[colinmarc]

I'm also in the current batch of hacker school. It's been a humongously, life-changingly fantastic experience.

Before I did hacker school, I thought I was a good programmer. But being in a room with 20 incredibly smart people really makes you realize what you don't know. Since joining, I've:

    -Authored a (now-committed) patch to the python core 
    -Written a SPDY implementation
    -Contributed to many open source projects
    -Learned C and Rust

I've also made friends that I hope to keep around for a long time.

In short: If you have any interest, even if you've only done a bit of programming before, apply. They select on passion for self improvement, not skill.

[MengYuanLong]

Could you be more specific about the minimum level of programming? My programming is still in a nascent stage but I am considering applying to HS and wonder what the minimum bar really is. How would you describe the initial coding level of the least experienced attendee for your batch?

[jconnolly]

I can't speak for the founders, but it seems that if you can write fizzbuzz, and in your interview genuinely express an interest in programming, you've got a really good shot at admission. There will be an expanding class size, and I'd wager that the admission ratio will be comparable to last batch. Be confident, study up in the interim, and want it!

EDIT: I'm not too comfortable singling out the skillsets I'd qualify as 'least experienced'. Suffice it to say there are people who do not come from professional programming backgrounds who have picked up enough to write up fizzbuzz, and speak intelligently about the things they've used in the past, and would like to work on in the future.

[MengYuanLong]

Thanks to all of the replies even though I'm only posting under Jconnolly!

You all succeeded in answering my question and making me consider applying more deeply.

I certainly can write FizzBuzz but I was rather intimidated by the projects that attendees were working on.

Thanks a bunch!

[stc]

I am currently attending Hacker School and fall in the less experienced camp and can honestly say that the experience has been nothing short of fantastic. The environment is incredibly conducive to learning, no question is seen as too basic and there is always someone that can help with working through a problem. I have grown tremendously as a programmer over the last couple months, much more so than I would have been able to working on my own, and I attribute that to the other programmers I have been able to work with at Hacker School.

[colinmarc]

As others have said, there really is none. As long as you can do fizzbuzz, what they care about is a desire to learn, not your experience.

[jconnolly]

Good call Colin.

For more on what people are actually working on, take a look at Hacker Schooler Brendan Nee's web app: http://hs.bn.ee/

Or come to the excellent Hack & Tell NYC meetup and you might find one of us there presenting, as we (well, not me) did this week.

http://www.meetup.com/hack-and-tell