Abbey Road Programs

Did the full four weeks at Saint Laurent, and it was a decent program with solid French immersion, although there is a lot of room for improvement. CLASSES: The daily French classes were average, at best. While our teacher was a native French speaker, which was a big plus, he was not very good at designing engaging exercises, and many lessons became repetitive. Towards the end of the program, he essentially ran out of ideas on what to do for class and would ask us what we would want to do. HOMESTAY: The homestay experience was great, stayed with a very kind family in a beautiful home, great French practice, generously provided amazing food. However, I went into the program expecting to be the only student with the family, or have one roommate, and it turned out there were four of us total staying with one family. This was a great way for the four of us to get bonded, but took away some one-on-one time with the French family, which would have been nice. FRENCH CONVERSATIONELECTIVE: You have the choice between two electives, French Conversation and Photography. I did the French Conversation elective and was pretty disappointed. We learned very little French as the activities hardly involved us conversing with native French speakers, and the lessons were not quite organized. One of my friends from the Photography elective appeared to have more conversation with natives than us. Additionally, the teachers for this elective were not great. So, do not have high expectations for this. EXCURSIONS: The excursions were amazing! We went to Monaco, Cannes, San Remo, Antibes, and other very nice towns in southeast France. It was amazing to get to see all these places, which helped enrich our understanding of French culture and history. Also a great way to bond with our campmates. 10/10! WHATSAPP COMMUNCATION: WhatsApp communication is very poor for the Saint Laurent group specifically. The majority of students in Abbey Road's French program do the Nice program, and while both groups do the same daily activities, we have separate WhatsApp group chats. Information about electives, excursions, and other group events are always communicated to the Nice groupchat, but the counselors often overlook sending it to the Saint Laurent group chat. As a result, we missed a lot of important info, such as meet up times, weekly plans, and historical background on places we visited. This should not be an issue the students have to deal with. Overall, while I had a fun time on this program, I would highly recommend you do SYA France instead. They are much better organized and you will have more French progression.

Thank you Abbey Road team for such a wonderful experience. My daughter had an incredible time. She made great friends and says she gives it five stars! She is sad it is already over, some tears here too. She made great friends and hope that they stay in touch and see each other again.

Just wanted to say thank you for everything and this wonderful opportunity. My daughter has loved this experience and we are very grateful for the many hands involved in making this a positive experience for these youth! To all the parents: - she made the best of friends that will be cherished forever!❤️Thank you! To the leaders: - you have an inspired program that truly changes lives. ?

My daughter had the best time in the Nice program! She met new friends from all over the world and loved spending the month in this beautiful city. Arthur and staff were extremely communicative and helped to meet the needs of the students at all times. The schedule was busy and there was always something fun to do. Thank you for making this trip something she will always remember!

Our son had the most fabulous time of his life on the extended Barcelona immersion trip this summer! In addition to the top notch instruction in conversational Spanish and overall substantive content of the program, he was delighted by the upscale accommodations, the delicious and special dining experiences, the friendships that he developed, and all of the tremendous support from Arthur, Diana and Amira. The entire trip was curated to maximize exposure to the local culture, while providing age appropriate independence. The local day trips were memorable and fun. A comfortable, safe and perfect experience for a rising senior!

Our daughter had a fantastic experience. The staff were responsible and the other students were friendly and a lot of fun. She learned a lot about Italian art and gelato! She made great friends and wishes she could do it all again!

My son and his group bumped into Boris Johnson during a trip to the museum activity. What are the chances? They even had a conversation with him. Great opportunity to broaden the horizons through education and cultural immersion.

Our son had the best time of his life! We are happy to see him develop into an extrovert. Overall, my son's experience in the Barcelona program provided by Abbey Road Programs has been overwhelmingly positive. The blend of academics, cultural diversity, and a supportive environment makes it an excellent choice.

My daughter made wonderful friends and laughed a lot. Thank you to Arthur, it was an amazing experience that she will absolutely treasure! Great program with excellent communication between Arthur and the parents!

Our 15 year old son attended the Abbey Road St Laurent program last summer and we highly recommend it. He stayed with a French host who was warm and welcoming, and made him feel at home. Every day she provided a home cooked dinner and conversation, which helped him to improve his French. The morning classes were well planned and engaging. Our son especially enjoyed the cultural activities that Carla organized. On top of exploring Nice, they went to Monaco, San Remo and Cannes, discovering many charming places in the area. He had a wonderful time, made fantastic friends, his French improved and made lasting memories. This program offers a great balance between learning French, being immerse in the culture of the country, having a lot of fun, and growing as a person. Again, we highly recommend it!

My 17 year old son had an excellent and unforgettable time on this summer program to Barcelona. The program was extremely well run, the residence was 4 star and the kids, who came from across the US, were all great. They had wonderful weekend trips and it seemed like a perfect mix of structured and free time . We were very happy with this program !

My son loved this program. He was well taken care of, well fed and exposed to so many new and different experiences. Despite being the youngest in his group, everyone was inclusive and engaging. Thank you Abby Road! My younger son wants to go on a trip next year!!

Our expectations were exceeded by Abbey Road. This is a very well run program, and our daughter had an experience she will cherish forever. In her own words... "Going on exchange with Abbey Road was one of the best decisions I've ever made and ended up being the highlight of my summer. I formed many lifelong friendships, significantly improved my French-speaking skills through engaging conversations and immersive classes, and gained a deeper understanding of the culture through the fun excursions."

My son enjoyed his 2.5 weeks on the Abbey Road Program in Barcelona. He found the other students to be very friendly and enjoyed all of the activities. The accommodations were above what he expected and he really liked the counselors on the program. He was sad for this experience to be over.

My daughters participated in this program and had an incredible time. The program offered the right balance of supervision and independence. The experience was incredible, from the food to the field trips. Most of all they appreciated the opportunity to get to know the beautiful city of Nice. The staff took great care to make sure everyone had a wonderful time and remained safe.

My three teenage kids just finished a two week program in Florence with Abbey Road and it was fantastic. They took different classes - studio art, art history, Italian language, Italian cuisine, and fashion design - and all of them had wonderful experiences. The teachers were terrific, the food was delicious, and the accommodations were ideal. They made great friends and loved traveling around Italy. My only complaint is that they don’t have a separate program for the parents, so we could enjoy studying abroad, too! Highly recommend!

i stayed 4 weeks in florence so i got to meet two sections of students. many types of people were drawn to the program and i found that this was a great opportunity for me to become more comfortable with people with very different life experiences. as far as studying, i found that my teachers were all genuinely passionate about their subjects and their students. i studied art history and italian, and was even able to try out studio art for a couple days. socially, i found the program very welcoming. of course some students were closer than others, but all were friendly. during the evening free time we would often get together in large groups and play games or go out on walks to see the city. the leaders were all incredibly accommodating and trusting. pros: amazing food passionate teachers chance to safely practice independence cons: lack of communication about plans for the day/week hot weather (be prepared)

My daughter loved her experience in Nice. From a parent perspective the staff and activities offered were above and beyond our expectations. Thanks for providing care and give attention to all kids needs and interests.

Being apart of the Abbey Road Florence program this summer was one of the best experiences in my life. I stayed 3 weeks with the program learning Art history, Cooking, and Photography from very helpful and approachable teachers. All the teachers/chaperones on the program went above and beyond in making sure students needs were met so we could have a more enjoyable trip. I am extremely grateful to have been apart of this program and can only wish to have stayed longer.

Abbey Road’s Florence Program was amazing. The two classes I took, Italian Language and Art History, were taught by two extremely knowledgeable and approachable teachers. Everyone on this program was so kind and wanted to make sure we had the best experience possible. I am so grateful to this program for making it the best summer ever. Thank you so much!!

Abbey Road’s Florence Program was amazing. The two classes I took, Italian Language and Art History, were taught by two extremely knowledgeable and approachable teachers. Everyone on this program was so kind and wanted to make sure we had the best experience possible. I am so grateful to this program for making it the best summer ever. Thank you so much!!

