App Academy

Prior to App Academy, I have been learning coding on my own through various online resources. It was nice that I was able to go at my own pace and learn what I wanted to, but after some time, I knew that I wanted to accelerate my learning and find a position as a software engineer. Hence, after researching and reading many reviews, I applied to App Academy. After completing the technical interview with App Academy, I was accepted into the March cohort. I completed the 4 week prep work that was required prior to starting, and went in enthusiastic and ready to learn. 

For me, the course was a load of fun. From Monday - Friday, from 9 - 6 (with a 1 hour 15 minute lunch break and a 15 minute break), it was all about learning and coding. My personal schedule was to wake up at 6:00 AM, get to App Academy by 7:30 - 8:00 AM, and review the readings / homework assignment before class started at 9:00. After 6:00, I would look over the solution for the day's work, and prepare for the next day. I would usually go to bed by 10:30 PM, with the latest being 11:00 PM, as I believed getting enough sleep was the key to me being able to focus throughout the immense workload that App Academy entails. However, everyone in my cohort was different, so what worked for me might not have worked for someone else. Finding the balance and schedule that worked for me was key to keeping my momentum going and not get burnt out. The good news is, it was only for 3 months, so even though it was tough every day, it didn't continue for years. I did enjoy learning and coding constantly, and it was amazing how much I learned at the end of the curriculum, with a full-stack project that I am pretty damn proud of. I would actually look forward to Mondays, as it was another day to continue to grow my skill set and build cool things. 

The most stressful part was probably the assessments. The policy at App Academy is that you are only allowed to fail 1 out of the 6 given. If you fail two, you are released from the program. That's why it is important to keep on top of the material, and make sure you have a deep understanding of the concepts that are taught. They do provide practice assessments that closely follow the actual assessment, though they are different, so you can't just memorize the practice assessment. It is highly recommended that you take the month-long prep work that is given before the start of the main course seriously, as everything from the curriculum builds on top of it.

The part I enjoyed least was the job searching process. While App Academy does provide lectures about algorithms for technical interview questions, I found it very difficult to get through the resume screening to even get a chance for a phone screen. My other classmates had more success than me though, so I might have just been an unusual case. They tell you it's a numbers game, and that you have to apply to many to get a few hits. It was tiring and demoralizing, but I eventually got through it and landed a job. I would recommend saving enough money to last you not only the 3 months of the main curriculum, but also for the job search process as well, as the amount of time it takes to find a job is uncertain. 

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at App Academy. You are surrounded by motivated and talented individuals, and everyone is working together to get through it. You are challenged to learn a crap load of information everyday, and you will be amazed at what you can achieve in a short amount of time. Without App Academy, I would not have been confident to even apply to software engineering jobs. 

AppAcademy conducted a 3 week in-depth JavaScript cohort in February to prepare students with the technical knowledge needed to be successfully enrolled at a coding bootcamp. I enrolled in their first incarnation of this course and was excited to turn my passion into tangible skills. After the first 3 days it was apparent that my skills were growing at a rate I hadn't had while I was self-teaching for months. By the end of the second week I was already confident I could pass any entrance exam or interview at a bootcamp. Then both of my instructors (Anthony and Winnie) conducted multiple mock coding interviews and helped us apply to any bootcamp(s) we were interested in. I was accepted into three bootcamps (HackReactor, AppAcademy, CodingDojo) within a month of completing this course. I decided to go with AppAcademy and without a doubt I would not be where I am today without this course.

I took the bootcamp prep course in NYC in April when it first launched here and it was a fun experience. Our instructor, Fred, guided us through all the fundamentals of JavaScript; we even covered some material that a good number of bootcamps don't require us to know about beforehand. Fred is as efficient as a programming instructor can be. He takes the time to answer all our questions, but, at the same time, makes sure we go through each lecture fast enough so that we have time to work on the assignments ourselves. While we're working on our assignments, he comes around and checks on our progress, and helps those who are struggling or have questions. 

Bootcamp prep classes are 2 hours a day, Monday to Friday for a month. That means that you can do it while working. I wasn't, but several of my classmates, at the time, were. You should be aware, however, that to do well in it, you're going to need to dedicate another hour or two to it. I spent an average of 4-5 hours a day on it, completing assignments and reading the lecture notes beforehand.

