I was in the March-May 2014 NYC cohort of App Academy.
I thought App Academy was one of the best learning experiences I've ever had. It was really demanding (11-14 hour workdays + weekend work), but also incredibly rewarding. I really thought the course was extremely densely packed with information, and I also thought they taught it very effectively by having such a high percentage of class time (80-100%) be working through coding projects.
I got a web developer job one month after graduating at a company I'm really passionate, and, coming from an Economics major with zero professional programming experience, I think it would have been nearly impossible without App Academy.
Finally, from what I've gathered, it really does compare very well with other Bootcamps (e.g. General Assembly, Dev Bootcamp). App Academy grads I've met almost uniformly are quite competent at the fundamentals of building web applications.
As long as you can keep up with the work, you're probably find it extremely valuable, as I did.
TL;DR: No exaggeration, App Academy was a life changing experience for me, and if you are willing to work hard it can be life changing for you as well.
I started out with a little experience programming and the idea that I might like to do it professionally and app academy tough me the skills I needed to do just that. The application process requires you to work hard but is also highly rewarding. The prep materials they provide give you a clear path toward what you will need to learn to get accepted. I became a better programmer just by learning the material required to get accepted.
The program its self is nothing short of amazing, in my opinion its the ideal model for education. Expert teachers, helpful TAs, and a well rounded and diverse group of smart and enthusiastic peers who are just as eager to learn as you are. The peer interaction is one of the best parts of the program, you can easily learn as much if not more from your peers as you will from the lectures and reading.
The BEST and most unique part of app academy is the tuition model (no tuition until you find a job, at which you pay a % of your first year salary over time) . This is crucial and something you can not find in any other boot camp that I have ever come across. The fact that they do not get paid until you find a job means that your incentives are aligned with theirs. They have every reason to make the curriculum the best that it can be, and they will support and advise you until you find a job. This also means that you dont have to shell up $10K or more up front like you would with other boot camps and there is no risk if thing don't work out.
I learned a tremendous amount and made a lot of friends during the program, many of which I am still in touch with today. I attended app academy in October of 2013 and I now work for groupon making 2.5x as much as I made before I was a software dev. Fellow graduates of my cohort are have jobs ranging from big name companies like Tumblr to cool start ups and all to my knowledge found jobs after finishing the program.
App Academy is a sure path to a software dev job for those who enjoy programming and are willing to work hard at it.
I was a member of the July 2014 NYC cohort, and I can definitely say that attending App Academy is among the best decisions I have made. I came from a background in science w/ a Bachelor of Arts, but wanted to move out of academic research, and a/A facilitated my career transition perfectly. It was certainly hard work, but the amount of information I learned, combined with important skills like pair programming and generally being able to effectively communicate ideas about code and design made it well worth the effort. Instruction: I found the instructors to be very helpful and supportive, but do not expect hand-holding or coddling. The prevailing attitude is that each student is ultimately responsible for his/her own learning; there is plenty of help to be had, and the instructors are clearly invested in the success of their students, but you must take the initiative to ask for help if you need it. No one is going to drag you through this program. I found the curriculum to be well curated; it includes everything that you need for a junior development position at a great company, as long as you are committed to continuing to learn after you land your first job. Backbone does, admittedly, seem a bit stale as far as js frameworks go, but it is a great jumping off point for exploring others in the future. Culture/other students: In my experience, one of the great strengths of a/A was their selection process. I found my classmates to be fun, engaging, and almost universally great to work with. I was worried about pair programming going in, but I really believe I benefitted from the practice and never felt that my pair was holding me back more than they were helping me become a better programmer and communicator. The practice of dropping students who can't keep up, although it may seem harsh, goes a long way to maintain an optimal learning environment for everyone. I think it's also worth noting that, while I was the only woman in my class of 18 people, I did not feel isolated or otherwise uncomfortable at any point during my time there. My classmates were all respectful and kind, and I think the instructors did a great job of fostering an environment in which everyone could learn and thrive, which is so invaluable (and unfortunately not universal) in the tech community. Experience afterwards: I got a job after a/A almost as quickly as I started applying, and the company I joined hired one of my classmates as well. He and I are ~6 months in and have received almost universally positive feedback, and I feel very much like a productive member of the team. In the NYC tech community at large I've also heard great things about app academy grads from people who work with them - and, in general, I think app academy is regarded as one of, if not the, best of the myriad "bootcamp" style programming schools that are springing up all around town.
App Academy is an incredible experience that will transform your life! (A review by a British App Academy grad)
I heard about App Academy through a friend while I was living in London. At the time I was in a painfully dull job and was just looking for something interesting to do. I'd done a little recreational programming at university so I thought I would apply and see what happened. Now I'm a developer at a fantastic company with a great salary and an extremely exciting career ahead of me.
Moving to New York for the course was surprisingly straightforward. Because the course is only 84 days it can be done on an ESTA as long as you're careful to site that it is a "recreational" vocational course with no qualifications.
To say that the course is demanding is something of an understatement. They really aren't kidding when they say you should expect to spend the vast majority of your time coding for the duration of the course. However, the material is engaging and like many of my cohort I was so addicted that I found myself building code on the side.
The methodology that they teach at app academy sets you apart from other bootcamp graduates and indeed from other applicants for any job that you will apply for. The enforced pair programming not only serves as a way to get to know your cohort, but will stand you in excellent stead for joining some of the most exciting companies in the industry.
