App Academy Reviews
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Dan
Just do it!
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I attended App Academy in the beginning of 2016. I came into the program with a hobbyist amount of knowledge of Ruby and Javascript. I knew that I needed an extra push to make the career change, and App Academy seemed like the perfect option.
The reason I chose App Academy was that they were the only bootcamp that relied on YOUR success as a business model. With the deferred payment model you don't pay until you are employed. This gave me all of the faith that I needed in the program to start my journey!
The coursework is very well put together, and covers an ever-changing array of technologies. They stay up to date, and are always trying to produce the most employable junior developers in the country. If you are thinking about it, just do it. You won't be disappointed.
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Brian
Totally worth it -- will give you to skills to get employed (but you need some cash up front)
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Pros:
- they taught a lot really quickly and really well -- they're the reason I'm employed now
- lots of opportunities to ask for help from smart TAs
- information was delivered really well in manageable chunks
Cons:
- wasn't clear at the time that they asked for a deposit up front
- when I took the course, the backbone curriculum was a little weak (but that's probably changed)
- mostly left alone during the job search period -- I think they could have been a little more supportive
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Minh Nguyen
Aug - Nov '15 Cohort
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Summary: Worth it. You can learn this stuff on your own, but it will take much, much longer, and it will be harder to convince employers that you have the requisite skills. While App Academy (and bootcamps) are unknown to some employers, most have heard of the concept and are more willing to take a chance on you than if you have no coding-related experiences on your resume.
Pros:
- Instructors/curriculum: The quality of instruction was really high. The readings were up-to-date and very clearly written/easy to read. The assignments were challenging and effective at getting you to understand more thoroughly what you were introduced to via the readings. The instructor is basically the bulk of what you're paying for -- they are generally great at debugging your code and some are very good at explaining complex concepts. I think it would've taken me many more months to learn the same materials on my own by digging through resources on the internet.
- Peers: You'd be surrounded by peers who are smart and passionate about tech. I definitely learned a lot by pairing with different people and picking up their good habits. It's also a network that you can hang on to after graduation.
Cons:
- Job asisstance: This was the weakest part of the program when I attended. I think the job curriculum (how to write resumes, how to interview, build your portfolio, network, etc.) was much less structured and more under-staffed than the coding part of the program. I believe this has changed since my cohort (they hired more people and tweaked the curriculum) but I can't comment on how well that's going. There's also ongoing efforts to create a network of alumni, which I think will be the most helpful for future job applicants.
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Dave
Review by Fall '14 Cohort Grad
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About two years ago I was feeling stuck and bored in a career as a microbiologist. I had picked up programming as a hobby and found that I really enjoyed it, but I had no idea how to turn it into a job. Around that time, programming "bootcamps" entered my radar, seemingly presenting a viable means to make the switch. After some research, I decided a/A was the one for me, largely due to the pricing structure and an excellent review from a friend of a friend that had recently attended. Let me go off on a tangent here and rave about the pricing structure. If you're not aware, App Academy charges nothing up front (although there is a deposit). You don't pay anything until you get a job and then once you do get a job, you pay a percentage of your salary. This unique model is incredibly fair, allows someone like myself who couldn't afford other bootcamps to attend, and says a lot about what a/A offers. With this model, a/A would completely fail if what they were offering was anything less than high quality.
The application process was very challenging and took a bit longer than I expected. The process includes interviews and several coding challenges but you are not penalized for the time it takes to get through it all. a/A even provides a whole bunch of rich materials that, with enough review and practice, should be sufficient enough for one to get through the challenges. This says a lot about a/A's integrity and accessibility. a/A has high acceptance standards, but if you are willing to put in the work there's a good chance you'll get in, and a/A wants to help you be successful in doing so. In fact, I didn't pass the last coding challenge, but since I was close to a solution I was given more material to go through and a second chance.
a/A kicked off at full speed. I was expecting the program to be challenging and a whole lot of work, and I experienced exactly that. Days typically consisted of a "lecture" in the early morning led by the instructors where we went over the previous days assignments, went through demos, had a Q&A etc. Then we jumped into the days assignments which would take up most of the rest of the afternoon and often the evening. Most days we pair programmed, which was much more fun (and less lonely) than my programming journey had been up until this point. Seeing others' approaches to problems was also very insightful. At night we were expected to go over the solutions to the days problems and do the reading for the following day. We had nearly weekly programming assessments that were often very difficult, primarily due to not being able to use any resources. I hated the assessments due to the stress they brought me, but they did force us to develop a deep understanding of key concepts. However, even with regular stresses and working upwards of 100 hours a week, my time at a/A was very enjoyable. The instructors were incredible resources (I wish I took more advantage of this) and I made a ton of great friends. I have no shortage of fond memories from this period of my life and I was pretty bummed to see it end.
I can't recommend App Academy enough. I had a great time, the program is of the highest quality, and I couldn't be happier with the results I got. 3 months at App Academy (plus a few months in preparation) got me into a career that I'm very happy to be in and my income has doubled. How can you beat that? Also, 6 months after completion my debt to a/A was completely fulfilled. I graduated from college six years ago and I don't even want to get into how much of that student debt remains. If you're seriously interested in programming as a profession, make a/A your first consideration.
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Noah
Great learning experience
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I had a fantastic experience with app academy. It is certainly a stressful few months, but ultimately, it was very much worth it. Not only did the program help me change careers in a very short time, I was able to land a job after a relatively short time with a good salary, working with an organization whose mission and culture match my values.
