app-academy
About
About
App Academy offers immersive web development courses both online and in-person on campuses in San Francisco and New York City. App Academy’s curriculum is largely based on a hands-on approach. Students spend about 90% of their time pair programming and 10% in lectures, encouraging the sharing of knowledge while also making coding more social. App Academy places emphasis on career training to help students land jobs soon after graduation. App Academy's job-search curriculum focuses on algorithms, interview skills, and other technical interview-focused skillsets.
The in-person web development course is 16 weeks-long, and the full stack curriculum covers Ruby on Rails, Javascript, HTML/CSS, SQL, algorithms, data structures, and React/Redux. Students interested in this intense program should expect to put in 90-100 hours per week. The first 9 weeks of the course are focused on learning web development skills in multiple languages, and the final 3 weeks are a robust job-search curriculum. The online course runs for 24 weeks, and focuses on JavaScript and Python. Students of the online course learn fundamentals, such as JavaScript, Git, and object-oriented programming, and later build on these by learning languages, such as Express, React, HTML & CSS, and more. Like the in-person course, students of the online course create a portfolio that includes individual and group projects.
Interested applicants should expect to submit an application, complete two coding challenges, complete an interview and receive an admission decision a few days after the interview. Prospective applicants can also enroll in App Academy’s Bootcamp Prep programs to increase their chances of admission from 2% to more than 40%.
App Academy offers a deferred payment plan where students are only required to pay tuition if they secure a job upon graduation. App Academy offers two other pricing models for students as well — a completely upfront model and a hybrid model that is a combination of the deferred and upfront models.
Recent App Academy Reviews: Rating 4.68
Recent App Academy News
- App Academy Grad Jerrik Won $500 in Our Sweepstakes!
- February 2019 Coding Bootcamp Podcast
- April 2018 Coding Bootcamp News Podcast
Courses
Courses
App Academy Open
ApplyMySQL, MongoDB, HTML, JavaScript, Design, Rails, Express.js, React.js, Node.js, Front End, Ruby, SQL
OnlinePart TimeStart Date None scheduled Cost $0 Class size N/A Location Online With App Academy Open you’ll get free access to App Academy’s entire in-person full-stack curriculum, which has placed thousands of people in software development jobs. App Academy is ranked as the #1 coding bootcamp in the US and, since 2016, has placed more software developers at Google than UC Berkeley. On the Free plan you’ll get over 1,500 hours of material (readings, videos, projects), an interactive coding environment and community features like chat to keep you connected with thousands of prospective developers across the globe.Financing
Deposit N/A Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Beginner Placement Test No Interview No
Bootcamp Prep
ApplyStart Date None scheduled Cost $2,999 Class size N/A Location San Francisco, New York City Bootcamp Prep is a 4 week, part-time course, guaranteed to get you accepted at the most selective coding schools or your money back. The program will teach you up to an advanced level of JavaScript, and instructors provide you with 1-on-1 mock interviews, as well assist with your individual bootcamp applications.Financing
Deposit N/A Refund / Guarantee Your full Bootcamp Prep tuition will be subtracted from your initial deposit if accepted into App Academy's full time program under the deferred payment plan. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level N/A Placement Test No Interview No
Bootcamp Prep Online
ApplyStart Date Rolling Start Date Cost $1,795 Class size N/A Location Online Bootcamp Prep is a part-time, online course, guaranteed to get you accepted at the most selective coding schools or your money back. The program will teach you up to an advanced level of JavaScript, and instructors provide you with 1-on-1 mock interviews, as well as assist with your individual bootcamp applications.Financing
Deposit None Tuition Plans Standard: $995 Plus: $1795 Premium: $3795 Refund / Guarantee Money back guarantee if you aren't accepted into a top coding bootcamp Getting in
Minimum Skill Level No experience required Prep Work None required Placement Test No Interview No
In-Person Full Stack Web Development
ApplyMySQL, MongoDB, HTML, Git, JavaScript, jQuery, Design, Rails, User Experience Design, CSS, DevOps, React.js, Data Structures, Algorithms, Node.js, Front End, Ruby, SQL
