Preparation Steps
This page has everything you'll need to prepare for our Entry Challenge.
We don't assume any previous knowledge, so don't worry if you've never coded before – most applicants haven't!
Preparation Steps
About these materials
What we're looking for is that you show us you're committed to learning to code, and that you communicate with us regularly (communication is really important on the bootcamp).
Applicants to Northcoders complete these materials for two reasons:
> It gives us a chance to ensure this bootcamp is right for you, and that if you come here, you'll get the results you're expecting
> Secondly, it's about letting you have a go at learning to code and see if you enjoy it!
Getting started
Work through these resources in order and make sure you fully understand them before moving on.
Please give us regular updates on your progress and let us know if you get stuck. We're not just looking for technical ability, but also whether you'll make a good student on a coding bootcamp, which means communicating openly with us.
During your Entry Challenge, you'll complete a series of coding challenges and then work through your code with a tutor. There is no pass/fail mark. We're far more interested in seeing how you approach solving problems.
Before you start...
Download Slack so that you can get help from our community!
Slack is just a messaging app that we use at Northcoders to chat to each other. You can ask for help with your code from our tutors or from your peers through Slack. Download it and add request to be added to our channels before you get started.
Send us the email address you signed up to Slack with
Sign up to freeCodeCamp
Send us your freeCodeCamp username
You can find this at freecodecamp.org/settings.
Get Coding!
Complete the following sections of the freeCodeCamp JavaScript course:
>Â Debugging
If you find any of the challenges difficult, have a look at other online resources and/or get in touch with us.
MDN, Stack Overflow and Codecademy are great places to start.
CodeWars
Sign up to CodeWars
When you have created your CodeWars account, let us know your username and the email you applied to us with.
How to CodeWars
Useful Links:
> CodeWars Documentation: codewars.com/docs
> MDN: Arithmetic Operators
How to CodeWars
How To Solve A Kata
Kata Solution 1
Kata Solution 2
Kata Solution 3
Start solving CodeWars problems
We've selected a series of problems that will test all of the skills you have learned up to this point. The Entry Challenge will be similar both in format and in the types of challenges you'll complete, so dedicate as much time as possible to solving problems through CodeWars.
Good software developers are good problem solvers, and we will be looking for you to show us your problem-solving ability.
Practice the techniques demonstrated in the videos above, such as using console.log() and breaking the problem down before starting.
If you struggle with any of the problems, there are a few things you can try. You could refer back to the relevant sections of freeCodeCamp, Google the problem, refer to resources such as MDN and StackOverflow and/or get in touch with us.
CodeWars Problems
Preparation Katas
This collection of problems have been put together to gradually build up in difficulty, introducing you to Codewars and important problem-solving skills.
Keep this collection open in a tab while you solve the problems in order.
Coding Meetup Series
These problems combine many of the concepts we've previously come across. In order to solve these problems, it's vital to break these problems down before and solve them step-by-step.