My younger sister joined the Florence Summer Program in 2024. She enjoyed the trip, and as a guardian, my perspective is that the program is a great way to expose young teens to new experiences, challenge them, and have them discover more about the world and themselves. The chaperones of the program are responsive, helpful, and proactive. They went above and beyond to accommodate special requests and understand each child's unique situation. If you have a shy kid, this is a great way to bring them out of their comfort zone, both the kids and chaperones are very kind and friendly. Thank you Abbey Road for providing a really important life experience to my younger sister!

Victor, Noelia and Sandro were amazing leaders in this very fun and adventurous programs. The kids learned and practice lots of spanish. They took amazing fotos in their photography class. They soaked in the culture and history of Cadiz and Spain. Mostly, they grew as humans and met amazing friends. My daughter could not have loved it more!

This program was terrific and immersive—- not just with language but with the culture itself. Living in the center of the city made me feel like a local. I loved the mix of spontaneous activities like surfing and salsa classes as well as free time like shopping and chilling by the beach. It was the best summer of my life and i could not reccomend it more.

Abbey Road provided my son with the best summer of his life. I was extremely hesitant to send him to Cadiz, as he was just 15 and had only been studying Spanish for a year. He had not traveled much internationally and certainly not alone. When I met the Abbey Road representative at the airport, I felt calmer. Then when I saw the many photos of my smiling son in Spain, I knew I made the right decision. My son raved about the conversational and cultural activities. He loved one particular class and his request to attend another class was accommodated. The weekly activity schedule was dictated by the feedback of the students. I felt like my son was safe, including during periods of free time, as his location was being tracked by the local teachers who were nearby. His host family and the staff at Abbey Road, especially Victor, bent over backward to keep him safe and happy. Upon my son's return, he placed out of 2 levels of Spanish right into IB Spanish and now he is talking about majoring in languages in college. Thank you, Abbey Road, for opening my son's eyes! Parents, take the plunge and give your child the opportunity of a lifetime!

My son has just returned from the 3-week Spanish program at BCN. A well-structured program offered 3 hours of learning in the morning followed by an afternoon and evening of planned activities that allowed the students to practice what they learned. The weekends were planned to allow the students to explore areas outside Barcelona. The students respected the teachers and support admins. My son has been home for a few days and has let us know how much he enjoyed it.

i loved my trip to barcelona so so much and i’m so glad i got the opportunity to do it through abbey road!!! The staff were wonderful and i’ll miss them almost as much as the students. Barcelona is such a great city and the places that the staff took us were so cool, i think they did a great job planning activities, dinners, and excursions! The food options were always great and there was a lot of great shopping too. In all, i think the program was amazing and i would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to travel.

The Abbey Road Barcelona program was one of the best experiences of my life. Not only do I feel much more confident in my Spanish speaking ability, I now have friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. The Abbey Road staff planned everything perfectly so we could enjoy so many amazing cultural experiences. I still can’t believe how much we accomplished during the 3.5 week program! I will be forever grateful to Abbey Road and the incredible staff. I highly recommend the program to anyone who has interest in immersing themselves in different culture. You won’t regret it!

I had an amazing time in Florence. The program provided us with enough freedom to truly explore the city and understand the culture. Our day trips were great, and we were also given free time to explore those cities. The staff members were extremely helpful and tried very hard to make sure we had the best experience possible. I appreciated how the program was flexible, which again helped make the experience more genuine and enjoyable. I will say that if you're looking for a program with strong academics, the classes weren't very intense, and weren't as informative as they could've been. However, I did really enjoy my time in Florence and still feel that I got a lot out of the program from exploring the city and interacting with other students. Everyone was so nice, and I know that we'll keep in touch. All in all I'd recommend the program and I believe that it made a big impact on my life.

I can’t begin to describe the tremendous experience I had during my four weeks with Abbey Road in Nice, France. The program is run by extremely remarkable people who love working with kids and try their hardest to accommodate every need for every student. My favorite part of the program is that they really focus on learning through immersion. Instead of sitting in a desk with a textbook and worksheet to fill out, every morning, they take you out to a cafe or a park and have you learn by playing fun games in French. I had fears that I’d come to France only to be given long lectures by teachers who only wanted to make a quick buck over the summer, and I’m very glad to say I was completely wrong. Every lesson, every class day, every teacher has a fun lesson prepared which teaches the students just as much if not more than what we would’ve learned if we were stuck in a classroom. By providing interactive lessons and genuinely fun lessons, I was motivated to learn and looked foreword to class every day Tied for my favorite thing about Abbey Road, are the fun activities they provide for the students in the afternoon and evening. I did more fun things in four weeks than I think I did in the past four years. Bowling, Parasaling, Karaoke, tubing, many many fascinating museums, tons and tons of beach visits and uncountable other fun things. Im not even beginning to talk about the weekend day trips which really deserve their own little section. Every day when I went to bed I’d reflect on all the things I had done just that same day and never cease to be amazed with all I had done. It’s very nice knowing than almost all activities are optional and if you’re too tired to go out you can always chose to take a breather. The freedom to do what you want is with you. That said, I highly recommend you take advantage of what Abbey Road provides. Lastly, I must note, the entire time I was with Abbey Road, I had to appreciate that I was actually living on the French Riviera, Abbey Road gave me the chance to live the best life I’ve ever lived. I had so much fun meeting new people, exploring interesting places, and do fun things with my new friends. If you are a parent and are looking for an abroad program for your kid, or if you’re a student looking for yourself, I highly highly recommend Abbey Road. You won’t regret it. P.S. (Arthur is great)

With the Abbey Road experience I was able to have an amazing trip. I met so many new people and made some very good friends. We had so many fun day trips, Antibes, St Tropez, Île de Saint Marguerite. We did many activities such as, karaoke, escape room, pottery, games night, and so much more. The city of Nice is very beautiful and gives you a taste of France. There are many shops and markets, the food is delicious and we had so much fun.

Had such a great time!! Unfortunately I decided to come during the highest temperatures recorded in Europe but I had a great time regardless and made lots of friends. The amount of freedom is awesome and it’s such a cool experience I’ll remember forever. Do not hesitate to apply!!

I had so much fun seeing France for the first time and being able to not only explore Nice but other beautiful islands and cities as well. The beaches and small streets were so cool and I had a great time!

Great balance between learning, fun, and free time. Lots of fun activities are offered. Awsome day trips including the beach days.

These were the best, yet the fastest, 4 weeks of my life. At first I was a little nervous with all the usual anxiety: being away from home in a foreign country for an entire month, with a huge time difference and a bunch of people I haven’t met. Actually, it took most of the first week to get over this. But once I accepted where I was (Florence!) and got to know the incredible people around me, my mindset immediately changed. Now, looking back on this trip, I have no regrets whatsoever. I learned more than I could have possibly imagined, met such amazing people that I know I will remember forever, and was independent in a way I have never experienced before. Abbey Road organized this trip in a way that perfectly balanced structure and organization with freedom and independence. I was skeptical when I signed up for a program with no prerequisite from anyone I knew personally. But this program was so safe and well conducted, and I’ve heard the same from every city (not just Florence). I wish I had found out about this program earlier, because I would do this again without a second thought.

I could not have asked for a better experience here in Florence. The housing, food, students, teachers, activities, and vibes were immaculate. This will be in my memories forever. Thank you Abbey Road!

I had a lot of fun. I saw new things and learned new things. The stuff was amazing, funny and took care of us))) The apartment in Florence was excellent. We did many things together, sometimes it was funny and amazing but sometimes I preferred to do things by my self with my groop of friends.

Everything about Italy pushed me out of my comfort zone, from the people, to the food I was was constantly pushing and expanding my comfort zone. I’ve gained skills that I couldn’t get in any other way and experienced things that will carry with me for the rest of my life. I’ve met lots of different kinda people and was “forced to get to know them” Therefore I have gotten to know and bond with lots of different kinds of people. Italy it’s self was completely different, seeing the way people lived and the way everything was built and how the city was laid out. Overall I’ve enjoyed Italy very much and have grown so much in the past 4 weeks

I think its can be a little unorganized but overall is fun. We really only find out what we're doing a few hours before but the mystery is thrilling. I do find it anxiety inducing at times. Everyone has been nice and has overall been a very pleasant experience of the Tuscan region of italy.

