Comparing Schools

Location

You want to compare the cities and countries to find the location which is best for you. Where you will encounter as little stress as possible. Note Teacher quality is in this category because all teachers in Spain are generally better than all teachers in Honduras, because they have more schooling, have studied/speak other languages and have traveled more within and outside of their country.

Program Quality

Find the best schools in terms of program quality. Who has the better teacher training and requires the most education and/or experience from teachers. Schools with accreditations, memberships to professional organizations, are approved for credit, and/or are represented by larger agencies in general are better than schools that do not have the same. This is because schools need to perform at a high level for a number of years before they are eligible for credit, agent representation, accreditations or memberships in professional organizations.

Program Value

The goal here is to find the program with the most value. How many minutes are you in class, how many extra activities/excursions are included anything else included?

Lodging Comparison

An attempt to try and compare lodging types to look at all factors. The best is private room, only student in family, walking distance to school and three meals/day.

Risk Factors

Exactly what we say. Can't pay with credit cards? Beware! Dealing with organizations not in the USA, Canada or Europe carry an extra risk because it is harder to get refunds, etc. Many organizations offer guarantees, these guarantees minimize your risk.

Comparing Prices

This exercise gives you the chance to really compare prices. It is more than just the cost per week of classes.

For additional help with comparing schools, you may download our School Comparision Worksheet.