I chose app academy over other bootcamps because of its tuition structure and its selectiveness, knowing that I would be surrounded by the sharpest peers and colleagues that I could learn with, and the latter was the most important reason in retrospect. My cohort was exceptional -- I had less programming experience than many of my peers, but the curriculum moves so fast that students of all backgrounds were constantly challenged and engaged. Sometimes the speed and quantity of assessments felt overwhelming, but it is necessary if you want to learn something as complex as the fundamentals of web development in such a short period of time. I'm sure everyone reading this has looked at app academy's website and read other reviews, so I won't get into the hiring stats, salaries, etc., other than to say that my cohort's experience with the job hunt certainly lived up to all of the advertising. Instead, I want to focus on something that I didn't expect before joining app academy, and that is the culture of instruction. App Academy promotes itself as a rigorous program with great stats, but doesn't necessarily advertise culture, and this made me nervous going into the program (I really liked some other bootcamps' focus on culture). I was extremely happily surprised when I joined app academy -- even if the focus on promoting a positive culture isn't part of the brand, the instructors at app academy did an incredible job fostering positive conversation, promoting inclusiveness during a stressful period, and I can see that they've continued to hire some of the brightest and most empathetic communicators from succeeding cohorts. This was hugely important, but many of the reviews that I read before joining app academy just focused on the challenge and the job hunt. The instructors are top notch developers and generally great individuals. Even though I was coming into app academy from a grad school, I was continually amazed at the pace and rigor of the learning experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend this program. -
Leah D.
Good programming curriculum that I could use right away in my new job
After about 6 months at my new programming job, I can say I've been very impressed with how well the App Academy curriculum prepared me for this new career. I highly recommend this program for an intensive transition into programming and support getting a job in the field.
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Alvin
I had fun(and I am a software engineer!)
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A little background.
I graduated San Jose State University as a Business Management Major.I got accepted and went through the program and found work roughly 3 months after I graduated.
Pros:
they test you on roughly a bi-weekly basis, you are given assesements and if you pass them, you get to keep going through the program, if you don't, they'll ask you to leave. While this does create tons of stress, it also forces you to stay sharp.
Pair programming all day. At my current job, I'm doing this more and more frequently(might be a weird situation exclusive to me, but it does happen). You talk with another classmate through whatever thing you're building/coding. it's super important outside in the work force that you can communicate what you need to do/ what is going on.
Pay after you find work. The specifics for me (August 2015 cohort) was to give them a $5000 deposit before I started the course. when I finally get work, I am to pay them 18% of my first year's salary over 6 months. so 36% for 6 months.
Most other boot camps cost roughly the same(somewhere in the 15k to 20k range IIRC). Since I didn't have that kind of money on hand, this was nice.
a friend of mine going through the boot camp actually gave a smaller deposit, however the pay after getting a job was increased(I believe he only deposited ~$2250, and has to pay 22% of his salary after. a/A seems flexible.Cons: At the time I went, there was too many students for the class. some times we'd have to wait a good while before getting assistance.(a/A has adjusted class sizes since my being there).
at times, you'll get a bad partner, whether they're impatient in helping you understand what is going on, or you're impatient helping them understand what's going on. You're probably gonna have a bad day or two pair programming.
job search curriculum can use work. I don't know what the plan is now, but the job search team was very small and needs to address industry relevant stuff. there was an Uber on Slack hackathon and I over heard one of the Uber hiring managers there laugh intensily at the fact that we wrote cover letters with our applications(he claims he's never read one). While that is only one man's opinion, it seemed like he had a really strong one.
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Tony
App Academy was the gateway that led me to becoming a Software Engineer
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Prior to App Academy, I have been learning coding on my own through various online resources. It was nice that I was able to go at my own pace and learn what I wanted to, but after some time, I knew that I wanted to accelerate my learning and find a position as a software engineer. Hence, after researching and reading many reviews, I applied to App Academy. After completing the technical interview with App Academy, I was accepted into the March cohort. I completed the 4 week prep work that was required prior to starting, and went in enthusiastic and ready to learn.
For me, the course was a load of fun. From Monday - Friday, from 9 - 6 (with a 1 hour 15 minute lunch break and a 15 minute break), it was all about learning and coding. My personal schedule was to wake up at 6:00 AM, get to App Academy by 7:30 - 8:00 AM, and review the readings / homework assignment before class started at 9:00. After 6:00, I would look over the solution for the day's work, and prepare for the next day. I would usually go to bed by 10:30 PM, with the latest being 11:00 PM, as I believed getting enough sleep was the key to me being able to focus throughout the immense workload that App Academy entails. However, everyone in my cohort was different, so what worked for me might not have worked for someone else. Finding the balance and schedule that worked for me was key to keeping my momentum going and not get burnt out. The good news is, it was only for 3 months, so even though it was tough every day, it didn't continue for years. I did enjoy learning and coding constantly, and it was amazing how much I learned at the end of the curriculum, with a full-stack project that I am pretty damn proud of. I would actually look forward to Mondays, as it was another day to continue to grow my skill set and build cool things.
The most stressful part was probably the assessments. The policy at App Academy is that you are only allowed to fail 1 out of the 6 given. If you fail two, you are released from the program. That's why it is important to keep on top of the material, and make sure you have a deep understanding of the concepts that are taught. They do provide practice assessments that closely follow the actual assessment, though they are different, so you can't just memorize the practice assessment. It is highly recommended that you take the month-long prep work that is given before the start of the main course seriously, as everything from the curriculum builds on top of it.
The part I enjoyed least was the job searching process. While App Academy does provide lectures about algorithms for technical interview questions, I found it very difficult to get through the resume screening to even get a chance for a phone screen. My other classmates had more success than me though, so I might have just been an unusual case. They tell you it's a numbers game, and that you have to apply to many to get a few hits. It was tiring and demoralizing, but I eventually got through it and landed a job. I would recommend saving enough money to last you not only the 3 months of the main curriculum, but also for the job search process as well, as the amount of time it takes to find a job is uncertain.