What really gives App Academy its colossal advantage over the other options is the quality of both students and instructors. Jonathan, Tommy and Constance are all exceptional teachers. I really can't express the extent to which these three heroes make App Academy the powerhouse that it is. They will help you navigate the stresses of working at such a fast pace, infect you with their genuine passion for the web and make you feel like you belong in the world of tech. They are an absolute joy to learn from. My cohort was also full of exceptional people, many of whom I hope to keep in touch with for a long time to come. Being surrounded by such an incredible bunch of people really does make you feel a part of something special.
I should say that as a foreign student I was asked to pay the full cost of the course upfront, which is not mentioned in any of the FAQs. I consider it the best investment I have ever made by a significant margin, but I can understand your frustration if you can't pull that sort of sum together. I only managed it through a friend.
If you're thinking of applying, stop reading reviews and do it now. Right this instant. If you are a British applicant and thinking of applying but are worried about the upheaval of moving, stop reading reviews and just do it already! It really will be the best thing that ever happened to you.
I went to App Academy a year and a half ago and got job offers before it was even over. If you follow their instructions and work hard then their promises are true!
I graduated from a/A as part of the May 2015 group, and cannot recommend the program highly enough. Before the program, I had some general tech knowledge but very little idea of how to go about either A) learning to code for real, or B) how to leverage those skills into a career. a/A not only delivers on point A in an incredible way - many of the other reviewers here cover that process, so I won't be redundant - but I believe that where the program truly sets itself apart from other programs is on point B. After class had finished, but unofficially and officially, the a/A staff (both in NYC and SF) consistently went above and beyond to help both me and my peers find amazing careers. As of writing this, every alumni from my class and those before and after mine that I am still in touch with have amazing jobs at very cool companies and all make great salaries. As for the educational team, as of writing this it's Jonathan/Tommy/Constance, who were all there during my time, and are all incredibly intelligent, helpful, and passionate teachers. The tremendous amount of positive reviews that you see on this page are a testament to what a high-quality, life-changing program a/A is.
I was a simple student attending university for engineering when I stumbled upon App Academy's website. I applied thinking, 'What the hell', went through their multiple interview processes, when all the sudden I got accepted. I was faced with the tough decision to continue my university degree or attend App Academy.
I took App Academy and haven't looked back. The skills and people I met were invaluable and precious. And while they didn't teach me everything there is to know about programming, they opened up the gateway to a world that was previously closed off to me and gave me the skills to learn everything there is to know about programming.
I've got a job as a software developer and I can't wait to see were my skills take me now.
I would highly recommend App Academy. If you're interested in becoming a software developer and are willing to work hard, this is the best way to do it. In just three months, I went from knowing only a little about coding to being employed as a full-time software engineer at a major Bay Area tech company. The results from App Academy wildly exceeded my expectations, and I can't wait to pursue a career in software. None of it would have been possible without App Academy.
Without going into too much detail, I'd say "believe the hype." Right now there is a huge imbalance in the software market -- demand for software developers is massively outstripping supply, and App Academy's training will put you in position to get one of those highly coveted software jobs.
If you'd like to learn more about App Academy, check out the other reviews and navigate to the App Academy website to see some of the existing students' blogs. Learning how to program at App Academy is an incredible experience, and if you're on the fence about, remember this... leaving your current career may feel risky, but if you think you'd love programming then App Academy is totally worth it.
- It changes your life in 3 months - You can make real friends who you'll be in touch with for years and learn so much from - You never feel like you're learning something useless - Only 2 months out and most of my classmates and I already have jobs (along with significant salary increases!)
Word to the wise:
The material is not always easy to grasp at first and the class moves so quickly that you must practice, practice, practice in your down time. There are weekly evaluations to make sure you are up to speed. I'd say i was spending 60-70 hours per week working. You cannot change your career without putting work and extra effort in, so you have to be willing to do that at App Academy. You will enjoy your new career, and App Academy gives you the fastest way of getting there.
Finally, the fantastic teachers make the hard work completely worth it. I had Jonathan, Tommy, and Constance. Jonathan was the main teacher, and he cared so much that we understood the material. Tommy made crucial edits to my resume, helping me to land a job I really enjoy. Constance, the TA, has an insane amount of knowledge, and answered every questions I had and every bug I encountered within seconds.
Best thing I've ever done in my life was getting into App Academy. After passing the program I got an amazing job in no time. Jonathan and Tommy are super amazingly great! I am forever grateful for this experience!
I was a part of the App Academy September '14 cohort.
A year ago I was a financial systems analyst, chained to his cubicle with 4 bundle of TPS reports to an oracle database. Now I am a front end software developer on the other side of the country, loving my job everyday and have plenty of downtime to work on other pursuits, and with a large pay raise to boot. Joining App Academy was one of the best decisions I have made in my life.
Yes it is hard work, yes you will spend an incredible amount of time with your extremely smart cohort and yes you will work late. But if you are reading this you already want to drink from the proverbial fire-hose and learn from the best no? I have heard more than once from other junior bootcamp grads in the Bay Area that App Academy is considered to be one of the best, if not the best bootcamps in the bay area. (It is probably the best in the NY region).
App Academy does not get paid until you get paid, so they have zero incentive to prepare you for anything less than absolutely the best jobs out there (and help you get them), that is one of the major reasons why I picked A/A and what I still believe to be its strongest selling point.
So to reiterate, a/A is on your side to get you the best job you can get, it will teach you everything you need to be a kickass junior developer and some, and you will work incredibly hard with a great group of people.
It is because of App Academy that I am a software engineer today. I was a mechanical engineer looking to transition to software development in the most efficient way possible. App Academy was exactly what I needed. Their intensive curriculum covers everything one would need to start out in the world of web development, from the basics to the bleeding edge. After 3 months I was building the front and back end of web applications using some of the newest tools and methodologies out there in this field.
