ARCC Programs

Program Reviews

Deena
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing program, can't wait to do it again!

My daughter had an amazing trip to Belize, she loved the leaders, she loved the activities, she loved the people she met and the experiences she had. The first thing she said when she got home was "Can I please go again next year?!"

As a parent, I loved how ARCC had thought of everything.They were organized with forms and paperwork, their info packets, videos and emails answered every question I had before I even had to ask it. Communication was excellent.

During the trip, they kept us informed on how the kids were doing, sent blog updates and photos, and more. I learned way more about the trip from these updates than my teenager ever would have remembered or told me, so it was terrific.

Natasha
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Highly recommend as a must do and my teenagers will be repeat customers.

Excellent experience and program for teenagers and young adults. Highly recommend as a must do and my teenagers will be repeat customers.

The programming captivates the imagination of teenagers (something very hard to do today) as it had the right balance of intrigue, learning and fun. The experience is very authentic, and not manufactured, which is a key differentiator when selecting teen programs. The program managers and staff where excellent communicators and very available to answer questions and overall were highly professional.

I recommend ARCC over all the others on the market, as the ARCC experience is a step above the rest.

jaime
3/5
No, I don't recommend this program

OK but some issues

My son had an ok time on the trip to Belize but there were some issues. My guess is that they overbooked the tour, such that four teenage boys had to share beds (my son says single beds, ARCC says Caribbean doubles which are smaller than US doubles) for four nights. Who makes teenage boys share beds for four nights? Also, he felt like the amount of diving was too small (the itinerary says a week on the "private" diving island but I think it was actually four days) and the buggy jungle portion was too long.

Response from ARCC Programs

Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your son's recent trip to Belize. We always value the insights of our participants and families and are committed to ensuring every participant has a positive experience.

We would like to address the concerns you raised. Firstly, we want to clarify that the group was not overbooked. The capacity of our Belize program was always set at 20 participants, a number that aligns with the accommodations and planned partner activities. The rooming arrangements were based on the available accommodations in that location, with each room having beds of suitable size for sharing, regardless of the country. We never differentiated between bed sizes based on country or region. We understand your concerns about teenage boys sharing beds, and we will take this into account when planning future programs.

Regarding the itinerary, the pre-program packet, webinar and other information we provide to all families clearly details the activities and duration of each segment of the program. The time spent SCUBA diving on the private island was accurately represented in these communications, as were the days in the rainforest. The amount of diving is set by our local partners; students have the opportunity for up to 12 dives, however they may opt out of optional diving if they choose.

We appreciate your input and hope to have the opportunity to continue providing improved experiences for students in the future.

Sarah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience for my daughter

We are so glad she got to experience this once in a lifetime trip. It was well organized, they kept you informed, and helped you every step of the way. She has made some really great friends and her group leaders were amazing. She came back with some amazing stories. We were so nervous, she’s had never been away from home let alone out of the country. ARCC made us feel at ease by sending great pictures on the family blog and detailed what they’re doing and what was coming up for them. I knew from the moment we saw the first picture of them she felt at home with them. Thank you for this memorable experience for her and making this so easy.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Zip lining over the tree tops, releasing baby turtles, hanging out in the hammocks were a lot of fun! When we were doing serve work at the wildlife center the white faced monkeys were throwing rocks at us!
Pros
  • Meet friends from all over
  • Experience new things and cultures
  • Animals!!
Cons
  • Bugs
  • Not long enough
Aidan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Awesome Trip, do recommend

If you are looking for some time to reflect on yourself and discover portions of yourself, this is a good trip for you. If you are looking for adventure, there is also a solid amount of that here as well. Its not so intense, its just right to spend time away from home and learn about different cultures and become tougher as a person. My instructors were great, really spectacular people to be around and it was great to have met them. If I see them after the program I will be really happy. I also felt really safe in their hand.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Dog
Pros
  • Learn about yourself
  • Become more resilient
  • Learn to plan and live for yourself
Cons
  • Sometimes too comfortable
  • Not extremely adventurous at times
  • Not long enough
Caroline
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

review

I want future participants to know that they should not hesitate when choosing this program. ARCC is fun, fresh, and festive, and you will not regret embarking on this wild ride. Fasten your seatbelts as you meet some of the coolest people in the world and find yourself on a life changing (in a good way) quest. The treasure chest waits at the end…will you make it? The answer is yes, and there is certainly a lot of gold to be found.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Have an open mind!
Caroline
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

THE NEXT 10 WEEKS OF YOUR LIFE

I’ve had such an amazing time on this trip, and it’s like nothing I’ve ever done before! I absolutely loved our leaders, John and Gillian, and our group was amazing. My favorite parts of the program were our home stays. They allowed for such deep cultural immersion and everyone we met was so friendly. The snorkeling and scuba diving is next level, especially when layered in with learning about reef health. If you want to have the best gap year ever, choose this program! You won’t regret it! And if you somehow do, you’ve still done some cool shit!

What was your funniest moment?
Instructor doing some ultimate tightrope walking. Then falling on the rope between his legs.
Pros
  • Home stays and cultural immersion
  • Snorkeling and Diving
  • Leaders (John and Gill 4 Life 🫶)
Cons
  • I don’t want to to go home
  • I don’t want to leave my friends
  • Not long enough
Jacob
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

PIGS!!

John and Gill are literally the lights of my life dude. I have no clue what I’m gonna do in the world without them to be there to do everything for me. if you want a program where the instructors do everything for you, you should do an ARCC trip. it’s like having two really cool baby sitters that baby sit adults taking you around the world and showing you great stuff. they teach you, they guide you, they shape you, they make you fly.

the program was pretty cool too. i did things i never thought i would do. i went places i never thought i would go. i grew in ways i never thought i would grow. do this program to have the time of your life, bro.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
DOG. ANJING. that shit was gas. tastes like pork but more chewy. also mie goreng, super good noodles
Pros
  • john and gillian
  • being in indonesia and fiji
  • the group
Cons
  • the group
  • not being able to buy my instructors a drink
  • too short
John
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My gap year was the best gap year

This was one of the coolest things I’ve done in my life. I am going to go back to college with so many new perspectives and skills that I know I am going to climb to the top and start my own business and make it big. If you want to have a good time and make it big like me, do this gap year. You can also look into getting my course, a course I developed during this gap year working with the instructors and local partners, to help people have the best time and get rich and be happy all while doing it from a villa in Bali. #WinnersCircle

What was your funniest moment?
Staying up late with my friends at night and making jokes.
Pros
  • Fiji - Cool
  • Bali - Awesome
  • Sumatra - Enlightening
Cons
  • Bugs
Autumn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Love the instructors!

This is my second semester with ARCC and I highly recommend!! They are so supportive and truly put in the extra effort to make sure you’re having a good time. You will have so many amazing experiences!! This is a life changing opportunity and I highly encourage you take the step out of your comfort zone. From home stays to beach camping and city life to living in the jungle, you will have an amazing time. Big shout out to Gillian and John. I love PIGS :)) Take the leap to adventure!! You won’t regret it!!!