In PersonFull Time40 Hours/week16 WeeksStart Date May 11, 2020 Cost $17,000 Class size 60 Location San Francisco, New York City Over sixteen weeks, you'll learn all the skills needed to begin a career as a web developer. Through hands-on projects, we train you to build web applications with Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, and React/Redux. Prior programming experience isn't required. However, you will need lots of tenacity and a passion for building cool stuff.Financing
Deposit Only applicable for the Deferred tuition option, a deposit of $3k will be required. Financing Lending partnership with Climb Credit available for the Upfront tuition option.Tuition Plans $17,000 Upfront Plan $23,000 Hybrid Plan ($9k upfront, $13k deferred) $28,000 Deferred Plan (Fully deferred with a $3k deposit) Refund / Guarantee Guaranteed placement under the Deferred tuition option. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Basic computer literacy Prep Work Provided at each step by App Academy. Placement Test Yes Interview Yes More Start Dates
May 11, 2020 - New York CityJuly 6, 2020 - New York CityAugust 31, 2020 - New York CityOctober 26, 2020 - New York CityDecember 21, 2020 - New York CityJune 1, 2020 - San FranciscoJuly 27, 2020 - San FranciscoSeptember 21, 2020 - San FranciscoNovember 16, 2020 - San Francisco
Online Full Stack Web Development
ApplyMySQL, HTML, Git, JavaScript, jQuery, Design, Rails, User Experience Design, CSS, DevOps, React.js, Data Structures, Algorithms, Node.js, Front End, Ruby, SQL
OnlineFull Time40 Hours/week24 WeeksStart Date April 20, 2020 Cost $20,000 Class size 25 Location Online Over 24 weeks, you'll learn all the skills needed to begin a career as a web developer. Through hands-on projects, we train you to build web applications with JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, React/Redux, SQL, and HTML/CSS. Prior programming experience isn't required. However, you will need lots of tenacity and a passion for building cool stuff.Financing
Deposit $0 Financing Available through Climb CreditTuition Plans - ISA: $0 Upfront. 15% for 3 years with a maximum of $31,000, only after you're hired making over $50,000 - Upfront: $20,000 Refund / Guarantee Guaranteed job under ISA tuition option. Getting in
Minimum Skill Level Basic computer literacy Prep Work Provided at each step by App Academy. Placement Test Yes Interview Yes More Start Dates
April 20, 2020 - OnlineMay 18, 2020 - OnlineJune 15, 2020 - OnlineJuly 13, 2020 - OnlineAugust 10, 2020 - OnlineSeptember 7, 2020 - OnlineOctober 5, 2020 - OnlineNovember 2, 2020 - OnlineNovember 30, 2020 - Online
Reviews
App Academy Reviews
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- Be prepared to pair program. A LOT.- 4/7/2020John Enriquez • Graduate • Course: Online Full Stack Web Development • Campus: Online • Verified via GitHubI won't need to wax poetic about the great things about this program, as many other below have already done so.
Nonetheless, there are two aspects of this program that set it apart from others. First, this curriculum is structured around almost-everyday pair programming. As an introvert I hated this part, but upon graduation I understand now that we've developed important interpersonal skills - soft skills that I believe will make or break your chances of hire, whether during interview or when evaluating culture-fit. By pairing every day, we can easily drop into any team, or lead one as needed.
Second, the career support is incredible. While my friends at other bootcamps shared their experiences with me as "they just give you the resources but you're on your own", I've found that App Academy invests a lot of time in making sure we're not just being left out to dry. The large network and multiple partnerships with companies really gives you a leg up on the job search.
All in all, be prepared to socialize a lot, be prepared to put in 90-hour weeks (which is NOT an exaggeration; I've attempted to do less and have suffered for it), and the rewards will be incredibly fruitful.
- Great Curriculum and TAs- 4/6/2020Kieran Scannell • Graduate • Course: Online Full Stack Web Development • Campus: Online • Verified via GitHubThe core curriculum in the online course was fantastic and the TAs were, for the most part, some of the best teachers I have ever had. I also really enjoyed pair programming and thought that it was a very effective way to learn the material quickly. I felt that the projects and job search prep curriculum after the core part wasn't quite up to par with the rest.