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at App Academy. You are surrounded by motivated and talented individuals, and everyone is working together to get through it. You are challenged to learn a crap load of information everyday, and you will be amazed at what you can achieve in a short amount of time. Without App Academy, I would not have been confident to even apply to software engineering jobs.
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Axel L.
AppAcademy Bootcamp Prep
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AppAcademy conducted a 3 week in-depth JavaScript cohort in February to prepare students with the technical knowledge needed to be successfully enrolled at a coding bootcamp. I enrolled in their first incarnation of this course and was excited to turn my passion into tangible skills. After the first 3 days it was apparent that my skills were growing at a rate I hadn't had while I was self-teaching for months. By the end of the second week I was already confident I could pass any entrance exam or interview at a bootcamp. Then both of my instructors (Anthony and Winnie) conducted multiple mock coding interviews and helped us apply to any bootcamp(s) we were interested in. I was accepted into three bootcamps (HackReactor, AppAcademy, CodingDojo) within a month of completing this course. I decided to go with AppAcademy and without a doubt I would not be where I am today without this course.
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Kenneth Chen
Great Bootcamp Prep Course
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I took the bootcamp prep course in NYC in April when it first launched here and it was a fun experience. Our instructor, Fred, guided us through all the fundamentals of JavaScript; we even covered some material that a good number of bootcamps don't require us to know about beforehand. Fred is as efficient as a programming instructor can be. He takes the time to answer all our questions, but, at the same time, makes sure we go through each lecture fast enough so that we have time to work on the assignments ourselves. While we're working on our assignments, he comes around and checks on our progress, and helps those who are struggling or have questions.
Bootcamp prep classes are 2 hours a day, Monday to Friday for a month. That means that you can do it while working. I wasn't, but several of my classmates, at the time, were. You should be aware, however, that to do well in it, you're going to need to dedicate another hour or two to it. I spent an average of 4-5 hours a day on it, completing assignments and reading the lecture notes beforehand.
Other things that might be of particular interest: (1) You're free to use either Windows, OSX, or Linux. (I used Windows.) However, FYI most coding bootcamps require a Mac for their full stack web development courses. (2) You might be wondering, why does the prep course teach JavaScript? That's because most bootcamps let (or require) you to interview in JavaScript. (3) The course has an online discussion forum, set up via a website called Piazza. Since the course itself runs in parallel with the bootcamp prep courses in other areas, you can ask for help from other bootcamp prep instructors and students from across the nation. (The course was only set up in SF and NY when I took it, but it now seems like more locations have opened.) (4) If you're taking this course to get into App Academy's full stack web development course, you get to skip the pre-challenge and move straight to a 45-min technical interview.
Overall, the bootcamp prep course is a big investment, but it will increase your chances of getting in a top bootcamp. I worked through the practice exercises for the technical interview for App Academy's full stack web development course, and I believe that I was able to solve all of them due to the fact that I had acquired the logical thinking required through constant coding at Bootcamp Prep. Reading about how to program is one thing, but doing it is another. The bootcamp prep course will give you the practice you need to begin thinking like a programmer.
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Garrett Simpson
Couldn't have spent my time better
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Word of caution -- I came in already knowing the basics of html, css, ruby, and rails. I also got a job 3 weeks after finishing, first in my cohort. These are not typical stats -- usually about half of a cohort has an offer after three months. But the course material is on point, and if you put your head down and grind for three months, you will get into the software industry, and App Academy will give you the tools to do so.
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Anonymous
Bittersweet experience (while it lasted)
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When I was conducting my search for bootcamps - One thing I did not see alot of were reviews by students that might have not completed the course (like myself). Esentially anybody who made it through any boot camp gave the course 5 stars just about every time. I'm writing this review for the persons who want to make the investment but are also beginners.
App Academy says that anybody can be a software engineer and I do believe that is true. What is important to keep in mind if you are a beginner though, is if your wanting to learn can keep up with the pace you will be required to learn. I got into the program because I am dedicated, I studied my butt off and I am absolutely passionate about web dev and that showed in my interview process and during my code tests (the entry tests are not very hard at all - If you could handle medium level coderbyte problems you will be more than prepared).
I feel the biggest issue for a person that is completely new to the field of web dev and starts to learn on their own is which way to go and what to study. I prepped for app academy strictly by solving problems that would help me pass the entry tests - however doing that is only the very tip of the tip of the smallest tip of the iceberg once you actually get in. The tests to get in are like easy crawls but the work immediately becomes a marathon sprint from there.
I will repeat this again, if you are just about a complete newbie, the prep work can be a bit overwhelming and once the classes start, if you are still struggling with the basics you will be in trouble very early. You will need to build games every day with a partner and not being comfortable with the foundations can lead to some uncomfortable pair programming where you might defer nearly all the code ideas to your partner. I struggled in this manner and while my partners were helpful - not having a solid foundation will kill you in the course because the challenges are a bit harder every single day. I will also say that at least in my short time there, a good amount of students had some type of comp sci background or at least programmed in some capacity in their jobs or schools. Being a complete beginner isnt a dealbreaker but I cannot stress enough that feeling secure in the foundations is very important.
a/A is very performance based so flunking two assessments will get you kicked out. I didn't make it through the course because I couldnt keep up with that pace. Did I decide to quit web dev? Absolutely not - everybody falls and you have to get back up and try again - a/A was also very helpful at the end of the day when my time terminated.
If I had to begin the process over, i'd say it's incredibly important to understand the preparatory materials as well as possible at the onset. You cannot go in and expect people to hold your hand because the pace of work is very very fast. I'd also say that you should not be afraid to ask questions if you need help. Lastly you need to assess your ability to process information. If you need longer time to grasp things, you might need to consider whether boot camp is the right move for you. It was unfortunate to not finish a/A but I am happy for the experience because it has tested my resolve to march on and I expect to work in web dev soon enough - if not in 3 months :)
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Anonymous
Interesting experience
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Bear in mind this is hailing from the personal perspective of a student who felt somewhat out of place at App Academy. Pretty much everything that you read up on App Academy is true, and so your general expectations of the course will be met. For me, the below things weren't what I expected going into the course. Also, some of these are more encompassing and not specific to App Academy.