Super fun and got to experience a new culture. I got to eat authentic food and was given many choices. I also got covid and it was handled very well. My roommate and I were taken care. Even thought we were sick, we had a fun time.

I had a great time in the program and learned a lot of the Italian culture. I felt what it was like to live abroad and explored the entirety of Florence. The food and experiences like museums and group dinners were great.

Great housing, teachers, and immersion in cultural. The housing was really nice I had my own bed the bathroom was nice. They gave us time for free time so we could go shopping and explore Florence. We had classes that were engaging and fun. The counselors were amazing and were the kindest people ever.

I really recommend this trip to 16 year olds as there are lessons but they aren’t long most of the day is spent touring or walking and it’s so enjoyable for that age group. The electives were also so fun i loved photography because we were given free time to walk around Florence and take photos which was nice. The weather is beautiful and we went to the beach which was so fun. As much as supervision we had it didn’t feel like school or strict it was like an organised holiday.

This program provided a fun experience of the tuscan region and other cities. Throughout the program we saw many unique things and places like the trip to venice and rome and the David. The camp staff were also very accommodating and nice.

As I walked into the program i was greeted with the immaculate vibes of abbey road. the staff, food, classes and scenery were more than i could have ever dreamed of. if you told me a month ago that i would have been in abbey road and so happy i would’ve not believed you.

I had an amazing time this summer! The staff was amazing and they were very fun. I met new people and had so much fun! I do not regret coming here! it was an amazing experience Thank you to all for this great time in forence.

This was a fun camp and we learned to live very infependently which is something that they dont teach in many camps. I liked the classes which gave us a really good history about florence. I chise the art program which i liked.

This year, I decided to go abroad for 2 weeks in Florence. I found out of this program through a friend so we decided to ho together. I had a lot of fun and became very oriented with the city of Florence. I learnt a lot of art history and about general knowledge of the importance of Florence to Italy. I met great people and teachers! I do not regret coming to Abbey Road!

My son, Aidan, attended the Abbey Road language program during the summer after 9th grade (summer 2019) and then again after 11th grade (summer 2021), and I can’t say enough positive things about the program. He was required to take French in high school starting in 9th grade and it turned out to be his weakest class. With the intent of improving on his worst subject over the summer, he enrolled in the Abbey Road language program. The experience was transformative. Aidan will attend college in the fall with French, Russian, and International Relations as his intended course of study. Abbey Road did a great job of providing an educational French language experience and well as a fun-filled summer. The classes were undoubtedly effective, and the immersion in the French culture inspired his love of history and foreign affairs. His progress in the language after his first summer was impressive. After his second summer, he skipped a grade level of French. Abbey Road was definitely an educational experience. The accommodations in the Nice apartments provided a good level of impendence overlayed with adult oversight. The kids need to do their own laundry, are responsible for cleaning the community space, and must manage their time to stay on schedule. Curfew is not negotiable. However, they have several hours of free time a day to explore in small groups. The independent interaction with locals furthered Aidan’s language proficiency. From a parental perspective, I never felt like Abbey Road “cheaped out.” The kids ate at restaurants, traveled to nearby cities, and enjoyed the beach activities that have made Nice famous. When they went snorkeling, Abbey Road hired a boat. When they returned home from a weekend outing, they traveled in a private van. Furthermore, the blog postings from the staff were detailed and consistent so I always knew what my son was doing. This was important because he was having too much fun to update me directly. Aidan would say the best aspect of the program was the other kids, and he undoubtedly forged long-term friendships. He keeps in touch with his “French friends” to this day. After his first Nice summer, the kids organized a reunion so they could gather again in New York. After the second summer, the kids did the same thing (although it was cancelled due to Covid). Abbey Road is clearly effective in creating an environment where the kids feel included and are able to bond. When Aidan attends college next fall 3000 miles from home, he will have “French friends” nearby. Our kids have attended several summer camp programs. By far, Abbey Road is the best.

Abbey Roads truly delivers on their study abroad promises. This intellectually engaging program provides students with the best opportunities to experience European culture, history, art, cuisine, and language in an immersive environment. The Florence program was particularly stimulating as it gives students several opportunities to learn about art history, Italian architecture, and Italian cuisine. The unique dynamic between individual and group time, and also the daily lessons distinguish this program from others. There is no other program that teaches students to be global citizens as well as Abbey Roads.

I went to Nice, France with Abbey Road for a month-long program and had the time of my life. I was fully immersed into the French language with fun language classes in the mornings and cultural immersion in the afternoons, visiting museums and cafes. I met the most amazing people on this trip and saw the most amazing places all along the Cote d'Azur. This was the best experience of my life so far and I cannot recommend it enough.

I have to say this was a fantastic experience for my son. He loved every minute. In fact, he was only supposed to stay three weeks, but instead, he wanted to stay another week (a bargain) because he met fabulous friends, was able to see historic locations, and learn from terrific professors and teachers. He learned more French in four weeks than he had learned in the past several years of classroom instruction. Truly, we were impressed. Well done! I have nothing negative to say about the program at all.

I spent 4 weeks in Barcelona Spain with Abbey Road, I was apprehensive about going at first because I had never been away from my family for that long, much less alone in a country where I didn't know anyone. I can say with confidence now, that Abbey Road gave me the best month of my life. It was difficult going into a program where I didn't know anyone but I was able to make amazing friends from all over the country. We stayed in an Apartment hotel and being so close to the program organizers and other people on the program allowed me to make meaningful connections with incredible people. I can confidently say I know Barcelona very well and I gained a completely new perspective on language and culture outside of my own. I went on this program to improve my Spanish, which I absolutely did, I am now taking my forth year of in school Spanish as an AP. Furthermore, by interacting with locals who spoke no English and opting to speak only Spanish when I could, I was able to become a more confident communicator and overcome my anxieties about speaking up and really build myself as an independent individual. I learned how communication requires a mutual effort and compromise and what an integral part of the human experience it is. That value of communication and that newfound understanding of how easy it can be to connect beyond words still sticks with me months after. In this program I was offered more independence then I have ever had at home which I was able to devote to new experiences. I appreciated how Abbey Road catered to every student and how if a student was interested, they had ample opportunities to make their time unforgettable. I saw flamenco shows, the sagrada de familia, spanish movies, works by picaso and Dali and much more. It was incredible to get to know a place so well and see and enjoy so much culture. I was able to establish fond memories with staff and peers alike and would HIGHLY recommend this program to anyone with an interest in travel and culture.

The Abbey Road Nice Program was the best summer of my life thus far. From the very beginning, my parents were impressed with the responsiveness of Abbey Road and it really helped them have confidence in sending me abroad for five weeks. When I finally left, I felt very comfortable with the staff on the trip and in Nice. The program was led by a longtime local who was very knowledgeable and I believe this helped contribute to the success of the program. Not only was the director very knowledgeable but the teaching staff was also very helpful and fun in our daily lessons. The lessons were always immersive and interactive. While we spent some time on traditional classroom learning, the majority of our instruction was given to us in and around Nice. I loved the staff's devotion to getting us out and about. I had so much fun on all of our excursions to surrounding cities and countries and not only did this better my French, but it also improved my city-navigating skills. There are a few important things to know before you go on the trip. First, you have to be an optimistic and open-minded kid. The weather in Nice is very hot and sunny so if you are someone who is brought down by the sometimes draining weather, either be aware of this beforehand and limit complaints or simply do not go on this trip. Second, if you are looking for a program that is 100% French, all day, everyday, this is not the program. While we spoke a lot of French during the instruction time, the time spent with my friends was mostly in English. I do think my French improved though and I will say that the program will be as good as you make it with regards to the French-speaking part. Third, you have to be very careful with spending on the trip. Abbey Road provides all of the food, but some people did not like the food and decided to go out instead. All I will say is that you have to be vigilant of how much you spend on food and shopping on your trip. I am so grateful for my parents for sending me on this trip and I will never forget all the memories and friends that I made. I am happy to say that my experience with Abbey Road has inspired me to continue my French learning and go on a year abroad in Switzerland next year.