- Hard but rewarding!- 4/6/2020Garon Hock • Graduate • Course: Online Full Stack Web Development • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInIt was personally the hardest thing I had ever done. I just completed the course on April 3rd, and I can say that looking back it was a positive experience, but it did not feel that way throughout most of the curriculum. First of all, you need to be at a certain level to even get into the course. Depending on the person, if you are brand new I could imagine this being an extreme struggle, which is why I say it depends on the person. I know that some of my cohort mates started coding a few weeks before the curriculum and they were brilliant. Not everyone that attends app academy is a genius most are just regular folks who have a passion for code and work hard. There were definitely a few classmates that were leagues above everyone else, don't feel bad about it, instead try and learn as much as you can from them. That, along with the T/A's who helped teach the program, was the best part about the program. App academy puts you in an environment where if you legitimately put in the work, and ask as many questions as you can along the way, you have the ability to become a full stack engineer. The TA's that taught my course were amazing, they were leaps and bounds better than any college professor that I ever had, and never once made me feel like I asked a stupid question. You will literally be bombarded with material though, especially once the course switches to javascript/react/redux. Close to everything that you end up using on your full stacks was taught in the last month of the main course. Switching from ruby to javascript is hard and the switch is extremely fast, you get two weeks studying javascript fundamentals and then you're off to react and redux. I thought this was a little strange, due to the fact that I rarely use ruby anymore. But just keep asking questions and reviewing the material and you will be fine. In closing, your success or failure in the course is entirely on you, app academy isn't a magic place that turns out software engineers you have to work your ass off. Be prepared for that, even though I can't imagine how you would prepare yourself for the demands of app academy, you just have to do it to understand.
- Sammy Gutierrez • Software Engineer • Graduate • Course: App Academy Open • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInThe first four weeksIt was a great first 4 weeks of the course since we met for half days (perfect for adjusting to the course work followed).Pair programming was a bit awkward. You are required to type for someone else for 15 minutes while they talk you through their strategy, then you switch and you are responsible for talking them through the strategy. Now finished with the course, I do see the benefit of it so make sure you are doing it.The next 21 weeks.(normal "office" hours)Full day programming (my schedule was 10am to 1:15pm morning lectures/programming, 1:15-2:30 lunch, 2:30-4:45 pair programming, 4:45-5:00pm break, then 5-7pm more programming (with occasional evening lectures). The pair programming definitely helps pass the time (depending on the partner). Most cohort members were at a similar level while some students with previous computer science backgrounds were far ahead of everyone else. We had an AMAZING group of instructors who helped us along the way. I feel like that is the greatest thing I enjoyed about the course. not once was I made to feel bad about struggling with the content. The instructors were genuine in their desire to help us learn and succeed.(after "office" hours)Get ready to eat a meal, perhaps relax for 30 mins or so, then go into anywhere between 2-4 hours of readings/homework. Do not let up on this or you will fall behind. Also, think of the best way that you learn and go with it. I took paper notes on my reading the first couple of months then switched to google keep note taking half way through. Honestly, I feel like the note taking took longer but I absorbed the content better. Although it is nice to have a digital searchable archive of my notes. Try to absorb the material but not necessarily memorize it. Doing the homework will help you be ready to pair program which will keep you on track. Oh and don't forget to fill out your evening reports. We were were not told this until towards the end, but those reports ("what I learned", "challenges", etc) can be useful during your job search. Because of this, it may be useful to take notes as you work for these reports (you will likely be tired by the time reports are available to be filled out).(curriculum)Honestly, most of it is really good stuff. The projects give you hands on experience on the content and material you read about the night before. There are a ton of projects but it seemed like the goal was exposure not necessarily building a portfolio (until the last weeks). You have assistance when you need it and hopefully a fun partner each day that you work with. There were a few projects/assignments that I really enjoyed and some that I really didn't. Some projects are very applicable to the real world, (building websites, designing, constructing games/apps) while others are very scholastic(working on algorithms/math type problems, and writing "lite" versions of complicated stuff so you have a better understanding or appreciation). I honestly feel like some of the scholastic projects could be removed and the course would be enhanced.The two months are working solo as well as in a team to develop multiple web applications from scratch (from a pre-approved list). You will also make a portfolio and prepare for the job search (with readings and homework). This was probably my most favorite time and the hard work you did in the A05-A06 curriculum will pay off here. Feel free to check out my portfolio for samples of the types of projects. www.samgutierrez.com(strikes)App