-Pair programming (and this is true of probably of all the bootcamps that use pair programming): there's a natural human dynamic that comes into play when pair programming, and that dynamic is going to vary tremendously based on personality. In general, if you are outgoing, patient, and a fast coder, then you will probably breeze right through pair programming; however, most people don't have the full combination of those qualities, so for example, if a fast but impatient coder--who just wants to finish the project--is paired up with a slower programmer, the slower programmer can have a rough time. As a slower programmer myself, I experienced this often (but had great experiences as well with a few partners who were willing to lessen the pace and actually collaborate). And for these days, I often felt like I learned next to nothing, and that was exceedingly frustrating. The frustration dragged me down mentally, and my attitude totally shifted, even though the vast majority of App Academites improved at their "teamwork" and collaborative abilities through the duration of the course. Needless to say, I didn't particularly enjoy my time there socially (I take responsibility for this though). But if you're the kind of person who can weather these sorts of things and keep your head up, then don't worry.
-Fast learning and raw logical-thinking speed: tying in with my previous point, I'm not that fast of a learner (more of a deep learner), and I get super nervous when I'm trying to think with a pair programming partner right next to me waiting and often interjecting with comments or ideas. These things dampened my performance and experience a lot.
-The general "techy" culture: now, I've only recently been in tech, but there's a certain techy culture (or maybe it's just NYC) that I realized doesn't really suit my particular personality. Tech is dominated heavily by the "TJ" type by myers-briggs classification. I am not a "TJ", and in a working environment, I'm still learning how to work with them.
-The TA teaching: I wish there were more one-on-one instruction. The vast majority of your time will be spent coding, and I'd venture to guess that each day, each student interacts with the TA maybe a maximum of 5 times? This may be wildly off, but understand that coding is a primarily self-driven activity, and questions shouldn't be asked until you've thoroughly researched something yourself, so in reality TA's are there to help you through your most pressing issues. This is extremely valuable and necessary, but it felt weird to be spending just 5-10% (again a rough estimate) actually interacting with TA's.
In general, from what I've observed, App Academy students have an awesome time there. Though overworked and mentally drained, they bond closely and learn from each other. App Academy is definitely a fantastic choice for a bootcamp, and you can't go wrong with it. Hopefully, the issues that I had will help you in preparing for App Academy.
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Anonymous
BEST school. Dive in.
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For 26 years prior to App Academy I held a latent disdain for my generic fellow man because he was just dumb and me discussing the truth with him would probably offend or shock him.
App Academy is the only time in my life where I've felt legitimately overmatched and fighting for my life. Where I felt dumber and seriously fighting to just stay there. Every day I had to decide to get up and fucking fight and even then I lost a lot.
The best thing about App Academy is not the curriculum. It is the opportunity to spend time with the humble folks with whom you will be walking on coals. I have poor character so I had to cheat to not get expelled, but now 9 months removed I am making $130k/year and my superior colleagues are surely making more. Don't cheat though.
If you are driven, you should quit your job, then get the curriculum from an alum and devote 80 hours per week to the correct delivery of their daily exercises. This can save you a lot of money.
Try get a job by applying with scripts. Their job search is way too manual of a process for people who just learned to try to automate everything.
App Academy gets the best people because they charge nothing up front. Don't settle for a lesser school that just wants your money and kicks you on your way. App Academy does not get paid until you get employed, AND they only get max money if you get $100k.
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Eric
Are you prepared?
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The time at App Academy was a HORRIBLE experience, BUT WAIT! before I continue I just want to say, I graduated App Academy and got a job as a developer immediately. So to continure with this review, I will continue to that getting through App Academy was literally the hardest thing I have ever done in life. I went through engineering school as an undergrad and never have I been through more stress and worked harder for anything. Although this is coming from someone with absolutely no coding experience before app academy so some of my cohort mates had it much easier than I did. But anyways, after it was all over, I must declare it to be the BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE. I was so amazed at how much I was able to learn in just a little bit of time. App Academy gave me everything I needed to start my first job as a web developer. It actually gave me confidence in myself after I saw how much knowledge I was able to gain so quickly, which is something college never did for me. So, to anyone looking to apply, study hard! because they are hard to get an acceptance from, and prepare to work hard. How ever hard you worked to prepare for the interview process, be prepared to work 50 times as hard once you're in.
p.s. Jonathan, the instructor at NYC is an awesome teacher. I don't know about SF but I would recommend the NYC office just because Jonathan was such a good instructor and he really knew how to help with all the issues you might have, and make the learning more interesting and fun for everyone.
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Sarah M
A kick-your-ass bootcamp with a rigorous curriculum and supportive instuctors
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If you do not like to work hard, then you should not attend this bootcamp. My cohort put in the 80-90 hours per week. Other bootcamps offer services like counseling, group exercise, and off-topic workshops. App Academy is not like that. It is a no-frills immersive program.
HOWEVER, if you are prepared to earn your stripes, then this is the best bootcamp around. It's thorough and hands-on. Honestly, their business model says it all. You owe no tuition unless you get a job, and the amount that you pay them is based on your starting salary.
The curricumlum has changed since I participated in the program, but it involves Ruby, Rails, JavaScript, HTML5/CSS and algorithms (which is prep for whiteboard interviews). You pair with another student, and you're basically doing a new lab every day. When I started the program, I barely knew how to use my command line. By the end of the program, I had completed a dozen (barebones) apps, including a solo capstone project.
