ARCC Programs

Program Reviews

Hadley
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC Central America

This program was amazing start to finish! I had the privilege of being immersed into new cultures and made valuable connections along the way! Not only was the food amazing, but also the places we have visited. We went from mountain to jungle to beach! The instructors created a wonderful sense of community where we could all work together on various things. I have learned so much about my self and gained a lot of new skills I can use for the rest of my life. Could not recommend a better gap semester experience!

Sorin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC Central America 2024

It was a super enriching experience ! We did have lots of service but all of it I really did enjoy! My favorite service we did was Turtle Trax and Floating Doctors even though I at first was kind of dreading that experience ! The food here was also really great although it is a lot of rice beans and meat. I also had a very good time being on the water for about half the trip which allowed for swimming and surfing! Overall it pushed me out of my comfort zone quite a bit but that in turn helped me grow and I greatly enjoyed myself along the way!

What was your funniest moment?
My funniest moment was when Camden ate a Carolina Reaper and started throwing up.
Pros
  • New activities every week so you never get bored !
  • Great food, lots of rice beans and chicken
  • Being on the beach a lot of the time and being able to surf and swim!
Cons
  • Not a lot of alone time.
  • Rains a decent amount.
Webber
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Awesome Trip ARCC CAM

This trip had a great mix of service and adventure. The service we did on this trip was extremely enriching and very fun. The adventure aspect of this trip was extremely fun while being very safe. Overall this trip was an incredible experience that I would recommend to anyone looking for a fun and enriching gap program.i learned so much about Central America a the culture there while also learning so much about myself. The instructors were great and very supportive. I have almost no negative things to say about this trip.

What was your funniest moment?
One of the students threw up after eating a Carolina reaper.
Pros
  • Awesome adventure
  • Enriching Service
  • Super cool people
Cons
  • No drinking
  • Little free time
  • Less freedom
Finn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Finn 2024 ARCC student

This is truly a once in a lifetime experience and if you have the opportunity to do this program then do it! This has done wonders for me as a person and made me so much more confident going into college and the rest of my gap year. I’ve learned about so many real world issues and been educated on so many things started from wolf packs in Yellowstone to migrants coming over the border of Mexico. I’ve been able to better find out what I want to do with my life and understand who I truly am as a person. If you’re looking to have a great productive gap year there is no better way to start yours out than with this amazing program.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
Stick with my every day journaling of each day and take more notes on all the knowledge and information I was getting.
Pros
  • Everything
Ella
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Slay

I had a great time on my ARCC trip, I met some lifelong friends and created friendships that will last forever I hope. I gained so much knowledge and was able to have very unique and amazing experiences. For example we worked on a wolf sanctuary for a week, and got to pet and feed wolves that couldn’t live in the wild. It was so crazy! We also got to work on building a house on Navajo Nation. There were so many amazing opportunities that I would not have had if I hadn’t taken this trip! I am so thankful for this trip and how much I have grown throughout these 70 days. I also had the most amazing instructors who helped me abs were always there for me when I needed something!

Sean
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Sean's Experience

I loved my experience on the Western US gap semester with ARCC. I made some amazing friends through this experience. I also got to see once in a lifetime views and places. Before this trip I have never been to a national park. Now I have been to 10 beautiful parks. Everything about this trip was amazing the group, the sites and the leaders. My favorite part of this experience was going to Yellowstone national park. The views were incredible, our partner Rihanna was a great teacher/guide and the animals were amazing.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
The first week is going to be difficult and a little awkward but you become close with everyone very quickly after the first week.
Pros
  • Travel
  • See amazing places
  • Make lifelong friends
Cons
  • Tents
  • Food quality
  • Lots of driving
Luke
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Good

Very good.
Would recommend to anyone who is trying to learn more about the world or themselves. I would also recommend this program to anyone who wants to get out of their comfort zone but doesn’t want to travel to a completely different country where you cant speak the language.
Because of this program, I got to experience things that I wouldn’t have been able to on my own. One of my favourite things that we did on this program was learning about the border wall in Arizona, which gave me a new perspective on the topic that I wouldn’t have been able to get by myself or from online learning

Pros
  • Beautiful views
  • Opportunity to learn
  • Fun activities
Cons
  • Not much alone time
  • Weather
Henry
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ARCC Gap Western US

I had a great time in this trip we were able to see so much of the country and learn so much in a short amount of time. At each location from Yellowstone to Hawaii we learned about the culture, land and animals and how to preserve the land for future generations. I saw so many different options for possible careers and life paths which was very helpful in this time where I am trying to figure out next steps. There are so many possibilities and doors opened from this trip that I didn’t even know existed. I had an amazing time and made some great friends along the way as well as experiences that will shape who I am for the rest of my life.

Zain
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My experience

I really enjoyed this trip. Lots of great places explored, amazing views, strengthening hikes, fun activities and tasty meals.

I recommend this program for anyone fresh out of high school who wants to step outside their comfort zone, maybe someone who feels like they are confused with life, someone who's not sure what their next steps will be or what job/future they want to have for themselves. Why do I recommend this program to this type of person? Because I was this person. I was sitting at home, bedrotting, not taking those types of opportunities for myself. But after deciding to go on this trip, it really helped me grow as a person.

I can't thank my instructors enough, and I hope anyone who reads this review and decides to go also has a positive experience like I did.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The most surprising thing was going to this place called "Mission Wolf" where me and my group learned about Wolves and Wolf-Dogs. It was really incredible to learn how wolves are very emotional animals and communicate through touch and body language, but most of all, learning about the common misconceptions that wolves are super dangerous and are "out to get you".
Pros
  • Long term friendships
  • New and exciting experiences/activities
  • Making core memories
Cons
  • Disagreements within the group
  • Speak up or your voice may not be heard
  • Cooking with others can be stressful
Tom
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing experience worth doing before college

It was an amazing trip. From just getting to experience so much of what the U.S.A has to offer in terms of its natural beauty to the in depth topics and discussions about policy and human rights. The trip truly covers a lot and I can’t deny that I learned so much from this experience. If you enjoy the outdoors and want to learn more about anything involving nature and social justice and human rights, I can’t help but recommend this trip, especially if your from the U.S getting to know your own countries beauty and its grimy policies surrounding parts of the area is such an important experience.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Perhaps the most surprising part of the trip was Mission:Wolf the place was amazing and we learned so much while we were there. The experience was truly outstanding.
Pros
  • Experiencing Nature
  • Adventure
  • Education