Program Reviews

Rather than trying to convince you to study abroad with Sol, I will just tell you a little about what led me to the decision and how my experience turned out.

Choosing a program was a big decision for me. Before I left I was leaning towards a different program, when I came upon Sol. Sol offered more in the program and was a thousand dollars cheaper, so that made my decision easy.

Upon arrival the program director picked me and the other students up from the airport and dropped us off at our designated host families. My host mom immediately offered me something to eat and drink. She was so friendly and welcoming, which immediately put me at ease. The first thing I noticed about Costa Rica was the water that she gave me and how fresh it tasted. It is the best water I have ever had.

The following day we went on a tour of Heredia. It was so much fun and gave us a chance to get to know everyone in our group. Our program director took us to a cafe called "Espigas" where they serve coffee and pastries. We also went to a market and tried several kinds of delicious fruits I had never heard of.

As far as school goes, I had class Monday-Wednesday/Thursday depending on the term. Everyday I would walk to class with my roommate and friend who lived next door. Class was about a fifteen minute walk from my host family's home. After class we would walk to town, take the bus to San Jose, or get ready for our weekend excursions.

Sol planned several excursions for us, and often on our weekends off we would plan some of our own. We traveled all over Costa Rica and also went to Panama and Nicaragua. My favorite places we went to were Granada, Nicaragua, Puerto Viejo, La Fortuna, and the rafting day trip.

Aside from the activities mentioned above we also took dance lessons, cooking classes, went on a tour of San Jose, went to several markets, visited local churches, volunteered at a local elementary school, volunteered with Niños sin fronteras (Children without borders), and visited a Toucan Rescue Ranch.

I studied in Costa Rica for a semester, and by the time it was coming to an end I wished I would have signed up for a year. It was a fun, safe experience that enabled me to grow as a person in several aspects of life. Writing this review a year and a half later makes me wish I was back in Heredia with my host family and friends that I grew so close to during my study abroad experience.

Sol Education is a great program. If you are looking for a small, very personal, accommodating program with some of the greatest directors, choose Sol. They provide you with everything they possible can and you are an individual to them not just another person like other bigger programs.

As a parent, sending a child abroad (although they are college students, we still worry!) there tends to be some apprehension. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Sol (director, Janiva was beyond excellent) for its' dedication to the program in Heredia, Costa Rica. Your attention to detail and organization did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Every email, message, conversation, etc. that I had with my daughter during her stay was filled with "wonderful," "awesome," "fantastic," etc. Putting together a group of college students from varied backgrounds, organizing excursions, providing assistance/guidance around the clock and working with Host families & students to help provide an environment conducive to learning not only a language, but a culture is no easy task. To do it at all is difficult----to do it ALL WELL and at the level of service provided is exceptional.

I have had the pleasure of speaking with my daughter's Host mother a few times. Elissa cannot say enough wonderful things about her 'tica mom' (& the entire family.) My daughter believes that she had the "best" Host family, and I do not doubt her. As far as her University classes--Professors have been fantastic, class sizes small but large enough for constructive interaction. Elissa feels that her command of speaking Spanish has vastly improved as has her writing skills. The volunteer project that she worked on was also very fulfilling and I know that she wished to do even more had time allowed.

There were some unforeseen bumps in the road, but the manner, in which these things were promptly handled by Sol, specifically the director and Host mother, was greatly appreciated by all.

It seems to be that the only thing lacking has been time (& money) to spend more time in Costa Rica.

I am looking forward to welcoming my daughter home and hear in greater detail about her time in Costa Rica! As my daughter now says---Pura Vida!

Sincerely,
Sol Parent

My experience with Sol Education Abroad in Heredia was overall a fantastic one. My day to day activities during the week were basically structured around the classes I took at the ULatina, which was a fifteen minute walk from the house I lived at. My host mother made me a delicious breakfast every day and sat with me to share every meal. My living accommodations were comfortable but not luxurious. I felt safe in Heredia and that my host family was trustworthy. Almost every weekend was filled with either a Sol excursion or a trip that I planned along with the other students in my group. We traveled to every corner of the country by bus (which is the least expensive and best way to get around Costa Rica), and had the time of our lives exploring and touring, meeting fantastic people and improving our Spanish language proficiency. Sol Education Abroad is a very affordable program that is well-organized and offers immediate and reliable support. I felt very comfortable with my arrangements the entire time and my program director was absolutely amazing. She was very knowledgable, professional, helpful and fun. The only issues I encountered during my study abroad in Heredia had to do with the quality of classes and overall attitude towards schooling in Costa Rica; my classes with locals were not challenging and I had a hard time becoming integrated with the other Costa Rican students. However, outside of the school environment, I found most all Costa Rican people to be friendly and open to foreigners. Sol Education Abroad in Heredia provided me with the support and context for an incredible, life-changing semester abroad!

I had such an amazing experience studying abroad in Costa Rica with Sol. I felt so supported by the staff both in the states and on site in Heredia. Maria- my program director- was so helpful and fun! It was the perfect balance of independence and support. La Universidad Latina is a beautiful campus I would sit under a tree and do my homework while drinking a frozen coffee or chat with friends in the soda. Heredia has a small town feel but is super close to San Jose. The bus system was pretty simple to navigate, making weekend excursions easy. My host family was great and my spanish improved so much during my time with Sol. One of the best parts was the bond with the other students in my programs (we call each other our "SOLmates" ;] ) we all got super close and still keep in touch.

My trip abroad in Oaxaca was great! The people of Oaxaca were so nice, my teacher was amazing, and the experience was one I'll never forget! The excursions were a great way to learn the history and the culture and my program director was incredible.

I wanted a program provider, then a program that will take me abroad to do some research on an international topic of my diploma memoir and I found it with Sol Education. Why? Because:
1-I will alaways be ready to take my Spanish class whose grade is transferable to my home university,
2-Because some universities take longer to submit students credits to be applied to their Transcript, studying abroad through Sol Education in winter make it easier for students to take advantage of the winter break, get overseas and take the class, do your research, then come back to finalize the research work back here and get graduated in a may!

Argentina is an amazing country. The excursions were incredible. Unfortunately, the trip was poorly organized which added additional stress and drama to nearly every event. We also had to argue with the company as they attempted to cancel our excursions. The other group traveling at the same time did have more than one cancelled.

This company sells itself well, but be wary of what you are actually getting. If you choose Sol Abroad be prepared to be involved in the planning of each activity to keep things going and maintain student safety.

Bottom Line: Argentina is an incredible country, but this is not the company to travel with.