Start hacking.<p><i>CodeFellows&#x2F;Udacity&#x2F;College is expensive</i>. Hack: Figure out what they teach you, and find other, cheaper sources of the same information. (edit: Check out Zed Shaw&#x27;s stuff <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;learnrubythehardway.org&#x2F;book&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;learnrubythehardway.org&#x2F;book&#x2F;</a> <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;learnpythonthehardway.org&#x2F;book&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;learnpythonthehardway.org&#x2F;book&#x2F;</a>)<p><i>CodeFellows&#x2F;Udacity&#x2F;College says they teach you what you need to know to get a job.</i> Hack: Ask employers directly what they look for when hiring. Learn that instead.<p><i>I don&#x27;t have experience&#x2F;proof of skills.</i> Hack: Start posting your work online. (Get a free blog or use GitHub or something.) Even if it&#x27;s a tiny thing. Bit by bit, day by day, you&#x27;ll be proving that you can ship something. When someone asks what you can do, show them the site. (edit: A shining example is Jennifer Dewalt&#x27;s 180 Websites in 180 days: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;jenniferdewalt.com&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;jenniferdewalt.com&#x2F;</a>)<p><i>I don&#x27;t know people who can help me.</i> Hack: Find your local web development meetup and go. Don&#x27;t sit in the corner. Meet people. Get their contact into. Tell them what you&#x27;re trying to accomplish. Ask them for advice. (People love to give advice.) Email them later and let them know you enjoyed meeting them. Thank them for their advice. Build relationships.