Academy does have a policy in place to hold people accountable to their work and being in class. For the most part, I see it as generous. You really can't be kicked out if you are doing what you are supposed to.The Job Search:After you complete your projects and your official last day the hard work isn't over.You are given a career coach who work with you to get you ready for the job search. He or she will require multiple things to be met each week. You must get a certain number of points per week and a certain number of application or you are given a strike.Personal tips:Don't over commit yourself.My marathon:I had already committed a couple months of training prior to signing up for a/A. This would be my second marathon and 10th or so long run event. I was on track for a 3:30 marathon PB but the marathon was not until 4 months later. Rather than paying to downgrade my marathon to a half or 10k ($100 bucks to do so), i just opted to continue with it. My training regiment had me doing a small amount of miles at the start of the course so the first month felt like a breeze. However, the next 21 weeks were living and breathing code and more strenuous running workouts. My schedule consisted of waking up early in the morning (after late evenings of homework) and training for my marathon for about an hour with long runs on weekends. Aside from that, I quickly began battling over tightness of my quads that never let up (and eventually led to injury). I got to 3 months into the course before I started experiencing Achilles issues. By the time the marathon came around I was not in good shape. Mentally exhausted from the course work and assessments and dealing with the Achilles issues, as well as unforeseen family medical emergency. There were days when I couldn't even run a mile before my Achilles just forced me to walk. Luckily, I abandoned my PB goal and was now just focused on not injuring myself but foolishly kept pushing. I ended up completing the marathon in 5 hours and 20 mins. Was it worth it....maybe? lol It felt like a bigger accomplishment than my first marathon but of course but the damage had been done. I am still struggling with Achilles injury (3 months after marathon) and fell behind during the most difficult, and honestly what I felt like, the most important portion of the course. Of course with no longer having to train, I was able to manage to get myself up to par but at more stress. My advice, think long and hard about committing to anything during this time. You will definitely benefit from having the extra time.Equipment:Get a second monitor, mouse, and a decent computer if you don't have one. Laptops are good but honestly I feel like the $300 used imac that I bought is so much easier to work on then the macbook pro I worked on for one day. It is a world of difference having to constantly minimize or drag things around just to see your code.Set up your equipment somewhere where you will not having distractions (this will be super important during assessments) but will also help your day to day. I moved my equipment from a second bedroom (with one window) to my living room with 3 because it got more daylight. This made a huge difference in my productivity because I felt the day longer (didn't get tired as easily), could hear birds chirping instead of the neighbor's kids on their trampoline, and could also let my dogs play outside while I monitored them through the window (as opposed to keeping them cooped all day and feeling guilty)! The sunlight also keeps you sane because depending on your time zone you may not actually be outside during daylight otherwise.If you have a savings and are able to invest a bit more a Solid State Drive would be helpful. Make sure you are using an ethernet connection for reliable video signal and consider investing in a inexpensive external microphone. This won't really be enforced but you will make it a better experience for you and your classmates.
- Learned A Ton- 4/5/2020Kevin Lu • Graduate • Course: Online Full Stack Web Development • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInThis boot camp is definitely worth it if you are looking to learn a ton and serious about making the career switch to becoming a web developer. In 6 months, I went from writing simple algorithms like isPrime and caeser cipher in Ruby to building full stack web applications using technologies such as Ruby on Rails, MERN stack, GraphQL/Apollo, and much more. By the end of the course, you will feel like you can learn any language or framework, and look at any web application, and have a good sense on what you need to do to reproduce its features, which are very powerful skills. That being said, your mileage will vary depending on how much effort you spend practicing and truly understanding the material.
- Best Choice I ever made- 4/5/2020Michael Giering • Applicant • Course: Online Full Stack Web Development • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInI loved the course! It was super hard, but in six months I went from knowing next to nothing about coding to being confident I can learn anything I need to be an effective software engineer. The TAs are amazing and I made some really good friends along the way. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get into the tech world.
- A typical day on a/A online- 4/4/2020Javier Ortiz • Graduate • Course: Online Full Stack Web Development • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInA typical day (online) looks like this.
8am Morning Q & A on homework lectures and project
8:30am - 11:15am video lectures broken down on 15-20 min chunks followed by 10 min of q & a
11:15am - 12:30pm lunch
12-30 - 4:30pm Pair programming, you are paired with another student and together you tackle the project for the day applying everything from the lectures/hw into a project. Everyday a different project. You have access to the TA's during this time as well.
