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Founded in 2012, App Academy is a global online coding bootcamp with a focus on software engineering. App Academy offers both full-time (24 weeks) and part-time (48 weeks) online options. Alumni have found Software Engineering roles at a range of start-ups and top tech companies.
App Academy's curriculum covers AI, SQL, JavaScript, Python, HTML, and CSS, in addition to state-of-the-art tools and web frameworks like ReactJS, Express, Flask, and SQL Alchemy. Working in a dynamic team environment, students will build complex web applications that will form the foundation of their portfolio.
App Academy’s goal is to ensure students not only land a full-time Software Engineering role, but also advance in their careers for years to come. Dedicated career coaches offer job search support ranging from mock technical/non-technical interviews and resume reviews, to connecting grads with App Academy's vast employer network. From there, App Academy's partnerships team connects graduates with some of the most prestigious tech companies in the industry.
When I was applying to boot camps, I did so simultaneously, to about 4 different boot camps. One of them accepted me right off the bat and I knew they were the wrong choiced. Others asked me to accomplish things in coding challenges that were far beyond my skill level without offering any instruction or legitimate curriculum.
With App Academy, the application process was very challenging, but you are given every opportunity to succeed via their resources. Also, the actual challe...
When I was applying to boot camps, I did so simultaneously, to about 4 different boot camps. One of them accepted me right off the bat and I knew they were the wrong choiced. Others asked me to accomplish things in coding challenges that were far beyond my skill level without offering any instruction or legitimate curriculum.
With App Academy, the application process was very challenging, but you are given every opportunity to succeed via their resources. Also, the actual challenges they give you are algorithm challenges, very similar to whiteboarding questions you may get when you interview for a Developer position. This is in contrast to other challenges that ask you to build a Rails Twilio application or some other project that is very practical in nature.
Yes, building an application is a great way of finding out whether someone is a good programmer, but it tells you nothing of their potential. However, if you teach someone some basic programming principles and data structures: what is a string? an array? etc. and then ask them to solve a question that uses those data structures, it is a much better way to guage someones potential by seeing if they are capable of applying what they are learning. Building a full application is much too difficult a task to ask of a newbie without spelling out every step and at that point, you may as well just write the code for them.
So aside from the deffered tuition (which is nice), the application process is what got me hooked on App Academy.
Once you get in, first the first few weeks all you want to do is survive. You will be kicked out if you fail two exams. The first people to go are people who can't type (it's painful to watch them type with only their index fingers) and people who don't speak English as their first language. That's not to say that everyone who doesn't speak English as their first language will fail, not what I am saying. However, the sheer amount of information that will be thrown at you is mind numbing and every lick of it is in English. If there is no language barrier, you still only absorb ~75-85% of what you are taught. If there is a language barrier, that percentage drops. This makes it difficult to keep up in a very fast paced environment. I noticed the people who spoke English as a second language and did well in the class either had prior coding experience or were just insanely sedulous and dedicated to the craft. It can be done, but it is certainly harder.
Once you make it past the survival phase, which is after the fourth assessment (say week 4), then you start to think, "Ok, I don't want to just survive anymore, I want to excel." This is where the course gets really exciting because you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You start to think about things like a programmer. You get re-programmed. That's what this program does to you, it programs you to be a programmer (you like what I did there?).
If you're smart, you may be wondering, "Well what are some flaws, some bad things about App Academy". The one thing I can point to, which I got over once I bought into the program is this: you are not attending a/A to create a startup when you graduate. I have a ton of ideas for startups, yes, but if it's one thing I learned during my time at a/A, it's that programming is very hard and it will take time (and more importantly, work experience) for you to be good. The goal of an a/A graduate is to get a job, not to start a company with a cool new application that revolutionizes an industry. Get a job, pay us back, get some experience, and then go start a company. That is the message and to be honest, I agree with it. Now some other bootcamps, like Full Stack Academy, have avenues for students to pursue their startup aspirations. This is a luxury that only a school who is already paid can afford. At a/A, they don't make money unless you do and most startups don't make money, they cost money (trust me, I know firsthand).
Now, if they don't get paid unless you do, that means they have a vested interest in your getting paid. This system of deffered tuition is one that Milton Friedman espoused in his book Free To Choose. He devised this as a way to pay for education without the government paying for it, but admitted it would be very difficult to implement. Well, App Academy implemented and guess what, it works! The curriculum kicks ass. It is laid out in such a way that each topic builds on the next and moves very quickly so that every week your knowledge grows exponentially. I'm not going to go into specifics on the curriculum, the website does that. But I will say that I remember thinking often, "Wow, this curriculum is so good." Thank Ned Ruggeri et al!
In summary, and this has been a long review, I highly recommend App Academy.
Description | Percentage |
Full Time, In-Field Employee | 85.9% |
Full-time apprenticeship, internship or contract position | 2.6% |
Short-term contract, part-time position, freelance | N/A |
Employed out-of-field | N/A |
How much does App Academy cost?
App Academy costs around $22,000. On the lower end, some App Academy courses like Free Bootcamp Prep (Online) cost $0.
What courses does App Academy teach?
App Academy offers courses like Free Bootcamp Prep (Online), Full-Time Coding Bootcamp (Online), Part-Time Coding Bootcamp (Online), Self-paced Open Course.
Where does App Academy have campuses?
App Academy teaches students Online in a remote classroom.
Is App Academy worth it?
The data says yes! App Academy reports a 80% graduation rate, a median salary of $101,000 and 90% of App Academy alumni are employed. The data says yes! In 2023, App Academy reported a 80% graduation rate, a median salary of $100,000, and 91% of App Academy alumni are employed.
Is App Academy legit?
We let alumni answer that question. 1,151 App Academy alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed App Academy and rate their overall experience a 4.66 out of 5.
Does App Academy offer scholarships or accept the GI Bill?
Right now, it doesn't look like App Academy offers scholarships or accepts the GI Bill. We're always adding to the list of schools that do offer Exclusive Course Report Scholarships and a list of the bootcamps that accept the GI Bill.
Can I read App Academy reviews?
You can read 1,151 reviews of App Academy on Course Report! App Academy alumni, students, and applicants have reviewed App Academy and rate their overall experience a 4.66 out of 5.
Is App Academy accredited?
App Academy is approved to operate by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and the New York State Education Department.
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