When I got an invitation to take part in the “Piscine” at École 42, I wondered whether it was a coincidence or a “sign.” The truth? It was a week dedicated to women who wanted to discover coding. I told myself: “Wait, this is actually great — I’m in the middle of creating my emotional mobile app with no-code, I’m just starting to discover a bit of Python to create commands and upload my documents. Maybe this is the right time to learn a bit more, it might help me.”
I genuinely think it’s amazing that a school like this exists and, on top of that, that it’s free and open to everyone through a selection process. In the end, this experience turned into a simple opportunity to test my own way of learning. Here’s my honest, no-filter feedback on my week in the Piscine at École 42.
Why does the École 42 “Piscine” intrigue so much?
So I went to École 42 in Paris. I arrived in front of a door with a crowd of women all elbowing their way in. The start of the sales? No, you guessed it — this was all about learning to code and hoping for a rich future life as a developer. There were a bit more than 350 of us, all just as bold, motivated and eager to find out whether we were “made” for coding. We’ve all heard so many times that you have to be good at maths, logic, this and that, that we end up building mental walls. Making code accessible to everyone, that’s a great way to finally break those walls down.
They called this initiation path “the Piscine” (literally “the Pool”). I’ll be honest, this usually isn’t my kind of thing… But I really hadn’t had a single moment to look up École 42 or how the week would be structured. The email didn’t say much; I should have dug deeper. I’d heard good things about the school and didn’t go any further than that. I was so absorbed by my app and everything else that I even got off three metro stops too early. The day was off to a great start.
A Peer-to-Peer Learning Method
It took ages to get more than 350 people into an auditorium. The day really started around 10:30 a.m. I sat next to women I didn’t know and didn’t really have time to get to know. They introduced École 42 and there was one slide in particular that caught my attention. They told us: no classes, no teachers, no set curriculum and no diploma at the end if we stayed on at the school afterward. For the diploma, I wasn’t disappointed — it was just an introductory week. But no classes and no teachers?! I was not ready.
They explained that the plan was that, throughout the week — just like in the regular program at École 42 — we would be working completely autonomously on a path that would help us make progress, with tests corrected by other students. We were supposed to figure things out by ourselves, searching online for information and working with people around us to learn more. That’s the peer-to-peer learning method.
To be honest, working alone from home has never been a problem for me. I can find the right information online, organize myself and manage my time. But working with learners from totally different backgrounds, sectors and levels, and being corrected by them — that’s really different.
In a company, I’m in my element; I know my stuff. When I work in a small group, we share our expertise, methods and experience in a field where we’re all informed professionals. That’s when we truly learn, and it’s enriching. It’s real knowledge sharing. That’s my idea of “peer-to-peer” that works.
But what about learning when we’re all beginners?
What are we actually sharing? Our guesses, our first stumbles, our mistakes? You see where I’m going with this — it’s not my way of learning. I saw some women getting around the system very quickly by signing up as “graders” so they could see the solutions to the exercises — as if cheating really pays off. Did they actually understand how things worked and why? The way they explained it made me doubt it, and I ended up getting the answer without truly understanding it myself. It was frustrating. And explaining something you only half understand to someone who has understood just as little as you… it’s a bit of a stretch.
If, like me, you need structure, regular feedback and clear steps, this experience probably isn’t for you. I make progress when I have goals, debriefs and feedback from people who actually know the subject. Of course, we did have volunteers in purple T-shirts who were there to help us. I think I heard them being called “comets” on the main floor. It’s funny to associate a tutor with the word “comet,” which can also mean a sign of impending catastrophe. But what I took from that label was mostly the speed at which they disappeared. I didn’t even have time to learn my volunteer’s name before she had already vanished… leaving us alone with our questions.
For beginners: is the École 42 Piscine a good idea?
When I’m feeling lost, the last thing I need is more confusion on top of it. The people I met were nice, but not enough to make me forget the rest: a floor packed with people, constant noise, towels lying around everywhere, having to order your lunch very early if you want something decent, and of course, the classic QWERTY keyboard prank. The thing that hits you the most in January, though, is how freezing the space is. I had a turtleneck and a base layer on, and I was still freezing and ended up catching a cold. Lots of women around me kept their coats and scarves on. I probably should have done the same.