This program is for the passionate and motivated. If you're serious about transitioning into the world of software development, then do yourself a favor and apply.
I have no reservations about recommending App Academy to anyone who is motivated to start a career as a software developer. I've now been working as a software engineer for over a year, and App Academy gave me the skills I have needed to be successful. I found the curriculum to be highly effective -- by making you work through everything yourself in the projects, you really absorb the skills at a very quick rate and in addition, they emphasized the principles behind the tools, so that you can continue to grow as an engineer on your own after the program. The NYC instructor Jonathan is fantastic -- he really cares about his students, is great at explaining concepts to people with a variety of backgrounds, and loves to share his enthusiasm with the whole class.
I attended App Academy as part of the September '14 cohort.
I had worked for a tech company before App Academy but not in a developer/engineering capacity. After several years of relative success I realized that I wasn't feeling entirely fulfilled simply advancing in the path I was on. I'd always enjoyed working directly with code and had considered switching careers to development in the past, but at the time coding programs like App Academy weren't around. But a friend of mine had recently gone through the program, and so on learning a bit more and hearing his own accolades on the program, I applied and was accepted.
The program, and everything that's followed, has been an excellent experience. The curriculum and teaching style take a decidedly DIY approach to education in that it challenges students to take charge of their own learning, which is a little scary at first, but is actually what makes the program so beneficial and successful. This is precisely the kind of attitude that's required to be a successful developer today and App Academy does an excellent job of imbuing it on its students. At the same time, day-to-day you're in an incredibly collaborative and open environment -- because of the demanding admission standards your classmates are guaranteed to be intelligent and self-motivated people from whom you can learn a lot. Likewise, the instructors care about education and are themselves well-experienced, passionate coders.
A good three weeks of the program was devoted to the job hunt. App Academy has several staff dedicated to helping get their students jobs after the program, who maintain relationships with employers, so students are provided valuable advice and guidance during the job search process. I found most employers to be impressed with the knowledge and capabilities I'd gained through the program. I'm now working for an exciting e-commerce startup and come in to work every day excited to be there!
This program was one of the best single pieces of education I have received. I did a lot of shopping around before choosing App Academy. I looked at tons of other software development bootcamps. One of the reasons I chose a/A in New York is because of the instructor Jonathan. I had heard great things about him when he taught in SF, and now he is running the show in NY.
Jonathan is one of the best teachers / professors I have ever had. He truly cared about each student, took time to present information in a way that was easy for everyone to digest, and then took the one-on-one time that was necessary to ensure that everyone understood (at a fundamental level) each concept that was presented.
The class is fast paced, so don't think it's easy. It will be challenging, and it will be grueling, and it will be WORTH IT.
I think software development is a skill everyone should invest some time in learning. It doesn't really matter what industry you're in, software is a part of it now. So do yourself a favor, sign up for App Academy, and spend two and a half months of your life giving yourself some knowledge and a skill that you surely won't regret having.
I had a spectacular experience at App Academy (I graduated in May 2014) and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in starting a career in software development. I started App Academy with very little programming experience but a high level of interest. The program was challenging, but Jonathan and Tommy were great teachers and the classroom atmosphere was fun and supportive. They're also very helpful with the job search process.
After graduating, I moved to San Francisco and found my current job within a month or so. I'm really happy with my decision to switch my career to software development and couldn't have done it without App Academy.
I remember the first observation I had on my first day at App Academy was how diverse the class was in terms of everyone's backgrounds. Our class makeup included people who came directly from college, people who had been in professional careers in law, finance, or consulting, and people who had already been doing software engineering but were looking to learn more about web development.
My second observation, after about a week, was how incredibly smart the class was and how passionate everyone was about learning the web development. I had applied to a few programs, and I think App Academy's acceptance process was the most rigorous and meritocratic. To have gotten in means that you've programmed for quite a bit already.
This can be both a good or a bad thing depending on who you are. It means that it's really tough to get in if you are a complete noob and if you had decided to apply on a whim without any sort of preparation. However, it's a great thing if you're looking for a bootcamp for more advanced students. This is because App Academy has already set a precedent for producing high caliber students, and has therefore established a strong reputation among the tech industry. Jonathan, Tommy, and Constance care a lot about their students, and they will prepare you really well for the types of interviews that will come up.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that going through App Academy changed my life. It opened up doors that I previously thought wouldn't have been possible without a CS degree. I wholeheartedly recommend a/A to anyone who is trying to break into tech and software development.
I graduated from a/A NYC as a part of the March 2014 cohort. I was a business student at NYU at the time and wanted to learn how to program in order to prototype my own ideas. I made the decision to drop my minor, graduate a semester early and attend App Academy in lieu of my spring semester.
I knew very little about programming other than small but ultimately futile attempts to self teach. I found that it was difficult to ascertain what languages to learn, how to learn them, and ultimately how all they all fit together. App Academy provided the structure and guidance I needed to steadily learn and build my skills without falling into the traps I encountered while self teaching.
That being said, it proved to be very rigorous and required a great deal of dedication. This only better prepared me for landing a job as a software engineer. After being hired and seeing prospective employees from other bootcamps it became clear to me that App Academy is in the top tier of programming bootcamps. Overall an invaluable experience.
From dabbling with programming to actually working as a professional software developer is something I could not have done without App Academy. The curriculum helped me build a strong foundation in programming, build up a portfolio, and taught me the best practices and tools of the trade so I could hit the ground running in my new career. The instructors are top notch, and once you get on the job hunt, there's a lot of resources and support to help land a great job, and continue learning.