4:30pm - 5:30pm (but 6pm really) End of day lecture / q & a
At least 2 hours of homework (video lectures, small projects)
The weekends I usually spent 4hrs on Saturdays catching up with hw/projects and about 2-3hrs on Sundays getting ready for the next week.
You have an exam every 2.5 weeks. The week before the exam you typically spend 1-2hrs every day preparing for it and definitely about 10-12hrs during the weekend.
- Dedicated and knowledgeable instructors. I was self-learning before a/A and having an instructor is huge, something that could have taken me days to figure out was solved with the instructor's help on a matter of minutes.
- The online experience is great, you collaborate the whole time with other students by doing pair programming and everyday you are working on a different project.
- You finish the program with 3 full stack projects and a javascript game.
- After the program you get assigned to a career coach that keeps you accountable to the number of companies you've reached out to and helps you prepare for upcoming interviews.
- You don't have to pay them until you get a job.
- Best decision I ever made.- 4/3/2020Michelle Vong • Graduate • Course: Online Full Stack Web Development • Campus: Online • Verified via LinkedInBefore App Academy I was already moving towards another bootcamp since I was in their prep course. Unfortunately, the experience decimated me to the point where I questioned if a career move was right for me. As a last ditch effort, I did App Academy’s prep due to the guarantee. I was honestly blown away. There was an honest attempt to break down the concepts and present it in a way that anyone, even with no coding experience, could understand. From there I was sold, never looked backed and made it into the immersive program.Daily life as a student:- Days are M-F from 8AM - 5PM PST.- There are 6 assessments, failing 2 will get you kicked out so there is a lot of pressure involved- While in immersive, you’ll mostly be pair programming working on projects- There is homework every night which needs to be completed for the following day. Some of the homework can be 4-5 hours long, so after a long day of work, you have more work- After immersive, you’ll spend most of your time working on projects while learning some new concept and materials in betweenI will say for my individual experience:- My instructors were amazing. They were really chill, knowledgeable, and their support is one of the things I will always speak highly of.- All of my cohort mates are awesome. Everyone has different backgrounds, but you start to lean on each other for support, and build connections you didn’t expect.- I learned a lot, it doesn’t always feel that way. But the knowledge you gain from the begin to end is substantial, and that is a big plus.I can’t speak for job search since I’m only beginning, but what I can say is I like my career coach. His plan and expectations make sense and I’m hopeful it’ll land a job soon.Overall, if I went back in time, I’d still do it all over again. I had such an amazing experience and would recommend App Academy based off of that. It’s hard of course, but worth it.
- Great Curriculum and Teaching Staff- 4/2/2020Andy Tran • Software Engineer • Student • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInI learned so much the past four months at App Academy. The structure of the program is just so good, it is adapted so you could learn so much material in such a short amount of time. However, of course there are downfalls cramming material that would be usually taught over a week at a university course in a single day. I would like to say that they do not lie when they say you will be putting in a strenuous amount of hours coding and learning. The people you meet here at App Academy are the best resources you'll garner!!! It is definitely an atmosphere, where you're frequently working hard because your with peers who are doing the same to reach the same goal. The TAs work hard to make sure you're on track, and they actually do care about your success in the course and in the future.
- Alec Keeler • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInI started with App Academy's boot camp prep, and it was WELL worth the money as someone who had no coding experience. The boot camp itself was tough and stressful, but the instructional staff are amazing and supportive. I always felt like I had the help I needed to succeed, and I feel confident about entering the industry, despite an unrelated background. Highly recommend it!
- Tough but worth it- 4/1/2020If you're looking for a structured program that pushes you harder than you could ever push yourself, this is it.
Pros:
- Daily projects to practice the concepts you learn
- TAs to help you along the way
- Three major projects for your portfolio towards the end of the course
- Your cohort-mates are just as motivated as you so it's a really good environment to be in
Cons:
- They move through the material really fast and it always feels like you never completely learn everything (which is expected I guess, given the amount of info taught in such a short amount of time
- There are weekly assessments - two fails result in a dismissal, which adds a lot of stress in addition to the course load
- They mean it when they say 'expect to work 80-90+ hours a week'.
