Big Nerd Ranch

Big Nerd Ranch Bootcamp Reviews and Complete Guide

What qualities should you be looking for in a bootcamp? And how will you know if a bootcamp is right for you? In this Big Nerd Ranch review, we will highlight everything you need to know, from costs to courses and scholarships, so you can decide if this school has the right bootcamp for you.

Big Nerd Ranch offers full-time training for people who want to advance their careers in tech, with a particular focus on helping students become mobile app developers and web developers. The coding bootcamp is usually attended on-site at its campuses in San Francisco and Atlanta but has now switched to virtual learning due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Let’s look at the tuition, scholarships, and course details of Big Nerd Ranch’s bootcamps.

What Is Big Nerd Ranch?

Big Nerd Ranch is an Atlanta-based coding bootcamp that teaches tech skills, often to those who already have some prior web or mobile development experience. Its programs are offered to full-time students who are seeking an immersive, fast-paced coding bootcamp.

Students of the school will learn to build interactive mobile applications for either iOS or Android, or can learn to create websites.

Is Big Nerd Ranch Worth It?

If you want to learn new tech skills and prefer rigorous training courses, Big Nerd Ranch is worth every penny. Its bootcamps last about a week, but they cover a lot of information in this short timeframe.

Remember that the main focus of these software engineering and development bootcamps is web and app development. So, if you want to learn about other areas of tech, such as data science, you should try another bootcamp. However, if you want a career in Android, iOS, or front end web development, Big Nerd Ranch is an excellent option.

Big Nerd Ranch Job Placement

Currently, Big Nerd Ranch has not published its job placement statistics or any other information on its students’ careers after graduation. However, it is clear that the program imparts students with marketable skills they can use to advance their careers.

Does Big Nerd Ranch Offer a Job Guarantee?

Sadly, Big Nerd Ranch does not offer a job guarantee arrangement. This means students do not get a refund on their tuition fee if they don’t receive a job offer soon after graduation.

How Much Does Big Nerd Ranch Cost?

Tuition fees at Big Nerd Ranch vary. The React Essentials course costs $2,250, while the Kotlin Essentials training is just $1,000.

The iOS and Swift Essentials course fee is $3,000, while the Advanced Android and Advanced iOS courses cost around $4,200. The Android and Kotlin Essentials and iOS and Swift Essentials programs are the most expensive, at $5,200.

How to Pay for Big Nerd Ranch: Scholarships, ISAs, Installments

Big Nerd Ranch has some notable financing options that help students cover tuition costs, such as discounts and loans.

Scholarships

Many bootcamps offer full or partial coding bootcamp scholarships to help cover tuition costs. Instead of scholarships, Big Nerd Ranch provides discounts to select groups. Educators and military personnel are eligible for a 10 percent discount on their courses, as are Big Nerd Ranch alumni who want to explore other curriculums.

ISAs

An income share agreement allows students to delay paying their tuition fee until after they have landed a job in tech. Big Nerd Ranch currently does not offer any income share agreements.

Loan Financing

Big Nerd Ranch does offer loan financing options. The school has partnerships with a few companies so that students don’t have to repay their tuition fees until after they have secured a job.

Installments

Whereas some bootcamps allow students to pay for courses over several months, Big Nerd Ranch only accepts one-time payments for its classes. This is because Big Nerd Ranch’s courses are much shorter than other bootcamps, and are also somewhat cheaper.

GI Bill

Big Nerd Ranch does not offer GI Bill tuition benefits.

Big Nerd Ranch Locations

Big Nerd Ranch is based in Atlanta and has a campus in San Francisco. Its courses are usually offered on-site, but COVID-19 restrictions have forced classes to go virtual for the time being.

Big Nerd Ranch Courses

Big Nerd Ranch offers courses that teach web and mobile app development to those who already have some experience in programming. Some of these bootcamps cover fundamentals of development, while others teach only advanced concepts.

Big Nerd Ranch Prep Courses

Big Nerd Ranch does not have any prep courses. However, it has some introductory courses that students can take if they have limited coding experience.

iOS & Swift Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

This is an introductory course for developers who are new to working in iOS. In this bootcamp, students will learn to write apps for iPad or iPhone with Swift.

UI Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

This course teaches learners how to make easy-to-use apps. It also teaches students to think about what a user wants in an app. The coursework emphasizes design team collaboration as the key to creating a successful app.

React Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

This program takes only three-and-a-half days, but attendees will learn to build responsive sites in that time using CSS3, HTML5, ReactJS, and ES6.

Advanced Android – In-Person | Virtual

This course is for experienced developers. In it, students will learn how to prepare their apps for submission on an app store. They will also study the methods they can use to keep their app in optimum condition.

Advanced iOS – In-Person | Virtual

The Advanced iOS course focuses on maximizing the performance of both new and existing iOS apps. It involves learning the programming languages used in Swift for iOS.

iOS Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

This course is for students who need a fast-paced iOS introduction. In the course, attendees will learn to set up text input fields, pull data from web services to use in apps, and configure user interfaces so they can be used on more than one device.

Android & Kotlin Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

This training teaches principles of the Kotlin programming languages, as well as the development techniques you should use when building with Kotlin. The class also covers basic Android development principles and how to migrate Java Android applications to Kotlin.

Android Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

This training prepares students to build apps with multiple fragments and activities, use REST APIs to integrate with web services, communicate within Android apps, and animate views.

Kotlin Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

The Kotlin Essentials course lasts seven days, during which time students will learn Kotlin principles and development techniques for creating new Android apps.

Python Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

This four-day course is an introduction to the Python programming language that is suitable for beginners who have some basic programming knowledge.

Swift Essentials – In-Person | Virtual

This course is the shortest at Big Nerd Ranch, lasting just two days. It covers the basic syntax of Swift. Students will learn to handle errors using the throw/catch method, organize data, and define custom structures and classes.

What Is the Big Nerd Ranch Schedule?

Since Big Nerd Ranch courses are short-term, the school only offers full-time learning options.

Full-Time

Full-time programs are the only way to go at Big Nerd Ranch, since its courses are usually offered in person. The programs last three to five days, depending on the course.

How to Get Accepted Into Big Nerd Ranch

Big Nerd Ranch is very different from other bootcamps. It does not utilize any placement tests or interviews. However, most of the courses require some coding experience.

Big Nerd Ranch Acceptance Rate

Big Nerd Ranch does not provide information on the percentage of applicants it turns away from its bootcamps.

Application Process

Big Nerd Ranch has a simple application process that does not involve any written application or interview.

1. First, register on its website by filling in your details and meal preferences.
2. Proceed to checkout to secure a seat for the bootcamp.
3. Make your payment, and you’re all set.

Interview Questions

Since Big Nerd Ranch does not conduct bootcamp interviews, the coding bootcamp does not expect students to answer any questions before enrolling.

Is Big Nerd Ranch Right for You?

Big Nerd Ranch coding bootcamps are very popular in Atlanta and San Francisco. These are immersive, fast-paced courses that allow students to become experts in certain web and mobile app development techniques in just a few days. The school offers tuition discounts and provides meals for students during these full-time courses.

If you’ve been looking for a lightning fast coding bootcamp, Big Nerd Ranch may be right for you. However you will get the most out of these courses if you already have a background in the app or web development. If you want a bootcamp that offers courses in data science or digital marketing, this school may not be ideal.