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Private school feedback

DavidSeattle (3 posts) • 0

Anybody have a comparison between Keats School and TenWest? Both offer one on one instruction. TenWest is smaller, and less comprehensive, ie, room and board not included. But once all is factored in the prices seem roughly comparable for 4-8 weeks stays.

I'm looking for one month of intensive study for an advanced beginner in late May.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • 0

Depends on your motivation.

If it is about learning, then I would honestly say it is down to the individual tutor. Any thing lacking in the accommodation or admin will be overlooked.

If your reason for coming is primarily a good time, wrapped in study, then the accommodation will matter.

In all eventualities, go with the company that will get you the study visa.
And all of the administrators in the schools will drive you nuts.

gbtexdoc (218 posts) • 0

I don't have any experience with TenWest, but looking at a map shows them to be in a different part of of the city. I don't know if that is good or bad, but you might prefer one location over the other.

I'm attending Keats now and continue to be pleased with their teaching. I don't live on the premises in their dorm since I have my own apartment here. If you are new to China, having some sort of "comprehensive" arrangement is simpler.

When you read the Keats website it's easy to get confused because there are so many different "packages." Need to be sure you are not comparing apples with oranges when you stack them up against other schools.

When I looked at the TenWest website just now, it says they charge 60 RMB per hour for one to one (as of last year — 2011.) I don't know what it is now, but at Keats it costs me 100 RMB per hour.

cloudtrapezer (756 posts) • 0

I like Robert's school on Longxiang Jie. Classes are small - never more than 4 or 5 students, and they have a really excellent teacher - a youngish guy called Liu. He is by far the best Chinese teacher I've ever had. (I was two semesters at Nanjing Normal University and one semester at Xiamen university.)

The school also lays on daily one-to-one tutor sessions at no extra cost.

The location is good - right next to Wenlin Jie in the university district. I think fees are comparable with other schools and they will arrange student visas.

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