While I stand by the fact that this place will kick your ass, Jonathan is the most nuturing instructor one could ever dream of. He pours his heart into his work and each of his students. He wants you to succeed. While you spend most of your classroom hours working with another student, the TAs and Jonathan are always available to help get you un-stuck.
As far as job placement, App Academy grads work at impressive companies, like Google, Pivotal, Thoughbot, Groupon, etc. Alum (including myself) attend hiring day for recruiting purposes. Companies in the city are 'repeat customers', hiring grads from a/A when they need new devs. There's also a mailing list for alum, so the cohorts continue to support each other even after graduation.
Bottom line - this program works. Whether you decide to become a dev or take the ops route like I did, App Academy will prepare you for a career in the tech world.
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Andre
Delivers on its promises; sometimes oddly run
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Positives:
-Their claimed information about percent of students placed and average salaries is absolutely right, even though it sounds too good to be true.
-You are not charged money up front, except for a $3,000 deposit. This distinguishes App Academy from most other programs, and it's much better to pay money when you have it than before you have it. This makes AA inherently more accessible to students with less of a financial cushion than some other programs.
-Jonathan (instructor in NYC) really knows what he's doing and is a very compassionate person.
-The students are quite intelligent and motivated.
Negatives:
-High-stakes weekly assessments with sometimes unclear information about consequences; makes the program somewhat more stressful than necessary. Also, some of the assessments are spelled out in advance too much, which favors type-A over-studiers over people really trying to understand the concepts. That said, nobody was actually kicked out in my group.
-At least in NYC, App Academy doesn't seem to be marketed as well, or have as many deep connections to employers, as some other bootcamps. Placement outcomes seem to still be good despite this.
-I felt like half of the advice I got about jobs seems wrong to me now that I know the industry better. Maybe it's overly tailored at SF?
-Application process is sketchy. Founder Kush Patel seems to have shown up late for pretty much everybody's interviews (mine included), and many people report being unnecessarily intimidated by his personality. They should probably get somebody else to handle this process. Also, the public-facing website being way out of date doesn't help.
-Sometimes felt like cramming lots of fancy technologies into a short period of time was valued more than building resilient products with the user in mind, and this sometimes shows in students' finished work (i.e. "let me tell you about my fancy AJAX thing! No, don't try that feature, you'll break it. Just let me demonstrate. Anyway, about that AJAX thing...) This may be a problem with pretty much every bootcamp.
-It would be nice if there were no $3,000 deposit; this would make App Academy really be able to brag about its no-strings-attached $0 upfront price and really distinguish itself from competitors.
Overall, despite the above rants, this is an excellent choice for a cash-strapped career changer (or even a non-cash-strapped career changer). It definitely got the job done.
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Anonymous
Proof is in the pudding
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It was great. You have to understand that you are going to be working your ass off, but if you come to learn every day, you're going to get a lot out of the experience.
There is a test every week (basically). The tests are completely passable, given that they give you sample tests and tons of learning resources, but be prepared to stress a little over those (fail 2 and they may ask you to leave).
It's not in the best of areas (near Civic Center on market), but the computers are great for pairing and what do you really need other than that?
Instructors were great. The TAs are the best of past cohorts and are very bright and knowledgable. Ned is crazy good at explaining concepts, using examples to help with his demonstrations.
They do have a live in option for out of towners since finding a place in SF can be extremely difficult and expensive. I didn't do this, but the people who did seemed to be ok with it.
Great job searching tool and prep, lots of white board problems, and comraderie with other students who are going through the same job search struggle.
Perhaps one of the best aspects is once you graduate, you still get access to the Github resources, which are constantly being updated.
Overall, come ready to work extremely hard, and you'll get a job in no time.
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Anonymous
A Really Great Decision
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The App Academy was great. I was trying to teach myself web development on my own and was at a job that paid well but was miserable. I thought I'd come out of the App Academy with a better job that maybe paid the same or less. Ended up getting a big raise.
I partially credit that to the fact that a/A gets paid based on your first year's salary. It's in their best interest to get you the highest paying job possible. Because of that, they helped me with job hunting strategy, putting together a portfolio, and ended up giving me negotiation help as the negiotiations for my job were happening. Just that last bit ended up being worth about $5k a year for me.
App Academy is intense and you need to be willing to commit fully to it. Not just quitting your other job, but also all other obligations and commitments. But when you pay that much for something, it should be easy to commit.
Money aside, it's a great school and I recommend it. I had 8 interviews in my first week out of school. I'm almost 5 months into my new job and it's awesome.
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Nick Hong
May 2013 App Academy grad, ~1.5 years later
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TL;DR: App Academy is an extremely fast-paced deep dive intro for Ruby on Rails and Backbone.js. It's good for students who can drop everything to find junior developer positions.
I went through the App Academy bootcamp over a year ago.
Deeper dive:
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AA has very strong batches: Since AA is free until after you find a job, the application pool is huge and the selection pretty rigorous (I think the acceptance rate is < 5%). This means AA places you with with really strong batch mates and designs a curriculum that challenges you.
- Pros: You work with smart people. You mostly pair with peopel you can depend on to work at a quick pace and swap learnings and coding patterns with.
- Cons: You might have a hard time getting in. I know people who have applied and been accepted into multiple bootcamps but were turned down by AA. Make sure you really study Ruby on codeacademy.com, coderbyte.com, rubykoans.com, etc. AA will give you a similar list nof resources when you apply before you do your coding interview.
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AA is extremely fast-paced: You're forced to learn a lot and are tested weekly on your progress. They know you're smart and design a curriculum assuming that will make your head hurt.
- Pros: You're really challenged. The course load and pace reminded me of the 'drink from the firehose' feeling I had in some of the harder courses I took while at MIT. You'll learn a ton if you apply yourself 100%.