From making paella to dancing tango, I learned so much about not just the Spanish language but also the richness of Spanish culture. I found Abbey Road's Cadiz program during my junior year when I was searching for the perfect opportunity to hone my Spanish language skill. From day one, I was exposed to the native Spanish speakers. It was also at this time that despite my 5 years of education in Spanish, I found that I still had much to study in order to achieve fluency. From this realization came dedication towards improving my skill in this language, an endeavor that was fully supported by the program's staff members. After 4 weeks of living in Spain and interacting with the native Spanish, I was able to reflect back and realize that I was able to speak with more nuanced vocabulary and fluency. Although I still have many more hours of studying to do in order to attain fluency, I believe that Abbey Road's program had provided me with the necessary first step in order to achieve my goal. Furthermore, I know that I would not have gotten the opportunity to become the 2020 Olympics' translator (as a volunteer) at the mere age of 18 without the knowledge that I had gained through my stay in Cadiz. Therefore, I truly believe that this program is an experience that everyone should partake in.

On my trip in Quebec City I had done a lot of new things and meet a lot of new people. With this program I was able to experience Quebec and it’s wonderful highlights. I also learnt a few news things in the French language, Quebec heritage and photography in general. All in all my trip was a great learning experience and I would not regret doing it again.

My daughter had a fantastic time with the Abbey Road high school summer study program in Florence. She did the three-week option with a focus on Italian Language and an Art History elective. Her favorite thing about the academic side of the program was the experiential nature of the classes--learning spoken Italian by ordering in cafes and art history by seeing the art and architecture in person. This was her first exposure to Italian language, and she is now taking an Italian course for high school credit to continue the learning process. Outside of class, she particularly enjoyed exploring the city independently (students are required to have a friend with them in order to do this), and having the freedom to wander through shops (Santa Maria Novella, the world's oldest pharmacy, was a favorite) and take in the gorgeous scenes of Florence at her leisure. She is now eager to pursue study abroad in Florence during college. She also loved the excursions, which took them to locations like Cinque Terra, Lucca, Siena, and San Gimignano. The other kids in the program seemed great. My daughter was also fond of almost all the staff members, and my communication with them regarding her lost luggage and alternate departure flight was very friendly, easy, and accessible. The apartments the students stayed in were centrally located and spacious. At one point, the AC in my daughter's apartment failed, but Abbey Road staff worked hard to ensure it was repaired and allowed her to stay in another apartment in the meantime. I think this type of program is a great experience for a teenager in terms of giving them practice exercising independence and self-sufficiency before they venture out into the world. In addition, while it is a learning experience, it is also fun-filled and relaxed, so for my daughter it actually served as a bit of a respite from the pressures of everyday high school life. Would absolutely recommend.

My daughter had a wonderful time with Abbey Road. Pertaining to my ratings: -Housing: I would prefer the kids have roommates vs. singles since the apartment building is publicly-occupied. -Academics - my daughter enjoyed her language class a lot. She thought she'd get more language immersion than she did (e.g., talking to each other during the week at the program). She gained strong language skills though - but mostly by being immersed in the culture during their ample free time. She learned a lot of slang which she liked a lot! -Organization - the staff was *terrific, my daughter loved them. I wish they had communicated better/more with us parents in advance of the trip. I found myself having to reach out several times for basic info like where should my kid meet you when she arrives? -Peers - my daughter met some wonderful kids and is keeping in touch with them! I think she expected more international kids vs. just USA kids, but she was ok with it in the end. -Overall: Know that your kid will have A LOT of independence w/this organization. They go out on the town and out to dinner/lunch alone nearly every day. My daughter loved this and is an experienced traveler and was with her new friends, so it was OK for us, but I can see that not being comfortable for all parents. Also, wondering about the program cost given the amount of eating out they do. I know they get a small (10 euro?) supplement to eat out, but that doesn't cover many restaurants. Thank you Abbey Road - this was a highlight of my daughter's summer.

My daughter (15) attended the Abbey Road Nice program in July 2019 and had an amazing experience. It was her first trip to Europe and this was certainly a memorable time. We were pleased with the program's communication, organization, and program offerings from language instruction to numerous fields trips. I will note, not so much a criticism as simply for others to be aware, that the program does offer a fair amount of free "exploration" time without supervision. My 15 year old certainly gained independence and confidence.

We were given many opportunities to have free time in the area to converse with shopkeepers, locals, etc. It was a great mix of facilitated language learning and discovering on your own. The additional opportunities for water sports, cultural tours and photography were great.

My 16 year old rising junior did the two week program in Nice France in July 2019. We looked at a number of language camps, but he ultimately selected Abbey Road because he liked the housing option best (each student had their own studio apt). While housing was the initial attraction, in the end, he loved the structure of the program which offered solid instruction in the morning as well as a flexible selection of electives (he opted for the conversation elective), meaningful cultural experiences and plenty of free time, too. He didn't know a single person in the group prior to arrival, but ended up making many friends with whom he plans to keep in touch. He had a 24 stomach issue which the counselors took seriously and for which they sought treatment appropriately. Their handling of the situation gave us - sitting all the way across the world in California - confidence in their professionalism and the quality of the care they provide. A number of students opted to extend their stay while there and our son sad that he would have, too, had he not had another camp scheduled to begin shortly after his return. It was his first experience abroad without any family members nor friends accompanying him and, as hoped, he came home with increased confidence in the likelihood of his thriving in college. He learned a significant lesson- that a positive attitude and enthusiastic participation work together to increase satisfaction with the program, the honing of language skills AND the fun factor! I give this program the highest recommendation for educational and enjoyable language skill reinforcement with a side of cultural maturity, to boot! Andrea

My 16 year old daughter had a very good time socially with her peers —this was the “growing edge” for her on this trip. She really enjoyed all the outings and teaching of the guides, history being her favorite subject. A serious regret was missing the tour of both the Palace and the Gardens of Versailles due to poor organization and timing with the tickets. Also the whole group completely missed the train to Cologne one day and had to sit on the ground in the Paris train station waiting for the next train for five hours —and therefore missed a half day of touring in Cologne. These were significant disappointments.

My son had the most amazing summer in Nice. He spent 4 weeks there and moved up to advanced French half way through the program. Most importantly he had such a positive experience with the friendships he made, the culture, the cities he visited and it will be a time in his life he will remember forever. Thank you for giving him a wonderful summer!

This was an once in a lifetime opportunity that I would forever cherish. For me, not only did my skill in Spanish rapidly increase in just 4 weeks, I was able to determine that I did truly wish to participate in Study Abroad in my college years.

There is not a better way to make more genuine friendships as well as learn than by studying abroad! I had the time of my like spending one month learning French while immersed in the culture of France in Nice.

I was expecting a lot coming into this trip and we did everything that i wanted to do and more. I met amazing people here and got to go around Europe with some new close friends. I was scared at first about being around people that i didn’t know but once i came. The professors were the nicest people I’d ever met and the people were just the best. That really made my trip seeing everything that i had learned about was already cool enough but being able to do it with such a great group was even better

The three weeks spent traveling throughout the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Czech Republic with the most extraordinary group of people has truly been unforgettable. The sheer amount of wonderful historic monuments visited, cultural meals shared and memories created over a mere three weeks makes this program a must for any high-school student looking to truly experience Europe. -H

I chose Abbey Road because it looked like a trust worthy program that I could get a lot of experience out of. It has been my dream to study french in France and this program gave me the opportunity. My experience has been amazing. My host family made me feel immediately welcomed, the staff was very attentive and responsive to my needs, and I believe I advanced quite a bit with communication in French. One thing I would like to be changed was the amount of events that are scheduled for us. The first few weeks the schedule was very crowded and left little time with the families and little time to rest. Though I was having fun, I was incredibly fatigued for the most part. The next few weeks offered much more free time and I felt a little more physically prepared for each day. The classes there were a huge help to my French. I personally had little knowledge of French grammer and I learned so much while in French class. Photography offered me the opportunity to go to beautiful places and see beautiful architecture. Abbey Road is a wonderful program and I would absolutely want to come back!

