Apple’s school for app developers on the Italian coast opens its doors on Thursday.
But if you were hoping to snag a seat at the Apple-funded and designed school, you face long odds. For the first year, about 4,000 people applied for spots, and only 200 were accepted, the Guardian reports.
That’s roughly a 5% admissions rate – about the same as Harvard, Stanford, and other elite colleges.
Next year, the center plans to admit 400 students.
Apple’s iOS development center is located in San Giovaani a Teduccio, a suburb of Naples. The program is a nine-month course focused on improving students’ software development skills using Apple products and tools.
The Guardian reveals that Apple has been very involved in the program, even going so far as to dictate details such as the lighting of the classrooms and the color the walls were painted:
The layout of the large, open-plan classroom was designed by Apple. "The didactic model is very new [for us]," Angrisani said. Small groups of students will sit at round tables equipped with special acoustic systems so the teacher can communicate with each table individually about their work. All courses will be taught in English, since it is meant to be open to students from around the world.
Apple first announced the center in January, shortly after it reached a tax deal with the Italian government. The company plans to open other app development centers in countries such as Brazil, India, and Indonesia.
Although construction on the campus isn't complete, according to the Guardian, Apple's partner, the University of Napoli Federico II, has released a series of photos looking at where the Apple-funded classes will take place.
Take a look at the picturesque campus while you prepare your application for next year.