I was also really impressed by the rest of my cohort. App Academy does a great job selecting smart and talented people making it a great environment to learn. If you're serious about going into software development, this is the way to do it!
I knew nothing about programming, these bootcamps, or really anything in tech. Like others, what attracted me to a/A was the negligible upfront costs. What I didn't anticipate was how much that idea, that a/A only profits from our success, structured the next few months of my life.
What I expected was casual classes, learning intro level stuff, reading a little, and taking some tests. What I got was a 3 month hackathon. Like a hackathon, success at a/A is purely a reflection of interest and effort. The tests we took were not to score us. They are to determine if we were still viable candidates. Those of us who failed two exams were let go.
So what did this adventure get me? A career. An exciting and interesting one at that. My degree in Neuroscience was not going to get me anywhere that wasn't med school. Just a month after graduating from a/A I was working at a fantastic startup.
I was honestly the most nervous for the interview stage of this process. I have always been a pretty independent learner, so education was not too much of a concern, but something about interviews turns me into an anxious wreck. Imagine my surprise when I KNEW the answers to the interview questions. I almost thought it was a trick, how could I actually get these right? I'd only been programming for three months?
I realized that if you really know your stuff then no one will care where you learned it or how long you've been at it. You just have to be able to put your money where your mouth is, something the app academy knows a thing or two about.
I wish I could say something more to convince whoever is reading this that the app academy is worth it, but just find out for yourself, what do you have to lose?
I haven't stopped preaching the good App Academy gospel since my cohort ended last December (this only increased after getting a job ~ 3 weeks after completion) and now it's time to bring it to Yelp.
I could just keep this simple and go with "what Gary says!" (review below), but because my own experience at a/A was so great, I have to share it. Less than a year ago I was feeling stuck and bored in a career as a microbiologist. I had picked up programming as a hobby and found that I really enjoyed it, but I had no idea how to turn it into a job. Around that time, programming "bootcamps" entered my radar, seemingly presenting a viable means to make the switch. After some research, I decided a/A was the one for me, largely due to the pricing structure and an excellent review from a friend of a friend that had recently attended. Let me go off on a tangent here and rave about the pricing structure. If you're not aware, App Academy charges nothing up front (although there is a deposit). You don't pay anything until you get a job and then once you do get a job, you pay a percentage of your salary. This unique model is incredibly fair, allows someone like myself who couldn't afford other bootcamps to attend, and says a lot about what a/A offers. With this model, a/A would completely fail if what they were offering was anything less than high quality.
I digress. So I applied about a year ago, putting all my eggs in the a/A basket. The application process was very challenging and took a bit longer than I expected. The process includes interviews and several coding challenges but you are not penalized for the time it takes to get through it all. a/A even provides a whole bunch of rich materials that, with enough review and practice, should be sufficient enough for one to get through the challenges. This says a lot about a/A's integrity and accessibility. a/A has high acceptance standards, but if you are willing to put in the work there's a good chance you'll get in, and a/A wants to help you be successful in doing so. In fact, I didn't pass the last coding challenge, but since I was close to a solution I was given more material to go through and a second chance.
a/A kicked off at full speed. I was expecting the program to be challenging and a whole lot of work, and I experienced exactly that. Days typically consisted of a "lecture" in the early morning led by the instructors where we went over the previous days assignments, went through demos, had a Q&A etc. Then we jumped into the days assignments which would take up most of the rest of the afternoon and often the evening. Most days we pair programmed, which was much more fun (and less lonely) than my programming journey had been up until this point. Seeing others' approaches to problems was also very insightful. At night we were expected to go over the solutions to the days problems and do the reading for the following day. We had nearly weekly programming assessments that were often very difficult, primarily due to not being able to use any resources. I hated the assessments due to the stress they brought me, but they did force us to develop a deep understanding of key concepts. However, even with regular stresses and working upwards of 100 hours a week, my time at a/A was very enjoyable. The instructors were incredible resources (I wish I took more advantage of this) and I made a ton of great friends. I have no shortage of fond memories from this period of my life and I was pretty bummed to see it end.
I can't recommend App Academy enough. I had a great time, the program is of the highest quality, and I couldn't be happier with the results I got. 3 months at App Academy (plus a few months in preparation) got me into a career that I'm very happy to be in and my income has doubled. How can you beat that? Also, in two months from now (~6 months after completion), my debt to a/A will be fulfilled. I graduated from college five years ago and I don't even want to get into how much of that student debt remains. If you're seriously interested in programming as a profession, make a/A your first consideration.
I decided to go to App Academy on the recommendation of a friend who had been through the program and gotten a good paying job. It managed to exceed my expectations, despite the good review from my friend. The program was intense, but very fun. I came in with very little programming experience (just at CS101 course in grad school), and left able to code a website on my own, end to end. I also left with an unbelievably great job, as a software engineer at Google.
I have to give a lot of credit to the instructors: Jonathan, Tommy, and Constance. They are all great teachers, very helpful, and also just all-around great people. They manage to teach an incredible amount of material in a very short period of time, but they still make sure to emphasize things like best practices, code quality, and security. Their relative nearness in age to the average App Academy student also means that the relationship between student and instructor feels more like that of peers than strictly student-teacher. They are all very intelligent and very competent.
Another reason I loved App Academy was the other students there. Though I have heard not all cohorts are like this, my cohort in particular was very close. The majority of learning at App Academy happens through pair programming-- you are paired with another student, and the two of you work together to code that day's assignment. With the exception of a couple of people, I really enjoyed working with everyone, and everyone I worked with was very smart. I learned SO much from pair programming, and I formed some of the best friendships of my life.