Maybe this is also part of the learning method — to “train” us to work better, faster, or to push us to concentrate more. So yes, I didn’t crack, not for a second. I was awake, alert, on edge. But having a hundred people behind your back trading bits and pieces of answers from left to right, without you really understanding everything, is not a pleasant feeling.
That said, I think I would have absolutely loved École 42 if I hadn’t already bought into the classic school model from childhood, university and even corporate training. It’s a more vertical model, where someone who “knows” shares their knowledge with others, level by level. I would have enjoyed this original methodology much more if I didn’t still remember those few teachers who gave me more than just the desire to get good grades and succeed. What I really needed from them was desire, passion and genuine transmission.
If you see yourself in it, go for it. Otherwise… maybe no-code?
Knowledge sharing takes a different shape there, but it does exist. You just need to understand how you learn best and where your limits are. If you don’t like structure and adore a start-up atmosphere, this very free system might be perfect for you. If you feel good in an autonomous environment, you’ll be like a fish in water. It’ll be great. I truly hope you have an amazing experience there and get the most out of it.
One little thing: I came across several people who seemed amused by my smile — or even just by a “hello.” Don’t forget that part too. Don’t make the experience even colder than it already is.
My first name means “dolphin” in Greek. I’m supposed to know how to swim. But the thing is, I swim better when there’s someone next to me who actually knows how to swim. Then I feel safe and I tell myself that, worst case, they’ll catch me if I start to drown. There, I hit the bottom in the middle of all that noise. I was surrounded by a hundred people who honestly didn’t care that I was sinking among them.
So you’ll have figured it out: my experience in the École 42 Piscine ended quickly. I didn’t last more than a day. I need to learn to swim with a swimming instructor — attentive, patient, encouraging, and who explains each learning step clearly. I need a program, which probably reassures me, but above all helps me see things more clearly.
While I wait to find my future favourite “swim coach,” I’m going to keep having fun with no-code, with Chad, with Claude, Perplexity, Google and the others — from the comfort of my warm, properly heated apartment.
And you — do you know École 42? Have you been there? Or maybe someone you know has? Did you come out “diploma-free graduate” after how long? Tell me!
And in the next act, all that will be left is for me to tell you about the no-code approach I’ve adopted.
FAQ — Code immersion
It’s a free week to discover coding at École 42. In my session, it was designed for women (in career change, looking for a job, etc.). The aim is to go through a short path to discover research and teamwork, in line with the 42 “spirit”.
2) How long does it last?
Five days. They recommend being on site. You can organize yourself as you like: a lot is online, but it’s easier on campus.
3) Do you need to know how to code to apply?
No. In my group, people came from very different sectors, often with no coding background at all.
4) Who can apply (age, education)?
During the presentation, they told us: no diploma is required for this week or for École 42. If you want to continue there afterwards, you need to be 18 (or in your final year of high school).
5) How do you apply?
I applied online via France Travail. There may also be a dedicated form on the 42 side for these sessions; that probably depends on your city and dates.
6) Is it free?
Yes, it’s free. And they were very clear: no hidden fees.
7) Do you have to be there all the time?
It’s better if you are. The campus is open 24/7: you badge in whenever you want and organize yourself with the people you meet.
8) Are there teachers and lectures?
No. It’s peer-to-peer learning: you make progress on projects with other students and you’re evaluated by other students. The choice of evaluator is handled automatically.
9) Can you work on the side?
It’s possible if you’re working part-time, but it’s tough: the immersion is intense. And the “real” one-month Piscine plus École 42 afterwards are even more demanding. If you want to get the most out of it, you really have to be all in.
10) And the main program after that — how long does it last?
They told us there’s no fixed duration. People often talk about around three years, with a core curriculum to be completed in under two years — it depends on your pace.
11) Are there recognized diplomas or titles?
During the presentation, they told us there’s no official state diploma. I later saw that there are possible titles, but this wasn’t explained in detail.
12) And what about job placement?
In the presentation, they mentioned good employment rates. I didn’t meet any graduates that day, so treat that as a reference point, not a promise.