I learned so much on my trip to Florence with Abbey Road! This was not my first year abroad. I spent July 2018 in a home stay in Salamanca, Spain, which was incredible. However, apartment living in Florence really helped me gain a sense of independence. Living in an apartment comes with a need for responsibility, which is an important skill to foster especially before college. We had to do our own dishes, take out our trash, and maintain our rooms, and I definitely feel more confidence in my self sufficiency. Although it may be daunting, I highly encourage prospective students to recognize the importance of the values of responsibility and independence, and how they will help you in the future. Don’t think for a second that you will be fending entirely for yourself in a foreign city, though. The Abbey Road staff was incredible and supportive, and we always knew that they would provide us with pretty much everything we needed to be happy and comfortable. I think that this combination of trust in their students and general reliability is what sets Abbey Road Florence apart, and why I so eagerly recommend it. You’ll definitely feel independent, but never on your own. You’ll learn so much about how to live abroad, and about the rewards and challenges that come with it. It’ll be hard sometimes, but I cannot stress enough the importance of learning to face adversity for the sake of opening your mind. Travel to Florence with Abbey Road, and I can basically guarantee that your perspective will broaden and grow, all for the better.

I loved this program so much. My residency was a beautiful apartment right in the heart of Florence. I got to experience life with roommates (some of my now best friends) and enjoy becoming a local in the city. There was a great balance between structure and freedom which allowed for me to really get to know the area on my own but have the safety and organization of the program. I studied art history and Italian and I found both incredible. Art history was my main class, so I got to learn it every day. My instructor was extremely qualified, prepared, and professional, and even finished her dissertation in Art History at Cambridge. I learned so much and got to see so many unique sites. I also enjoyed Italian as my minor class. Even though I only took the class 3 times a week, I went from someone who knew no Italian, to being able to form basic sentences and preform everyday conversation such as greetings and ordering in a restaurant!

I signed up for this program in order to fulfil my Italian language credit at school, and ended up having the best summer (and overall experience) of my life. Not only are the staff extremely accommodating (Arthur Kian could not have done a better job making sure everyone was comfortable and secure), but there has been unconditional support from almost every staff member at abbey road. The Italian teacher (Angela) was phenomenal and my language skills have been stronger than they ever were from taking language at school. All of the students were friendly and I’m happy to say I made friendships that will last a lifetime. The weekend excursions were always so fun and it gave us a chance to explore the country, while also being able to call Florence my home. Though there are other Abbey Road programs that offer more traveling, there is something very unique about spending (almost) a month is one central location, and feeling like a local. Despite all the freedom we were given, safety was always prioritized and my parents were constantly being updated. Overall, I could not have chosen a better program and I would 100% recommend this to anyone who is looking to spend their summers abroad.

I signed up for this trip in January 2019, completely and utterly excited to spend a month of my summer in France. At first, I felt very secluded and anxious, as many people did not make an effort to become friends with me, and if I tried talking to them, they were proceed back to their cliques. Obviously, overtime it got better, and I ended up making some really great friends! Nice is a beautiful city filled with many things to do, and the Staff did a really great job in regards to making my experience worthwhile. They are compassionate, funny, and they enjoy teaching you their language and culture. The excursions and day trips were my favorite part, as we were given a lot of free time to roam the cities and see what we wanted to see, as well as do what we wanted to do. I would definitely recommend this program to others, as my French improved dramatically and living in France is something I will probably never do again. I will remember this experience for the rest of my life, and I am truly grateful for being able to participate in this program.

It has been 3years now that I came in Cadiz and I’m still keeping in touch with most of the people I met there. I am French and was 14 at the time, I wasn’t really fluent in English and in Spanish either. Being in a Spanish host family and sharing my bedroom with an American helped a lot, I admit the first days were really hard but American teenagers are way more outgoing than the French ones and I had no difficulties to integrate. I had to think in English and in Spanish 24/7 to communicate and it is the best way to learn languages. What’s more, the staff couldn’t be better, we had so much fun with them. This trip was my first time being alone abroad and I could not have imagined a better experience... We surfed, went to pretty beaches, visited museum, and even went to Gibraltar ! The morning lessons in Spanish were really playful, we spent half time inside and halftime outside in Cadiz while making games to speak with people. I will finish by talking about the free times, we had 2 a day, one before eating and one after diner, it was honestly my favorite time of the day, my roommate and I used to adore visiting by ourselves the little streets of Cadiz, the parks... We even had our favorite places ahah, the immersion was real !

To preface this, I think you should know that I received an International Baccalaureate Scholarship from my school that allowed me to go on the trip. I chose Abbey Road’s Modern Civilization program for a multitude of reasons. I really wanted to get something out of a summer program beyond simply sightseeing. It was really important to me that my program does not resemble a surface-skimming tourist group. Whenever I travel, I love truly experiencing the foreign city and not just moving from monument to monument with blinders on. The fact that Abbey Road has you staying in a location for at least a week and really experiencing the culture was extremely appealing. 

 I got more out of the trip than I could have ever hoped for. I got to immerse myself in the vibrant cultures of all three countries, I fell in love with France, I got to see so much incredible architecture that I cannot possibly name them all, I got to learn about the German perspective (both historical and contemporary) of WWII and the Holocaust, I made two amazing friends that will last a lifetime (I’ve honestly talked to them every day since returning home), and I got to sample all of the regional foods, discovering some favorites along the way. 

 By going on this trip, I truly enhanced my view of history and broadened my global perspective. In addition, I honestly believe that I was able to grow as a person. I had never really been on my own before (I have a twin brother) and I got to see how good I was at handling my own affairs. 
I went on the trip by myself, without knowing anyone prior to arriving at JFK. I immediately clicked with my two future friends in the airport and in the first city, Berlin, and that chemistry lasted the duration of the trip. As the trip went on, I found myself getting closer and closer to my two friends and was able to get along well with the others in the group. 

 
 The staff did an excellent job orienting us with each new city. The hotels were topnotch. The rooms were lovely, the locations were perfect, and the breakfasts were superb. In particular, the apartments in Vienna were spectacular and the breakfasts at the hotel in Berlin were great. 

 I would definitely recommend it or any other Abbey Road program. 



Overall, I cannot think of anything that I would have made the program any better than it was; everything was really perfect. In the town of Nice, there was so much opportunity to learn. Old Nice was filled with shops and markets, where the venders rarely could speak any English. Near Old Nice, in Garibaldi Square, I made friends with some local skateboarders, who not only gave me an opportunity to learn colloquial and slang French, but also provided some great action photography for my elective course. And when we were not in the town area, my friends and I would go down to the beach, get gelato, do some shopping, or learn some more French with our educators. Every weekend we would take day trips to different towns nearby. From Antibes we could see the Alps, others gave a fantastic view of the French countryside or the Mediterranean. St. Paul de Vence even gave us a view of all three at once! Some trips were to the beach, others to old medieval style towns, and we even took a trip to Italy for a day. The day trips were really fantastic because they let us experience not only our “home” town, but others as well, many of which were actually quite different.

