App Academy Bootcamp Review – a Comprehensive Guide
Overview
Locations
Remote, New York, San Francisco
Disciplines Offered
Software Engineering
Payment Options
Income Share Agreement, Installments, Loans, Scholarships, UpfrontFounded in 2012, App Academy is a world-renowned coding bootcamp that has placed over 4,500 alums in software engineering roles at more than 2,000 companies. App Academy offers programs that fit every learning style, including an in-person software engineering program in San Francisco and New York. It also provides a full-time online software engineering program and a part-time online software engineering program.
App Academy's flagship course, the on-campus software engineering program, lasts 16 weeks. Industry experts design App Academy's comprehensive full-stack curriculum, which covers Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and React/Redux. You also learn SQL, data structures, and algorithms.
In the program, you work in paired programming with your classmates and develop web applications from the ground up. You can compile these projects into a Github portfolio, which serves as a resume for employers. After graduating, a dedicated career coach works with you to guide you through your job search.
Job search support varies from mock technical or nontechnical interviews and resume reviews to connecting grads with App Academy's vast employer network. 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.
If you need more time to discover whether software engineering is for you, check out App Academy's bootcamp prep courses and free bootcamp curricula through the App Academy Open platform.
App Academy Courses
App Academy specializes in turning students with no previous experience into software engineers. It offers the same course online and in person, along with full- and part-time options. If you think you'll need more preparation, App Academy also offers a prep course for an extra $500.
Software Engineering Full-Time, In-Person
- Cost: $17,000
- Learning Format: In-person with some online
- Time Commitment: Full-time
- Length: 16 weeks
Students based in San Fransisco follow a hybrid model where some weeks occur in person and others online. The in-person days change as the course progresses. Students based in New York learn online for the first two weeks. Then they move to all in-person instruction for the rest of the course.
Software Engineering Full-Time, Online
- Cost: $20,000
- Learning Format: Online
- Time Commitment: Full-time
- Length: 24 weeks
The full-time online program offers classes Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific Time. There is no second time zone offered.
Software Engineering Part-Time, Online
- Cost: $22,000
- Learning Format: Online
- Time Commitment: Part-time
- Length: 48 weeks
Learning full time is not possible for everyone. Part-time students can expect to spend around 27.5 hours a week on coursework, studying, and assessments.
Classes take place Monday through Thursday in the evening. You can choose either the East Coast or West Coast time zone.
App Academy Admissions Process
To apply for the App Academy program, you must complete a few steps, which could take between 2-6 weeks.
- Submit an application.
- Take a 30-minute test that measures logical reasoning, typing, and personality.
- If you pass, you'll be invited to a 25-minute nontechnical interview.
- After this, you'll be invited to participate in the course or not. If you accept, App Academy assigns you to technical learning challenges to enroll in a cohort.
The application process is rather competitive, but students who want an extra edge can enroll in a paid bootcamp prep course for $500. App Academy offers these prep courses online and in person. If you are not accepted after the prep course, you'll get your money back.
App Academy Acceptance Rate
App Academy is one of the most selective bootcamps, with only a 5% acceptance rate.
App Academy Cost
The price of App Academy courses differs slightly between courses. App Academy offers many payment options, including scholarships with various exceptions and caveats, usually based on where you live.
For example, it offers scholarships only to people who identify as female or other underrepresented minorities living in San Jose, California.
If you are interested in enrolling in App Academy, talk to one of its representatives to confirm that you are eligible for a particular payment option.
App Academy Payment Options
Campus Software Engineering Program
24-Week Online Software Engineering Program
48-Week Online Software Engineering Program
You can find more information on the cost and all payment plans for both online and in-person courses here.
App Academy vs. Codesmith
Similar to App Academy, Codesmith offers remote and New York City courses. You can take full-time, 13-week programs in Pacific, Central, and Eastern time zones. Codesmith's part-time course lasts 38 weeks.
Overall the programs have more similarities than differences.
- Both bootcamp providers offer career services, including interview and job search assistance.
- Their application processes are similar and include a technical and nontechnical interview.
- They feature similar costs: Code Academy costs $19,950, and App Academy costs about $20,000.
- Both bootcamp providers have about a 5% acceptance rate.
- The curriculum is also very similar.
Frequently Asked Questions About App Academy Coding Bootcamp
Is App Academy worth it?
App Academy bootcamps can be worth it for some people, depending on the return on investment. App Academy offers just that with its deferred tuition and ISA payment methods but also its upfront payment option. The bootcamp is cheaper and more efficient than many four-year computer science degrees or master's degrees.
Is App Academy hard to get into?
Yes. With a 5% acceptance rate, App Academy is difficult to get into. But this low rate is not entirely uncommon for bootcamps. App Academy provides a workaround if you are willing to pay, though. If you sign up for its $500 prep course, your chance of acceptance increases. And if you are ultimately not accepted, you'll get your $500 back.
Will App Academy get you a job?
App Academy boasts one of the higher job placement rates in the industry. According to its website, 93% of graduates from the San Francisco cohort in 2019 found a job in the field, earning an average starting salary of $104,000. For its New York group in the same year, 95% of students landed a job in the industry with an average salary of $86,900. Find more information for both groups here.
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