Program Reviews

This trip will always be something that I will look back on throughout my life. I made so many friends and fun memories on this trip and I’ve never had an experience quite like this. Everyone is open minded and friendly and the teachers and staff are amazing people. When it comes to education and learning, they really do make it so easy to learn and ask questions. All the staff especially Derek love and care so much about each person and their personal interest, and they will go out of their way to make sure you have the best experience possible. One time we ordered food and they forgot parts of my order, I told Derek (one of the teachers) what happened and I insisted it was ok, but even so he went at 11pm that night and walked across all Florence Italy just to get the rest of my order that the restaurant had forgotten. That’s just how much they will go out of the way to make sure your needs are met on the trip. I took a major in art history and loved every second of it, we visit so many astonishing museums and churches and the teachers are amazing at keeping you focused and engaged so you can really admire and appreciate the historical value in what you are looking at. Normally when I get to travel I never know what I should do or where to go so I never feel like I get a full experience. But this program has really checked off all the boxes for me, and has given me the full experience that I was looking for in an overseas trip. Another personal favorite was the dinners, they never let you go hungry and ALWAYS have the best recommendations on what to try. During the trip we had lots of free time to explore with friends, but I’ve always felt as safe as possible. The staff always answers the phone when you need them, and always makes sure we are with one or more people when going out. This trip was one of, if not THE best experience I’ve ever had so far in my life. I feel like I’ve grown a second family on this trip and I’m so sad that it’s over. I wish I go could back and relive it, and I have and will recommend it to anyone who wants to study abroad in high school, you won’t regret it:)

Best decision I've made for my seventeen year old son! Having never traveled overseas alone, he braved the experience, knowing no one involved, and came home with eyes wide open and a whole new perspective on the world. Derek and the team at World Class Programs were organized and communicative at all times. Seeing pictures posted through the program as well as the weekly diary, let me see what he was experiencing every day. Next up is the Japan experience and we are beyond excited for his next adventure. We will surely recommend World Class Programs to friends and family.

Best. Three. Weeks. Ever. I absolutely loved this trip and it was worth every penny. The staff was amazing and cooperative and did not make us feel like they just had power over us they were super understanding of any problem we had. My sister went on this trip 2 years ago and has not shut up about it since so I was worried mine would not be as good as her’s, boy was I in for it. I took art history and photography and both of my teachers were great and made the subject fun and not like a regular high school class. The living situation was great and I have no complaints there, and our rooms had lots of space. The food situation was very good and we were not cheaper out when It came to eating and the staff made sure I never went hungry. Each day we had a literary that was very planned out. It was nice to not have to worry about planning and to just be told where to be at what time, it was worth the money. I will recommend this trip to anyone, it was a great experience and perfect for my age (17). The staff was amazing and I even felt like they were all our age and not just adults that didn’t want to have any fun. We had freedom and free time to also do activities we wanted to do. The program almost seems too good to be true but trust me it is exactly as good as I am telling you and a beautiful experience for teenagers. I actually enjoyed the program so much I am also going to be doing the Japan program this summer. We were well taken care of and I made friends that I know I will have for a lifetime. Before this trip I hadn’t been away from my family for even a week, not even camp. For the first 3 days I was nervous about the trip and how I was going to do but by day four I was so comfortable and was getting close with the girls in my room and I never wanted to leave. I have traveled a lot and been to many countries and different vacations but the is trip is by far my favorite trip I have ever been on. This trip has been amazing for me to grown as a person and meet new people from different states and to be submerged into a brand new culture.

I’ve never believed those reviews saying that the thing was amazing and life changing and all that, but I really do mean the things I have to say about this trip.
I genuinely think that I have grown more as a person in 3 weeks in the program than I have in the past past few months, I felt that I had a second family, while I was away from mine. If you have the means to go on a trip with W.C.P, don’t deprive yourself of the experience.
I will continue to go on program trips as long as I can , and I recommend that you do the same !

This trip was one of the most memorable trips I have ever been on! I made so many amazing friends and memories I’ll never forget and the staff is amazing ! I would recommend this trip to many other people I did this trip at 16 going into my junior year, I would recommend doing this trip at a similar age as many people here were 16-17. Derek plans this trip out amazingly and shows that he really cares about the students and staff. Don’t worry about not going with people you know as I found so many new and amazing friends I would have never found anywhere else.

