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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.
I went through the May 21st 2018 cohort of a/A. It was one of the most intimidating, challenging, and rewarding experiences of my life. I will separate the pros and cons out and then give additional thoughts.
Pros:
- I made some amazing friends that I will try to stay in contact with, we bonded deeply through the trials that we went through. This was one of the best benefits of the program
- I am now employed as a software engineer and I am making double what I was...
I went through the May 21st 2018 cohort of a/A. It was one of the most intimidating, challenging, and rewarding experiences of my life. I will separate the pros and cons out and then give additional thoughts.
Pros:
- I made some amazing friends that I will try to stay in contact with, we bonded deeply through the trials that we went through. This was one of the best benefits of the program
- I am now employed as a software engineer and I am making double what I was earning before, living where I want to live, working for a cause I care about
- I feel like I have a skill that makes me marketable and valuable, that gives me a greater sense of independence from the employer I will work for
- I gained confidence in my ability to learn a complex skill fast
- I can type 75 wpm, despite starting the cohort at 35ish
- My interview skills were far better than I expected after the program, I think the pressure of the assessments makes technical interview pressure pale in comparison
- I built a full-stack web app, mostly on my own that looked awesome on my portfolio
- I was able to get a job after only two months of applying after the cohort ended
- Lot's of people in my cohort got jobs at a/A after which helped them
- Strong emphasis on CSS which is boring at first but ends up being very important
Cons:
- Serious lack of CS teaching
- I was horrified and unsure of whether or not I would make it through the program until I passed assessment 5
- I had to live in a place I hate to attend the program
- The assessments are scary and sometimes are significantly harder than the practice assessments, so you don't know what to expect
- Most TA's solidly taught and understood the material for our cohort, but often times the TA's are teaching you the just after completing a cohort, so they don't have mastery over it. I wish they had more experienced TA's with CS backgrounds who deeply understood the material
- Some people were far worse than others in the cohort an they sucked up lots of the instruction time, I felt TA's could have done a better job of prioritizing assistance
- They teach Ruby (which is a dying language) and JS, when they really should be teaching Python and JS
- Career coaches can come off as job application enforcers, and mine didn't help me get my foot in any door, he just tried to give me advice which was occasionally helpful
- 5/10k is a lot of money to lose if you fail the cohort, that's takes a real mental toll to try to study when you have that much money on the line
- Working 90-100 hours a week for 2.5 months was emotionally draining and I usually could only take 2 hours or so off per week
Additional Thoughts:
After searching for jobs for 2 months, I realized that Python would have been far better to learn than Ruby. Everyone uses it basically. Other bootcamps probably teach Python and JS and that might make the job search easier. I like Ruby, but I find it hard to recommend the program because of the decision to teach Ruby and not Python.
The cost is fairly high, and so it is hard to enroll in a/A without some money in the bank. It ends up being a sort of accelerator for already privileged people, which is not what they necessarily advertise. This is just how it is unfortunately. Also the advertisements are inaccurate because most people don't get jobs at Google unless they were TA's at a/A for some time.
Another thing is that a/A is somewhat of a revolving door, I am noticing that the best instructors leave almost as soon as they become fully capable instructors. This might lead to lower quality instruction. a/A doesn't have good organization as a company and people working for them complain about things like not getting paid and constant misunderstandings.
I would never go through something like this again, but I can't deny that it worked for me and most of my cohort. About 50% of us landed jobs, and fast. However, a few of the other 50% of students were able to get through but some of them mysteriously seem like they still don't understand coding, and were able to get through by just memorizing practice assessments. I think this set of people is might struggle for a long time and maybe give up. The weeding out is not as intense as it should be.
a/A was scary and intense but it imposes immense focus on you that allows you to surpass your previous ignorance and gain serious skills that make you employable, and eventually well paid. I turned my whole life around in just 9 months (I studied a lot before the program). I have a love hate relationship with it but more love than hate overall. My life has become drastically better and I feel empowered now in a way I never felt before.
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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