Zero Teachers | Zero Classes | Zero Tuition | 100% Coding
I was fortunate to have been invited and honored at Senator Bob Wieckowskis’s State of the District Address and Awards Ceremony. The event was sponsored by 42 Silicon Valley School in Fremont.
As I walked on to the second floor of a huge building, I was confronted with hundreds of computers on top of hundreds of desks. The school banner caught my eyes. It said: “Zero Teachers, Zero Classes, Zero Tuition and 100% Coding.”
I got so curious that I started asking questions of one of the students. We were later joined by one of 42’s marketing team, Stacy. Eventually, I spoke with Chief Pedagogic Officer (CPO) Gaetan (Yes, Martha! I learned a new word — pedagogic — at this encounter). I asked if it was possible to have a 42 School in Milpitas.
Gaetan responded that there is only one school per country. For the United States, we have the Fremont campus. Currently, there are about twenty 42s worldwide.
Based on the conversations:
• The school was founded by a French Billionaire who donated $100 million for ten years
• Must be older than eighteen years to apply
• There is a twenty-eight-day bootcamp (school prefers to call it piscine) to determine acceptance
• No programming experience necessary• School is open 24/7
• There are 1,000 computers on the Fremont campus
• There is a student dormitory close to campus
• Students can stay for three to five years of a self-paced curriculum
• There are no class credits & no diplomas given either
• Most students can find job placements within a year
Lastly, I encourage our residents to check out 42’s website and learn more about
their free and rigid yet flexible programs: https://www.42.us.org/
Who knows — it might just be a fit?
Evelyn Chua
Milpitas Resident