Other things that might be of particular interest: (1) You're free to use either Windows, OSX, or Linux. (I used Windows.) However, FYI most coding bootcamps require a Mac for their full stack web development courses. (2) You might be wondering, why does the prep course teach JavaScript? That's because most bootcamps let (or require) you to interview in JavaScript. (3) The course has an online discussion forum, set up via a website called Piazza. Since the course itself runs in parallel with the bootcamp prep courses in other areas, you can ask for help from other bootcamp prep instructors and students from across the nation. (The course was only set up in SF and NY when I took it, but it now seems like more locations have opened.) (4) If you're taking this course to get into App Academy's full stack web development course, you get to skip the pre-challenge and move straight to a 45-min technical interview.

Overall, the bootcamp prep course is a big investment, but it will increase your chances of getting in a top bootcamp. I worked through the practice exercises for the technical interview for App Academy's full stack web development course, and I believe that I was able to solve all of them due to the fact that I had acquired the logical thinking required through constant coding at Bootcamp Prep. Reading about how to program is one thing, but doing it is another. The bootcamp prep course will give you the practice you need to begin thinking like a programmer.

When I was conducting my search for bootcamps - One thing I did not see alot of were reviews by students that might have not completed the course (like myself).  Esentially anybody who made it through any boot camp gave the course 5 stars just about every time.  I'm writing this review for the persons who want to make the investment but are also beginners.

App Academy says that anybody can be a software engineer and I do believe that is true.  What is important to keep in mind if you are a beginner though, is if your wanting to learn can keep up with the pace you will be required to learn.  I got into the program because I am dedicated, I studied my butt off and I am absolutely passionate about web dev and that showed in my interview process and during my code tests (the entry tests are not very hard at all - If you could handle medium level coderbyte problems you will be more than prepared).

I feel the biggest issue for a person that is completely new to the field of web dev and starts to learn on their own is which way to go and what to study. I prepped for app academy strictly by solving problems that would help me pass the entry tests - however doing that is only the very tip of the tip of the smallest tip of the iceberg once you actually get in.  The tests to get in are like easy crawls but the work immediately becomes a marathon sprint from there.

I will repeat this again, if you are just about a complete newbie,  the prep work can be a bit overwhelming and once the classes start, if you are  still struggling with the basics you will be in trouble very early.  You will need to build games every day with a partner and not being comfortable with the foundations can lead to some uncomfortable pair programming where you might defer nearly all the code ideas to your partner.  I struggled in this manner and while my partners were helpful - not having a solid foundation will kill you in the course because the challenges are a bit harder every single day.  I will also say that at least in my short time there, a good amount of students had some type of comp sci background or at least programmed in some capacity in their jobs or schools.  Being a complete beginner isnt a dealbreaker but I cannot stress enough that feeling secure in the foundations is very important.

a/A is very performance based so flunking two assessments will get you kicked out.  I didn't make it through the course because I couldnt keep up with that pace.  Did I decide to quit web dev? Absolutely not - everybody falls and you have to get back up and try again - a/A was also very helpful at the end of the day when my time terminated.  

If I had to begin the process over, i'd say it's incredibly important to understand the preparatory materials as well as possible at the onset. You cannot go in and expect people to hold your hand because the pace of work is very very fast. I'd also say that you should not be afraid to ask questions if you need help. Lastly you need to assess your ability to process information. If you need longer time to grasp things, you might need to consider whether boot camp is the right move for you.  It was unfortunate to not finish a/A but I am happy for the experience because it has tested my resolve to march on and I expect to work in web dev soon enough - if not in 3 months :)

Bear in mind this is hailing from the personal perspective of a student who felt somewhat out of place at App Academy. Pretty much everything that you read up on App Academy is true, and so your general expectations of the course will be met. For me, the below things weren't what I expected going into the course. Also, some of these are more encompassing and not specific to App Academy.

