[mhjas]

I don't know about Switzerland (nor that much about Lambda School), but even the most flexible schools in Europe tends to be quite rigid. Apply months in advance, study for years, deal with grades, admissions and administration etc. What most people need isn't "academia" but "training". That said I think most MOOCs are doing it wrong as well.

[noelwelsh]

In the UK quite a lot of Universities offer MSc "conversion courses" which are basically 1 year training as a programmer. Cost is usually reasonable. I know people who've done this and gone on to successful careers, including research. Here's an example: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/com...

Not that I think conversion courses are without issues, but the selling point of Lambda School seems fairly weak to me in the light of these.

[austenallred]

You should see our waiting list of folks waiting to attend in the UK. I can’t speak to what their decision making process is, but the demand is clear.

[noelwelsh]

I don't doubt demand exists. I'm just curious as to why.

[austenallred]

I’d guess they don’t believe a one-year conversion course from a university is a superior education to Lambda School (I don’t know about the quality of those in the UK other than that a few universities have already reached out asking us to replace theirs), with a hint of opportunity cost of the extra time. The fact that it can be done from home May also play a role, or maybe they don’t have a degree in the first place.