Our Friday sessions turn practice into a weekly ritual
Every Friday, we meet to tackle a new problem. You'll independently develop solutions, which are then meticulously critiqued by both peers and faculty. This is a whole new way of practice that's unique to our program. The weekly cadence allows you to make deliberate practice a consistent part of your routine.
Methodically learn algorithms the right way
Methodically learn algorithms from scratch the right way and leave nothing to chance. We painstakingly code review all of your work so you can take advantage of every possible growth opportunity, no matter how nuanced. You won't find this kind of feedback-driven training anywhere else.
Build a web development foundation that lasts
Instead of focusing on high-level frameworks that come and go, we focus on the timeless ideas that underpin them. You'll apply these fundamental concepts to build a series of increasingly complex applications on your own. Our overarching goal is for you to feel confident that you can turn any idea into reality.
Get career coaching from experts that have done it
Our hard-won experience comes from having done it ourselves and with hundreds of students in the last decade. We'll be by your side every step of the way, from crafting a resume that sells, to application strategy, to interview post-mortems, to offer negotiation.
Faculty-driven support that doesn't exist anywhere else
Get direct access to us via email, Slack, and unlimited 1:1 office hours (no teaching assistants ever). No other institution, public or private, offers this level of service at any price. We carefully manage the size of our student body to make this possible because we believe educational quality is more important than the bottom line.
No other teaching team comes close
Everywhere else, you'll get disinterested instructors and TAs that don't know what they're doing. We don't think that's good enough.
Gordon Zhu
Previously at Google, Penn
Gordon founded Watch and Code in 2014. Previously, he was at Google, where he worked in engineering, product management, and marketing. He studied economics at the University of Pennsylvania.
Lily Gentner
Previously at Uber, Square, Harvard
Lily joined Watch and Code in 2022 as an instructor. Previously, she worked as a software engineer at Uber and Square. She studied statistics and computer science at Harvard University.
We're not for everyone
But for the right type of person, there are no substitutes.
We're a no-brainer if...
- You've worked with top-level instructors before in another field (like music or sports) and understand the power of 1:1 coaching.
- You have a taste for learning things deeply, and you want that same experience with programming.
- You're tired of people who think programming is just memorization and pattern-matching.
- You have an unusual compulsion to sit with things for far longer than your peers.
- You enjoy the process of iteration and refinement.
We're a good fit if...
- You need a flexible program that'll work with your schedule.
- You're a professional developer or CS grad and want to level up in your career.
- You're a beginner and want to start with the strongest foundation possible.
- You want to learn directly from experienced engineers, not clueless teaching assistants.
You should run if...
- You just want to get the gist of things and don't care about getting the details right.
- You decided to pursue programming only after seeing an ad that promised a six-figure job.
- You need fixed deadlines to be productive.
- You want to learn about a specific framework. We focus on the underlying principles instead.
- You're looking for a quick fix and care about progressing on a predefined schedule.
Join our program
Our simple pricing gives you total flexibility. There's no risk and you can cancel anytime.
Full-Access Membership
- Master algorithms with our intense, feedback-driven assessments
- Learn how to build production-level web applications from scratch
- Supercharge your career with personalized career coaching
- Compound your growth with engaging, live practice every week
- Faculty-driven 1:1 support that’s simply not available anywhere else
No commitment
$299/month
If admitted, you'll be
invited to join
We only admit students that can handle the rigor of our program. If you’re not a good fit, we’ll happily recommend alternatives.
We don’t want the perverse incentives that come from charging one lump sum fee of $20-30K. Having to win you over each month pushes us to do our best.
There are no financial commitments and you can cancel anytime. We only want you to stay with us if it makes sense.
We’ve taken every measure to offer the best services at an unbeatable value. No other program offers this level of quality at any price.
What do students say?
Complete beginners and experienced pros love Watch and Code.
James Squillante
Sr Software Engineer @ Zeal
What I appreciate most is being held to a high bar in the assessments. I have to put in my best effort or I'll get called out. This accountability pushes me to be my best and is really hard to recreate on my own.
Rick Hallett
Software Engineer @ Edited
My manager suggested something similar could be created with a mentor at work, but not a chance. Once you notice the nuance in sequencing, in feedback, even incentives, you realize it's unlike anything else.
Kevin Morehouse
Software Engineer @ Qgiv
Landing your first tech job can seem impossible without a CS degree. From resume critiques to mock interviews and more, I got the support I needed to ensure that becoming a software engineer was not only possible, but inevitable.
Yousuf Idris
Software Engineer @ SPRCHRGR
Watch and Code outshines my $25,000, 4-year degree. What sets it apart is the personalized attention. No more settling for the bare minimum and apathetic professors. They know exactly how to push me to my limits and get the most out of every opportunity.
Ranjit Saimbi
Sr Software Engineer @ Hurtigruten Group
Coming out of a coding bootcamp gave me an impression of coding competence. This is much more than that. I’m improving my thinking and problem solving in a concrete and personalized way - a meta skill that is agnostic of technology.
Janelle de Ment
Software Engineer @ Mutiny
Personalized feedback on everything is a game changer. Not only do they spot issues that are easy to miss, but they go deep into the underlying reasoning behind everything.
Luke Nailer
Communications @ Victorian Government (Australia)
If there was a better way, I'd be doing it. While the mastery-based thing sounds all good, I'll be honest, it can be painfully frustrating at times. But, I've progressed more in 12 months here than I did in the last 10 years on my own. This is rewarding beyond words.
Zack Davies
Former COO @ TYB
Being able to validate business ideas on my own has been really useful. In my latest startup, I was able to build a prototype that we're now testing with real users.
Kenny Chow
Software Engineer @ Volan Technology
Gordon and Lily have helped me identify bad habits and misconceptions with their rare ability to empathize with my thought process. This has helped me get better at figuring things out on my own instead of relying on constant Googling and trial-and-error.
FAQ
How long does the program last?
Due to the self-paced nature and mastery-based assessments, duration to some goal (e.g. career change, more competitive role) varies wildly. It depends on many factors like your ability, effort, goals, educational background, and the hiring market.
There is absolutely intense sales pressure to market very short, unrealistic timelines accompanied by fudged success rates. Not only is this dishonest, but it's counterproductive because it pushes students to cut corners.
As part of the admissions interview, we're happy to provide an estimate based on your performance and background. For admitted students, we can provide better estimates that incorporate evidence from assessments, live sessions, and interview post-mortems.
What programming language(s) do you use?
Our algorithms curriculum uses a language-agnostic subset of JavaScript we call FoundationScript. We do this because we want our students to learn algorithms in a way that is broadly applicable and not language-dependent.
Our web development curriculum uses standard JavaScript. It’s not possible to use FoundationScript because interacting with third-party code is unavoidable in web development.
When are the weekly sessions?
Fridays at 8:30-9:30AM Pacific Time. In case that doesn’t work for you, we always record the sessions so that you can watch them later.
What percentage of students are experienced?
As of August 2024, 42% are experienced engineers. The remaining 58% are split between beginners, founders, and hobbyists. This is a testament to how we're able to adapt to the unique needs of each student.
Still have a question?
Send us a note at [email protected].
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