 One of the most amazing things is that everybody got along. From the start, we were all friends, and we got along like one big family. Some people were from US, Canada, and other countries, and we had no problems getting along wonderfully. I was friends with everyone on my trip, and ended up spending my time with all of them at some point or another. It was truly a perfect group of people. My trip with Abbey Road was the best experience of my life. I had so much fun learning and experiencing France first-hand. The teachers were fantastic, the other kids were fun to hang out with and as excited and enthusiastic as I was, and we were in what I now consider the best place on Earth, while experiencing other cities as well. It was the perfect situation, and the people running the program were extremely accommodating, telling us that anything we wanted to do would be seriously considered. And these suggestions often came to fruition, which led to an amazing experience for everyone on the trip. My travel with Abbey Road was perfect, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

My daughter is the entire world to me and to place her in the hands and trust of people we do not know took a lot of salesmanship on Abbey Road's part. Rachel had a wonderful, safe and educational summer and at no time was I fearful of her safety. Someone from Abbey Road staff was always on hand, from second #1 at Kennedy Airport to the conclusion of the program, in our case me meeting Rachel in Boston. She loved her experience at the Leadership Academy program in Suffolk University. Rachel came home bright and energized and with a renewed confidence. She was very proud to be able to participate at a college level program and I am hoping that this will continue into the school year. Once again sincere thanks for the remarkable job.

I started Abbey Road the summer after I stopped going to summer camp and I was looking for something to do that would be both productive and fun. My mom found it online and she sent me the link and I thought it looked like a really fun and educational thing to do. When I first decided to do Abbey Road, I was deciding between the Nice and the Western Civilization program. I chose Nice first because I was taking French however this summer I wanted to take the opportunity to go on Western Civilization program. 

 I used to live in Europe when I was little. I lived in Belgium and England for a couple years. My parents and older sister have all these memories of us visiting all these places, but I can’t remember any of it. I really wanted the opportunity to explore Europe and the Western Civ program offers that. You get the chance to see and learn about the best parts of all these great countries. 

 The staff was really great, helpful and informative. For class, usually we had a reading in our packet that corresponded to the place we were visiting that day. We would either do the reading the night before and go discuss it onsite or read it onsite and discuss it there. I really liked this style of learning because when you’re a traditional classroom and you’re reading an excerpt about St. Catherine of Siena for example, it’s not really all that interesting. However, when you read the excerpt about St. Catherine in Siena at St. Catherine’s Cathedral in Siena and you see the head St. Catherine, it just has a much bigger impact. I feel like I can recall text better and I feel more comfortable with the history. This is an academic summer program. It’s not just an excuse to wander around Europe. You get to experience another place and you absorb and learn about the culture. You are taking classes and actually learning something instead of just being a tourist. You are actually engaging in a bigger experience than just a vacation. 

 Western Civilization program exceeded my expectations! I have been recommending it to people when they ask me about my summer.

What I discovered was that learning to be independent wasn’t as hard as I had thought, at least, with all of the helpful program staff it wasn’t. It felt like learning how to ride a bicycle for the first time- you teeter off on your own, but there are always arms there to catch you if you fall. The Abbey Road staff gave us just enough independence to try and learn how to live on our own, how to budget money, and how to do our own laundry, but they were always there to help us as well. Things like grocery shopping on Mondays or having cooking groups on Wednesdays taught me skills that I took home with me, like preparing a healthy meal and budgeting. Abbey Road also improved my people skills. When living in apartments with 3 or 4 roommates, conflicts are inevitable. Throughout the program the staff was always there to sort out major issues, but they put a lot of emphasis on dealing with personality conflicts in an independent, mature positive way. It’s likely that I will have a lot of roommates in my life, and the Abbey Road staff taught me valuable communication and problem solving skills so that I can fix small issues and avoid conflicts with people in the future. My experience with Abbey Road was so amazing, and made me so much more confident as a person, that one day I would love to return and give students that same experience.

I was very satisfied with the experience. We chose Cadiz over other cities because it is a smaller city and would have more opportunities to practice Spanish. I stayed at a lovely home near the ocean about 20 minutes walk from the school. Some students had to take the bus in to school. The home mom was very friendly. I shared a room with another teen from California and we got along well. The home mom also housed several other younger Italian girls and it all worked out. Everyone was polite and cordial. My roommate and I did not go out with the mom as we were always busy with Abbey road activities. I contacted the instructor in charge and was pleased to have all questions answered before arrival. My roommate and I walked together every morning and back in the afternoon for siesta. After siesta we met out group once again around town within walking distance. I always felt safe. The people in Cadiz were very friendly. The curfew was strict as we all needed to be in by 9:30pm unless there were planned activities for the night. I really enjoyed the weekend excursions. Spain is a lovely country. I wish I could have stayed 4 weeks instead of 3. I flew without the group from Miami and met them in Madrid airport. It was my first time flying alone and first time in Europe.

I went on this program in the summer of 2018. I would definitely make the same choice if I had to again. I had a really great experience, Nice is a lovely city. I thoroughly enjoyed the amount of free time the students were allowed, it gave me the opportunity to be independent and responsible and spend my time in Nice exactly as I wanted. The food there was spectacular, and the beach is by far one of the best parts of the city. The best part of the program is the weekend trips that are scheduled, some highlights including Monaco, Eze, Antibes, Cannes, and San Remo. I did the four-week option, which was a lot of time away from home, but I am so happy that I chose to spend as much time in France as possible. The staff is supportive and friendly. I loved the facilities, the location of the building is perfect and I loved the privacy of the single rooms and private bathrooms. This trip helped me grow as a person and a French speaker and was overall a life-altering experience.

My daughter Marley attended the Abby Road program in Florence. She felt the artistic instruction was very advanced and much more than she receives at school. She loved being in Florence and going on the weekend excursions. She did have a very good friend from school in the program and was able to room with her in the apartment. She really enjoyed the apartment and I think the feeling of independence. I was able to meet the school founder and director and one of the counselors and liked them very much. Marley had been to Florence before so had a bit of working knowledge of the city. It is very safe there so a perfect place for traveling to Europe without the parents. I definitely endorse the program and feel it was well worth it.

The Florence program allows you to pick a major and a minor. Options include fashion, photography, studio art, Italian language and conversation, cooking art history, etc. Majors take place every morning from about 9/9:30 until 11:30/noon. Minors take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and happen in the afternoon. I took Italian language and studio art and it was amazing. The teachers put you in a small class environment that makes it feel very one-to-one and make the classes fun. The classes are clearly guided yet provide us with a sense of freedom and ability to try things on our own. Florence was my classroom and for studio art, we were taken to different parts of the city and drew/painted things from real life. In Italian, we learned the language in a classroom setting and by going outside and interacting with locals. Outside of classes, we went on weekend trips to different parts of the country and incorporated both, learning and having fun. I remember seeing Pisa, San Gimignano and we even went on a hike in Cinque Terre. The balance between education and free time is really nice. We learn a lot but don't feel like we're trapped in school. Between classes we have a substantial amount of free time as well so we're not overworked. The staff was incredible. As I mentioned, my teachers were amazing. The chaperones were great as well being that they guided us yet made us feel like they were our friends. They were very helpful with any personal issues and were always easily reachable. The apartments were very comfortable for me. You are assigned a floor and roommates based on the survey we complete online asking what kind of roommate you would like etc. Each floor has numerous bathrooms, air conditioning, a kitchen and dining room and we had a courtyard as well. People come and clean the apartments once a week. Upon my arrival I noticed that the apartments were clean and the beds were very comfortable. I loved my Abbey Road experience and it allowed me to meet so many amazing people that share the same interests as me. In fact some of these people are my best friends now.

This was my first time studying abroad. When I signed up to take AP Spanish I knew that I wanted to improve my Spanish speaking skills and I knew I wanted to go to Spain. I wanted to really be immersed in the culture and learn the language and learn about where I was staying to make everything worthwhile. My friend Mark and I went together and our moms were really involved in the search. They had this convention with all these different summer programs and they got a lot of different information. We wanted to find a program that offered a good balance of independence, learning, excursions, and a homestay. Abbey Road seemed to have everything that we were looking for.

 During the program my Spanish has definitely improved. Ever since the 9th grade there hasn’t been any English spoken in my Spanish classes and my experience this summer being so exposed to Spanish has really helped a lot. In the south of Spain they have these tough hard accents and I think exposure to that has really helped.

