My daughter is starting a computer science program in about two weeks. Neither of us is a programmer, and she is wondering whether we should subscribe to an online learning platform such as Boot.dev, Codecademy, or freeCodeCamp. Our budget is limited, so I would like to know whether these services offer something meaningfully different from what she will learn in her classes, or whether she would be better off using free resources or simply waiting until the program begins. Would a short head start be useful, and if so, what would you recommend?
5 Answers
The biggest benefit of a paid platform is usually extra practice and projects, not secret material that a degree program will skip. Early CS courses often focus on fundamentals such as problem-solving, data structures, logic, and how to design a solution—not just memorizing language syntax. She could get more value from reading the assigned textbook, experimenting with small projects, and learning to debug her own code.
Paid courses can be worthwhile in specific situations, especially for a specialized technology or when someone needs a structured path and accountability. They are not automatically scams, but they are unnecessary here given the timing and the number of strong free resources. I would wait until she knows her syllabus and instructors’ recommendations, then spend money only if there is a clearly identified gap.
Also check whether the school or local library provides access to services such as LinkedIn Learning or technical book libraries. Student programs sometimes include useful subscriptions at no extra cost.
I would not pay for a subscription yet. Introductory CS programs generally assume students are starting from zero, and paid platforms will overlap heavily with the early curriculum. She may also end up taking on a second course before knowing how demanding school will be. Let her start classes, see where she needs help, and then consider a tutor or a targeted resource if necessary.
There are plenty of excellent free options for getting comfortable before classes begin. CS50 is a solid general introduction, while freeCodeCamp and The Odin Project are useful for hands-on programming and web development. Codecademy also has a free tier. Since she only has a couple of weeks, trying a free course or a few small exercises makes more sense than paying immediately.
If she does start exploring, let her choose something connected to her interests rather than trying to finish an entire online curriculum before school. A small game, calculator, webpage, or automation project can make programming feel less abstract. The goal should be curiosity and familiarity, not adding another major workload.
That makes sense. I was mostly worried that she would be behind classmates who have already been coding for years, but it sounds like the program should provide a proper starting point.