Program Reviews

I enjoyed this program! Derek and his team were always willing to help and keep everyone engaged during our 3 weeks. I definitely recommend this program for anyone that enjoys traveling and making new friends.

All the staff were extremely nice and understanding. We traveled a lot more than I expected and seeing Rome, Cinque Terre, Luca, and Sienna was super fun and each place was very unique in their own way. I enjoyed trying different foods and learning more about the history of Italy.

World Class Programs greatly exceeded our expectations. Derek and his Team are extremely professional, organized and demonstrate they truly care. We greatly appreciated the weekly updates and photos when our daughter was in Italy. Our daughter loved the experience, it was a great “test run” for her upcoming college experience. We feel it was an exceptional value. Our daughter hasn't stopped talking about it! We couldn’t be happier or asked for more and would highly recommend to anyone considering for their child!

Arranging a program such as this, in the age of COVID-19, is no mean feat. Our 17 year old travelled on his own from Australia and met the group World Class Programs group in Florence. Needless to say as parents we many questions & concerns prior to the program. Unequivocally, every concern/question was addressed by Derek and his exemplary team and we felt true peace of mind sending him to join the program.

We were so impressed with the level of organisation on every level from academic, social, security, accommodation and cultural immersion aspects.

Our communication prior to, throughout and after the program has been exceptional.

Our family cannot thank Derek, Vieri, Abby, Elizabeth and the World Class Program team enough.

We were so thoroughly impressed that we will be sending our younger child on the program too!

Thank you World Class Programs from us all!

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Last winter my child came to me proposing that instead of a traditional post graduation senior week at the beach she would like do do an educational tour abroad. She and a friend did their own research and felt that World Class Programs offered an option that seemed to be the perfect balance of education and tourism, free time and structure. We read reviews online like this one and since the organization is relatively new, we called and spoke with the director as well before applying. From the beginning of our interactions with the staff of the program we got the sense that their passion is planning the perfect travel experiences for students (rather than making a profit), and they have been top notch in terms of responsiveness and communication. As a parent I especially liked that we had a parent/child Zoom planning meeting before the trip, and during the trip the Director sent us detailed updates as to what the group was up to. My daughter checked in frequently and was just loving everything about the trip every time she called or texted. I wanted to take the time to write a review so that future parents researching programs can hear about our experience and have confidence in this newer organization.

I had only a few things on my bucket list for this trip (watch the 1am sparkle of the Eiffel tower, have crepes from a crepe stand, see the works in the Louvre, do some shopping, and walk along the seine like mamma mia) and as I look back on it I can say that I truly accomplished everything on it and much more. I came into this program thinking it would be like other programs, overly chaperoned, too structured, and little to no free time. I was very pleasantly surprised when I arrived and I got much more free time than anticipated and when I was in class or with the group I was always learning something while also very much enjoying my time here. The trip was well timed and I never felt like we were too busy or had to little to do. The classes that we took were relaxed while also helping us learn about culture in paris. The program staff were flexible when we wanted free time or if we wanted to learn something different in our classes! I would definitely recommend this program to someone who is looking to get into studying abroad before college and it would be good for anyone no matter how comfortable they are with traveling. I came with a friend which helped me get to know people but there were others who came not knowing anyone and we all became friends quickly and will remain friends even after the trip!

After taking a few years of French in high school, I was excited to visit Paris for the first time. World Class Programs gave us a trip that had everything we wanted to do and more. There was a perfect balance between structured activities (exploring downtown, walking to Notre Dame, visiting Versailles, going up the Eiffel Tower) and down time to explore the city on our own. I was able to practice and grow my French skills while learning life skills of living in a shared apartment and navigating a new city. I highly recommend this program as a great way to meet new friends and travel!

World Class Program’s Paris trip was wonderful. There is ample opportunity to explore as much of Paris as you wish, while still learning a lot. They supply ample support to make sure you don’t experience any issues. Emersion and language education takes a hit due to the tourist nature of Paris, however there are excursions that allow you to find yourself in more rural areas.However if you wish, the staff is open to suggestions of locations to go. As an example, they were very happy to bring the group to the house of my favorite author (Alexandre Dumas) just outside of Paris due to my request. The program covers nearly everything you could want during life abroad including hotel rooms, train and attraction tickets, and food. Additionally, the staff was very kind and helpful. Easily one of the best times of my life.

This is my second trip with this company. The staff are super helpful if you need accommodations or help with anything. There are a variety of classes and the teachers know the subjects, they are personalized and the teachers take suggestions to incorporate into class. There were a lot of activities outside of class and we got to go to different places. The staff are always concerned about safety but still having fun. It is a great way to experience dorm life before college. I defiantly plan on doing it again.

My daughter was part of the Florence 2021 crew and what an experience it was! I was elated to find World Class Programs online and learn about their real world learning process. My daughter "majored" in Italian and met with her teacher each morning at a local café. They spent their time conversing, shopping, and experiencing Italian culture all while growing and broadening her Italian language skills. She loved her teacher and the time they spent together. She minored in philosophy (which she also greatly enjoyed) and the entire group also had the opportunity to explore Tuscan cuisine cooking several times a week (I'm still jealous).
In their down time (and there's a great balance of "class"/free time) the group was able to explore Florence and experience the beautiful city as a local. They also spent their weekends traveling as a group - and I know that the trips were a highlight for my daughter (I mean who wouldn't love Cinque Terre?).
I would be remiss if I didn't mention Derek and his team. Derek walked the perfect line of being fun/entertaining while also instilling appropriate guardrails and rules for the group. I felt completely confident in his judgment and was thrilled with his communication before and during the trip.
Overall, it was an amazing experience and I can't thank World Class Programs enough for the amazing summer!

My daughter went on this trip in 2021 to Italy and I could not possibly feel better about recommending this program! There was an excellent combination of education and leisure, and I felt extremely comfortable about her health and safety with the staff members who were with her. They were able to see so many amazing things and the value for what we paid was unparalleled. Could not be more thrilled with this program and will be sending two kids with them next summer! Thank you to Derek and the staff for an amazing experience.