Program Reviews

I was on World Class Program’s Osaka, Japan trip and have nothing but knowledge, and incredible memories to bring back with me! Derek was so knowledgeable about everywhere we went, and I could tell he really has a passion for teaching. He made my fears disappear by how comfortable he was in his surroundings. I was worried that not knowing Japanese would be something that would make the trip difficult, but it was never a problem because I felt so supported by the World Class Programs’ staff!

We got to pet the most adorable deer in Nara Park! They bowed to you so that you could feed them right from your hand! They were so gentle and cute, that it was definitely a highlight for me! I also loved taking the Japanese history course while out in the city, so that I got to learn history where it actually happened! I am so glad I went on the 3 week trip because I got to see both Osaka and Tokyo, as well as the other day trip cities. This was my first time in Japan, and World Class Programs has sparked my love of travel, so I cannot wait to go back there someday!

I have always been interested in Italian culture because of my heritage, and my Catholic faith. That is why I chose the Florence, Italy program. I don’t regret my decision for anything! It was the best experience ever, and I owe it all to World Class Programs for getting me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible!

What I didn’t expect, is to experience SO many other things while I was there in addition to learning more about my faith! We visited a leather school and got to shop there afterwards with the World Class Programs discounted prices! They are so connected in the community, that we were even able to get us an exclusive pass to climb the Duomo that tourists aren’t usually able to do! My classes were so helpful in helping me learn more about Italian culture through the language, and history! Learning about Italy while you are there walking through its history was the best way! If you are looking for adventure, learning, fun, and feeling safe enough to step outside of your comfort zone, sign up for this program!

I went on the Florence, Italy trip, and had the best time! I couldn’t believe the amazing things that were included in this trip to Florence! I only had to pay for any souvenirs I wanted to buy for myself, but everything else was included while we were there! The program director and all of the staff mentioned how inclusive the program was, but I didn’t realize we would be doing all of the things we did! Just to name a few, we took day trips to Cinque Terre, Lucca, Venice, and spent time in Rome! We saw historic churches, museums, and my favorite, the Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria della Accademia where the David statue is located! The food was amazing, and I made so many friends and connections that will last a lifetime! I MORE THAN got my money’s worth for this trip!

It was an extremely memorable trip, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to study abroad to have an experience that will prepare them for college. Because of the amazing World Class Programs staff and organization, I felt constantly safe and taken care of the whole time.

I went on the Florence, Italy trip, and had the best time! I couldn’t believe the amazing things that were included in this trip to Florence! I only had to pay for any souvenirs I wanted to buy for myself, but everything else was included while we were there! The program director and all of the staff mentioned how inclusive the program was, but I didn’t realize we would be doing all of the things we did! Just to name a few, we took day trips to Cinque Terre, Lucca, Venice, and spent time in Rome! We saw historic churches, museums, and my favorite, the Uffizi Gallery and the Galleria della Accademia where the David statue is located! The food was amazing, and I made so many friends and connections that will last a lifetime! I MORE THAN got my money’s worth for this trip!

It was an extremely memorable trip, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to study abroad to have an experience that will prepare them for college. Because of the amazing World Class Programs staff and organization, I felt constantly safe and taken care of the whole time.

If you are thinking about traveling abroad, don’t look anywhere else. World Class Programs has got you every step of the way for anything you will ever need before, during, and after you travel!

This trip has not only been the highlight of my summer, it has been the highlight of my entire life! I have made some lasting memories that will continue to shape the way I view the world. I have never been out of the country before, so I was nervous, but the World Class Programs staff made sure that we all became a family away from home.

I really enjoyed the trips to Cinque Terre to sit on the Mediterranean coast, the trip to Lucca where we rode bikes on the city wall, and Venice! The canals were even prettier than pictures! It was like I was living in a postcard! We did so many things when we were there and experienced so many different things, that I can’t even begin to name them all!

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!