Risk doesn't give you the right to hide something. It takes a lot of time and effort to go through a bootcamp screening process.
For them to throw a curveball after someone has passed all the requirements is just plain unfair.
When I was accepted, they had moved offices a month or two prior but had not updated their site with the change. The $5k deposit was a recent change and not yet mentioned on the main site either.
They have a lot of documentation that they're slowly bringing up to date. The curriculum is constantly in flux and being improved. The people who work on all of this are the TAs so they're spread a bit thin. It's not that they aren't being transparent - they've always been 100% honest with me and beyond fair - they're just overworked. I made lots of pull requests during my cohort to update documentation which they're really good about accepting and seemed to appreciate the help.
Based on what I've seen though, this $18k up-front probably has more to do with the realities of the marketplace for junior devs right now. It seems to be slowing a lot and people sans-degree or work experience take a lot longer to find jobs. There's a glut of junior devs sans-experience in the market and many companies don't know to filter for AppAcademy students yet. The size of their cohorts also seem to be growing quickly - probably ahead of how quickly they can hire TAs and fit people in the office.
Full Disclosure: I'm a recent AppAcademy grad. Also, I'm looking for work in NY if anyone is hiring. Post here with contact details and I'll follow up with you.
Because updating some static content on a website is a really time-consuming, difficult, complex task for a company that supposedly teaches web application development...? :)
The class sizes in both locations are growing quickly (the NY office has had to move 3 times already and looks to have to move again) - I do not know where they would find the time.
I know your situation sucks and it's easy to be derisive to them. I was barely able to come up with the $5k deposit myself and if it weren't for the financing situation of this specific program (I am degree-less but over 30 and have tech experience) I would not have been able to do it. If I were in your situation, there is _no way_ that I would have been able to do it, period. Still, their financing policies make sense to me having gone through the program and also seeing other bootcamp grads and what the market is like.
There are some other decent programs out there that may work out better for you. You might want to check Flatiron School's Fellowship program. Had I not already started AppAcademy, I would have done that instead -- it's exactly for your situation.
If you're in SF and are worried about finding housing in NY if you got in, we can discuss it as I may be (a) either able to work out an arrangement so you can stay in Manhattan or (b) know somewhere/someone that can hook you up with affordable housing.
AppAcademy was a life-changing experience for me, even pre-employment, and I do not regret doing it at all. If you can find some way to do it or something like it (a very short list of programs, imo), you definitely should do it.
I definitely think that there's a good conversation to be had about the business ethics of the vast majority of startups and internet brands. That said, having 10 years+ work experience outside of this world, there's a good conversation to be had about the business ethics of everybody.