App Academy

Description: This bootcamp enables those without any coding experience to become full-stack software developers (in its words, software engineers) in 24 weeks by providing the skills for its students to gain in-field jobs on graduation.

Duration: The 24-week, full-time online program (Monday-Friday 11 am-8 pm), which takes at least 60 hours per week, more likely 60-70 hours per week, offers a cohort mentor, expert module instructors, and a career advisor. Students complete four individual projects and dozens of team projects.

Cost: The 24-week program costs $20,000. There is no deposit. With an income sharing agreement students pay nothing until they graduate and obtain an in-field job paying at least $50,000 per year, then they pay 15% of their pre-tax monthly income for 3 years or up to a maximum repayment amount of $31,000, whichever comes first, for a 1.55 multiple of tuition. Carefully check the ISA requirements and consider crowdfunding. Also, the bootcamp offers merit-based and Close the Gap scholarships for up to 30 percent of the tuition.

Admission Requirements: The 24-week program requires tenacity and a passion for coding, but not the bootcamp’s $2995 prep program. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or a GED. There is a nontechnical assessment and a fit interview. After acceptance into the program, there is a technical learning challenge designed to create a coding foundation for students.

Admission Rate: Impacted by those who apply but go no further, among other reasons, the 5% acceptance rate should not dissuade potential applicants. Those who are committed to studying coding and complete certain preparatory work, stand a significantly higher chance of admission to the program.

Graduation Rate: About 80% of the students in the 24-week program graduate.

Job Outcomes: The online, 24-week graduates obtain a first accepted job offer of $85,000. About 70 percent of graduates in this program find in-field jobs. As the bootcamp is licensed by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, it provides annual performance reports to the BPPE. Under the ISA tuition option, the bootcamp forgives the tuition if a graduate does not find relevant employment within 3 years post-graduation. The bootcamp has more than 3800 graduates.

Ratings: 4.67/5 (Course Report), 4.69/5 (SwitchUp). Potential applicants should read the reviews. Best Online Bootcamp 2020 (SwitchUp)

Notes: The App Academy Open program provides access to its self-directed, full-stack curriculum with 1500 hours of material, which usually takes 16 months to complete. It offers a Mentor Plan for $29.99 per month giving Open students 12 hours per day, Monday through Friday, access to mentors, but there is no career assistance.

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