All that being said, I do have a couple of problems with App Academy: 1) Diversity. In my cohort of 25, I was one of only 2 women. Other dev bootcamps actively try to recruit women, including by offering scholarships/discounted tuition. App Academy makes no efforts at all in this regard, which I think hurts both the experience of students going through the program as well as the larger tech community. I also talked with the other woman in my cohort, and we both experienced anxiety before coming that we would encounter sexism from our fellow students. While I didn't find this to be the case, I imagine that the small percentage of female App Academy students would cause other women to drop out before starting and even deter them from applying in the first place.
2) Payment Schedule. App Academy is pretty unique in its payment structure (they take 18% of your first-year salary, rather than charging $10,000-$20,000 upfront). I am very grateful for this-- I didn't have that money before I started. However, their payment schedule is front-loaded-- you are expected to pay back 50% of what you owe within the first 2 months. I had some money saved up from my old job teaching high school-- not exactly a high-paying gig-- so after paying New York City rent for 6 months with no income, by the time I got my new job I had basically run out of money. So, despite getting one of the highest-paid positions of my cohort, the amount I had to pay App Academy at the beginning meant I was struggling to make ends meet.
That being said, I owe my current career, which I love, to App Academy. It was a wonderful experience and I totally recommend it.
Nov' 14 cohort grad here. Can't add too much to the glowing endorsements posted by my fellow classmates and alumni below. Just a little over half a year ago I was in a completely different field, at a job I was dissatisfied with, and App Academy gave me the opportunity to leave all that behind and find a job doing something both creative and intellectually challenging. Can't ask for much more than that. Feel free to message me with any questions about the App Academy experience --- I'll do my best to sell you on the program.
I attended the New York branch of App Academy in the Nov '14 - Feb '15 cohort, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
I had been self-teaching for around a year and a half through various sources like Coursera and EdX while working in something entirely non-tech related. Once I decided to make the switch to software development, I realized that I wasn't self teaching quickly enough or efficiently enough, and I looked for a solution. App Academy was that solution. A mere four months later, I was out searching for a job. Only a month later, I started work as a full stack developer at a salary I'm very happy with.
I will warn you: App Academy is not a magic ticket and will not work for you unless you are dedicated, focused, willing to give up almost all of your time for three months, and have at least some proclivity to programming. If that describes you, App Academy is the perfect way to start a new career. The curriculum is well crafted, the teaching is fantastic (at least in NY where the class sizes are significantly smaller than in SF), and the career counseling is extremely helpful.
Of all the institutions I've been a part of through my education and career, App Academy is probably the one I feel the most connection to and loyalty towards.
Unlike some of the boot camps springing up that seem to springing up to capture some quick profit, App Academy is building something awesome. With its highly selective admissions process and no-tuition business model, App Academy is bringing innovation to the badly broken higher education system.
During my time at a/A, I was surrounded by some of the the smartest, most driven people I have ever known. This environment lent itself to some seriously accelerated learning: a few months before I applied, I didn't know the first thing about computer programming, and especially not about the arcana of web development. But by graduation day, I had landed a job at an awesome startup and have been impressing my superiors since (which is apparently normal for App Academy grads).
Some people took quite a bit longer to find jobs, but I don't know anywhere from my cohort who has not yet found a good web dev job. And if you have even an iota of charisma (I think I do) or have a strong STEM background (I don't), you can expect to find a job in no time.
So basically if you want to learn a ton from smart people with other smart people and then get paid money to keep doing that when you finish, do a/A.
I picked App Academy because it charges nothing upfront and because I had never heard a bad word said about it - a friend who had done General Assembly even insisted that a/A is better than GA. When the bootcamp's incentive structure is based on you getting a job, everyone wins.
Although I had done a lot of coding on my own and had even taken a few courses in college, there are things that are hard to get on your own. Prompt feedback. What's semantic. Structuring code in a professional and maintainable style. Why your javascript looks terrible. How quickly you should expect to solve a problem. Interview and negotiation practice.
And while I expected to be challenged, I never expected it to be so much fun. Late nights optimizing code. Competing on the practice exams. Going to the gym together after sitting all day. Building the best Trello clone. Racing to make a minimalist rails app.
I came out with new friends, a job I love that compensates well, and memories I'll cherish for a long time.
My only complaints are about the sneakiness of their pay structure. Although they give every impression that there is no payment upfront, the day I got in, they told me I had a week to come up with a $3000 deposit. (I'm lucky I was able to make that happen; I wonder how many of the 95% who don't get in just can't make $3000 appear on such short notice. Note that some students have to come up with more.) After you get a job, you are scheduled to pay 50% of what you owe them in the first two months, and the first payments are scheduled before you get your first paycheck. (For what it's worth, App Academy has been flexible with some on this issue, but less so with others.)
Alongside comes the agreement not to work. I worked two jobs (nights and weekends) while at App Academy, which they have you agree to not do, but it was the only way I could make it work. Many other students I spoke with worked on weekends. They reserve the right to remove you from the program if they find out, which adds a lot of stress.
You'll make close friends and have the kind of life experience most people only find in college. You'll fall in love with coding. You'll get a fantastic job. Your teachers will bend over backward to help you. But be prepared for opacity and high stress when it comes to money.
