Big Nerd Ranch
Big Nerd Ranch Reviews and Complete Guide
Big Nerd Ranch offers a one-week coding bootcamp, as well as corporate training, that focuses on mobile app development. For 20 years, the Atlanta-based company has been going strong, with offerings that cover topics like software development, advanced iOS programming, and creating Android and iOS apps.
What Do You Need to Know about Big Nerd Ranch?
When not assisting corporations in technical training, Big Nerd Ranch offers a practical and intensive one-week coding bootcamp. Big Nerd Ranch preaches efficiency, ensuring that students can learn complicated material in a short period of time. Notably, its courses go into exhaustive detail regarding iOS development and creating web services.
Let’s take a look at some of the key facts regarding Big Nerd Ranch and the learning experience it offers.
| Locations | Atlanta, San Francisco, Online |
| Tuition | $1,000 – $5,000 |
| Financing Options | Upfront Payments, Loan Financing, Discounts |
| Start Dates | March 22, April 19, June 12 |
| Program Types | Full-Time |
| Courses | Accelerated iOS with Swift, Advanced Android, Advanced iOS, Android Essentials, Front-End Essentials, iOS Essentials with Swift |
Where Are Big Nerd Ranch’s Campuses Located?
Big Nerd Ranch has two physical campuses in Atlanta and San Francisco, as well as an option for online classes.
- Atlanta
- San Francisco
- Online
Currently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all programs have transitioned to remote learning for the foreseeable future.
How Much Is Tuition at Big Nerd Ranch?
Depending on the program you choose, the cost can range from $1,000 to $5,000. The Swift and iOS courses, for example, cost around $4,000.
How Can You Pay Big Nerd Ranch Tuition?
Unlike many coding bootcamps, Big Nerd Ranch does not provide many options to finance your training. The only payment option for Big Nerd Ranch is upfront.
Big Nerd Ranch Scholarships
Big Nerd Ranch does not offer any scholarships for its programs. Instead of scholarships, it does offer various discounts to certain groups of people including educators, teachers, and program alumni for further education.
ISAs
Income Share Agreements (ISA) allow students to study first and pay later. Instead of paying tuition upfront or in monthly installments, students pay their tuition once they have landed a job. Unfortunately, Big Nerd Ranch does not offer an ISA option to its students.
Loan Financing
Big Nerd Ranch does not offer any loan financing options to its students.
Installments
Since Big Nerd Ranch’s coding bootcamps only last a week, it does not offer an installment payment plan.
Can You Use the GI Bill at Big Nerd Ranch?
No, Big Nerd Ranch does not accept the GI Bill.
What Courses Does Big Nerd Ranch Offer?
Big Nerd Ranch offers numerous coding bootcamps that focus on mobile app development. Ideally, students in the intensive software development bootcamps should already possess some programming skills. Let’s take a look at the programs Big Nerd Ranch offers.
Accelerated iOS with Swift – In-Person | Online
Living up to its mission of teaching both basic and advanced concepts of mobile app development, this accelerated course drills down on Apple development with Swift, which is one of the top programming languages to learn.
Advanced Android – In-Person | Online
This advanced Android course builds on a student’s existing knowledge of Android development. This is the perfect course for those looking to become full-time Android developers and software engineers.
Advanced iOS – Online | In-Person
Similar to the advanced Android course, the advanced iOS course builds on basic and intermediate concepts of iOS development. This course aims to turn students into full-time iOS programmers by teaching them to build iOS apps.
Android Essentials – In-Person | Online
Before diving into the more complicated and nuanced topics of Android development, absolute beginners should check out the Android essentials course. In this course, students will familiarize themselves with mobile app development, the Android interface, and software engineering principles using Android.
Front-End Essentials – In-Person | Online
Front-end web development focuses on concepts like usability, user interfaces, and user experiences. In this course, students learn how to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create an engaging, dynamic front-end experience.
iOS Essentials with Swift – In-Person | Online
Taking a more nuanced approach than its accelerated course in the same subject, this course covers the basics of Swift and iOS development. Students will utilize Swift to write functional iOS apps and video games.