- Review- 4/1/2020Tarik Gul • Software Engineer • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInOverall, i really loved my time at a/A. The TA's are amazing, and really are there to see you succeed. But keep in mind they are app academy graduates (they are all very intelligent) so if you're going to ask a question outside of the scope of the curriculum don't always expect an answer, but i promise you if they don't know they will do there best to get back to you with an answer. This is not bad though because as a software engineer you'll always have to figure stuff out on your own and thats totally ok. My only real criticism of App Academy is not allowing you to use laptops in lecture. Honestly it bothered me more than it should but it definitely took me and my attention away from lectures, as i suck at taking notes. Just imagine trying to follow along to dry code while watching someone give you a lecture Redux. The days i got away with having my laptop in lecture, i was completely focused took incredible notes in notion, and learned a bunch. The days i didn't which was most, i didn't pay attention, i slacked off, and made up for it during pair programming and at night, which was super annoying. If you cant tell already it really bothered me.
When it comes to the curriculum, there are parts I definitely disagree with but overall they jam pack you with more than you'll ever be able to grasp all at once. Which is excellent. From high level algorithms to LRU Cache, and hashing functions, to understanding the foundations of a MVC framework. They definitely need to teach hooks in React though, and get away from only teaching class Components. It's out of date, compile rate is way slower and the industry is staying away from class Components, unless its dealing with error handling. They need to teach less ruby and more React. Ruby is a really beautiful but also a really easy language. The amount of time they focus on it is probably better spent elsewhere.
Job Support so far is alright, everything seems to out of order though. Not sure where to go or what to do most times. The lectures are way too long and could be shortened by 2/3, or a simple email.
Im being very critical right now, but thats because these were the things i wish i knew before i went into App Academy. Do i regret joining? Hell No!!
Did i meet some amazing people that ill be friends with forever? Yes!!!! Did i learn a lot? YES!! Can they improve? Yes! are they the best bootcamp youll get. Also YES!
- a/A is tough, but you've got this!- 4/1/2020Spencer Iascone • Student • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via GitHubThey call it a bootcamp for a reason: App Academy is tough, but you've got this.
I started a/A with a background in the arts. My experience in coding was pretty much limited to a few Arduino loops and some sine wave generation I had learned once, in a class in college, 10 years ago. 16 weeks later, just as they said I would, I have the skills to build fully functional and stylish web applications, with knowledge of roughly a dozen or so languages and APIs. It was great! That said, as I've mentioned, it was tough; mentally, physically and emotionally, just all around exhausting.
If you are considering a/A, definitely think it over, don't just jump into it. If you have family who will be around/helping during your time in the program, talk it through with them as well because it can be hard for them too. You might not get to see them as much as you'd think because the days run long. And you will most likely have a few bad days and it's good to let them know that's a possibility. Keep your communication open.
Despite the toughness and frustrations that come with a program like this it is worth it. And a/A has a fabulous staff who really does have your back. They encourage and prop you up when you are down from day one to the end. 15 weeks in I had a major breakthrough and I sent a message to one of my main counselors saying "It's the first time in 15 weeks that I've felt like I've got this". Their response was "regardless of how you felt in the past 14 weeks, you've always got it!" I can't thank them enough, the technical help they provided was great, the compassion was priceless.
If you are interested in coding and you need a place to start App Academy is a great place for it.
- Challenging- 4/1/2020Neil Desai • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInWhat you get is what you put into it. I definitely learned a lot at App Academy, and going in with a month of programming knowledge, over the 16 weeks of this course I've learned much more than I ever imagined. However, the experience is extremely draining - mentally, physically, and emotionally. Be prepared to spend 10-12 hour days studying/working/commuting because that is what a coding bootcamp is.
Pros: I learned a lot from the curriculum and the daily pair programming. TAs were very friendly, understanding, and willing to help. My classmates were warm, hard-working, and bright and I am happy to call many of them friends. You will come out of the program with 3 projects, a good understanding of the job market at an entry level but most importantly you will learn HOW to learn to code and find resources and work through problems on your own because there is so much to learn, especially starting from scratch.