I attended the January cohort at App Academy. Just 13 weeks after I started the course, I landed a great web development position at a startup. App Academy helped me develop as a programmer, guided me on making a portfolio from scratch, and got me familiar with the tools and culture of the modern web stack. If you're serious about breaking into the software industry, App Academy is the fastest, most straightforward way to do it.
The curriculum consists of nine weeks where you learn Ruby, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, and Backbone, culminating in a final project that uses all these technologies. The specific technologies themselves don't matter so much as the general techniques that you learn that can be applied to any framework. The job I ended up at does use Rails, but I interviewed at places that used Node.js and Django, and didn't feel out of my depth. Most days start with a 1-2 hour lecture followed by a pair programming session. Your partner switches everyday so you get used to working with a variety of personalities. Pair programming is a great way to learn since you really have to understand something to explain it to your partner, or if your partner is ahead of you, you get there help understanding something. You also aren't totally alone with your pair. The TAs will help you, and I found them a very good resource.
To really succeed in the course you need to immerse yourself in it. I spent at least two hours programming outside of class on weekdays and also worked on the weekends. You could work less than I did, but App Academy should be the main focus of your life during your time there.
A last word about the business model. App Academy takes a percentage of your salary for a year after you get a job. I really like this incentive structure, since I felt they were working hard to get me the best job possible. I would be cautious about a coding bootcamp that wanted a fee upfront. I'm sure that structure could work for some companies, but I prefer the App Academy model, since it keeps things more honest.
My path to becoming a professional software engineer was rather roundabout.
I earned a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Maryland way back in 2002, but changed paths immediately upon graduation and ended up working in Real Estate for more than a decade. Last year I decided to return to my software roots and even generated some interest and meager entry-level offers from employers due to my degree. However, I knew that I could be more valuable if I refreshed and updated my skills.
After a bit online research, I came upon App Academy. Their statistics were impressive and their unique contingent tuition payment was very appealing. I applied, attended the November '14 class, graduated, and am now employed with a much better salary than was possible before a/A.
Going into the class I expected it to be a breeze due to my background. I was mistaken. It wasn't that the material itself was incredibly difficult...
If you are one of the few accepted into a/A, then you will be perfectly capable of mastering the material. My former classmates are some of the brightest people I've ever met...
It was that we learned an incredible amount in a relatively short period of time. It was an intense experience that required all of my discipline and dedication. Also, the languages, frameworks, and real-world programming techniques that we learned, which are all in high demand with employers, are not taught in traditional colleges and universities.
After completing the technical materials, there was a curriculum on the job search. It helped me to greatly improve my résumé and online presence. It also covered various techniques for interviews that helped me feel confident in mine.
Finally, I must say that the professor and teaching assistants were fantastic. They are passionate about programming, helpful to those who need it, and even carry a good sense of humor!
Attending a/A (despite the strange acronym) was a big turning point in my life. This program gave me the opportunity to change my career toward something that I always had an interest in but never did decide to study. The reason I chose a/A was not only because they did not take tuition upfront, but mostly because of the amount of stuff they teach. From barely knowing how to code or any best practices in writing code (I apologize to anyone that has had to read my old code...), I became fluent enough in two programming languages (Ruby and Javascript) to solve interesting problems in code, as well as create my own web apps.
The one thing that I really liked about how a/A taught is that they didn't just teach you how to write code, or just how to use Rails or Backbone.js to create an app. Instead, they teach you everything that went into creating these frameworks to give you a real understanding and appreciation for the frameworks and any others you may see in the future. For instance, Rails uses ActiveRecord as an interface to communicate with the database. In order to do so, AR interprets your code into SQL (database language) and returns objects to represent the result of the database query (for when you're trying to get information out of your database, eg, all the posts a user has written). At a/A, they don't only teach you how to write your own SQL code (so you can write your own database queries without AR's help), but they also have a project where you make your own version of AR (ie, ActiveRecordLite). By learning how Rails interacts with your app's database, you get a better appreciation for all the "magic" that goes on in AR, and also gives you the flexibility to create your own customized queries in case AR alone cannot do what you want.
Anyhow, I definitely do not regret my decision to attend a/A in November of 2014. Not only did I enjoy the curriculum, but the instructors were also amazing. I could say with confidence that I would definitely take any other class if Jonathan were teaching it (despite not caring too much about HTML/CSS and styling, I have a strong understanding of how web pages are structured thanks to his instruction). The two TA's are also super helpful and definitely know what they're talking about.
For those of you thinking about applying to a/A, I would suggest thinking about how much time you are willing to put into this. The curriculum is pretty difficult and fast-paced. Just getting into the program is a challenge since they require you to teach yourself basic Ruby and coding practices. I personally did not have much time to do anything outside of the program, so just know what you are getting yourself into. But, if you really do want to get in, then go learn some basic Ruby and practice using Ruby to solve some simple coding challenges. Some good websites are Project Euler and CodeEval (there are a ton more out there if you look). App Academy also does give you some resources as you are applying, so be sure to take advantage of them. In all honesty, the program really is what you make it to be. If you put in the effort, you will learn a LOT. I spent most of my time studying and making sure I understood the concepts during my time here, and I definitely felt pretty confident in my developing abilities after finishing the program. And now that I am working as a developer at a company, I feel like I was able to get up to speed pretty quickly despite my lack of experience.
Just about exactly one year ago, I was a final-year undergrad at Oxford avoiding finals prep in every conceivable way. One of my more insidious procrastination techniques involved running through whatever programming tutorials and online courses I could get my hands on--Codecademy, Treehouse, you name it--and convincing myself that I was being productive.
