S5E13: Setting Students up for Success - Smooth Start Program with Karis

S5E13: Setting Students up for Success - Smooth Start Program with Karis

Author: Launch School April 29, 2024 Duration: 56:27

Sign-ups for Smooth Start 5 are open now! Read more and Apply here

In this episode, Brandi has a conversation with Karis about Smooth Start. Karis is part of the Launch School staff and is largely responsible for creating Smooth Start, an introductory program to help students overcome common hurdles that are often faced at the early stages of Launch School.

They discuss why Smooth Start was created and new students' struggles, whether they're in the prep course trying to gauge how to take the plunge into the core curriculum, or fresh into the core curriculum, nervous about taking their first assessment.

Karis shares the week-to-week schedule that Smooth Start students get to participate in, along with how the agenda has changed over the various cohorts based on feedback from students and leads.

Finally, we get a sneak peek at what's to come with Smooth Start 5. Karis explains what's new in this cohort and how you can get involved.


For anyone curious about the deliberate, patient path to becoming a true software craftsman, the Launch School Podcast offers a grounded and insightful companion. This isn't about quick hacks or trending frameworks; it's a deep, ongoing conversation about the fundamentals of mastery itself. Each episode connects through the shared experiences of learning to code, drawing on voices from within the Launch School community and beyond. You'll hear from students navigating the curriculum, employers discussing what they truly value in developers, and seasoned engineers reflecting on the principles of long-term career growth. Discussions naturally explore effective study habits, the philosophy of mastery-based learning, and the practical realities of transitioning into a professional role. By focusing on the underlying process of expertise, this podcast provides a unique and thoughtful resource for anyone committed to a meaningful education in technology. Tune in for honest conversations that reframe the journey of learning to code as one of continuous, intentional growth.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 57

Launch School Podcast
Podcast Episodes
S4E7 Bytes: Biggest Takeaways This Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this bytes episode Karis asks Chris and the Launch School community "What was some of their biggest takeaways this year at Launch School?" After the students and staff share their takeways, Karis closes with some Laun…
S4E5: Transforming at Launch School [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this episode Chris and Karis discuss a recent inspirational talk given by Core graduate student Jake. Chris answers some additional Launch School-related questions including how ISAs work. Karis interviews Capstone gr…
S4E3: The Story of Launch School [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03:41
In this episode Launch School Student Felicia interviews Chris as he shares the origin story of how Launch School came to be. He also offers his unique perspective on how Launch School approaches learning, coding educati…
S4E2: Latest News, Interviews and Catch-up with Mandy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:26
This episode Karis and Chris discuss the all the latest Launch School interviews and presentations. Karis also catches up with the co-host from last season Mandy who now works at Mozilla. Finally they leave you with a nu…
S4E1: Welcome to Season 4! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:19
This season Chris kicks off our first episode by introducing Launch Schools new podcast format and new co-host Karis. Together they discuss the latest events happening at Launch School and some quick reminders students s…
S3E10: Season 3 Final Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:49
In today's episode, our podcast hosts Chris, Callie, and Mandy share their end of the year reflections on Season 3, new updates on where Mandy and Callie are going, upcoming ideas for season 4, and ambitious goals for La…
S3E9: Getting to Know Pete [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:05
In today's episode, Callie chats with Launch School TA Pete about his journey to and through Launch School. He shares about his beloved cats we see glimpses of, what brought him to Launch School, and why he enjoys being…
S3E8: Bytes — Gratitude [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:52
In this Thanksgiving episode, Mandy talks to students who have been at Launch School for over a year. These students share what they are grateful for and how the community has helped them throughout their journey at Laun…