How to Get Accepted into Big Nerd Ranch
Big Nerd Ranch isn’t overly selective when accepting potential students. But, as you will see, there isn’t a significant consensus on acceptance rates. Unlike some coding bootcamps, the application and admissions process at Big Nerd Ranch is pretty simple.
Big Nerd Ranch Acceptance Rate
Big Nerd Ranch does not openly publish its acceptance rate.
Big Nerd Ranch Application Process
The application process for Big Nerd Ranch is pretty straightforward and consists of only three major steps.
- Students must first register on the Big Nerd Ranch website. This consists of filling out your basic information.
- Choose your coding bootcamp. You secure your spot by completing a transaction. Simply select your course and proceed to the checkout.
- Be prepared to hear back from Big Nerd Ranch. While you wait, make sure you have the right hardware, basic knowledge, and time to take the bootcamp.
Big Nerd Ranch Interview Questions
Big Nerd Ranch differs from many coding bootcamps in that it does not interview potential students. This means that students can bypass technical quizzes, character assessments, and practicing answers to coding bootcamp interview questions.
How Can You Prepare for Big Nerd Ranch?
Preparing for Big Nerd Ranch is fairly straightforward. While there isn’t any official prep work, there are a few tutorials on Android development, Swift, and iOS that you can take.
We highly recommend that you have a basic grasp of coding, programming, and software engineering before you attend a bootcamp. While you don’t need to be an expert, knowing the basics makes the learning process a lot smoother. The bootcamp only lasts a few days, so you will want to be prepared to make sure you get the most out of the experience.
Is Big Nerd Ranch Worth It?
Is Big Nerd Ranch worth your time? Yes, if you are looking for a career in web development, iOS programming, or Android development. Former students have landed jobs at Disney, UNC Wilmington, and Carbon Five, and they all recommend Big Nerd Ranch and its intensive week-long courses.
Big Nerd Ranch Job Placement
While an exact statistic isn’t readily available, Big Nerd Ranch graduates and professionals have landed jobs at companies like Coca-Cola, UPS, Whirlpool, and Airbnb.
Big Nerd Ranch works closely with various Fortune 500 companies, so simply by attending Big Nerd Ranch, you are exposing yourself to a fantastic network of software engineering experts.
Does Big Nerd Ranch Offer a Job Guarantee?
Big Nerd Ranch, unfortunately, does not offer a job guarantee.
Should You Apply to Big Nerd Ranch?
Coding bootcamps can take many weeks or even months to complete. So, if you don’t have the luxury of an extended timeline to learn complex topics, then the Big Nerd Ranch curriculum might be perfect for you. It comes highly recommended by both former students and corporate trainees.
Additionally, if you’re looking for small class sizes, Big Nerd Ranch may be an excellent option, with only 10 to 12 students per class.
If you need to learn concepts quickly, Big Nerd Ranch may be the perfect coding bootcamp for you.
Price Range
$0-$5,200Programs Available
Programs Pace
Financing Options
8 Reviews
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Anonymous
I attended the iOS Essentials with Swift bootcamp in Monterey. The Asilomar Conference center is beautiful and very comfortable. I was new to iOS programmng and so, for me, the pace was very fast. The course proved to be an excellent foundation for me to build upon. I am looking forward to attending an Advance course when I feel like I have progressed enough to benefit from it. I had wanted to attend a Big Nerd Ranch bootcamp for quite some and was not disappointed at all.
My instructor was excellent. Very knowledgeable and able to explain difficult (for me) concepts. Small class size and a wonderful group of fellow students made for an excellent learning experience.
January 5, 2019
Anonymous
I attended the iOS 7 day class with Objective-C.
I have been to literally dozens of training classes over the years and 90% of the bore me.
This was the best training class I have been to by far for the following reasons.
1. Immersion – If you can find the time, please try to. Being dedicated helps focus and results. There are a lot of online courses available and they are really good. This experience is world-class.
2. Instructors – My instructor was world-class. I was looking for industry expert which is what I got
3. Teaches you how to learn – Many classes and online sites tell you how to do things. BNR does some of that but more importantly they teach you how to use the Apple docs properly and find the correct answers yourself instead of relying on search engines
4. Classmates – You will find that all your classmates are very motivated because they also are dedicating the time. I love learning from others and since you eat and train together all day you get to learn a lot from many different angles.