Just WOW! I took this trip to Japan during the end of July for three weeks through August and it was absolutely incredible! Not only are the staff very friendly and easy to get along with but they know when to get serious and how to handle groups of high school students. I also really enjoyed being around the friends I made on this trip, it was one of those rare experience bonding connections you don't get to see or know of very often. Looking back on it now some of the trip highlights had to be the time we visited Nara Park and fed the deer that bowed to you, funnily enough it started POURING and it was a great time running to the nearby 7/11 for umbrellas! If you are going into this thinking its a vacation then STOP its an experience through and through. Expect to have the best time of your life BUT you have to be willing and ABLE to do it, some days went up to 25k steps. All in all this program was by far one of the best decisions I made in my life, and from the Tokyo Tower, to the Osaka street vendors, to the many many beautiful castles and the ACTUAL location of the atomic bomb detonation you really PACK in as much of Japan in 3 weeks as you can get! I cant think of what else to say other than praise for this program so SIGN UPPP!!! (also the program director Derek Tano is the KINGGG!!)

Traveling abroad with World Class Programs was indeed an experience of a lifetime. I got to experience aspects of a country I would have struggled to find or reach if I had not been with the program. The program not only gave me opportunities to learn about topics in another country in a more academic setting with fun classes that kept me engaged but also through more experiential activities like class trips and program-wide day trips to cities outside of where we were mainly staying. I personally was able to have very big cultural revelations about myself due to the nature of the program and the way that they helped immerse us in the culture of Japan. The amount of opportunities that we had to explore some of the culture ourselves with our programmed free time was also incredibly valuable as it enabled me and others on my trip to really feel connected with Japan and the city we were staying in.
Overall I think that anyone with the opportunity to go on a trip with WCP should take it as it provides a great opportunity to immerse yourself in another country’s culture and environment which will aid both your personal and professional life by providing you new ways of thinking about things. The experiences you’ll have in both program activities as well as just being a member of the program and interacting with your peers are some that you won’t ever forget because of just how impactful they are. You really will have so much fun that you might be making plans to get back to Japan as soon as you hop on the plane ride back home!

This was my first time outside of the US and I have to say that I couldn’t have chosen a better program to do so with. The support and care the staff members provide is unmatched. They’re all extremely kind people and great teachers. I took the photography and History classes and learned so much while getting to visit different places and having fun! I got to visit so many cool places( my fav being Nara Park). This is an experience I’ll never forget and a trip everyone should take with this program!

This trip was such a memorable experience. As students, we got to learn so much in the three weeks we spent in Japan while always having a great time. I started this trip with very limited knowledge on the country and it’s culture, but I left with what I feel is a much deeper understanding. During these weeks I met so many new and interesting people and enjoyed an array of different but very fun activities. The teachers leading the program felt like friends while putting our safety first and ensuring we have a good time. I could not imagine a better way to spend the end of my summer than traveling with World Class Programs.

This was the first time my son had gone on a group trip. I researched this company, the owner and every employee extensively. All I could find were amazing reviews across the board. I had the opportunity to talk to a mother whose son had taken the trip the year before. He had the best time. We felt good about this company and my son was really excited to see Japan. From the very beginning, everything ran seamlessly. We easily found the group in the airport, met the instructors and fellow classmates, then said our goodbyes. Our first text we received was what a great time he was having! He would send pictures daily featuring one amazing place, after another. My son loves History and was blown away by the course abroad. Actually being in Hiroshima and learning about that day, definitely beats a standard classroom lecture. The total immersion in the culture was an amazing opportunity as well. Going to the grocery store, off the beaten path restaurants, and a traditional tea ceremony, are some of the benefits this program offers beyond just traveling there as a tourist. Derek and his team are so familiar with the area and itinerary, that they are able to pack a lot in without it feeling rushed or exhausting. Every Sunday, Derek would send us a weekly summary with photos and details of what they were up to. We looked forward to it every week. My son came home with new friends, a thousand cool stories and stronger confidence in his decision to go out of state for college, next year.
Thank you, Derek, Jaclyn and the team for providing such an amazing experience.