Live data from Hacker News

App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

hashmaplabs.com

21–30 of 43 posts

Re: App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

#21
The model isn't without precedent. For example, lots of paramedic companies run training programs at a loss, eg REMSA.

Congrats on the launch! I wish I had 9 weeks to do nothing but learn about IOS.

suggestion: tell everyone to buy a macbook air. Affordable and unixy.

Re: App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

#22
post #10
post #6

Looks interesting, but there are a few lingering questions remain: 1) Where will the academy be located at? Do you already have the logistics covered? If so, could you share some of these details? (Location/Photos of area/etc) 2) You mention that the Summer program is free to build up excitement for the fall session, but later you mention you will try to help find the developer a position. Are you acting as a recruit…

Hey! Great questions all! 1) We haven’t picked a place yet; but we’re talking to places in East Bay. The likeliest location we’ve seen is in downtown Berkeley off BART. 2) We’re trying to do both. If we place the student at a company we’ve partnered with, we’d collect a fee from that company. But the long-term success of the program is going to be measured by the percentage of students who are ready for and get jobs…

Love the idea, and I just applied. But dismayed to read point #2, especially as I ticked 'no' for the last question.

Does this mean that I won't be considered as a likely candidate if I'm just an entrepreneur, or someone who really wants to put these newfound skills to use but doesn't yet know how? If that's the case, some additional details as to admission criteria would be welcome in the FAQ.

Re: App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

#23
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey! Great questions all! 1) We haven’t picked a place yet; but we’re talking to places in East Bay. The likeliest location we’ve seen is in downtown Berkeley off BART. 2) We’re trying to do both. If we place the student at a company we’ve partnered with, we’d collect a fee from that company. But the long-term success of the program is going to be measured by the percentage of students who are ready for and get jobs…

Love the idea, and I just applied. But dismayed to read point #2, especially as I ticked 'no' for the last question. Does this mean that I won't be considered as a likely candidate if I'm just an entrepreneur, or someone who really wants to put these newfound skills to use but doesn't yet know how? If that's the case, some additional details as to admission criteria would be welcome in the FAQ.

We definitely want a mix of people to get the class balance right. Without entrepreneurial folks the group would lack spark.

Re: App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

#24
post #21

The model isn't without precedent. For example, lots of paramedic companies run training programs at a loss, eg REMSA. Congrats on the launch! I wish I had 9 weeks to do nothing but learn about IOS. suggestion: tell everyone to buy a macbook air. Affordable and unixy.

mac os, since os x leopard, isn't just 'unixy', infact it is a 100% POSIX compliant certified UNIX operating system!

gnu/linux is what one would call 'unixy' =)

Re: App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

#26
post #13

I'm interested to know why age is one of the required fields. Will there be any preference given to people who are either "old enough" or "young enough?" Making something like that required without disclosing why it's being asked seems like an invitation for people to supply false information in hopes of not being passed over for an arbitrary reason like their age.

Hmm; good point. We put it in there pro forma. Age isn't very important to us; feel free to put 0 in. We'll take the field off when we get a chance :-)

Thanks for the reply. I put my age in anyway :) The application form was actually fun to fill out, it got me thinking about my motivations for wanting to join the class, and a bit of looking at oneself is always a useful thing to do.

Re: App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

#27
This looks great. I applied. Will you guys help with housing or perhaps providing it would be great. You know what would be awesome? If you are finding spaces, why don't you find a hacker house and then people can live as well as learn together. This way all the participants won't have to spend money on rent and try to find an apartment?

Re: App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

#28
post #13

I'm interested to know why age is one of the required fields. Will there be any preference given to people who are either "old enough" or "young enough?" Making something like that required without disclosing why it's being asked seems like an invitation for people to supply false information in hopes of not being passed over for an arbitrary reason like their age.

Hmm; good point. We put it in there pro forma. Age isn't very important to us; feel free to put 0 in. We'll take the field off when we get a chance :-)

Thanks for the reply. I put my age in anyway :) The application form was actually fun to fill out, it got me thinking about my motivations for wanting to join the class, and a bit of looking at oneself is always a useful thing to do.

Re: App Academy: Free nine week iOS course

#29
Looks interesting!

I'm an experienced programmer (15+ years), but have only a limited exposure to IOS programming. I was planning on learning on my own, but your course seems pretty helpful.

But do you recommend this only for beginning programmers?

Post reply on HN