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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.
PROS:
Exceptional classmates --> First and foremost, I have to recognize how lucky I was to have such an amazing cohort. The degree of talent in the room, the relentless work ethic, the shared positivity, and the fun! I'm very thankful for the lasting connections I've forged throughout the curriculum.
Rewarding projects --> I dare say you'll work harder than you've ever worked in your life when approaching your solo / group full-stack projects in the back-half of the c...
PROS:
Exceptional classmates --> First and foremost, I have to recognize how lucky I was to have such an amazing cohort. The degree of talent in the room, the relentless work ethic, the shared positivity, and the fun! I'm very thankful for the lasting connections I've forged throughout the curriculum.
Rewarding projects --> I dare say you'll work harder than you've ever worked in your life when approaching your solo / group full-stack projects in the back-half of the curriculum. If you take the projects seriously and approach them as learning experiences, you will 100% grow as a person and as a software developer.
Knowledgeable teaching assistants --> I was fortunate to have an extremely knowledgeable and passionate TA as my circle leader; he consistently did a terrific job of reinforcing the learnings from the curriculum and ensuring that we felt prepared heading into our assessments. The rest of the TAs, some more experienced than others, did a fine job of designing/delivering our daily lectures as well as helping us all out on the floor each afternoon while we tackled our pair-programming assignments.
CONS:
Absence of Feedback --> As a new student, you'll be required to provide daily feedback on a variety of topics: quality of the curriculum, how well your pair-programming experiences go, your satisfaction level related to the support of your TAs, etc... and yet (to my knowledge) none of us ever received a single piece of feedback in return. I was very vocal about my desire for someone with experience to review my code or even my progress at any point in the curriculum... sadly, this did not come to fruition. If I'm honest, App Academy did not faithfully deliver on the expectations it set regarding the amount of support we would receive throughout the program. There were times when I was either seriously concerned about my own performance or extremely frustrated with aspects of the curriculum, but no one representing the program ever extended an opportunity to have a conversation about this.
Excessive emphasis on passing assessments --> Expect to take tests constantly (at least 1x / week for the first six weeks, not including practice exams). As of this moment, if you fail more than 2 exams, you risk getting dismissed from the program. The pressure was extremely high for almost all of us leading up to the assessments; we were concerned for ourselves and the possibility of losing the friends that we became close with. While I don't have a problem with designing a system to ensure that students are keeping up with the course material, I do seriously question each test's ability to accurately (or even roughly) gauge a student's understanding of the material. In hindsight, it felt like a lot of success was derived from a combination of memorizing code and test-taking strategies that were aimed to prioritize passing unit tests (i.e. scoring points) over genuine understanding of the course material... this last point being especially frustrating because it lies in direct contrast to App Academy's emphasis on prioritizing understanding over finishing assignments / projects.
Poorly designed online educational materials --> Over time, I found myself increasingly frustrated by the quality of App Academy's online educational materials. As a full-time in-person student, you will rely on this online program to supplement the daily lectures and help you complete the daily homework assignments. As a visual / tactile learner, I have no problem admitting that I regularly found myself completely discouraged by App Academy's approach to online learning: giant blocks of dense (often highly technical) text, static (non-interactive) code-snippets, poorly edited videos with outdated material, UI that lacks search functionality, etc... and you'll frequently find topics that App Academy decides to send you elsewhere on the Internet to learn about.
HTML / CSS education needs (a lot of ) love --> I would not recommend App Academy's HTML / CSS education above any of the most well-known and freely available resources on the internet. The curriculum peppers in bite-size doses of these topics with several half-hour projects & only 1 lecture entirely devoted to CSS. Almost all of us reached intermediate levels of competency in these topics exclusively through self-learning while working on our full-stack projects.
Insufficient guidance --> This criticism is specific to the back-half of the curriculum, when you'll transition to working on projects and preparing for your inevitable job search. Some examples come to mind: the shortage of TAs to support our cohort and the lack of organization / awareness / preparation regarding project-related lectures & availability of related online resources. I would also recommend regular check-ins between coaches and students in either a small group setting or 1 on 1 (if time permits); the program can often feel like such a whirlwind and the burden is so often laid on the backs of the students to figure things out themselves... I can't speak for everyone, but I would feel SO much better at least having the perception that there's someone here that is willing to actively guide me instead of just passively being available in the shadows.
Final Thoughts:
Though this opinion is subject to change once I leave the program and make my way through the job search... despite all my criticisms (no bootcamp is perfect), I have ZERO regrets about enrolling in this program. It challenged me to grow in ways I have never experienced in an academic or professional setting. It gifted me some amazing new friendships and connections that I'm extremely grateful to walk away with. It's worth noting that bootcamps are absolutely not made for everyone... the firehosing of information, the lack of sleep, the pressure, the impostor syndrome... this can often feel like an extremely stressful environment (on your body and your mind)... but if you're up for the challenge, this could very well change your life.
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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