- Cons: The pace was too quick for some - we ended up having to drop a few classmates that couldn't keep up and productively pair with us. There's a weekly test that can be difficult, and students were dropped if they failed 3 assessments in a row. This makes sense - you don't want to pair with someone way behind on material, as it would hamper your own learning. Still, don't attempt AA unless you can really commit your time to pairing during the day and studying at night and over the weekend.
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AA emphasises on working through problems: We were given the entire day to work through problems, with solutions made available only after a full 8-10 hours of work put in.
- Pros: We learned what we covered much better than if we had a quicker, more guided approach. Since we were forced to experiment and reason through problems with less structured guidance, we all learned how to read error logs, use Chrome's web inspector for inspecting DOM / inspecting network requests / using the javascript console / tail and grep server logs better than most other bootcamp students I've interviewed since graduating.
- Cons: We covered fewer overall algorithms and patterns. Example - I only learned the Rails conventional AJAX form method using remote: true at work. However, I had a pretty good understanding of making AJAX calls from in-class experimentation, so picking up the remote: true method wasn't too difficult.
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AA emphasises on deep dives and web basics: We were taught Ruby extensively before we learned any Rails. We built a rudimentary version of ActiveRecord::Base ourselves, forcing ourselves to learn a lot of Ruby metaprogramming while we were at it, before really using ActiveRecord extensively. We did something similar with Backbone.js - we built our own simple version using basic arrays and understanding of Javascript / AJAX before diving in with Backbone.js in projects.
- Pros: This approach taught away the 'magic' in lots of the libraries we were using and made debugging complicated issues easier, since we had a more intuitive feel for what was happening under the hood.
- Cons: We learned fewer libraries and covered their actual implementation/documentation in less depth. This made us read documentation on our own time for our more extensive final projects.
Perhaps the most important point is that I'm very happily employed now with the same company I started with immediately after AA (www.therealreal.com). So is a fellow batch mate - we work on standing desks right next to each other 18 months after having first paired together. We're both valued contributors with an above-average salary and are still learning constantly from more experienced developers. Both of us think AA really helps set of promising careers in web development / software engineering.
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AA has very strong batches: Since AA is free until after you find a job, the application pool is huge and the selection pretty rigorous (I think the acceptance rate is < 5%). This means AA places you with with really strong batch mates and designs a curriculum that challenges you.
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Anonymous
Constant Disappointment
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There have been 3 rounds of layoffs for this company in the last 6 months, and the quality of support continues to decrease over time and the ever changing curriculum has been super destructive to my learning experience. The administration has made it clear that it does not care for its staff nor the student experience. I do not recommend this bootcamp. It's pretty clear that it's in a downward spiral, and I don't think they'll last much longer. Everyone I talk to in my cohort is disappointed, and they had to shut down the general cohort Discord channel becaue of the overall negative shared experience. -
Anonymous
Great outcome and community
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This bootcamp is rigorous and sets you up to successfully transition into a career in software engineering. During my time there, I learned numerous technologies that allow me to build full-stack web applications. The community is strong and I have created life-long friendships in a mere 4 months. The best part is I don't have to pay until I find a job. Therefore, I can focus all my energy on learning and job searching. -
Anonymous
The students are teaching while you pay $15k-$30k
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App academy has seemed to drastically change in their approach to learning. What was once raved as the best bootcamp, is now down there with the rest of them. I have been to 3 different cohorts. All those cohorts are STUDENTS being the lead instructors. I've dug into each of their profiles and resumes. They were ex app academy students who graduated the program but never landed an actual software engineer job. Nor do they come from a real swe role. Whereas all of us who are new to the program are signing agreements to dish out $15,000 - $30,000 (if you have an ISA). That is an insane amount of money just to be taught by students with less than an year of experience. You can sign up for code academy or scrimba and learn from real engineers with years of experience while connecting to learners like you through discord. It's literally no different. The only difference is that app academy will force you into what they call pair programming which is sitting in a zoom breakout room with other learners having to figure it out with little to no support. Please stay away from this school, it is not worth the expense, there are better and cheaper alternatives that save you $$$$$. -
Anonymous
Be prepared
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The resources for your success is all here.
If you are familiar with pushing yourself and achieving something you didn't know you could, take a chance and come here.
If you haven't, think hard. This isn't the first risk you should take in your life.
Some of the readings contain aggregated information with historical content that you would waste days or even weeks of your life to find.
Learn basic html/css/js before you start. Keep a list of websites that have interesting design.
This will help you utilize the instructors and other bootcamp resources in ways most students don't even think about because they're too busy keeping up with the basics.
If you are here to make friends and have fun learning, best of luck to you.
If you are here to bring change and growth to your life, be invisible to the people that fall into the above category.
