PART II: CODING CHALLENGES, ESSAYS, AND VIDEOS
This part of the application will help us determine and measure your programming ability. We use CoderByte to assess your programming and problem-solving ability. There are 12 total challenges that gradually get more difficult. Please submit a minimum of 10 challenges even if you do not pass all the unit tests. Note, your score is cumulative, so the more questions you answer, even if incomplete, the more likely you are to get a passing score. Each challenge is worth 10 points.
Please take your time with this application and answer as many questions as you can. You are competing with many other applicants and the people with the highest scores will be accepted into the cohort. Applicants who copy code from somewhere else will be automatically rejected.
Below, you will see instructions and links to your coding challenges.
If you are a total beginner with coding, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I learn how to code on my own, if I want to go to Code Platoon to learn to code?” Code Platoon is looking for students who demonstrate grit and a deep interest in coding. Students who have been successful in our program spent some time learning the basics of coding before applying, solidifying their interest and commitment to this new career path.
Complete beginners should allow 40-60 hours of preparation time before starting Part Two. Code Platoon provides a free, self-paced Intro to Coding course and can also recommend other preparation resources to prepare yourself for completing the challenges/assessment.
We understand that Code Platoon can feel a bit complex—between the intensive curriculum, selective admissions, and unique project-based learning—but we’re here to support you every step of the way, and that includes now, as you apply. If you have any questions as you move through the application process, please reach out to Greg Drobny, our Student Outreach Coordinator at greg@codeplatoon.org, or email us info@codeplatoon.org.
Coding Challenges
Click below to access the CoderByte Assessment. Please complete the assessment challenges in either Python, Ruby or JavaScript, and make sure to solve the questions by yourself.
While all parts of your application will be taken into account, the assessment challenges are how we measure your ability to learn, work hard and succeed in Code Platoon. Cheating of any kind (including looking up solutions and copying or modifying them) shows us that you are unwilling to participate fully in our program and will lead to automatic denial. You can ask others for help, but the work has to be your own.