But I knew that I wasn't really being productive. I knew that programming was fun, and I enjoyed learning new skills, but I wasn't actually producing anything new, beyond the interesting but impractical projects I built while following tutorials. I believed, at that point, that I'd missed the boat, that because I hadn't grown up hacking through my teenage years or majored in Computer Science, that I had simply missed out on developing some creative part of my brain that connects the simple tools of if/else and variables into beautiful, response web pages.
One year later, I don't think that way anymore, and I don't think anyone else should either. After completing the App Academy course four months ago, I'm now in my third month as a software engineer at a very well-capitalized tech company on the verge of going public, working 40 hours a week on a big, hairy open-source project to build the next big cloud computing platform (and writing iPhone apps in my spare time), and pulling down a six-figure salary. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be anywhere near as happy a place as I am today without App Academy New York.
The curriculum is fast-paced. You get what you put in. But because the work is so collaborative, and the application process so selective, it's nearly impossible not to learn far faster than you would by hacking away on your own. There's no hand-holding here; no one's teaching you how to use a tool without explaining how it works. And that's its greatest strength: when you come out the other end of the program, you will have (at least in my experience) a *leg-up* over recent Computer Science grads when it comes to web app development. I repeat, with three months of App Academy under your belt, you will have a *better understanding* of web app development than most recent 4-year Computer Science college graduates, and a solid foundation on which to build expertise for more complicated software engineering problems, too.
From where I'm standing right now, it definitely feels like going to App Academy was the best decision I have ever made. So if you're thinking about it, then apply, and if you get accepted, then take it. You won't regret it.
I recently attend a/A in the November '14 cohort. I was a math/science tutor and decided to switch to technology. I originally planned on self-learning Android programming but came across a/A with its unique payment structure. I decided that if their success was contingent entirely on my success, I would be willing to see if it was a good fit for me.
All I can say is that it was. The students at a/A are incredibly intelligent. Less than 5% of applicants are accepted and even past that students who don't put in the effort will be asked to leave. As a result, all of my classmates were great resources and great people to be around. I've started making a game with one of them in my free time and many more have become some of my closest friends.
On a professional level, I was recruited by Google during the hiring process at a/A. I was very fully prepared for their interview process and am now a software engineer at Google. I can safely say this most likely would not have happened so quickly if I had not attended this course. If you are serious about software development for the right reasons (love of programming, solving challenging problems, wanting to spend your life creating ideas), I highly suggest you attend. If you lack these, this will be a tough process and may not turn out right for you at the end. But if what I've just described sounds like you, a/A will serve to be a great start to your career.
Wanted to start a new career, and was super interested in Software Engineering/Web Development. My friend had gone here, and recommended it, and it was a great decision.
It is really tough and intense, but I learned a ton in a short amount of time. Plus there is a lot of help in the job process, and they are really invested in your success as you don't owe the full tuition (minus a down payment) until you have landed a job (and then there is a payment plan so you don't owe a large chunk at once).
Just got a great offer from a great company, and am starting next week with confidence. Super fun, super hard, some great teachers and great students that I will continue hanging out with. Do it.
I was a student in the September 2014 cohort. Before App Academy, I was looking for work as a teacher, carrying around a useless diploma and debt from four years of college. After a while, I realized that teaching wasn't for me, a decision that was made easier by the shortage of well-paying jobs for new teachers. I decided to go into programming, but I knew that going back to college for a computer science degree was not an option. I decided to pursue one of the many coding bootcamps that have popped up in the past five years or so, and applied to a handful of them. I was accepted to a few schools, but App Academy's payment model won me over. App Academy doesn't collect any tuition from you unless you find work. Some of these other schools ask for upwards of $10-15k upfront, an unrealistic option for most people looking a career change.
App Academy was one of the most rewarding and transformative experiences of my life. The daily routine involved a short lecture in the morning, covering yesterday's work and a discussion of the previous night's readings. The lectures are very free-form, and we were always encouraged to ask as many questions as we wanted. The rest of the day was entirely spent pair programming, except for a handful of solo days here and there. Every student worked with every other student at least once, and you very quickly learn how to work as part of a team. During my time at App Academy, the curriculum moved from Ruby to Ruby on Rails, before we dove into JavaScript and Backbone.js.
After the three month curriculum was up, we were able to stay with the program for as long as we needed, as they helped us find work and finish up solo projects. Every student comes out with a pretty wide portfolio, with a single capstone final project that we design from start to finish. Their 'job search curriculum' is extremely helpful, and I ended up applying to dozens and dozens of companies smoothly. Former App Academy students became connections in companies around the country, and I went on a number of interviews at very different companies. About a month and a half after the graduation date, I was happy to be given an offer at a great web design firm.
Less than a year ago, I was looking for underpaid work in a field that had very few open positions. Now, I'm a crucial part of a development team, making a salary that I am very, very happy with. If you're considering making the jump to a career in programming, I definitely recommend App Academy. Be prepared, because it's going to be three of the most work-intensive months of your life, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.
I was part of the September 2014 batch when a/A was still at Astor pl. The team is still the same, just a different location now.
App Academy is much more than a college course in web development. It's much more than a seminar or a workshop hosted on a weeknight.
a/A provides you all the standard resources you would see in an educational course: a syllabus, readings, guidance from instructors, and lectures. Everything that's described in the advertisement is what you get.
The time spent at a/A is much more than just the resources they give you, however.
The best things I can say about a/A revolves around my experience. The great pairing sessions, nights burning into the late hours on the next day's material, coming in on a weekend to have a relaxing, yet, productive study session. a/A is more similar to a hackathon or an incubator than most traditional courses. The collaborative experience is quite possibly the best part.