Cons: Lectures seemed very shallow and time-consuming and not the most helpful beyond a surface level overview. TA to student ratio was not the best and so at times it took a while for a question to be answered. Job search curriculum is generic and arbitrary deadlines are annoying to deal with when working on several other projects at the same time. Struggling through projects is difficult as you are not taught everything you need to know but also rewarding when you are able to learn and solve problems on the fly.
- A great experience- 4/1/2020Joseph Johnston • Student • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInI had a wonderful experience at App Academy. TA's were very knowledgable and supportive. I highly recommend. The curriculum was quite rigorous and has definitely been the most challenging yet rewarding experience of my life. Anyone looking to join a bootcamp should apply here.
- Learning Environment- 3/31/2020James Berke • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInApp Academy was a great experience for me. The teaching staff were very knowledgable and were quick to answer questions. The program really does take 60 - 80 hours a week to get the full experience, it is very hard work but well worth it in the end. The support they provide to help you as you learn new languages and frameworks to building new projects to showcase abilities and eventually guide you through the job search has been very solid. Overall a positive experience, but if you can't handle stressful deadlines and costly tests I would opt for a more relaxed and fleshed out program.
- Learning Experience- 3/31/2020Naveen • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInMake no doubt of it, going through App Academy does actually require the rigor and work they warn you about. I had no idea I was capable of handling the amount of work and material taught, and as we got deeper into the program, I absolutely felt the stress that came with it. However, if you go through with the program, keep your head up and do the work you should, App Academy teaches you a lot, and tries their best to keep you job ready.
PROS:
Tons of information, some explained very indepth, some not so much.
Help from TAs.
Interesting projects, helped apply the technologies we'd learnt.
CONS:
Not allowed to use laptops to take notes... for a coding bootcamp...
Not nearly enough TAs to student ratio, especially when that help is a big part of their program
Personally feel like the Javascript portion should've been longer, and Ruby could have been shortened - even an extra week or two for JS would've worked great
- Invaluable connections- 3/31/2020Vincent Tsui • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInIt is an intense bootcamp, and you do learn a lot in 16 weeks, especially if you come into the bootcamp without prior programming experience. There are minimal breaks and you are expected to work over the weekend, and many do get burnt out towards the end, so the schedule could use a little restructuring. If you are an extremely self-motivated person, you may be able to learn the course material online by yourself, but the main benefit of the course is the wonderful team of TAs fostering a positive team environment, the constant collaboration with pair programming, and the invaluable friendships and connections you build along the way.
- A rewarding experience- 3/31/2020Tony Ye • Student • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInI attended aA from December 2019 through March 2020, doing the full stack curriculum. This curriculum teaches you how to program from scratch starting with Ruby, then SQL, Ruby on Rails, Javascript and finally React & Redux. I came into this program with prior programming experience, so the first month of so was basically review to me while most of my peers were learning the basics of programming.
I can say that I came away from this course as a better programmer, and fully equipped with the tools necessary to find a job as a software developer. The pace is very fast - you're learning something new every day. It ramps up in speed - we spent the first month working with Ruby, and at the end we went through the Javascript curriculum in only a week. The pair programming experience is great - 95% of my classmates were there to learn and were motivated. You'll be doing pair programming for 10 weeks with a new person everyday, so at the end of it you make some pretty good friends and networking connections out of it. 95% of the stuff you learn is useful; you end up using most of it for the 3 projects at the end that you are required to do. The instructors are great and all of them are there to help you succeed and do better.
I am currently in the job search curriculum portion, where I get lectures on topics such as networking, writing cover letters and resumes, and interviewing. After I graduate, I will be working with a career coach from App Academy for upwards of a year until I find a job. Once you graduate, it doesn't stop - they expect you to spend 8 hours a day, 40 hours of week working on finding a job. If you work better with imposed deadlines, then this is immensely helpful as it prevents you from procrastinating.
Overall - I think that the program is worth the value in tuition. I would recommend payment upfront rather than the deferred model, since you pay less and there's less pressure to find a job after you graduate. But if you like that sort of pressure, then maybe the second option is better for you after all. If I could do it over, I'd definitely attend App Academy again.
- An Amazing Experience- 3/31/2020Nic Kruger • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInThere's certainly a reason they call it a bootcamp. App Academy is intense. It will consume your every waking moment for a full sixteen weeks. But that's a small price to pay for the incredible gains you'll make along the way. In sixteen weeks, I went from knowing almost nothing about coding to building two full stack projects and a JavaScript project that would have seemed impossible at the beginning of the course. My career coach also helped me craft a social media presence and resume that reflect my new skills, and I formed enduring friendships with my classmates that I hope will last a lifetime.
