App Academy

I chose App Academy because it was one of the few bootcamps that still offered an in-person experience. I attended App Academy’s 16-week in person software engineering program in San Francisco. Being able to have your instructors there with you and pair... Read More program with your peers in-person was invaluable. If being in-person is something you can commit to, I highly recommend it!  The coursework is extremely rigorous (about 8 hrs of lectures/programming during the day and a few more hours of readings/homework at night) and the job search after is even more rigorous. But they do provide you with all the tools you need to succeed with experienced instructors, opportunities to build projects to showcase your skills, and career workshops and partnership jobs after. The in-person curriculum may be lacking Python, but App Academy prepares you to learn and implement new languages and frameworks on your own.  I was previously a marketing manager with little coding experience. The job market was slow at the time I graduated App Academy and it took me 6 months to receive 2 software engineering offers. The program is tough, but definitely rewarding if you are dedicated to shifting your career into engineering. 

I took the 24 week online course and I didn't expect to learn as much as I did in this time. When you look back it is crazy to see the amount of work you did but it is all worth it. There were many long days (and nights) of coding and preparing for the... Read More next day but that was essential for understanding all of the information that you had to learn. The course itself was great. You are provided with homework to prepare, lectures in the beginning of the day and pair programming in the afternoon (sometimes timing of that varies). They provide study time to prepare for the upcoming assessment and provide a study guide. They want to see you suceed so ask as many questions as you can. You will learn a lot and won't be able to retain all of the information so going back over the content once you finish the course will really solidify your understanding. Instructors are App Academy graduates so they know what you've been through. They break down the concepts really well but be prepared to feel like you are in over your head. That's going to happen but don't let that stop you, everyone feels that way. If you have prior coding experience a lot of the info is pretty easy to understand but you learning new concepts is still a lot. The job search was a lot of applying and rejections (especially in this market). Expect it and don't get discouraged. a/A provides you with so much support and has a team of behavioral coaches and a team of technical coaches to help with each aspect. USE THEM. That is where you will get the most out of your time. They provide workshops and mock interviews to make you think in a new way and prepare you for the interview process. They really work with you but you have to communicate with them. They have partnerships with companies but that doesn't mean you get the job. You have to go through the interview process like anyone else. Partnerships go in and out because they all aren't hiring all year around. Most have certain times during the year they hire.

I highly recommend App Academy if you are thinking of making a career change to software engineering! The instructors are second-to-none and do a great job of providing a learning experience that helps you learn to the best of your ability. The format... Read More and schedule of the bootcamp is great, allowing you to get daily experience pair programming projects with others as well as showcasing your own abilities through projects towards the end of the bootcamp. The space is nice and clean and is a great area to collaborate with your cohort mates and form a community. It is a rigorous bootcamp, so expect to spend at least 60 hours a week during the bootcamp and make sure you don't fall behind because they do not slow down. I believe there could be some changes to the curriculum, as they do not teach Python or Java, which are very popular languages in the job market right now. Ultimately, the job search is going to be the biggest challenge, especially in today's market, so be prepared for it to take at least 6 months. Nonetheless, the a/A community, including alumni and career team, are extremely helpful in helping you prepare to find opportunities.

a/A is a great bootcamp for anyone looking to break into field. Their curriculum is constantly changing to stay up-to-date with the market. The entire instruction team is fantastic, and the career coaches are incredibly supportive. I spent 1 month after... Read More graduation working on my portfolio, and about 2 months applying to jobs. I applied to ~250 jobs, interviewed with 5 different companies, and had two offers within 3 months of graduating. They give you all the resources to succeed, but it's up to you to put in the time and effort. Be prepared to give up your free time and weekends to learning how to code and treat the job search like a full-time job.