I was challenged in more ways then one. App Academy essentially throws you into the deep end and gives you the tools to survive. I remember around my third week I started feeling overwhelmed and felt like an impostor amongst my cohort. I made it known in my progress report that I wasn't feeling competent, and the next day was quickly pulled aside to be reassured that I was doing great. It really meant a lot to me that the instructors are looking out for you and reading your progress reports.
It was a tough challenge, and a motivating one at that. You either pass the weekly assessments or you become at risk of being kicked out. We all wanted to see each other succeed. We all supported each other by sharing elegant solutions and fresh perspectives. In the end, as cliche as it sounds, we really were like a family. We stayed around for gaming nights, Halloween celebrations, and hung out with each other on off-days.
The bottom line is: if you make it past the 12 weeks, you will have the necessary traits to become a solid developer. Most of my cohort, including me have found positions in the field. Everything from the workload to the collaboration, adds to the experience at a/A. If you're still unsure after reading about a/A online, you should definitely reach out to the instructors or alumni.
You'll touch upon core CS concepts involving algorithms, design practices, time complexity / big O, and data structures. The curriculum is curated by instructors who know what they're talking about and will always deliver with quality.
One of the key things that a/A taught us is: the learning never ends. a/A teaches you how to do your own research, how to implement quickly and effectively, and not to be afraid to ask questions.
Going here is one of the best choices I've ever made.
Programming bootcamps have been popping up left and right lately, but AppAcademy was (one of) the first, and as far as I can tell, remains the best. I'm friends (and now co-workers) with people who've attended other bootcamps, and no one trains as well as a/A.
Before a/A, I spent time in the military, and I would say AppAcademy required more hard work than 'real' bootcamp. Twelve, thirteen, fourteen hour days studying, learning the full web stack from bottom to top means a lot of lost sleep and a lot of effort on my part. But, they made sure it was worth it. The instructors care, the students you work with (every day involves pair programming with a member of the cohort) are subject to a stringent application process, and everyone is excited to be there, no matter how tough.
One *huge* advantage of a/A, besides the fact that you don't pay as much up front as elsewhere (meaning, that they have an incentive to help you get a job), is that they're not afraid to say "no" to people. There are weekly assessments, and if a student isn't performing, it's possible that they'll be asked to leave the program. After rejecting a huge majority of applicants, it's impressive to me that they are intent on making sure that an AppAcademy graduate *means* something - if you get in, you can be sure you're among the best, and when you graduate, you can be proud that it's because you rose to the occasion and triumphed.
I haven't finished learning, and I doubt I ever will, but AppAcademy helped me bootstrap the process of becoming an engineer and I absolutely don't regret it.
If you are serious about programming, you should consider App Academy. I've made some great friends throughout the program and it represents one of the major turning points of my life.
You will learn the modern libraries, tools and technologies so well it'll stun those friends you have with CS backgrounds.
But you don't just learn technologies here; you learn how to problem solve in computer science. You will implement recursion, breadth-first-search, trees, within the first week. You will learn how to bug-chase. The curriculum at the end has intensive algorithmic training.
Yet, the most valuable part about the program that differentiates it over bootcamps is that by the end you become a developer with these traits:
Speed. We learned JavaScript in a week. I don't think I need to say more.
Technique. Source control and awareness of conventions and CS/Web Dev culture. You learn the sources, and shortcuts. You learn to be thorough and to leave projects better than they were before you touched them.
Communication. In pair programming for the majority of the exercises, you get to gain the invaluable skill of how to communicate technically with another developer.
Work-ethic. All I need to say is that even those with CS backgrounds were overwhelmed.
By the 9th week you can make an application. A styled professional project you will be so proud of. From the database schema, to the back-end API, to the front-end framework. It's your baby!!
And, of course, that's not enough. At App Academy pace, you are trained for the job hunt. You learn how to hustle and play the game. You get advice on difficult topics like negotiation and you practice interview problems. This alone is worth the cost of the program.
I need to emphasize that a/A isn't just a cold-blooded employment agency. They actually care. When I needed to calm down before a phone screen, my teachers were there for me. When I told them I felt overwhelmed and frustrated the first week, my TAs sent me a pages-long response telling me I could do it. They care much more than they should just to take their pay cut. They continually improve the curriculum, and welcome feedback from the course.
Now, my story: I'm absolutely not the natural in my cohort. I failed the first assessment. The averages, BTW are nearly 100% on those unit tests every week. I have never taken a formal CS class. I had to work my ass off and at times I didn't think I was going to make it. But I learned, and I produced, aided by all of those around me. The good thing about having smart people around you is that you can count on them to help you!
And it paid off. Instead of writing this post, I should be preparing for further interviews at Facebook and Google. I cried when I made it past the first round at Google, one of the toughest processes in the CS industry. This is for a Software Engineer position -- the job that CS grads go for. I have offers with other companies I found really exciting too.
4 months ago being a programmer was just a dream and now it's who I am. I am by no means the exception, I am one of many. The first person in my cohort to be hired has no CS background. People without college degrees, people with PhDs, people that are older -- all of them have had success. I know because each and every colleague is also my friend.
If this sounds dramatic, it's because it is. It's dramatic that months ago I had no idea what any of this really was and I wanted to change my career so badly. Now I'm coding up implementations for complex data structures (I like the CS theory a little too much...) and I have the privilege, solely based on my technical ability, to prove myself before the companies that inspire me.
The only flaw about the program is that the office has really weird temperature issues. It's the price you pay for having tall windows facing east on beautiful Soho. Bring a sweater.
