App Academy

I attended App Academy's 24-week program, and it was the best decision I have ever made! I will not lie, it was not easy with the weekly assessments, 70-80 hour weeks, and projects. However, I learned very valuable skills such as Python and Javascript. Towards the back half of the program, we began building full-stack projects to help us gain experience and to put on our resumé. After graduation, you get assigned a career coach whose job is to make sure you get a job, which is the main reason why I personally chose App Academy over other boot camps.

App Academy was quite the experience. It was a lot to take on, and at times didn't feel manageable. It took a lot of extra time for me to feel comfortable with everything. I put in a lot of extra hours and a lot of effort to keep up with everything. If you learn quickly and do well teaching yourself then this is the course for you. There were times later in the program where help from instructors was a little lacking, not only did it seem that they didn't have all the answers but that they didn't have the time to help either. It is a fast paced program so I think the problem lies in the fact that we are hungry and plentiful and there just isn't enough time for it all to be possible. I would definitely recommend the program, just make sure you make friends and get a group of supporters together during the bootcamp.

I took the July 2020 in-person curriculum held remotely. I enjoyed my time at App Academy. The staff was great and a/A does a great job in providing a great learning environment (You are encouraged to always ask questions). I met a lot of great people and would highly suggestion creating a study group. App Academy's curriculum provides every student the foundation to succeed but every student's experience is a lot different. This is a situation where you get what you put in. The curriculum is fast and very tough, especially if you do not have any experience in coding. By the end of the program, you will have had 3 capstone projects (Full Stack, MERN stack, Vanilla Javascript). Overall, I'm happy with my decision on attending App Academy, but because it was such a rigorous curriculum, I would not want to go through it again.

I attended App Academy in 2020, and had an overall positive experience. The main things that I got out of App Academy would have to be computer science principles, a strong and large network, and the confidence to go out and learn on my own. I am currently in the midst of my job search and I can largely attribute the attention that I am getting and what I know thanks to App Academy. Some things that can be worked on would just to make sure the curriculum is constantly being reviewed so that the most relevant and helpful material are being taught, or possibly having multiple curriculums with different tracks. I personally wished that the program did last a little bit longer, just because I found myself doing a lot of additional learning after my cohort ended, and felt like I could have learned those things more quickly under a controlled classroom environment. Overall, App Academy is one of the few good bootcamps out there. The amount of knowledge I have gained in just 4 months is quite remarkable,  and I have seen a lot of positive results in terms of getting interviews and jobs personally and amongst my peers.

Before you sign up, this isn't a golden ticket to a 6-figure salary on a silver platter after graduation. This program provides you the foundation needed to succeed, what you get out of the program will depend on you. 

Some things that are a guarantee is:
-Be frustrated during this journey, you will feel the urge to quit because learning is not always easy. 
-You will meet great & awful people, welcome to the club.
-Prepare to be working 12+ hours a day, including weekends to meet the deadlines. Even after graduation. 
-You will learn to be a better coder and communicator 

Suggestions for App Academy:
1) Focus on more industry-relevant technologies. Java? Python? More data structure & algorithms?
2) Get more partnerships with companies, show companies that your bootcamp graduates are capable.
3) More post-graduate assistance.
4) Parts of the curriculum felt rushed and other times too slow, the timing of the curriculum needs to be improved.
5) Most curriculum videos are severely outdated and lackluster
6) Not all instructors have professional experience

The curriculum at App Academy is well designed, offering repeated exposure to the same concept in different ways. So if you don't understand it the first time, you'll get it the second. It also challenges the student to think deeply about the subject material, imparting a deep level of understanding of not just coding but computer science concepts.

With that being said, I think their online materials/readings needs definite improvement, as some of the material is outdated and written poorly. Their job search curriculum seems to be very good (I will update this review upon finding a job). Just be sure to read ALL the fine print closely because there are some nuances to their pricing model and certain rules must be followed.

Also, they only offered a $100 "gift" when they switched the entire in-person cohort to remote instruction due to coronavirus. They should have offered more, as some people paid upfront for an in-person experience.

To start, I want to say that App Academy is as challenging as everyone makes it out to be. Be prepared to spend 10-12 hours a day studying, 7 days a week for the first 9 weeks. Although there were many stressful days and sleepless nights, the amount of knowledge you accrue throughout the curriculum period is crazy. One of the aspects that I really liked at app academy was just being able to surround yourself around incredibly talented individuals, who are all working towards the same goal as you. It really fosters an environment that allows you to push yourself further.

A typical day at App Academy during the curriculum period consists of checking in at 9am, lecture, pair programming, and flex time, which is pretty much a circle time where you discuss with your designated group about what you learned that day. Some of the TAs were previous students and were very approachable, though at times during pair programming, none are on the floor/available. There are lecture videos and homework  you are tasked to watch and complete every night, which usually take a few hours to complete. Assessments are given almost every week during the curriculum period and they require tons of studying. Be prepared to simply eat, sleep, code, repeat. I will definitely miss struggling with the friends I have made here - it's like graduating college all over again.

App Academy is an investment in your future. With hard work and dedication you can get through the program and be qualified for a fantastic job. I found a job rather quickly after graduation, and although your mileage may vary, there is a very real demand in the computer science field. They will teach you the skills necessary to land a great job. It is a very rigorous 3 months however, so be prepared. If you have the right mindset and a dedicated attitude to learn you will be successfull here. Be prepared to start your day at 9am and end at midnight or close to it every weekday. Take homework seriously as it prepares you for the next day. Weekends don't leave much time for relaxation as you will most likely be studying intensely for an exam (it is very easy to fail an exam even if you understand the material, so don't underestimate them!). Exams are scheduled such that you usually can only study on the weekend right before. Basically you should pretend fun doesnt exist for 3 months - slacking would be dangerous.