Kaplan International Languages - English School in New York Central Park — Local services in New York

I was a C2 student at Kaplan Central Park for 6 weeks and I was in Paul’s Business English and Politics class. I started with Business English intensive and transferred to Business supplementary after three weeks.

Pros The school has a very good location It is very modern and the classrooms are very well equipped (e.g. Smartboard in every classroom) You can always talk to someone at the front desk if you have questions The school has weekly activities you can join (e.g. Basketball matches, Broadway shows) My teacher Paul was amazing, every single lesson was about a different topic and he really challenged us. My English has improved so much during my stay. I feel so much more confident in speaking and writing. I also got to learn a lot about the US. There are new people every week, so it is easy to find friends to hang out with A perfect school for A1 to C1 students Teachers are more than qualified

Cons Important information is only given a few days before (e.g. Homestay Adress) If you are a C1/C2 student you may be put in a class with B1/B2 students. Unfortunately, this has happened to me. The first three weeks I was really bored because there were not enough C1/C2 students in my class. I told the school that I was bored, but I was informed that this was the hardest class that is currently available. Because I could not transfer classes I changed my program from Business Intensiv to Supplementary. It was not possible to get my money back. Some information was not clear to me during orientation and after orientation (e.g. I did not know/understand what K+ classes are, how to sign up for them, and that I can visit them. Also, I did not know how to check my attendance until a friend showed me how. I suggest having an orientation day in person and not online. Always check your certificate! I noticed after my last day that there is a mistake.

Feedback on my Homestay

Pros You have someone you can speak English to Locals can give you a lot of tips It is less expensive than staying in a residency They will make you breakfast and diner if you want that

Con You can have a bad experience:

I was living in a host family in Brooklyn and the first weeks were fine. My host was very interested in my classes and what I am doing in my free time. I was very happy that I had someone to talk to in English. Unfortunately, my host went into my room and moved things when I was in school. When I politely explained why I don’t want anyone going into my room my host got very loud and I was forced to leave the apartment at 11 pm. In total, I did not have any privacy during my stay. Moreover, during my stay I was told not to use so much water when doing the dishes and had moments were the host would check what I put in the trash.

If privacy is important to you, I recommend paying more money and staying in a residency near the school or asking if students had problems with that host in the past.

When I told the school that the host had been in my room, they immediately reacted and told me I can be upgraded to a residency in Manhattan. Kaplan was very understanding.

I would strongly suggest not to let any student stay in this home ever again.

Homestay address, host information was given to me only a few days before Host families live far from the school (I needed about 45 minutes to...

I was really dissatisfied with this school. Firstly, because they don't have the sensitivity to see that someone will only study for 3 hours a day, and not have already put me in a class in the morning. This way I would have free time to visit the city, after all there were 3 weeks of contracted classes. Second, on the first day of class I already requested a time change, and it took them a week to respond to my request. A week for those who only hire three is 1/3 of the experience. When they finally changed my schedule (on a Tuesday, instead of being a Monday, they put me in a room with a teacher I didn't like. She spoke everything very quickly and didn't have good teaching methods. On the first day I discovered that the The teacher I had the previous week was also teaching in the morning, and I requested a change of room. The next day, when I asked, they claimed they would respond, but it would be in a week. In other words, I would lose another week of good experiences. This The school does not meet the students' needs. It is very bureaucratic, its processes are blocked and do not help the student. I am absolutely dissatisfied with the investment I made in Kaplan. I studied at other English schools, and this was the only one where I had a bad experience.

Furthermore, the first day of class is a generic meeting, which could have been held at a different time, so that classes could have been held on that day as well. For those who hire just 3 weeks of classes, 1 day makes a lot of difference.

I want to record that I really liked Professor Bruce. He is brilliant, has an excellent teaching methodology, and pays due attention to...

Based on my experience, Kaplan New York is an excellent place to learn English, regardless of your level. I arrived in this city with a very low level of English and was able to develop skills that allowed me to continue my professional journey. The staff was incredibly welcoming; they always made me feel like I was in a cozy, family-like environment. Additionally, the methodology used by the teachers enabled me to learn practical English for everyday life, including interactions on the street, in the workplace, and in academic settings.

I enjoyed interacting with people from different nationalities, which also pushed me to learn more of the language to communicate with them and make friends around the world. I particularly appreciated the extracurricular activities organized by the staff. I have fond memories of each of my teachers, who played a crucial role in my learning journey.

Special thanks to my teachers Julia, Bruce, Judi, Gabby, Bradwell, Elizabeth, and Paul. I also want to thank Ashley, Chris, Josh, Anthony, Marvin, Kaira, Morgan, Joy, and Brett, who were an...