(Please note my class was iOS with Objective-C but that was not an option in the drop-down list)
February 12, 2019
Anonymous
I took this 7 day bootcamp when it was iOS Essentials with Objective-C at the Historic Banning Mills location as did a couple of the other reviewers. The course was excellent. The instructor was awesome. The food was great. The accommodations were cool. The ziplines were a new experience. The mosquitoes were legion.
I didn’t really believe it when the instructor told us to plan to spend some late nights, but most of us were there every evening until 10:00pm or so. Worth every penny. Most technical training classes I attend usually end up with me sitting around fiddling with stuff that is not a part of the assignment because I complete assignments quickly. The instructor picked up on a few of us who were a little more advanced and gave us additional stuff to try. It was refreshing to be continually challenged. The instructor had also built apps for BNR clients, so he had enough experience with the pain points of development (and of Xcode) to give us additional information to minimize those potholes. The fact that there was almost literally nothing else to do there at night encouraged a lot of extracurricular studying.
BNR books are great, and you should have the collection regardless for reference and refreshing purposes, but if you can in any way make it down to one of the bootcamps you will not regret it. It is an intense, superior learning experience.
March 16, 2019
Anonymous
I was deeply impressed with the Big Nerd Ranch bootcamp. Our company was interested in expanding our IT systems into mobile applications and we decided to attend an iOS bootcamp at Asilomar. BNR does a great job at pairing excellent teaching with a retreat style getaway. The grounds look like you’re taking a vacation but the 12-14 hours a day of instruction and lab time ensured the material became second nature. The instructor was highly knowledgeable and was able to address any question we had. He sprinkled nature walks and other activities throughout the week so that our brains were able to decompress from the rigorous learning. While the overall course doesn’t cover everything required to launch an app of your own, you get a great level of knowledge that let’s you tackle the remaining learning much easier.
April 10, 2019
Anonymous
Big Nerd Ranch knows how to put on a bootcamp!
The curriculum was thorough and easy to follow. The instructors were engaging and very knowledgeable. If they didn’t know an answer off the top of their heads they would help me find the answer.
The location, Stone Mountain Resort, was breath taking and extremely comfortable. All of my needs were taken care of and provided the perfect environment to focus on learning.
I cannot recommend this bootcamp enough to anyone who is looking to jump into the Swift and iOS world. I was able to take the skills I learned from this bootcamp to launch my first iOS app!
April 13, 2019
Anonymous
The complete immersion into the subject matter is fantastic. I attended the iOS Dev and by the end of the course, I was not only skilled but confident in those skills. I am now a fulltime iOS dev.
I have recommended BNR to colleagues that have gone and loved it as well. I will be going back shortly to add Kotlin to my bag of tricks.
The format is well thought out and the material builds on itself nicely.
April 25, 2019
Anonymous
Without a doubt, I highly recommend BNR’s iOS Essentials with Swift course. As an experienced developer that was looking for a springboard into iOS / Swift, this course was great. During the course of the program, we were exposed to important topics on iOS and Swift and were encouraged to think outside of the box and ask questions beyond the course material. At the end of the course, I had not only a large portfolio of working code examples, but also experience and knowledge beyond what could be found in just the book.
Location and amenities were great as well.
Helpful hints: 1) Make sure to be fully focused on the training while there. Do your best to avoid work emails, etc, unless required. 2) Have a project or idea to play around with during office hours in the evening. This is a great way to expand on the knowledge you have learned on a daily basis and will allow you to ask questions beyond what is covered in class, and the instructors will be helpful in answering your questions.
Only downsides are that it can be tough to get away for that long and cost can be high if your company is not covering the training.
I’ve attended the Android course as well, and it was great. Really looking forward to the Kotlin course in May!
February 7, 2020
Anonymous
Just like Big Nerd Ranch’s books, their bootcamp courses are top notch. This was my first development bootcamp and I can say without a doubt it was the perfect introduction to both iOS programming and bootcamps in general. The instructors were very versatile, delivering a curriculum that they real-time adjusted to suit each student (we had some first time programmers and some seasoned developers in our class). There’s a reason BNR has been around for all these years and on a continued growth path, their attention to quality sets the bar for other educational companies to aspire to.
March 22, 2020