Wow! This sounds incredible! Exactly the kind of thing that would be perfect for someone like me. A little background...
I'm one of those rare programming animals with a foot in each world.
I have written over a million lines of code and implemented many fairly sophisticated applications in over 90 different companies. So I have a great deal of confidence in my ability to build stuff. But here's the rub: most of the technologies I know so well are old (some may even say obsolete). So I have done what any self-respecting programmer would have done: I have taken upon myself to learn new technologies on my own and implement what I can where I can.
But there is so much demand for my services in the "old" technologies, it's hard to throw the switch. After spending all day on a client's project, it's tough to get enough momentum on my own stuff.
Also, I feel like I can really hold my own in areas in which I'm proficient. But technologies change so quickly, there are so many important things I feel weak in. Too weak to use on a client's work yet important enough to use when building new stuff. Also, I have never had any formal computer science education; I've learned everything I know in the school of hard knocks.
The idea of spending 3 months full time in the company of like-minded souls building cool stuff with new technologies and learning together is practically orgasmic for someone like me. (I know, I'm pathetic.) This would be the opportunity to "catch up" in all the things I've been wanting to do in an intense 3 month period. I can already think of a dozen projects I'd like to try in the class.
A few questions:
- How hard would it be to maintain a 30 to 40 hour client workload while going through the program? (And still have the energy to get all I want out of it.) I already work remotely and pretty much set my own hours. I do not want to stop my current work because people depend on me and I like the steady income.
- Do I sound like the kind of person who would do well in your program or are you seeking a more junior demographic?
- How hard would it be to get a reasonable room in NYC while maintaining a home elsewhere? (February 13 is way too soon for someone like me to relocate.)
- When will the next (after the Feb 13) session be? (That may be the best answer to my first 2 questions.)
It sounds like you guys are doing a great thing. Off the top of my head, I can think of dozens of my contempories that would blossom in a program like this. Best wishes for great success!
How hard would it be to maintain a 30 to 40 hour client workload while going through the program? (And still have the energy to get all I want out of it.)
I think this would be extremely hard (at least, I know it would be for me). We've had couple people hold down substantial client work (more on the order of 20-30 hours a week, I think) while doing Hacker School and make it work (and still get a ton out of it), but we've also had a couple that tried this and quickly realized they had to leave the program.
How hard would it be to get a reasonable room in NYC while maintaining a home elsewhere?
This is perfectly doable logistically. The biggest obstacle is the financial burden of paying two rents (or rent + mortgage). You can get a room in the city for ~$600-900/month. NYC has a crazy housing market but there are so many people here there's always stuff opening up and turning over, so it's easier to find a sublet for a few months here than, say, in Mountain View (I tried doing that and it was a mess).
When will the next (after the Feb 13) session be? (That may be the best answer to my first 2 questions.)
We take about a month off between batches, so it will start in late May or early June.
We've had couple people hold down substantial client work (more on the order of 20-30 hours a week, I think)
I was typically able to get in 20-24 hours a week while in HS batch[1], so it is possible to do HS and client work at the same time, but it's very challenging. I came in with two clients but wound up passing one of the projects off to another developer because it was too much work. The other client I still work for. Having two clients while in HS was completely impossible. Having one client while in HS is doable, but it depends on the quality of the client. The client that I kept never bothered me about trivial matters, gave me full autonomy over my work, provided the resources I needed to get the job done, and were just plain cool. I still work for them. If my description sounds nothing like any of your clients, I wouldn't recommend doing HS and client work simultaneously.
"After spending all day on a client's project, it's tough to get enough momentum on my own stuff."
"How hard would it be to maintain a 30 to 40 hour client workload"
One thing that I learned early on (which forced me to sell my first company before pursuing another opportunity) was that you have much more time than you have energy. Which is essentially what you are saying. The distractions of day to day things takes away from creativity and drive.
On the plus side you will be in a completely new environment which I think is essential to even having a chance of making this work. The fact that the school is essentially full time 4 days a week will allow you to work the other 3 days, say 10 hours per day. So that is the decision you have to make. Do you feel you can work 7 days a week for the time period of the program.
Keep in mind though that once you have completed the program you will still have to find the time to keep up your skills in whatever you have learned and you will still have the pressing needs of your current customers as well as the handcuffs of the income that they provide. That's going to be difficult to transition off of in my opinion.
I'm one of those rare programming animals with a foot in each world.
I have written over a million lines of code and implemented many fairly sophisticated applications in over 90 different companies. So I have a great deal of confidence in my ability to build stuff. But here's the rub: most of the technologies I know so well are old (some may even say obsolete). So I have done what any self-respecting programmer would have done: I have taken upon myself to learn new technologies on my own and implement what I can where I can.
But there is so much demand for my services in the "old" technologies, it's hard to throw the switch. After spending all day on a client's project, it's tough to get enough momentum on my own stuff.
Also, I feel like I can really hold my own in areas in which I'm proficient. But technologies change so quickly, there are so many important things I feel weak in. Too weak to use on a client's work yet important enough to use when building new stuff. Also, I have never had any formal computer science education; I've learned everything I know in the school of hard knocks.
The idea of spending 3 months full time in the company of like-minded souls building cool stuff with new technologies and learning together is practically orgasmic for someone like me. (I know, I'm pathetic.) This would be the opportunity to "catch up" in all the things I've been wanting to do in an intense 3 month period. I can already think of a dozen projects I'd like to try in the class.
A few questions:
- How hard would it be to maintain a 30 to 40 hour client workload while going through the program? (And still have the energy to get all I want out of it.) I already work remotely and pretty much set my own hours. I do not want to stop my current work because people depend on me and I like the steady income.
- Do I sound like the kind of person who would do well in your program or are you seeking a more junior demographic?
- How hard would it be to get a reasonable room in NYC while maintaining a home elsewhere? (February 13 is way too soon for someone like me to relocate.)
- When will the next (after the Feb 13) session be? (That may be the best answer to my first 2 questions.)
It sounds like you guys are doing a great thing. Off the top of my head, I can think of dozens of my contempories that would blossom in a program like this. Best wishes for great success!