The classes we had during the program were quite different from what we have been doing back home, and this is another reason why I chose Abbey Road. I was able to spend an hour and a half in the classroom and an hour and a half talking to people and finding things, which was a more engaging way of learning. When you’re actually exposed to what you are learning it’s a totally different experience. The teachers and the program coordinators were amazing, especially Chris [the program Director]. During summer programs there are always certain situations that happen and I think he handled them really well. The staff always had a positive attitude and was open to hearing suggestions. They taught us that you can have so much fun by learning the language or about the culture. The whole experience was just so personal that anything that I felt I needed people were always there to help out or if I wanted to do a certain thing they would make time to do it. And it wasn’t just during the program that the staff was really great, even before the program started the staff was helpful. I could contact anyone in the program and they were willing to talk to me.

 Mark and I were staying with Rosa, an amazing and such a typical Spanish mother. Rosa had three sons and a granddaughter so there was always family around. It was never quiet which was perfect and exactly the experience we were looking for! It was such a great homestay experience. We always had the option to go out to eat, but we always ate at the house because we loved the food and we loved hanging out with the other boys at the house. Rosa mainly made Spanish food, but sometimes she would try to make something more American for us. Experiential learning is something that Abbey Road really takes pride in. It’s a great thing because even though you sign up for classes you want to take you really just want to be spending time in the city and making friends. When you mix classroom learning with cultural immersion, it just makes the whole thing more enjoyable.

My latest journey to Boston for the Abbey Road College Prep Course was incredibly fulfilling for the particular time in my life that it came. It goes without saying that the majority of students approaching the fall semester of their senior year typically experience high anxiety with regard to college applications. This was especially true for me, and already by the end of my junior year a considerable amount of worry around admissions had set in. For this reason, I began to search for a way to receive adequate SAT preparation, information about colleges, and assistance with the application process. After completing my session with Abbey Road College Prep, I can honestly say that I believe it has been among the most effective and fun ways to complete all of those challenging tasks.

Immediately I appreciated the accommodating and caring staff that was always striving to ensure an enjoyable experience for students. As a program, we were able to enjoy many outings, including a tour on the Duck Adventures Boat, an afternoon at Quincy Market, an outing at Revere Beach, and my personal favorite, a visit to the Institute of Contemporary Art. As previously stated, the SAT preparation was a significant factor in my coming to Abbey Road. Initially, I was nervous that fitting the entire Princeton Review course into two weeks may not have been effective. That prejudgment could not have been further from the truth! Our Princeton Review professor was extremely thorough, continually dedicated to ensuring students’ comprehension of the material and to helping the students succeed. In fact, I would say the two-week course, compared to a longer school year or summer course, ended up as the most effective way for me to prepare for the SAT. With all of the stress surrounding college for the students, having a staff member so highly experienced and informed in the college search process was a key anxiety-reducing factor of the program. Through activities such as constructing a “Must Haves & Deal Breakers” list, drafting a résumé, and brainstorming essay topics, the writing elective course teacher effectively broke down the massive amounts of information about the college search.

Leaving Boston I had the peace of mind regarding my application essays, a more defined list of colleges that interested me, and a clear path to follow to my next SAT and to complete my application process. Not to mention, I left the program having made friends with students from all over the world that I continue to keep in touch with as we journey through the remainder of the application process. In these ways, the Abbey Road Program met all of my needs pertaining to my college search, and I could not be more satisfied with the results that Abbey Road helped me achieve!

Our daughter attended Boston 2 week SAT prep July 2018. The location was great! She got to visit several colleges during her stay and got to experience city life. The staff at abbey road was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We are very happy she got to participate in such a great program.

Overall I think it was a very good experience for my daughter. Abbey Road was well organized and provided a very safe, stimulating setting. Quebec is beautiful, and the program leader last year was outstanding. I would say she was the highlight of my daughter’s experience. The leader had taught French at both the college and high school levels and was clearly very committed to experiential learning. The group was very active, as it seemed that most days they traveled throughout the city exploring and practicing. My daughter also found it to be very safe. The kids don’t have a ton of free time. My daughter would have liked more free time but they keep them very busy, which I personally think is probably a good thing. All the kids last year got singles (no roommate) which she enjoyed. It seemed quite lively with many students on campus studying. She attended for two weeks and said her French improved quite a lot. She was not terribly confident in her French before going (and was actually quite reluctant to go for that reason). The immersion approach really seemed ideal for accelerated learning. Now that we are several months past the program, I think my daughter is starting to realize how much she grew and learned from the experience. It was not easy for her in the sense that she would rather have stayed home. She was reluctant to go. Again, I think the program director made her feel so comfortable and much more confident in her French.

Claire loved the program in Nice. She has been on quite a few other programs and so have my two sons. By far, she liked this one the best. Each child has his/her own room and private bath. She said it was a good location and they went to the beach a lot. Her classes were engaging and fun. She met a great group of friends on this program as well. They seem to do a good job with supervising the kids and yet giving the kids a feeling of independence. We were all very very happy with this program!

This past summer my son Will attended the program in Boston.  He enjoyed staying on the campus of Suffolk, and I think he got a good feel for college life.  Students were allowed to leave the campus for free time as long as they were in pairs.  He enjoyed visiting the Harvard campus and loved the day trip to Salem, MA.  The group had some international students, and Will's roommate was from Spain. The groups debated (which he loved) and researched quite a bit during class time.  With Will in his senior year now, Abbey Road has been wonderful to supply letters for college applications, and I believe this type of learning really sets students apart from other applicants. I love Abbey Road Programs and I hope to send my other children on trips when appropriate. Given the professional education of the facilitators, I believe the price is well worth it.  The trips have had a huge impact on Will.

My son Noah went on Modern Europe last summer. It was his first trip alone. He had a fabulous trip. The kids were great, he made some good friends. The hotels were clean and pretty nice (3 stars I think). The teachers were very knowledgeable and did a great job bringing history to life. They went to so many great historical sites, where they would have lectures and discussions. They had authentic food each day and were encouraged to try new things. I liked it because it was not a typical teen trip, where the kids end of partying and having too much free time. My son is a little quiet, so it was perfect for him. They squeezed a lot of learning in, but the kids got free time each day too. They had to be with a partner or group, they were never allowed to be off alone. The staff always gave them good options for the free time. The teachers wrote on a blog each night, so you could keep up with what they were doing. The whole Abbey Road program seemed very safety conscious.

My daughter Anna did the Cadiz three week program this summer. She stayed with three other girls in an apartment with a very sweet, single, retired Señora in New Cadiz, near the beach. There were also two other girls in a nearby apartment. She liked being so close to the beach and the girls often went there in the afternoon. She liked the Spanish classes. Before Spain she took four years of Spanish class every day in school. They take a placement test the first day. She did the cultural activities for her free choice. Anna said she finally understood what her Spanish teacher had been working on all year! I think her Spanish has really improved. On the weekends and nights they did a lot of group activities and trips in vans to nearby towns and they went to Gibraltar one day. I have never been to Cadiz but last year another mother told me they visited and she felt like it was very safe. Overall I would say she had a great time. She really liked the other girls and they are even talking about meeting up again this summer.

I stayed in St. Laurent du Var for 4 weeks with the Mulet family, an older husband and wife with three sons. The house was pretty big so three other students stayed there as well. We attended a French "class" 5 days a week for 3 hours at St. Laurent's City Hall. The class was taught by French teachers that were also our full time chaperones through trips and tours. Classes were divided into three skill levels based on a evaluation done in the beginning of the program. Class was held in a variety of places such as a classroom, the City Hall lawn, and a cafe. After class, we would have electives in which the choices were Photography, French Conversation, and Art. Electives would occur after lunch and around St. Laurent. We took a trip almost everyday, mostly to Nice, but also Antibes, Cannes, Monaco, St. Tropez, Gorges du Verdon, and Italy! We also did activities in surrounding small towns. There was about 2-4 teachers/chaperones with us at all times, depending on where we were traveling. I enjoyed the program so much and I wish I could repeat the experiences everyday. I formed such a close relationship with my French family and made so many new friends that I still talk to today.