App Academy was my top choice for enrolling in a coding bootcamp because of it's low acceptance rate and rigorous curriculum program. Anyone can code but this program really pushes you through and through. The 24 week program is very fast paced and you... Read More will spend much time outside of normal hours studying but the depth of knowledge that you gain is worth it. Compared to many other bootcamps that I know of, App Academy prepares you well enough to provide you with strong foundational skills that other bootcamps don't give to you. This program does a great job emulating real on the job coding practices like pair programming, group projects, daily standups, and more that you can speak to in job interviews. The program is tough and the instructors and TA's are also tough on you but it really does make you a strong programmer. This program is not for those who want to coast through and hope to land a six-figure job right away, you definitely have to put in the work but by the end it'll all be worth it.

a/A is a great option for anyone looking to break into the field. The curriculum is modern and up-to-date and constantly evolving. I enjoyed my time there and am already placed in a new role as a software engineer. As with anything that offers a high... Read More reward, you'll get out of it what you put in. I appreciate that App Academy is more rewarding for those who are self-motivated and do the work.

I loved my time at App Academy. I really value getting hands on experience and that's exactly what I got for 6 months straight. Besides just coding you learn how to work with others, how to ask questions, and how to learn things really fast. You will... Read More get to build your own projects and you will learn how to learn new technologies. By the end of the curriculum, you will have enough skills to build whatever you like. It was certainly challenging (at some points really challenging!) but if you know this is what you want to do then it quickly becomes a lot of fun as well. Pros: Really great instructors and staff that care about you and your understanding of the curriculum. Cons: Less support in the job search phase and the job search phase might be harder than the curriculum.

Be prepared to spend up many hours because App Academy is a very rigorous course because if you don't, you will struggle a lot. You expected to read/learn material ahead of the next day, so that you are able to do the projects. They also have assessments... Read More that test your skills, be ready for those tests. Once all of the assessments all done, you get to make your own websites using what you have learn over the course. The course does a good job teaching you how to apply these skills on your own project, so the course does pay off once you reach to this part of the course. Although App Academy is a pretty great course, I feel like some parts of course should be expanded upon as I felt like they were just barely a footnote. And once you finish your sites, they will provide you a lot of support to get your next job. If you don't get a job within a year, they will refund your money back. Overall, as you long as you are willing to commit your time to start a career on software engineering, I would recommend you join App Academy.

As someone who has worked various jobs in the service industry, retail, dog daycares and vet clinics, who has just began his new career as a software engineer, I can say that App Academy is responsible for guiding me through a rapid upshift in my life... Read More experience. The curriculum is very fast-paced, but not impossible! The instructors and my classmates were all so positive and we all helped each other to get through it, and to learn and grow. The projects we worked on provided a chance to immediately put into use the new knowledge and skills we picked up each week, in a cumulative manor, which was something I was unable to find on my own trying to teach myself online. The job hunt portion was the most difficult time for me mentally and emotionally, but the support I received from the staff during this point had an immeasurable impact. I'm incredibly grateful for this program. Pros: The skill of picking up new information and putting it into use, quickly, is a very valuable skill to have. This program will absolutely help you hone that skill. Also, everyone there is so positive! Cons: During group projects, not always getting to contribute an equal amount / other group members flying ahead left me feeling a little lost and unsure when it came time for solo projects. Best advice? Speak up to your group-mates! Everyone is there to help. Also, the job search portion was probably the most difficult thing I've had to do in my life. Pace yourself, and don't give up hope, IT WILL HAPPEN.

App Academy is an exceptional coding boot camp that provides a comprehensive and intensive education for those looking to launch a career in Software Engineering. From the very start, I was impressed by the quality of instruction and the dedication of... Read More the instructors to each student's success. The curriculum is well-structured and challenging, but the instructors are incredibly supportive and make sure that each student has the tools they need to succeed. The immersive program is intense, but the level of support and guidance provided by the instructors makes it a manageable and enjoyable experience. One of the things that sets App Academy apart from other coding boot camps is its focus on hands-on learning. The majority of the program is spent coding, which is an excellent way to develop real-world skills that can be applied immediately in a professional setting. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, from front-end to back-end development, and includes everything you need to know to launch a successful career in tech. The job placement rate at App Academy is outstanding, and this is a testament to the quality of the program and the dedication of the instructors. Graduates of the program are well-prepared for the job market and are in high demand by tech companies. The network of alumni and the support provided by the career services team make it easy to find a job after graduation. In conclusion, I highly recommend App Academy to anyone looking to start a career in tech. The quality of instruction, focus on hands-on learning, and dedication of the instructors to student success make it one of the best coding boot camps available. If you're ready to take your career in tech to the next level, App Academy is the perfect place to start.