A CS Education That's Free Until You Get a Job - Austen Allred of Lambda School

TL;DR

Lambda School offers a CS education that is free until the student gets a job, funded by an income-sharing agreement. The core challenge is overcoming imposter syndrome and getting qualified but hesitant applicants to apply, with admissions based primarily on pre-course work effort.

Key insights

• The highest-leverage activity is inspiring people to do what they are capable of; imposter syndrome is the main barrier, not lack of skill.
• Admissions rely almost entirely on pre-course work performance (effort and average intelligence), not degrees or prior background.
• The income-sharing agreement (ISA) is easy to copy; the hard part is building an effective online educational experience, a hiring network, and an underwriting model for student risk.