###### Jeremy Wells, Web Development Cohort 21

“During my self-study, I was also going to Meetups and talking to professional developers and realizing that there were so many other aspects of web development that I wasn't familiar with since most tutorials just show aspects of a programming language in isolation. *When it came to things like tooling, testing, compiling, design patterns, data, or deployment, I was lost*.

When I finally decided to make a career change, I organized my finances and decided to do a bootcamp. I was accepted into programs at NSS, the Iron Yard, and an online program called Fullstack Academy. I chose NSS because the program seemed much more thorough and because of its connections to the city that I live in.”

###### Trent Hand, Web Development Cohort 16

“*Frustration and motivation were challenges* for my self-taught journey. Most self-taught working devs I know had some sort of working friend/mentor in the industry to help them out. I didn't have anyone like that, so when I got stuck *I couldn't get enough help to move me past the barriers* or encouragement from others letting me know that I'm not too dumb for the task, the task is hard for everyone. A bootcamp seemed \[like\] a great way to have other people learning along with me as well as qualified instructors to help me with the concepts.”

###### Jeremy Landi, Web Development Cohort 12

"A friend from college was in town and told me about his positive experience at a bootcamp. After talking with him, it seemed like a bootcamp was the perfect solution to my problem. I began doing research into what were the best ones. Once I had 2 or 3, I reached out to people that had graduated from those bootcamps to get an honest response. The responses I got back from NSS alumni stood out above the rest. In addition, after talking with the staff, NSS seemed to care about making a positive influence on their student’s life and their community."

#### **The Timing Was Right To Make A Career Change**

###### Ronnie Young, Web Development Cohort 25

**“**We were moving to Nashville and I thought it would be my only chance to commit to something like a 6-month bootcamp since I would be in between jobs. A friend of mine from New York went to App Academy and said it was the best decision, so I looked into it and saw there was \[a bootcamp\] in Nashville \[that had\] a lot of positive reviews. Also, during our interview, John Wark talked a lot about how development was a craft and that went a long way – *you can learn a craft alone, but not nearly as easily as in a community*.”

Could you have predicted all of those pitfalls to self-study when looking to transition to a career in web development?

- Lack of context for the tools
- Hard to know what to prioritize in your learning
- Lack of structure and accountability
- It takes longer to learn
- Learn languages in isolation without an understanding of how everything is related
- Not enough help
- Learning is easier in a community of people committed to learning

Next week we’ll hear from the alumni about how NSS actually prepared them for their new careers in web development. Read [More Than Code: The Benefits Of A Bootcamp](https://learn.nashvillesoftwareschool.com/blog/2019/08/13/more-than-code-benefits-of-a-bootcamp).

[View full post](https://learn.nashvillesoftwareschool.com/blog/2019/08/01/nss-bootcamp-vs-self-study-the-benefits-and-pitfalls-of-self-study)

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