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What is the Technical Check-in and why do we do it?

The Technical Check-in is an important step in the Immersive interview process we use to evaluate students’ readiness for the Immersive based on their technical and interpersonal skills. However, you should consider the check-ins to be more like coaching sessions that, while evaluating you, also help train you to be a better coder and strengthen your JavaScript fundamentals. You can also take the Technical Check-in multiple times (more details on this down below). Don’t worry, everyone is nervous at these check-ins but you quickly get comfortable once you start coding.

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What does the Technical Check-in evaluate?

The Technical Check-in evaluates your:

• Technical JavaScript skills
• The Immersive does NOT start from the basics. You must already have some JavaScript skills to be admitted so we will be mainly checking your JavaScript skills.
• Communication skills
• The Immersive is largely group and collaborative work so we need to know whether you are able to properly communicate your code and your work to others.
• Problem solving skills
• In the Immersive, you will face many setbacks and frustrations in your studies and assignments so we want to see how you handle being stuck or lost. Do you talk through your code openly? Are you open to feedback? We will be assessing these questions and more.
• Strong progress between check-ins
• Most people require multiple check-ins to pass. If you are still in your early stages of study or shaky in your JavaScript when you start the check-in that’s A-OK! If we see strong progress between check-ins then you can continue interviewing. However, our experience shows that slow progress indicates that someone is not ready for the fast pace of the Immersive and is not a good fit for the program. Get ready to learn fast!

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What does the Technical Check-in go over?

The Technical Check-in covers only JavaScript. You do NOT need to know any other programming languages for the Technical Check-in. The check-in will go over these topics and more:

• data types
• arrays and objects
• loops and iteration
• conditionals
• functions
• higher-order functions
• callbacks
• closures

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How is the Technical Check-in conducted?

The Technical Check-in will be conducted online through Google Meet with one of our Technical Interviewers in a pair programming style, meaning you will tell the interviewer what code to write. You do not touch the keyboard during the check-in because you will only be speaking the code (navigating). The Technical Interviewer will have their screen shared so you can see what they type (driver). This adds an extra level of challenge that helps us assess whether you have internalized the fundamentals required for the Immersive.

The Technical Check-in is open note and open internet. During the check-in, you may use handwritten notes or organize your thoughts on pen and paper. If you need to Google something, you simply need to tell the Technical Interviewer and they will Google what you tell them with their screen shared and you direct the search by telling them where to click, what to type, etc.

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Will I receive feedback about my Technical Check-in?

Yes, after each Technical Check-in, you will receive feedback about your check-in via email and what you should work on to prepare for the next one. You will NOT receive feedback during the Technical Check-in. Included in the email will also be the amount of time you must wait to have your next check-in.

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What types of questions are in the Technical Check-in?

The Technical Check-in will have two types of questions:

1. A JavaScript problem that you will solve by telling the interviewer the code to pass the tests that we have already written for you. You will be given instructions for the questions and the expected outputs of the question.
2. A JavaScript problem with pre-written code you must explain to the Technical Interviewer what will happen when the code is run.

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What things should I study for the Technical Check-in?

Along with these list of topics referenced above:

• data types
• arrays and objects
• loops and iteration
• conditionals
• functions
• higher-order functions
• callbacks
• closures

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These are topics you should be familiar with for the Technical Check-in:

• explicit vs implicit coercion
• statements vs expressions
• scope
• various array, object, and string methods and what they return
• working with arrays / objects without mutating them
• dot notation vs bracket notation
• pass by value vs pass by reference
• function declarations vs function expressions
• for/in vs for/of

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These are topics you should be familiar with by Immersive Day 1, but NOT required for the Technical Check-in:

• ternary operators
• default parameters
• switch statements
• short circuits
• prototype chains

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How many times can I take the Technical Check-in?

You can take the Technical Check-in multiple times. At Code Chrysalis, we believe that a strict admissions process leads to better outcomes. It’s no coincidence that the most selective programs tend to produce the most successful graduates.

In order to cultivate the best class experience, we reserve the right to deny admission to our course at any point. However, this shouldn’t scare you away from applying – we typically encourage promising candidates to retake our Technical Check-in multiple times, or to reapply again at a future date.

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Do you recommend any study materials?

We offer two introductory JavaScript courses that will teach you most of the topics covered in the Technical Check-in:

• Foundations: A 5-week, structured course (online or in-person) where you are taught JavaScript, HTML, and CSS by our instructors. You work on problems and projects with classmates. We also give you a sneak peak into the Tech industry and get you familiar with possible jobs, other technologies and programming languages. We recommend this course for people who want hands-on learning. Learn more on our Foundations page!
• Foundations Lite: An entirely online, self-paced course that teaches you JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. You will be given access to our LMS which has lecture videos for you to watch as well as assignments for you to work on. We recommend this course for people who require scheduling flexibility. Learn more on our Foundations Lite page!

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We also recommend these other online resources for concept learning:

• MDN – A popular JavaScript and web development resource. This is an excellent resource for learning about the topics listed above. Plus, improving your ability to read documentation is a key skill for a career as a developer. This skills takes time to learn but it is a valuable one to have.
• **javascript.info** – Explanations and tutorials on a wide variety of JavaScript concepts. Everything you will need to know for the technical check-in process can be found in Part 1 from 1.1 to 6.4.

Contact us!

We hope this guide was helpful and should you have any questions not addressed in this guide, email our Admissions Team at admission@codechrysalis.io. You can also schedule an online video consultation with our Admissions Team here.

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Good luck and we hope to see your application with us soon!

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