Teacher writing on whiteboard

Launch your career.

Everything you need to know to be successful at Launch

"I highly recommend Launch Academy to anyone who is thinking about switching to software development. Launch Academy found a great formula for success."


Mo Zhu
3Play Media

Upcoming course schedule

Boston #44

Feb 02, 2024

Jan 01, 2024

Jan 22, 2024

Mar 18, 2024

May 24, 2024

students collaborating with teacher

We help people who want to design their own future, and are ready to work hard to get there.

Students from all backgrounds, work experiences, and walks of life get their start at Launch. There is no “right” person for the job -- one of the many things we love about this industry.t. Here are a few things that succesful students have in common.

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Passion for building things and solving puzzles

A commitment to learning by doing through a proven problem solving framework sets you up for success on the job.

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Ability to play well with others

Software engineering is a team sport. Learning collaboratively mirrors the real world and enhances the learning experience.

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Insatiable curiosity and love for learning

A deep interest in understanding how and why things work is an essential trait for lifelong learning and personal growth.

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Commitment to building a new career

Investing in your future self will result in a rewarding professional life.

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Grit, grit, and more grit

Having a positive growth mindset to persevere towards a long term goal will power you through the learning journey.

Students collaborating in front of laptop

Prepare to launch your new career

Preparing for any interview is critical to your success. During the program, we'll teach you how to get ready for job interviews. The admissions interview is your opportunity to prove to us that you are up for the challenge!

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Apply - Provide some basic details and schedule your 1-hour zoom interview.

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Prepare - During your interview, you'll spend 5 minutes teaching us about a topic of interest.

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Be Yourself - It's interview time! We can't wait to get to know you and share more about the program. Here’s the agenda.

What to expect from your
interview process

Application Submission

Select a date and time to conduct your 1 hour Zoom video call interview.

1:1 Personal Interview

We’ll spend an hour getting to know one another and solving problems collaboratively. Interview agenda here

Program Acceptance

We can usually provide a decision within a few days following your interview.

“I had doubled my earning potential in less than a year. That's one hell of a ROI.”

David Garber: Launch Academy Alumnus
David Garber
Comcast
Student
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Flexible tuition plans to fit your needs

Investing in your future-self should be one of the highest returns one can earn. In addition, financing your tuition should not require a law degree to understand the terms. That is why we have partnered with Ascent, who helps Launch Academy students pay tuition and living expenses through straightforward loans.

Scholarships

We offer $500 diversity & military scholarships to level the playing field. Upon Preflight completion, you receive a $250 scholarship. Let’s ensure you get off to a great start before the program begins!

Upfront payment

Pay your $17,500 tuition in full in week 2 of the program. We want to ensure you have validated your love for coding and confirmed that we will serve as the optimal vehicle to get you there prior to making a life changing commitment.

Deferred Payment via Ascent

Straightforward loans and student-friendly payment options. Make no payments until three months after graduation. Budget manageable payments thereafter over 3-5 years. Obtain an up-to $6,000 cost of living stipend. Access Ascent’s tuition calculator here.

Unemployment Assistance via Massachusetts TOP

As an approved training provider, Mass residents on unemployment can extend benefits through the completion of the course via the Training Opportunity Program. This may be combined with scholarships and Ascent’s $6,000 cost of living stipend.

Have questions about tuition? Our admissions team can help to ensure our program is accessible for you.

How do I begin?

We recommend starting with an Info Call however, you can skip to the Interview if you feel you have enough information about the program to know its a potential good fit for you.

How can I best prepare myself for the interview process?

The interview does not require previous technical skills in order to be accepted. During your interview, we will cover four topics.

(1) About You - Share your background, what has you interested in learning to code and what you've done to date to validate that interest.

(2) Q&A - What questions do you have that we can help you out with? It is our goal to get you as informed as possible about the program. This is the time to ask us anything.

(3) Lightning Talk - Prepare a 5 minute verbal or visual presentation on a topic of interest. We're seeking to gain visibility into your ability to verbally articulate a concept for which you have a lot of knowledge. This is not only an important skill at Launch as a strong contributor to the learning environment but also on the job when you're communicating with clients, colleagues and managers. This is the only portion of the interview that requires preparation ahead of time.

(4) Logic Exercises - Launch is a zero-to-sixty program and as such, people come to us with varying levels of experience. A one size fits all coding challenge doesn't really work - we've tried it. So, instead we use logic questions similar to those that you may see on an LSAT exam. We happen to use Mensa challenge questions. The intent of the logic questions is to gain visibility into your problem solving process and how you solve problems collaboratively. So, we will serve as your learning partner along the way during the logic questions and provide small hints if you need them. No preparation is required/necessary for the logic questions.

We can usually provide a decision within a few days following your interview. While we can’t accept everyone into the program, we do encourage you to apply as a means to get started in your pursuit of a future career in software engineering.

Who is the typical Launch Academy applicant?

Launch Academy students come from all walks of life. Prior professional backgrounds include musicians, various trades, white collar jobs and many others. Some students have prior experience in adjacent fields including digital marketing, IT related jobs, design and have seen first hand the passion of team members who are in software engineering roles.

Do I need to own a computer to attend Launch Academy?

Yes, you need a computer to participate in our program. A Mac laptop is strongly recommended. While you will be able to use a Windows PC for this program, the majority of software jobs that graduates enter into after graduation require working on a Mac. To ensure you are set up for success in the long run, it's beneficial to learn to code on the type of dev environment and machine that you're most likely to work on in your future on the job. Which model you chose (Macbook vs Macbook Air vs Macbook Pro) is really up to you and your budget. A large portion of the Launch engineering team and students use a Macbook Air, so don't assume that you need to buy one of the more expensive options. From a technical perspective, as long as it can run the latest version of OSX, you'll be fine. The 8GB version will serve your needs for the program.

When should I apply to get into a particular cohort?

We recommend applying when you feel ready and with enough time prior to the start date of your ideal cohort to allow you to prepare. We aim to keep cohort sizes small and as such, if you are interested, you should schedule your interview as soon as possible.

I wasn’t accepted to Launch Academy on my first application. Can I reapply?

Yes, prospective students are invited to reapply to the program after spending time reflecting and improving upon their interview process.

Our multi-phased approach to learning provides students with safety nets.

three students working together on the floor
three students working together on the floor
student workstation with multiple monitors