Who is served: Adults 

Number of participants served annually: Approximately 240 (60 students per cohort) 

Location: Manhattan 

Frequency/Duration: 12 weeks, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. 

Eligibility Criteria: Anyone with a high school diploma or other equivalency who is comfortable using a computer. However, admissions are highly competitive, and prior programming experience will help. 

Application process: A logical reasoning and reading exercise, a coding challenge, a technical interview, and a non-technical interview. Acceptance rate is less than 5 percent.  

Curriculum: Software engineering: HTML, CSS, Java, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, React, Redux, SQL, Advanced Algorithms, and Data Structures 

Skill level: Advanced 

Outcomes: Full-time employment as a software engineer. 2018 graduates earned a median salary of $90,000. 

Partnerships: Google and Wayfair to Fortune 500 companies, and startups looking to hire their first software engineers 

Cost: Upfront: $17,000 Placement-based plan: $3,000 Deposit, with $25,000 due after securing employment with a salary of at least $50,000 Hybrid: Pay $9,000 up front; owe $14,000 after securing employment. Sources of funding: Tuition 

What makes this program stand out? App Academy is a 12-week full-time software engineering course. The program was one of the first coding bootcamps to be founded on a deferred tuition model in an effort to make tech training more accessible by defraying upfront costs. In some payment plans, all or part of tuition is only owed once a student is hired and making at least $50,000.  

“It reflects our confidence in our program and the investment we all put into career coaches and career development,” said Sarah Sedeak, Partnerships Associate at App Academy. 

During the final weeks of the course, participants receive instruction in resume writing, interview skills, negotiations, and technical interview prep. Additionally, the program equips students with industry knowledge giving them insights into how a tech companies operate. An optional 13th week is provided for students to brush up and refine technical skills and participate in interview practice.  

What do participants need to succeed? Participants need to be ready for a very substantial time commitment that exceeds the 45 hours per week of formal course time. App Academy reports that “students should expect to put in about 90–100 hours every week.” This means that the program may not be well suited for individuals with considerable responsibilities outside of work. The program is immersive and intense, and App Academy has an attrition rate of about 15 percent. 

What does the organization need? Find the right students to ensure the program admits participants who can become software engineers in a short amount of time.