Q & A

How old does my child need to be to enroll in <HelloWorld/> ?

  • <HelloWorld/> is meant for kids ages 11-14 (at the time of Year 1 enrollment) because we believe those are the best ages to begin learning to code.
  • We will consider accepting older teens on a case-by-case basis.
  • If you have a specific question about your child, please get in touch with us.

Who's teaching the coding classes?

  • All classes are taught by Ilya Basin. Ilya is a veteran software developer and has been running <HelloWorld/> since 2015. You can find out more about Ilya here.
  • We also have two teaching assistants (both of whom are graduates of HellWorld's three-year computer coding program!). Get to know our TAs here.

Are there any prerequisites?

  • The only prerequisite for enrolling in Year 1 is to be excited to learn to code!
  • Prerequisites for Years 2 and 3 are (of course) completion of Years 1 and 2, respectively. (Continued excitement for coding is also a must!) If you feel that your child already has the skills taught in Years 1 or 2 and you would like to enroll them in a higher level class, please give us a call to discuss.
  • Kids must bring their own laptops to class (see laptop requirements below).
  • All development tools used in the class are free and/or open source. We will help the kids set up the needed tools on their laptops during class.

How much does <HelloWorld/> cost?

  • Our pricing model is simple:
    Year 1: $60 per 2-hour class if paying monthly; $54 (10% off) per 2-hour class if prepaying for the semester
    Year 2: $70 per 2-hour class if paying monthly; $63 (10% off) per 2-hour class if prepaying for the semester
    Year 3: $75 per 2-hour class if paying monthly; $67.50 (10% off) per 2-hour class if prepaying for the semester
  • We send out invoices before the beginning of each month for the number of two-hour sessions held that month. A 10% discount applies if you prepay for the semester. A $50 fee will be assessed for payments that are more than 14 days late.
  • Please contact us with any payment questions.

Why do you charge more for Years 2 and 3 than you do for Year 1? Don't you guys spend the same amount of time teaching the class?

Class sizes for Years 2 and 3 are typically smaller than for Year 1 because completion of Year 1 is a prerequisite for enrolling in Year 2 and completion of Year 2 is a prerequisite for enrolling in Year 3. The smaller class sizes enable us to provide more individual attention to each student as we teach more advanced topics. To continue to provide this service to our more advanced students, we need to charge slightly higher rates per student.

When and where do classes meet for the 2022-2023 school year?

  • Please see our schedule here.
  • <HelloWorld/> meets at 2565 Pennington Place, Vienna, VA 22181. Please see location on map here.

Does my child need to bring his or her own laptop to class?

  • Yes, each child will need to bring a laptop to class with the following minimum specifications (we know from experience that children get frustrated and fall behind when they use a slow and/or outdated computer):
       o Windows 10 or Windows 11
       o Minimum 1.8 GHz 64-bit processor (quad-core or better recommended)
       o Minimum 8 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended)
       o Minimum 256GB hard-drive (SSD strongly recommended)
       o A powerful Mac laptop running a VM with Windows 10 in Parallels is an option.
  • All development tools used in class are free and/or open source.
  • We will help the kids set up all needed tools on their laptops during class.

How can kids get through all the material described on your “Curriculum” tab in a part-time class?

  • We have an ambitious curriculum, but our current students have no trouble keeping up. The “secret sauce” for getting through this much advanced material relatively quickly is not to do busy work and to focus on learning what matters. We know from experience that this works.
  • Regular attendance is very important so kids don’t fall behind and can keep pace with their classmates. If a child misses class due to illness (or for another exceptional reason), the child will be asked to watch a video recording of the missed lecture and ask any questions prior to the next class session. If a child is feeling well enough to attend class but may still be contagious, remote attendance is also possible, but we ask that this be limited to extenuating circumstances. This is done to ensure that no one is left behind and that the class can timely complete the curriculum. As always, the instructor is available for additional help as needed.

Why are you teaching kids C# and the Microsoft development stack? Isn’t Microsoft “evil”?

  • Reports of Microsoft being “evil” are greatly exaggerated (and outdated). :)
  • C# is an outstanding, mature language with great object-oriented support.
  • For a while now, all the Microsoft tools that matter (and the ones we use in class) have been free and/or open source.
  • C# and the Microsoft development stack (.NET) are the only tools unifying all of today’s relevant platforms: Web, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows, Mac, Linux, Unity, etc. If we used something other than Microsoft’s .NET, the kids would have to learn different languages and development environments for Web, iOS, Android, etc.

How do I enroll my child?

  • HelloWorld coding classes are held on Saturdays and run October-May of each academic year. Enrollment for the following academic year opens in late May and ends the first week of October. Enrollment is currently closed and will reopen in May 2024.
  • Students are accepted into the program on a first-come, first-served basis. Class sizes are limited.
  • To enroll, please click the button below and fill out the short form. We will be in touch with all the details.
    ENROLL