-Pair programming (and this is true of probably of all the bootcamps that use pair programming): there's a natural human dynamic that comes into play when pair programming, and that dynamic is going to vary tremendously based on personality. In general, if you are outgoing, patient, and a fast coder, then you will probably breeze right through pair programming; however, most people don't have the full combination of those qualities, so for example, if a fast but impatient coder--who just wants to finish the project--is paired up with a slower programmer, the slower programmer can have a rough time. As a slower programmer myself, I experienced this often (but had great experiences as well with a few partners who were willing to lessen the pace and actually collaborate). And for these days, I often felt like I learned next to nothing, and that was exceedingly frustrating. The frustration dragged me down mentally, and my attitude totally shifted, even though the vast majority of App Academites improved at their "teamwork" and collaborative abilities through the duration of the course. Needless to say, I didn't particularly enjoy my time there socially (I take responsibility for this though). But if you're the kind of person who can weather these sorts of things and keep your head up, then don't worry.

-Fast learning and raw logical-thinking speed: tying in with my previous point, I'm not that fast of a learner (more of a deep learner), and I get super nervous when I'm trying to think with a pair programming partner right next to me waiting and often interjecting with comments or ideas. These things dampened my performance and experience a lot. 

-The general "techy" culture: now, I've only recently been in tech, but there's a certain techy culture (or maybe it's just NYC) that I realized doesn't really suit my particular personality. Tech is dominated heavily by the "TJ" type by myers-briggs classification. I am not a "TJ", and in a working environment, I'm still learning how to work with them.

-The TA teaching: I wish there were more one-on-one instruction. The vast majority of your time will be spent coding, and I'd venture to guess that each day, each student interacts with the TA maybe a maximum of 5 times? This may be wildly off, but understand that coding is a primarily self-driven activity, and questions shouldn't be asked until you've thoroughly researched something yourself, so in reality TA's are there to help you through your most pressing issues. This is extremely valuable and necessary, but it felt weird to be spending just 5-10% (again a rough estimate) actually interacting with TA's.

In general, from what I've observed, App Academy students have an awesome time there. Though overworked and mentally drained, they bond closely and learn from each other. App Academy is definitely a fantastic choice for a bootcamp, and you can't go wrong with it. Hopefully, the issues that I had will help you in preparing for App Academy.

For 26 years prior to App Academy I held a latent disdain for my generic fellow man because he was just dumb and me discussing the truth with him would probably offend or shock him.

App Academy is the only time in my life where I've felt legitimately overmatched and fighting for my life.  Where I felt dumber and seriously fighting to just stay there.  Every day I had to decide to get up and fucking fight and even then I lost a lot.

The best thing about App Academy is not the curriculum.  It is the opportunity to spend time with the humble folks with whom you will be walking on coals.  I have poor character so I had to cheat to not get expelled, but now 9 months removed I am making $130k/year and my superior colleagues are surely making more.  Don't cheat though.

If you are driven, you should quit your job, then get the curriculum from an alum and devote 80 hours per week to the correct delivery of their daily exercises.  This can save you a lot of money.

Try get a job by applying with scripts.  Their job search is way too manual of a process for people who just learned to try to automate everything.

App Academy gets the best people because they charge nothing up front.  Don't settle for a lesser school that just wants your money and kicks you on your way.  App Academy does not get paid until you get employed, AND they only get max money if you get $100k.

The time at App Academy was a HORRIBLE experience, BUT WAIT! before I continue I just want to say, I graduated App Academy and got a job as a developer immediately. So to continure with this review, I will continue to that getting through App Academy was literally the hardest thing I have ever done in life. I went through engineering school as an undergrad and never have I been through more stress and worked harder for anything. Although this is coming from someone with absolutely no coding experience before app academy so some of my cohort mates had it much easier than I did. But anyways, after it was all over, I must declare it to be the BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE. I was so amazed at how much I was able to learn in just a little bit of time. App Academy gave me everything I needed to start my first job as a web developer. It actually gave me confidence in myself after I saw how much knowledge I was able to gain so quickly, which is something college never did for me. So, to anyone looking to apply, study hard! because they are hard to get an acceptance from, and prepare to work hard. How ever hard you worked to prepare for the interview process, be prepared to work 50 times as hard once you're in.

p.s. Jonathan, the instructor at NYC is an awesome teacher. I don't know about SF but I would recommend the NYC office just because Jonathan was such a good instructor and he really knew how to help with all the issues you might have, and make the learning more interesting and fun for everyone.

If you do not like to work hard, then you should not attend this bootcamp. My cohort put in the 80-90 hours per week. Other bootcamps offer services like counseling, group exercise, and off-topic workshops. App Academy is not like that. It is a no-frills immersive program.