My daughter Isabella was 16 when she went to Cadiz last summer. It was her first time traveling to a foreign country. First off, I want to say that she had the “best time of her life” and had an incredible trip and all her new friends (one actually was from England) were amazing. Abbey Road is an amazing program that I would recommend to others. After the initial few days of “culture shock” Bella settled into her new home. Her host was an older woman that cooked dinners for them, and had a dog. The group took many excursions on the weekends with their contact, Iraida, who was amazing and very sweet according to the kids. Iraida, the contact for Cadiz who chaperoned from JFK to Cadiz, also had a blog which she shared photos and stories about their excursions. The initial culture shock was most difficult for Isabella but she hung in there and after the first few days….. she soared! She had the most amazing time! They all cried when it was time to go.

My daughter had a great experience! She felt it was a lot of fun and a very worthwhile experience. She had traveled alone in the US but not internationally. We live near Minneapolis MN so she flew to NYC where she met the group and leader and then they traveled to Cadiz as a group. We used the travel agent recommended by Abbey road to book the tickets and that worked out well. Gwen liked many things about the program. They were given a schedule every Monday morning that was all the activities through Sunday night. She loved the Spanish classes in the mornings and many of the activities including surfing, flamenco dancing, the trip to Gibraltar, going to the movies and more. She had a great homestay. The family only knew a few words in English so she really had to use Spanish in the home. I think she did speak English with the other students, but I know some students made a commitment to not speak any English.

My son Charlie did the Abbey Road program in Barcelona last summer right after he turned 17. He did not know anyone on the trip before he left. Charlie had a very positive experience. He made a lot of friends with whom he has kept in touch and the trip was well organized. To me, they had the right mix of freedom and supervision. My husband and I actually visited for one night while we were in Spain and we saw the lobby of the apartments, which were in a safe area and clean – while nothing fancy, they were more than fine for Charlie. He found the Spanish class challenging, and for his elective he did sports, which was great for him as he got in shape for soccer before the fall.

The program was very good for my son, Christian. It certainly broadened his horizons from our small town environment. Christian enjoyed himself immensely and enjoyed meeting new people. The hosts were very friendly and well established in the community. We went for the full experience that included Paris. The classes were good and the staff was excellent from the reports I received. The program seemed to be well run and they watched carefully over the students. I believe much was entrusted to the host families and they seemed to have been carefully selected. We would send our son again and have no regrets. He come back with a good grasp of the language and was able to dialogue with others in the language by the end.

Overall, the Abbey Road Program was a fabulous experience for my daughter. The teachers are great, and Erin signed up for the conversational French in the afternoon because she really wanted to learn french. They have French classes in the morning that everyone takes, and Erin said they did a lot of real life learning, especially in her French conversation class in the afternoon. They would go to the cafes or plaza and have to order and talk to French people, which she said was scary but great for her skills. They also do a lot of day trips every weekend, and she loved those! They went to Monaco and Italy and other places in France since they are all short train rides away. They go to the beach a lot too. She loved the trips to the museums and the Paris extension at the end. I dropped Erin off and the apartments looks like college dorms. The rooms are on a hall like a typical dorm and you walk in and there is a small bathroom and bed and desk, with a small kitchen down the hall, and shutters that look out on a nice street view. Not fancy at all but good for Erin to have some alone time which she values. Erin really liked her teachers and learned a lot -- they had interesting and varied backgrounds -- one from Russia I think, but most if not all native French speakers. Erin had been to sleep away camps before but this was the first year she never once said she was homesick.

My son attended Abbey Road last summer. He thought the program was well worth it! It was his first time traveling by himself. He felt that the instructor he had from Harvard who had a perfect score motivated him. The class itself is mostly practice questions and going over those questions. Going to all the schools in the Boston area was also very inspirational and useful. He also enjoyed the international students and their discussions/company. Overall, it’s a great experience and he said the dorm was nice and in the middle of Boston. He was happy with the food too!

My daughter, Ava (15 y.o.), attended Abbey Road last summer for the International Relations two-week program. It was her first time in Boston and the first time she had as much autonomy of schedule and leisure time. She did not know anyone in the program prior to arrival. She loved the discussions and classwork. She really blossomed over the two weeks of the program. She developed terrific friendships, toured college campuses, and developed a level of confidence in exploring the city. I was pleased with the level of supervision she received and would highly recommend the program.

My daughter really enjoyed her experience in Quebec City. It was her first time spending weeks away and it was really the perfect program for her to gain some independence. She is now a senior and it was a good experience for her all around. We live in the SF Bay Area and another girl from our area was going so they traveled together. Julie, the program leader in Quebec, was great with the kids. Last summer the kids had their own rooms and my daughter really enjoyed that. My daughter had taken three years of French before going on the trip and some of the kids had never taken any French. The program really seemed to stress getting out into the Quebec City community to practice French and my daughter really liked that as well. The people at Abbey Road in the LA office were very nice to deal with as well. I was very happy she traveled with Abbey Road last summer.

My daughter Claire participated in the 2 week Modern Europe program and really enjoyed it. The instructors are very experienced, and appreciate the safety of our kids . The hotels were beautiful and safe and honestly really special. Many were what I would call boutique hotels that the average tourist doesn't know about and so the kids were able to really immerse in the local culture rather than just "be tourists". Claire's instructor Karl had been a consultant with Abbey Road for over 10 years and had his doctorate in Modern Languages from Middlebury College. They give you their cell numbers and respond fairly quickly if you have questions. I wouldn't call their instruction a "class" environment. Their experiences were in the setting, reading literature or studying art and learning history with the instructors explaining what they were seeing and hearing.

The Abbey Road program in St. Laurent was an awesome life experience for my son and we were thrilled with everything about the program. The family he stayed with was very nice. There was one other boy staying there with him (and a third for the last week). They often ate meals with the host family and interacted a great deal so that was helpful to his French language experience. Plus, his host mother was a great cook. They did have some independence, appropriate for teenagers, but it was always my impression (with the limited information you get from a teenage boy) that there was a lot of structure and guidance and it seemed to us that they were always safe and appropriately supervised. We were very happy with the French language instruction. They had a good amount of classes and, I think more importantly, they seemed to incorporate learning in every activity they did. For instance, when they went to museums the students had to find a work of art that they liked and then come back to the group and give a brief talk about it in French.Speaking of museums, they visited many and the trip had a good amount of cultural activities overall. The staff was good and, in particular, Anthony spoke highly of Vicky, the lady who led their program in St. Laurent. From start to finish the program gave a lot of guidance and communicated very well, including giving regular updates (in the form of a blog with pictures) of their activities. My husband and I highly recommend Abbey Road and thought it was worth every penny. It is a lot of fun for the kids but it is definitely not a party trip or even just a vacation trip.

My daughter (who is almost 16) did 4 weeks in Nice and described it as “the best summer of my life.” She learned so much, made some good friends (a few of whom she has spent time with here in New York after they returned from France), and loved the teachers and chaperones. Arthur, supervises the Nice program, and he was great. The program is very well organized. They go to so many cool cities, such as St. Tropez, Cannes, Monaco, etc. Her French improved so much, and her teacher at the high school is really impressed by her accent, comprehension, and expression. Each student had their own dorm room and bathroom, and other than the fact that it was very hot, Sophia never had any complaints. I had regular contact w Sophia while she was there, and I always felt she was safe. There are many structured activities (e.g. beach activities, roller-blading, sight-seeing), but they also allowed for unstructured time. They gave the students increasing amounts of freedom, once they feel the kids are ready. So in the evenings they could sometimes go out as a group, without a chaperone, and they would check in at the curfew time, to make sure everyone was back safe. I would highly recommend this program!

Abbey Road was fantastic! The staff was great and went out of their way on many occasions. My Spanish teacher Alicia was one of the best Spanish teachers I ever had. I came back from Barcelona feeling confident in my ability to hold long conversations. I loved that we were in a classroom one hour and the rest of the morning the class was out experiencing and learning in a Spanish environment. The dorm was very nice and we enjoyed hanging by the rooftop pool. The food was amazing. We went to a large variety of restaurants and I was able to try a lot of new foods. Overall, the program exceeded my expectations!