ARCC Programs

Program Reviews

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Dexter
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC Hawaii

this was the best trip ever ever. because of covid, we had a bunch of our service fall through but luckily ARCC is such a flexible company that they filled in the spots for service and we did so many amazing projects ! so many times we’d be in the van on the way back to our campsite and our group would be talking about how amazing that day of service was, no matter if it was scheduled 3 months ago or 1 week ago. i have so many everlasting memories and friends that i will take with me, and i’ve also learned so much information ! all my “goals” for this semester have been fulfilled and beyond: i made amazing friends, funny moments, moments of growth, and i’ve learned a lot about what i want to do with my future. thank you ARCC for an incredible 2 months :)

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
the scariest moment to me was when we were earning our SCUBA certification. being 60 feet underwater is super unfamiliar to me, as is for most people. luckily, i had great friends who knew i would be scared and had a whole set of games and things to do when they saw me freaking — my partner started dancing the macarena and playing rock paper scissors with me whenever i’d look nervous. this trip has brought me the best friends and amazing experiences where i was able to push myself and do things i’d never think of doing, because i had the right support.
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Audrey
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience!!

Even with the pandemic situation, I had the best time on this trip. One of the big focuses is student leadership so all the meals & many of the activities are student planned, and I feel like I gained a lot of experience. My group loved thrift shopping and beaches, so we did a lot of city days and surfing, but there were tons of opportunities for hikes, service work, whatever the group wants to do, really. The trip leaders and other students are so fun, there’s a perfect mix of exploring the cities and nature activities, and the curriculum is fascinating. We were camping probably 75% of the time because of COVID restrictions, so I can’t speak to the accommodations very accurately, but the campsites were pretty nice. The leaders facilitated a lot of personal growth experiences and I got to know myself a lot better over the 2 months, so if you like adventure-type stuff, learning about social activism/Indigenous history, and want to *find yourself*, I definitely recommend this trip. Also, feel free to email me if you have any questions or want to talk more about the trip!!! I’m doing another ARCC semester in Belize in the spring, which should be a good sign :) email: audreyxcobb@gmail.com

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Bring a big duffel bag, backpacks are kind of a pain
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Henry
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC

I had a really great time on my trip even though it was during the COVID pandemic. I had really great instructors and made so many close friends. This trip helped me gain confidence in living away from home and I was able to learn through experience as opposed to being in a classroom, which was great for me. I enjoyed every main thing that we did and didn't really have any bad days at all. I feel really grateful to have gone on this trip and would recommend that people considering a gap year to go for it!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
We were scuba diving and saw a tiger shark, which was pretty nerve-racking in the moment but we discussed what we would do if we did see one beforehand which helped overcome it, and we were all calm and collected and didn't panic. Overall it was super cool, too.
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Jenna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC Hawaii gap semester

I had the best semester in Hawaii with ARCC. My group was amazing, and we got along really well. Everyone came into this experience with an open mind, and we had so much fun exploring and learning together. ARCC managed to make this experience phenomenal despite the ongoing pandemic, and I always felt safe. Everyone that we interacted with outside our group was extremely kind and very willing to help us learn. I enjoyed getting my SCUBA certification and going on hikes and adventures around the Big Island. My instructors were caring, kind, and responsible. They helped us delve deeper into our passions and have meaningful experiences. The also helped us grow as leaders and individuals and were eager to teach, learn, and adventure alongside the group. I could not have asked for a better way to spend the first half of my gap year.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Come into this trip with an open mind. Be ready to meet new people, have new experiences, try new things, and have fun!
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Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Some of the Best 70 Days of My Life

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What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Come in with an open mind, never miss a chance to ask questions, embrace every experience head on, even when it is challenging, and appreciate your time as much as you can. The semester will end sooner than you want it to.
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Maxim
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unexpected, but impossibly valuable

I had no plan to deviate from a four year college plan, right out of the gate of high school. But when COVID quickly turned college into a learn from home experience, I became open to other options. ARCC fit every niche of what I was looking for in an extracurricular experience. It brought together my love for the outdoors, adventure, and was a brief and welcome break from social distancing. The trip was safe and exceptional, and seeing the Southwest was like traveling through a nat geo issue. Every partner we had the opportunity to work with was enthusiastic and truly devoted to educating our group. We could be a handful at times, but an air of enthusiasm followed us around and carried into every activity.

What was your funniest moment?
We were left to cook our own meals, which was an important experience, and one evening we ended up with 48 servings of burnt spaghetti in the form of a pasta brick.
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Max
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC Southwest Gap Semester Review

ARCC's trip was incredible! For one, the instructors were amazing; connecting with each and every student, being there to support us, and helping build a unified group. Secondly, the trip itself had a great balance between hiking in the beautiful outdoors, learning in a classroom setting, service work, and bonding with the group. Due to COVID, some experiences had to be changed last minute and ARCC adapted the programs well. I grew as a leader, student, and as a person. Highly recommend to anyone taking a gap year/semester.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
When we went scuba diving, there were sea lions swimming all around us!
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Alison
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing experience!

My son just finished the program and we can’t say enough how amazing it was for him. He loved the adventures, the learning, the instructors, and the friends he made. It was seriously the experience of a lifetime!

The program was both relaxed enough that the kids had a great deal of independence, but structured enough that they were busy every day learning, exploring m, and laughing. My son’s stories are so incredible and the pictures that they took tell the tale of a tightknit group who came together and learned so much. I highly recommend this trip in this program.

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Sophie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC Northwest Gap Semester

This experience was beyond incredible. I made lifelong friends and learned so much about the locations I traveled to. My leaders made sure everyone was happy and satisfied and getting the most out of this opportunity. I truly am a different person after this trip and I wouldn’t change one thing about it. I never thought I would hike 15 miles in a day, get my SCUBA open water diver certification, become a certified Wilderness First Responder, or hike through Glacier National Park and spit a bear and her cub next to the trail. I saw so many new things and places that I would never have been able to see without ARCC. EVERYONE should take a gap year and do a semester long program, it helped me understand exactly what I want to do for this coming fall and opened so many doors for me. Thank you ARCC for an incredible 2 1/2 months.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Manta ray night dive after our SCUBA certification.
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Mica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC Southwest Program Fall 2020

This program was amazing and unique is every way. It was educational but had a balanced schedule of fun and adventuring. Group leaders were great and always made us feel safe and made sure we enjoyed what we were doing. Everyone in the group got along great and even when things got difficult or confusing we had a good group attitude about it. Long car rides in a 15 passenger van are no biggie when you are with 14 amazing friends. I was nervous to go on this semester but after only a few days on the trip I knew I had made the right decision :)

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Come prepared to be as present as possible and to be a good group member