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Anonymous
Unhelpful and outmoded
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Very little of what was taught was anything that the market was seeking. That said, I was able to land a job somewhere around six months after I finished the bootcamp, so, I hope you have a nest egg. In 2023 myself, and many other software engineers were laid off - this is a known thing and some of my friends who are decade long veterans in the industry lost their jobs and are STILL unable to find work. The things I learned at App Academy do not set me apart from typical applicants and I struggle to even land an interview. Despite this, they still demand payment even though I cannot find a job in software development. -
Anonymous
A Terrible Rip-Off
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I was recommended App Academy from someone who graduated from there a year ago and received a job (8 months later), so I decided to give it a try. First and foremost, they are not the same App Academy as of even a year ago. My friend who graduated has also said how terrible the leadership has gotten, and they even at one point fired all the support for the students mid day without warning (https://www.reddit.com/r/codingbootcamp/comments/11zyz18/app_academy_fired_all_cohort_leaders_for_ai/). My friend who went through the program confirms this was true, as well as when I went through the program, they didn't have any of these support people. They are trying to have as little staff as possible to cut back on costs, which means you have little to no support when you are in a class of 40 people, with just one instructor and one or two TA's. Secondly, the mod instructors/TA's hate their lives, and only do it because they can't get a job anywhere else, with some of them being there for years making just around $40-50K(depending on if you're a TA or instructor). I had multiple TA's tell me this. Early on, while we were still learning the basics of HTML/CSS, which is not an easy concept, they just stopped lecturing, and would just put us in zoom breakout rooms with a coding pair partner, to just tell us to figure it out because thats how it is 'in the real world'. I understand the concept they were trying to demonstrate for us, as a lot of it will be having to look up outside source materials, however you can't really do that when you are just learning the basics, maybe with more advanced topics and what not. This caused a revolt with the students, where we'd join class at 8am, be immediately thrown into a seperate zoom breakout room for the majority of the day with no lecture, and then they'd move on while you would still be stuck on the previous day's material. It got so bad they had to have one of the Senior Developers, Caleb Braaten (one of the worst top 5 people I have interacted with in my life), to come in and basically tell us to suck it up and deal with it. This obviously wasn't met with a well reception among the students, and a vast majority started threatening to sue, due to them paying tens of thousands of dollars to basically be self teaching themselves. Funnily enough, this revolt did force them to change a couple of things. The instructors will tell you they care about you, but at the end of the day, they don't. For them it's just a job where none of them actually enjoy teaching, but they couldn't get a job elsewhere themselves. One of the mod instructors recently actually quit App Academy, without evening having another job lined up, due to the terrible working conditions. With all the layoffs, they gave all the extra work to the mod instructors/TA's, leaving them not happy, which leads to a negative teaching experience to the students. While App Academy may have used to be a great choice for a bootcamp, it has gone severely down hill and understaffed, leading to a terrible experience for the student. I would highly consider looking elsewhere for your knowledge needs. -
Anonymous
Landed a job 4 months after graduating
I did the Online full time program with a/A and it was a great experience. I definitely recommend it to those who would like a career change and have the drive to work extra time. I managed to get a job 4 months after graduating. -
Anonymous
Great bootcamp for career changers!
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I highly recommend App Academy if you are thinking of making a career change to software engineering! The instructors are second-to-none and do a great job of providing a learning experience that helps you learn to the best of your ability. The format and schedule of the bootcamp is great, allowing you to get daily experience pair programming projects with others as well as showcasing your own abilities through projects towards the end of the bootcamp. The space is nice and clean and is a great area to collaborate with your cohort mates and form a community. It is a rigorous bootcamp, so expect to spend at least 60 hours a week during the bootcamp and make sure you don't fall behind because they do not slow down. Ultimately, the job search is going to be the biggest challenge, especially in today's market, so be prepared for it to take at least 6 months. Nonetheless, the a/A community, including alumni and career team, are extremely helpful in helping you prepare to find opportunities. -
Anonymous
WELL THOUGHT OUT SCAM
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DO NOT DO!!! you think you’re becoming part of a great and helpful program but they add some disgusting rules in the fine print!!!
you either pay $14000 up front or $30000 for the next three years out of paychecks…BUTTTT!!! BUTTT!!! they don’t tell you that if you get kicked (which is easy to do) they keep your money, or if you didn’t pay up front, you now owe them the tuition. AND FAILING IS EASY!!!! you can fail TWO tests and then you get kicked out! the second easy way to get kicked out is, not checking a box THREE TIMES A DAY to say you’re present and if you miss 10 (less than three days) YOURE OUT!!! so you cant be sick, you cant have family events. BE PREPARED TO LOSE YOUR MONEY!!! -
Anonymous
Not suitable for beginners
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I attended App Academy for 2 months, the program structure wasn't conducive to actually learning software development for me. I had no prior coding experience coming in but I was willing to commit the time and effort. The rigid policy they have on kicking you out if you fail a test had me way more focused on the specific content that was going to be on a test than on the broader content that I was supposed to be learning. Unless you come in with a background in CS or prior experience, you don't have the time to learn what you're supposed to be learning, its just a rat race every week just to get a passing score for Mondays test so that you are permitted to come back the next day and do it all over again for the next week.
The instructors are excellent coders, but only 1 out of 4 of them was actually qualified to be teaching. There was a handful of students everyone would lean on as a go-between to what the instructors were saying and what the students didn't understand.
The first two months of curriculum are strictly ruby with a bit of CSS sprinkled in, but if you dont already have a VERY solid foundation of ruby coming in, you probably won't make it past the first two weeks. Getting through the technical interview is not enough. You need to pass the technical interview and then also get through the first 2 weeks of content on your own. And even then, a lot of people who made it through still failed out within the first couple tests.
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Anonymous
Best Experience Ever!
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App Academy is an exceptional coding boot camp that provides a comprehensive and intensive education for those looking to launch a career in Software Engineering. From the very start, I was impressed by the quality of instruction and the dedication of the instructors to each student's success. The curriculum is well-structured and challenging, but the instructors are incredibly supportive and make sure that each student has the tools they need to succeed. The immersive program is intense, but the level of support and guidance provided by the instructors makes it a manageable and enjoyable experience.
One of the things that sets App Academy apart from other coding boot camps is its focus on hands-on learning. The majority of the program is spent coding, which is an excellent way to develop real-world skills that can be applied immediately in a professional setting. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, from front-end to back-end development, and includes everything you need to know to launch a successful career in tech.
The job placement rate at App Academy is outstanding, and this is a testament to the quality of the program and the dedication of the instructors. Graduates of the program are well-prepared for the job market and are in high demand by tech companies. The network of alumni and the support provided by the career services team make it easy to find a job after graduation.
In conclusion, I highly recommend App Academy to anyone looking to start a career in tech. The quality of instruction, focus on hands-on learning, and dedication of the instructors to student success make it one of the best coding boot camps available. If you're ready to take your career in tech to the next level, App Academy is the perfect place to start. -
Anonymous
Tough but worth it.