HOWEVER, if you are prepared to earn your stripes, then this is the best bootcamp around. It's thorough and hands-on. Honestly, their business model says it all. You owe no tuition unless you get a job, and the amount that you pay them is based on your starting salary.

The curricumlum has changed since I participated in the program, but it involves Ruby, Rails, JavaScript, HTML5/CSS and algorithms (which is prep for whiteboard interviews). You pair with another student, and you're basically doing a new lab every day. When I started the program, I barely knew how to use my command line. By the end of the program, I had completed a dozen (barebones) apps, including a solo capstone project.

While I stand by the fact that this place will kick your ass, Jonathan is the most nuturing instructor one could ever dream of. He pours his heart into his work and each of his students. He wants you to succeed. While you spend most of your classroom hours working with another student, the TAs and Jonathan are always available to help get you un-stuck.

As far as job placement, App Academy grads work at impressive companies, like Google, Pivotal, Thoughbot, Groupon, etc. Alum (including myself) attend hiring day for recruiting purposes. Companies in the city are 'repeat customers', hiring grads from a/A when they need new devs. There's also a mailing list for alum, so the cohorts continue to support each other even after graduation.

Bottom line - this program works.  Whether you decide to become a dev or take the ops route like I did, App Academy will prepare you for a career in the tech world.

Positives:

-Their claimed information about percent of students placed and average salaries is absolutely right, even though it sounds too good to be true.

-You are not charged money up front, except for a $3,000 deposit. This distinguishes App Academy from most other programs, and it's much better to pay money when you have it than before you have it. This makes AA inherently more accessible to students with less of a financial cushion than some other programs.

-Jonathan (instructor in NYC) really knows what he's doing and is a very compassionate person.

-The students are quite intelligent and motivated.

Negatives:

-High-stakes weekly assessments with sometimes unclear information about consequences; makes the program somewhat more stressful than necessary. Also, some of the assessments are spelled out in advance too much, which favors type-A over-studiers over people really trying to understand the concepts. That said, nobody was actually kicked out in my group.

-At least in NYC, App Academy doesn't seem to be marketed as well, or have as many deep connections to employers, as some other bootcamps. Placement outcomes seem to still be good despite this.

-I felt like half of the advice I got about jobs seems wrong to me now that I know the industry better. Maybe it's overly tailored at SF?

-Application process is sketchy. Founder Kush Patel seems to have shown up late for pretty much everybody's interviews (mine included), and many people report being unnecessarily intimidated by his personality. They should probably get somebody else to handle this process. Also, the public-facing website being way out of date doesn't help.

-Sometimes felt like cramming lots of fancy technologies into a short period of time was valued more than building resilient products with the user in mind, and this sometimes shows in students' finished work (i.e. "let me tell you about my fancy AJAX thing! No, don't try that feature, you'll break it. Just let me demonstrate. Anyway, about that AJAX thing...) This may be a problem with pretty much every bootcamp.

-It would be nice if there were no $3,000 deposit; this would make App Academy really be able to brag about its no-strings-attached $0 upfront price and really distinguish itself from competitors.

Overall, despite the above rants, this is an excellent choice for a cash-strapped career changer (or even a non-cash-strapped career changer). It definitely got the job done.

It was great. You have to understand that you are going to be working your ass off, but if you come to learn every day, you're going to get a lot out of the experience.

There is a test every week (basically). The tests are completely passable, given that they give you sample tests and tons of learning resources, but be prepared to stress a little over those (fail 2 and they may ask you to leave).

It's not in the best of areas (near Civic Center on market), but the computers are great for pairing and what do you really need other than that?

Instructors were great. The TAs are the best of past cohorts and are very bright and knowledgable. Ned is crazy good at explaining concepts, using examples to help with his demonstrations.

They do have a live in option for out of towners since finding a place in SF can be extremely difficult and expensive. I didn't do this, but the people who did seemed to be ok with it.

Great job searching tool and prep, lots of white board problems, and comraderie with other students who are going through the same job search struggle.

Perhaps one of the best aspects is once you graduate, you still get access to the Github resources, which are constantly being updated.

Overall, come ready to work extremely hard, and you'll get a job in no time.