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Launch HN: Lambda School (YC S17) – CS education that's free until you get a job

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Re: Launch HN: Lambda School (YC S17) – CS education that's free until you get a job

#124

Post by austenallred »

jvrossb wrote: post #79
austenallred wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of things. We're online-only, focus on CS not building apps, 6 months long (vs 2 yrs), a bit less expensive, and generally speaking target different markets. I don't have anything bad to say about Make School. Have never met them, but they seem like they're doing a fine job!

Hey Austen - we should meet! We have a 4 term sequence of CS courses that cover most if not all the topics listed on your curriculum page. These topics are also touched upon and put to practice in our mobile, web, and to some extent our data science courses. It's only our Summer Academy which caters to students enrolled at others schools on summer vacation which focuses on app or VR development.

Cool. Ya we should meet sometime.

Re: Launch HN: Lambda School (YC S17) – CS education that's free until you get a job

#127

Post by ajdkjafklds »

I'm a bit confused why you're teaching JavaScript and C++. It would seem like those are geared toward different types of jobs. Also I've heard that other schools stopped two languages as it's too difficult to get people without prior experience to programming to learn two languages in such a short time period.

Re: Launch HN: Lambda School (YC S17) – CS education that's free until you get a job

#128

Post by bored »

austenallred wrote: post #118
bored wrote: post #108

Do you offer opportunities for existing programmers who are looking to improve their skills with the goal of getting a higher programmer salary?

We're working on that. Not yet, probably three months out.

Would the commission be less?

Re: Launch HN: Lambda School (YC S17) – CS education that's free until you get a job

#129

Post by movedx »

austenallred wrote: post #3
jbob2000 wrote: post #2

How do you know that your graduates are or aren't making more than 50k? How do you know that you're getting your 17%? Aside from that, you're essentially giving your students a loan and then having them repay it once they start earning money. How is this any different than a regular student loan (but with way more risk on your end)?

> How do you know that your graduates are or aren't making more than 50k? Great question. In addition to our income share agreement, each student submits a form to the IRS that will essentially copy us on their taxes. We have annual reconciliation based on those numbers to see if they match a student's self-reported numbers. > You're essentially giving your students a loan and then having them repay it once they star…

> ... if they don't get a job that pays $50k+ they don't pay us. Also, if you ever lose a job, your payments stop until you're back on your feet.

This is how it works in the UK and Australia with normal student debt. It's deferred until you're earning enough money and then is taken directly out of your pay cheque. Collection of the debt is also held off until you're earning a certain amount (in any field.)

> ... each student submits a form to the IRS that will essentially copy us on their taxes.

So it's not a truly universal online training environment, then? As a British citizen living in Australia, I can't file a form with the IRS, nor would I give the IRS my details for obvious reasons.

Re: Launch HN: Lambda School (YC S17) – CS education that's free until you get a job

#130

Post by austenallred »

movedx wrote: post #129
austenallred wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> How do you know that your graduates are or aren't making more than 50k? Great question. In addition to our income share agreement, each student submits a form to the IRS that will essentially copy us on their taxes. We have annual reconciliation based on those numbers to see if they match a student's self-reported numbers. > You're essentially giving your students a loan and then having them repay it once they star…

> ... if they don't get a job that pays $50k+ they don't pay us. Also, if you ever lose a job, your payments stop until you're back on your feet. This is how it works in the UK and Australia with normal student debt. It's deferred until you're earning enough money and then is taken directly out of your pay cheque. Collection of the debt is also held off until you're earning a certain amount (in any field.) > ... each…

We're still figuring out the details outside of the US.
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