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If you are looking to start a career in tech, App Academy is a great option. It is tough though, if you choose to go through the 24-week online program expect to be putting in 50 hours a week on the low end, and 60-70 on the high end.
Set your expectations accordingly. Finding your first job in tech is hard and will take a ton of work. After graduation expect to continue to put in 40 hours a week grinding to find that first position. Lots of applications, networking conversations, and continuous study to improve your skills. It took me about 4 months to find my job and that's considered pretty quick because the average is about 6 months.
Overall a fantastic experience with a great curriculum and instructors. If you're serious about getting a job as an SWE this is a great option, just set your expectation accordingly and be prepared for a lot of work. -
Anonymous
Noob To Employeed
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The name bootcamp is pretty accurate; however, as a career changer who might as well been a caveman in relation to tech, enrolling in App Academy was truly a nexus point in my career. I went from solving basic math problems in Ruby to learning several languages, building full projects, and eventually landing my first job in my new career. While at times it may feel like drinking water from a fire hose, the resources continually available are priceless. As someone in the March 2020 cohort, I'm not quite sure how being in the office rather than remotely would have changed my experience, but would recommend to anyone willing and wanting a big change -
Anonymous
Wish I would have done it sooner!
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The most important thing I’ll say after participating in App Academy’s 6-month online intensive boot camp is that I should have done it sooner! I’m not going to lie…it was a lot of really, really hard work. Probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But, what’s great about a/A besides the up-to-date curriculum and technical resources at your disposal is the support system that is in place to help you succeed. It’s a win win, and their career coaches are truly top notch. I got a job 6 weeks after graduation, and I’ve already recommended this program…and will continue to recommend it to numerous friends who have shared interest in coding! -
Anonymous
Might be worth it, but not for everyone
There are better options than bootcamps. In bootcamps you end up studying 10-12 hours a week anyways so if you study like that yourself you will get there faster without paying bunch of money to bootcamps -
Anonymous
Great
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Super recommended. I did the in-person bootcamp and it was a blast, learned a ton at the bootcamp and met lots of great people. The TAs there were especially awesome and made the experience great. It's very time intensive but you learn so much from it. After the bootcamp, they have a ton of helpful resources and people that help you find a job in timely manner. Highly, highly recommend especially for people who don't have a prior CS background -
Anonymous
App Academy Full-time Online
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I just graduated from the full-time online program in September 2022 and I feel much more confident that I can achieve my goal of working as a software engineer. The instructors were always willing to help and they accommodate very well to people who are completely new to programming. App Academy does a phenomenal job at deep diving into React and Redux and you should feel confident that you can develop a full-stack app from scratch when you complete the program. However, I feel the DS&A curriculum should be either extended or be something that we have to be doing throughout the program because after Module 2 you don't really get to practice it and it's just something we have to start practicing when we start looking for a job. Overall, I met some people that are now lifelong friends, and if you work HARD; you will succeed in the program and be job ready once you graduate. -
Anonymous
a/A did not meet expectations
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App Academy provides a decent curriculum, and I believe I learnt enough for me to build upon in the future. However, the quality of education is quite subpar. At the cost of tuition comparable to a private university, one might expect the standards to match. This is, unfortunately, not the case at App Academy. While most of our instructors I can say are among the best I've encountered, there can be instructors who leave you questioning why they're there at all. More disappointingly is the inconsistency with which the program is run, which is no fault of the instructors, but the fault of the administrators who control them. The administration greatly restricts what the instructors are allowed to say and do, which is definitely a detriment to the student experience since we have almost no face-to-face contact with admins--how can they decide the method of education that's best for us? Additionally, there was an instance of extreme ignorance and xenophobia that came from one of the administrators. The person at fault here did not receive any reprimand made public to students, even though this person's comments had a detrimental effect on the entire class that was present, and even those who weren't there but heard through others. Overall, though I do believe I got out of App Academy what I came for, I am displeased with the treatment the students received throughout the course of the program. It seems that things happen here at the detriment of students for the convenience of a/A's employees, which I firmly believe should be flipped, since the success of the students is what drives the profitability and success of the company. -
Anonymous
App Academy - 24 Week Online - Review
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App Academy was an outstanding and truly exceptional experience. I will admit that I did not realize how intense it was going to be but it was well worth my time. App Academy (a/A) really makes sure that its students know and fully understand the material. They highly encourage questions at all times and there are instructional assistants that can help you all along the way if you need it. If it were not hard, a/A would not be one of the best.
I chose to attend the 24 week online full time bootcamp (despite living in the SF Bay Area) because that was the best choice for me. I do come from an engineering background and had an engineering degree with a bit of programming experience before attending a/A. This truly didn't matter as there were students that excelled with no degree and no pervious experience. This bootcamp will consume close to your entire life for the 6 month duration, be ready for it. If I were to estimate, I believe I was putting in close to 10 hour days every single day for 6 months which includes weekends. I truly believe that all the struggle and long nights were worth it. After completing the program I absolutely feel prepared to work as a software engineer.
Lastly, I would like to mention an extremely important perk that a/A offers that most other boot camps do not. After graduating, each student is given a career coach to help perfect/improve all necessary assets for the job search (resume, projects, etc.) Your coach will help you strategist to get you the job you actually want and even help with salary and benefit negotiations when the time comes.
All in all, I highly recommend a/A but you had to be ready to give up your life for 6 months and work your butt off for an unbelievable reward. If it were easy, everyone would do it. -
Anonymous
Software engineer
Great experience with App Academy. 24 week online bootcamp teaches a lot to become a full stack software engineer. You do not require any prior experience to get admission in this bootcamp. But if you do not have any prior experience then you need to study/ wok very hard through out 24 weeks. But in the end it is really worth the hard work.