Lambda School vs. App Academy

There’s been a virtual explosion of coding bootcamps over the past few years. Not only are there more subjects to choose from, there are also a variety of approaches to the education process. Some bootcamps are strictly in-person, while others are entirely remote and flexible; some focus on mentorship, others on group work. With this startling array of options, you’re bound to have questions. We’re here to help with this Lambda School vs. App Academy breakdown.

Curriculum and Course Offerings

Lambda School offers tracks in iOS and Android development, data science, and UX design. App Academy restricts its focus almost entirely to Ruby-on-Rails and Javascript-based front end development, though there are components of data science and software best practices. 

What’s the Interview Process Like? 

Both schools use interview processes customized to each applicant. What they’re looking for is not so much a pre-existing skill set but a willingness and ability to learn. If you’re interested in either, you’ll need to submit an application through the appropriate websites.  If you make the first cut, they’ll evaluate you and likely send a follow-up. If you advance further, there’ll be a phone interview and something like of a pair programming exercise or perhaps a more difficult problem set. Again, the point here is to see how you solve problems, not if you already know the answers. 

Program Costs and Tuition Models

Lambda School works on an Income Share Agreement (ISA), in which you pay 17% of your salary for 24 months, but only once you get a job making over $50,000 annually. There’s also a cap of $30,000, so you’ll never pay more than that. 

As long as you meet certain requirements, App Academy will take no more than 28% of your income the first year after graduation. App Academy also has a variety of financing options, and I encourage you to check out their website for more information. 

Program Types

Lambda School’s 6-month program takes place entirely online, though its hours aren’t flexible. They simulate the feel of in-person bootcamps by offering shared classes and group assignments. But these are global classrooms, so they’re available to almost anyone.

App Academy has locations in San Francisco, New York, and their own online option, and the length of the course varies by location and track. Time requirements are around 16 weeks for in-person camps and 24 weeks for the online option. 

Outcomes and Reviews

Like anything else in life, Bootcamps tend to be what you make of them, as long as you’ve chosen to attend a reputable and high-quality one.