Education Unlimited - academic summer camps and pre-college summer programs

"The best feature of the camp was the teachers. They are very passionate about what they do. Camp was very college-like. I felt like I was a Stanford student. I would recommend the program because it's a real college experience that every kid should have. At first I thought it was just sleep away school, but I was pleasantly surprised. Compared to other academic camps this was the best by FAR! The Critical Reading Instructor had the ability to get into everything he teaches. If I was a principal, I would fight to get him."

Evan Staggs, A+ High School participant

"The best features were that the teachers were excellent and did their job well. The camp was very good and I learned a lot of stuff such as writing, logic, reading and making a video. You get to go to some amazing places like Santa Cruz, you get to play sports and make new friends. The writing instructor improved my essay a lot and I found the five step paragraph method to be the most helpful part of the writing class."

Jimmy Ho, A+ High School participant

"The best feature of the camp was the teachers. They are very passionate about what they do. Camp was very college-like. I felt like I was a Stanford student. I would recommend the program because it's a real college experience that every kid should have. At first I thought it was just sleep away school, but I was pleasantly surprised. Compared to other academic camps this was the best by FAR! The Critical Reading Instructor had the ability to get into everything he teaches. If I was a principal, I would fight to get him."

Evan Staggs, A+ High School participant

"I really enjoyed the variety of classes and the small class sizes. I feel more prepared for math and reading now. I would recommend this camp because it is a great learning experience for being independent in college."

Claire Liu, A+ Summer High School participant

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The experience was even better than the brochure described. The greatest strengths of the program were the quality of the instructors and the variety of subjects taught. The staff was exceptional - each and every one - bright, enthusiastic, upbeat and their love of children was obvious.

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Joanne Alex, parent of an A+ Middle School participant

"[The Director] at all times remained calm, positive, caring, energetic and professional. She put every ounce of her energy into making this a wonderful experience for everyone. She is an inspiration!"

A+ Middle School Instructor

"I would recommend this camp to other students. It was so much fun! I expected to dread every waking second of this camp, but I ended up never wanting to leave. My favorite activity was finding out who stole Sherlock (the camp goldfish)."

Hannah Carson, A+ Middle School participant

"The experience was even better than the brochure described. The greatest strengths of the program were the quality of the instructors and the variety of subjects taught. The staff was exceptional - each and every one - bright, enthusiastic, upbeat and their love of children was obvious."

Joanne Alex, parent of an A+ Middle School participant

"All the staff members were friendly, kind, fun and energetic, and I loved the way the teachers taught us. They had everything ready for us, and I really loved each lesson. It was so fun! I would totally recommend this camp to anyone that wants to have fun and learn!"

Karina Arroyo, A+ Middle School participant

"The bonds and relationships that I formed with fellow students are going to be ever lasting. I felt like all of the instructors were passionate about what they taught and showed great care and compassion. I would definitely recommend this camp because this whole experience was one of the most beneficial and rewarding things in my life. The research class was very helpful. The instructor knew how to work with each and every student pointing out his or her strengths."

Manasi Ghatge, A+ College participant

"The counselors were great - intelligent and charismatic. They made the experience fun. I also enjoyed living in the dorm because it gave me a taste of college life (laundry can be fun!). Plus there was Mairu the cat. I would recommend this to students who realize that writing is an essential part of college success. I think [the writing instructor] did a great job at helping me overcome my writers' block. He bombarded me with ideas that I never would have thought of. He taught me to look at all aspects of a topic and think outside the box."

Jeanne Muller, A+ College participant

"I really appreciated the connection I got to make with the students. It wasn't just teaching --the kids felt just as comfortable asking me for feedback on their essays as with teasing me about how bad I am at volleyball, or telling me about their concerns about college. They seemed sincerely interested in spending time with the staff, so it felt like they were taking something more than just writing skills away with them after camp."

A+ Pre-College Instructor

"The best features of camp were experiencing college life, researching and writing papers. The staff was kind and helpful and they take the work seriously. When I came to camp, I wanted to know what college life was like, and thanks to Education Unlimited, now I know! "

Weidi Cui, A+ Summer Pre College participant

"My son very much enjoyed the American Legal Experience at Stanford. It was a good balance of academics and social activities. He is looking forward to more "Education Unlimited" experiences. I think you have very good instructors and staff. The mock trial case kept the student's interest. The guest speakers also impressed the students."

Margarita Padilla, parent of an American Legal Experience participant

"The court visit was highly encouraging for prospective lawyers. It was exciting to see judicial system in action after learning about it. The lawyers/speakers were also helpful in that they humanized and familiarized the whole process. It was very intense and pushed me to work hard and learn a lot- great for any students either interested in law or just looking for open options."

Davis Jeon, American Legal Experience participant

"Our daughter hasn't stopped talking about American Legal Experience since she got back. She is making plans to return next year. Thank you for making her experience a special one."

Veda Nathan, parent of an American Legal Experience participant

"The instructors were very good and the material was new and interesting. The Mock Trial was the best! This camp was great even though I had no prior experience. If students are interested in law or just public speaking, they will find this camp to be a great experience. Educational, engaging, and fun!"

