Approaching a Career Change with a Growth Mindset
Approaching a Career Change with a Growth Mindset
Congratulations on your decision to kickstart a rewarding new career as a web developer, backend engineer, or data scientist with an online coding bootcamp!
Ready to go all in?
In this post you’ll find a step-by-step guide to applying to Lambda School – let’s get started.
When you’re ready to begin, click the “Apply Now” button on LambdaSchool.com or navigate to https://admission.lambdaschool.com/apply.
You will need to register for an account using your email or an SSO option (Google or Facebook) to access the application. We recommend that you use an email account that you check regularly, as we’ll send information about next steps as well as program information to the email address you list on your application. Once registration is complete, sign in with your new credentials to access the Application Checklist.
There are also a few important things you should consider at this point in the application process:
Once you’ve created your account, we’ll ask you to tell us a little more about yourself, including your age, address, and whether you live in the U.S. We require all students to be over 18, and to be a US citizen, permanent resident, or DACA-recipient. If you're not a US citizen or permanent resident, you must be able to pay tuition upfront.
Lambda School is licensed differently in each state, so we also require you to list your current address.
Next, we’ll ask you a few questions about what you want to study at Lambda and which program schedule works best for you. Select your desired program and schedule by clicking on the corresponding icon.
Want more info on how to best prepare for Lambda School? Read about our student orientation program, Lambda Launch, and learn the secrets to success at Lambda.
Lambda School is designed for people with some coding experience who plan to seek employment in tech immediately after graduation. If you don’t have any previous experience, you can still be successful at Lambda, but we strongly recommend you spend time with the web development, backend development, or data science precourse work, and commit to spending extra time studying outside of class. If you have concerns about whether or not you’re likely to be successful at Lambda School, please reach out to your enrollment advisor after completing the application process.
If you choose, you can also add your Github profile to this section of application to help us get to know you a little better.
Once you click “Save,” you’ll be redirected to the entrance assessment.
The next step in the process is to complete a brief assessment called the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test, which helps us predict your ability to be successful at Lambda School and in your future career. Our job is to ensure that our graduates are career-ready upon graduation. By learning more about our applicants’ skills and strengths, we’re better able to tailor our programs to fit their needs and to ensure that they will be successful after Lambda School.
There are 50 questions measuring verbal, math/logic, and spatial reasoning. Individuals with high aptitude scores are more likely to be quick learners and high performers than individuals with low aptitude scores. The CCAT consists of 50 questions, and you will have 15 minutes to complete the test. It's completely normal not to finish all 50 questions in the time allotted, so take a deep breath, try your best, and find a quiet place to work before you begin. You can find a free downloadable CCAT study guide here.
If you are applying to the Data Science program, you will also be required to complete a Data Science skills challenge at this stage which must be passed with a score of 11/15. You will have 45 minutes to complete the challenge. See our DS Challenge study guide for help preparing!
If you are applying to the Backend Development program, you will also be required to complete a Java skills challenge at this stage which must be passed with a score of 60%. You will have 30 minutes to complete the challenge. See our Backend Challenge study guide for help preparing!
Congratulations on passing the entrance tests! If you live in California, Texas, or DC, the next step in the admissions process is to submit proof of your educational background. We require all applicants from these states to submit a high school diploma or college transcript, or, if applicable, a GED transcript. If you don’t have access to any of these, please contact your enrollment advisor. If you do not live in CA, TX, or DC, you will not be required to upload these documents.
Once you’ve uploaded the required documents, our team will review your application and respond with an admission decision within 2-3 business days. Your admissions dashboard will be updated with your application status so check back frequently. If you haven’t received a response within 3 business days, contact your enrollment advisor.
Lastly, we’ll ask you to provide a few demographic details to help us better understand and serve our student body. Lambda School is committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, and understanding the demographics of our school helps us all better support each other in our unique circumstances. Note that this part of the application is voluntary and will not affect your admission decision.
Now it's time to submit your application.
Congratulations, you’ve been accepted!
The final step in the process is to finalize your enrollment, including choosing your start date and signing final documentation. If you elect to pay tuition using an income share agreement or retail installment contract, this is when you’ll sign the agreement. If you choose to pay tuition upfront, you’ll be asked for your banking or credit card information.
Now for the fun stuff – here’s where you’ll tell us how you’d like to pay tuition. Your tuition options may be different depending on what state you live in. In most states, you’ll have the option to pay tuition via an Income Share Agreement (ISA), pay the total amount upfront, or pay it in installments. If you live in California, you cannot use an Income Share Agreement, but you’ll have the option of using a Retail Installment Contract (RIC) instead.
If you choose to pay via ISA, you’ll pay no tuition until you get a job making $50,000 or more. Then, you’ll pay 17% of your monthly income for 24 months. The ISA does not accrue interest. If you don’t get a job making at least $50k, your ISA is automatically cancelled after five years of deferred payments. Keep in mind that you can only have one active Income Share Agreement at a time, so if you’ve signed an ISA with another school or organization, you won’t be able to sign one with Lambda.
If you live in California, the RIC option preserves as many student protections from the ISA as possible. Most importantly, it still allows for zero upfront payment and no repayment until you’re making $50,000 or more. Payments are still calculated based on 17% of your income and like the ISA, there is no interest. However, the RIC doesn’t include an automatic termination after 24 payments or five years of deferred payments.
Next, choose your start date.
After you click Submit, you’ll receive an enrollment agreement via Docusign to the email address associated with your account.
Once you’ve signed your enrollment agreement, you’ll be able to confirm your tuition. If you’ve chosen to pay upfront, you’ll receive an email containing your invoice to pay. If you’ve chosen the Income Share Agreement or Retail Installment Contract, you’ll be directed to our partner Meratas’s website to complete a short application.
Once your invoice is paid or ISA is approved, you’ll simply need to confirm your enrollment.
Congratulations on being admitted to Lambda School. We’ll see you in class.
Want more info on how to best prepare for Lambda School? Read about our student orientation program, Lambda Launch, and learn the six things to do before your first day.
