FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Research Program vs Membership vs Classes
Which route to choose?
Start with Classes
Make sure we vibe. Using Large Language Models (or this one) is likely to be a good entry point, even if you're using them regularly, I can teach ya some stuff. I do teach some sciencey stuff in that class. You don't need to know how to code. If we vibe, you might want to hang out more regularly.
You have some options: Keep Going In The Track You Started In or Just Take Classes That Look Interesting. Or, you can turn on the thrusters full blast, and try to catch up with the wave of the singularity. We will have to pull you at hyperspeed but our testing indicates that you will still probably survive.
The Membership Program
The membership program gives you the ability to attend anything going on across campus (classes, research swarms, random stuff). You can also join in on podcasts and get unlimited coaching and 1:1s from Liz (bounded only by the finite nature of time and the number of people participating in this). You also get admission to all community classes - our community is full of senior developers, and they'll do demos and teach classes themselves. Talk with Liz to get coaching and enrolled in specific classes.
The membership program is $500 a month, or $420 for underrepresented people. It is often an option that people who want to contribute to the school choose to do as well.
The Research Program
The research program is generally for already-technical (usually neurodivergent, and often 🏳️🌈 or 🏳️⚧️) people who tend to teach themselves things but need some direction, guidance, community, and a cohort of peers trying to keep up with the singularity. It is expected that you are working on a project and will share and regularly demo this project with others to enhance their learning. You don't need to teach a class, but do just show what you have gotten done.
Register interest by talking to Liz, but admission is invite-only and at my discretion.
It offers a substantial discount on the membership fee, negotiate this with Liz based on your specific circumstances. You receive the same benefits as members (unlimited 1:1s, unlimited classes), and project management help from Caitlin, marketing of your projects through my channels, startup coaching, and research-program-only classes.
Sometimes, for high-contribution members, we will offer complimentary participation, but this is usually limited to professors with experience teaching courses (not individual workshops, but full semester-long courses, this is a non-negotiable requirement, I have just had so many people who want to be professors try this and then cancel a course two sessions in because it is very involved to teach a full class, it is not just talking about stuff you know).
Do I Need To Know How To Code?
Yes. We have some free curriculum on it, but also so does the whole internet. It will take you probably 2-6 weeks - I would say 30 hours with the help of ChatGPT. If you're learning to code, take Using Large Language Models and Custom GPTs, and then learn to code, then take the next cohort's Prompt Engineering.
I emailed you and you didn't answer!
Yes. So did roughly 20 people a day. I'm a professor- we get a lot of emails. The answer to your question is probably in the curriculum, on the website, or available via ChatGPT. I tend not to answer "brain picking" questions from non-students because I don't really have time, I don't even have time to get to all the emails that pay the bills and I don't want to spend all my time answering emails, I'd rather spend it with the students who have already paid to be in classes I am running right now. I can't even get back to all the people I even want to get back to who I have an existing relationship with.
If you sent me an email as a test to see if I really care about you personally before I have even met you, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. If that statement makes you feel upset and like you aren't welcome here, please consider this to be a confirmation of that, it is directed personally at you, you know who you are, and yes I am specifically alluding to you without naming you.