- App Academy- 3/31/2020Bino Nguyen • Student • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInMy experience at App Academy was great! I had so much fun learning how to code and am grateful for this life-changing experience! Like many of the online sources say, it IS really challenging. In the 3 months that you dedicate to App Academy, it is essentially the only thing that you can focus on. However, it is very rewarding in the end and you gain so much knowledge in such a short amount of time. Here are some personal tips and key points that I picked up from my experience at App Academy (Please note that this is from MY experience, and people accomplish/approach things in different ways):
1. App Academy is challenging, but not INSANELY challenging. In my experience, I was able to keep up with App Academy's curriculum while maintaining some social/personal life. Other people say that they dedicate every day, every hour, every minute to App Academy (which is fine), but I felt that there was more free time than initially expected. I would be able to spend my Saturdays and sometimes Sundays doing social/personal stuff, and I honestly felt that this was needed.
2. SLEEP is important. The instructors at App Academy can't stress this enough either. I think the thing that kept my stress level low and made my experience enjoyable was the fact that I forced myself to sleep with my regular schedule (I slept at 10:30pm and woke up at 7:30am everyday). I never felt tired during the working hours and I was still able to keep up with the curriculum.
3. You have to put in the effort to maintain this healthy lifestyle. The only reason why I was able to have fun on the weekends and get 8-9 hours of sleep everyday was the fact that I worked hard during the working hours. It's just as they say - work hard, play hard. If you actually pay attention during the lectures and actually put in your effort during the projects, you'll be able to absorb the information better, especially if you're not tired or stressed. My previous advice isn't to show that App Academy is easy, it's to show that there is a way to maintain good health and a happy lifestyle while going through the rigorous curriculum.
- Challenge yourself for a better life- 3/9/2020Danny • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: New York City • Verified via LinkedInApp Academy stands out from the other NYC area bootcamps because of its tuition guarantee: your costs are forgiven if you don't secure a full time job in one year. To me, that level of confidence in the program convinced me to give them a chance, and it was well worth it.
Prepare to enter a demanding, yet nurturing environment composed of students and instructors who train you to overcome your personal hurdles and transform yourself into a competitive software engineer. There is no hand-holding here: you will be dismissed if you fail more than two assessments, and you'll need the self-discipline to keep up with the curriculum. However, your classmates will be there to cheer you on, and you'll experience the pride and joy of completing a full-stack project and a JavaScript project all by yourself.
I do wish that the curriculum had taught a different tech stack when I attended (Ruby on Rails isn't very hip these days), and the school's connections to the tech industry could be a little better. The school is improving itself though, and I credit it for helping me land a very good software engineering job.
- Sounds too good to be true but it is true- 2/25/2020Eugene chung • Verified via LinkedInIt’s extremely challenging but rewarding. Heavily recommend if you are looking for a career pivot but make sure you are financially stable before taking the leap.
- App Academy- 2/8/2020Herman Xie • Software Developer • Graduate • Campus: San Francisco • Verified via LinkedInSounds too good to be true when you first hear about the program, but I was desperate when I popped in. The definition of a hole-in-the-wall. I got the software in-track course and wow... it was good. A classic boot camp done right. Crisp Rails, juicy Ruby, stuffed with the essentials (job coach, TA's, and etc.). Just do it!
- I/O- 2/7/2020Woojin • Graduate • Course: In-Person Full Stack Web Development • Campus: New York City • Verified via LinkedInWhat I respect the most about AppAcademy is that the curriculum is continuously being developed, and it is teaching me new materials even after graduation. The instructions are easy to read, and the projects are aimed to teach. It is a hard program where everyone was sleep-deprived and pushed to do better all the time. But by the end of the course, we were eating and breathing codes. Now when you graduate, don't expect the companies to come to your door with offers. You will need to write and keep updating your cover letter and work on your website and projects. Send many many applications every day and embrace the rejections. There will be back to back interviews that bear no fruit. But just like the course, you will be able to get through with the support from your cohort and App Academy career coaches. Good luck!