Jeremy Chin, American Legal Experience participant

"[My daughter's] scores indicate that the program worked very well. The number of days seemed about right and the location was terrific. I was very impressed with the academic background of the staff -wow- a new PhD as the leader. I was very impressed with the credentials of the entire staff."

Mike Gibson, parent of a College Admission Prep Camp participant

"I thought that the curriculum was excellent. The teachers were very well qualified and effective. The materials given will help me after I leave this camp. Both the camp administrators were extremely upbeat and made this a very good experience. I would recommend it to other students. Without this camp, I would not know what my strengths and weaknesses are as a college applicant. Furthermore, this camp showed me great ways to "control" the test. I have become very familiar with the SAT as a result. This camp exceeded my expectations."

Molly Speacht, College Admission Prep Camp participant

"I would recommend this program because it is good to have SAT, college counseling and essay writing all in one camp. I would also recommend it for the white water rafting and the college tours. I was surprised how much I learned about different colleges having already taken a college counseling class. The camp went beyond my expectations for the writing class because now I know how to write more personal statement essays if needed. The writing instructor really got to know me when I couldn't find things to write about to help me find things to write about. I feel like I will do much better [on the SAT] now that I know the strategies. My confidence was also boosted because taking five SATs makes them less of a big deal. I was very satisfied with the instructor. I looked forward to the SAT class in the morning because of [the instructor]. She also simplified things, which was good. She broke the SAT into parts and made it seem easier."

Jordan Sachse, College Admission Prep Camp Intensive participant

"The program was better than described in the brochure. I wish your website or brochure would be more informative. I really expected much less from this. You are underselling your camp! The best part of the program was the improvement in SAT scores and learning about the application process. My son really liked the staff."

Gosia Ashby, parent of a College Admission Prep Camp Intensive participant

"The recreational activities were amazing, especially the whitewater rafting trip. The college counseling was also very helpful. I found so many colleges that I think I will be very happy at. The intensity was perfect. It made me feel like I achieved a lot and really motivated me to work hard. I would recommend this camp because it was so helpful. My SAT scores went up and I am confident I will get into a good college of my choice. Before, I didn't know where I wanted to go and how to go about applying. Now I am confident in applying to the colleges I feel are a good match. I will use the personal statements I wrote for my college applications. I feel they are extremely good. Kaplan gave back our test scores with stats and good comments. The SAT instructor was very interesting and kept us engaged."

Katharine Chiu, College Admission Prep Camp Intensive participant

"All of my expectations were met at this program. I had energetic teachers who helped me find a college and write a personal statement. I also learned SAT techniques that will help me do well on the SAT. The instructors offered a lot of advice and helped improve my writing. I was able to prepare for college and have fun at the same time! "

Marvinne Flora, College Admission Prep Camp Intensive participant

"I really enjoyed the evening activities. It was so much FUN!! There is nothing really that I would change because the people were super nice, the rooms are just fine and the food was exceptional. The teachers knew what to do next. They were so prepared. This computer camp was sooo much better than the computer class at school."

Noripaul Kerrey, Computer Camp participant

"I loved what I learned. I expected that I would get easy work and learning little. I would definitely recommend this to other kids! It is fun and you learn a lot without realizing it. There are excellent activities and great classes and teachers. Why would anyone who is interested in computers not love it?"

Christina Raquel, Elementary Education Computer Camp participant

"The camp exceeded our expectations and was a positive experience. The program's greatest strength is the quality of the staff and administration and their caring attitude. The camper said the food was fantastic and dorms were spacious and nice - perfect! The staff were very appropriately educated.extremely knowledgeable. The supervision policy was just right. I like the travel in 3s policy."

Debbie Murray, parent of a Computer Camp participant

"It's a wonderful learning experience, in which you not only learn about computers, but also about new cultures, taking care of yourself - even doing your own laundry!"

Sonia Ng, Computer Camp participant

"The best feature of camp was learning all about computers. My overall academic experience at this camp was excellent. Compared to other computer classes, this camp was way better. I loved how the camp was organized and I would recommend this camp to all students interested in computers."

Piper Adams, Computer Camp participant

"My daughter's experience at Emerging Writers was beyond her expectations. She came back with so much enthusiasm for the written word - her self-confidence and understanding of her strengths and weaknesses only serve to make her a better writer. The quality of the staff was superb. Having such wonderfully educated and enthusiastic teachers made this program such a success."

Rosalba Gutierrez, parent of an Emerging Writers Institute participant

"The best feature of the camp was an open creative environment that allowed its students to really step beyond any fear and doubts they had when concerning writing. The staff members were wonderful, interesting people to engage with in and outside the classroom. I liked going out into surrounding cities and events (Poetry Slam!). It really exposed us to new and amazing things. The most important thing I learned was that practice makes perfect: don't let your muse tell you when to write, but rather sit down ten minutes everyday and swim."

Ana Garcia, Emerging Writers Institute participant

"Watching my students present their work on the last day of camp made me well up with sadness and pride- sadness because I was saying goodbye to students I came to genuinely care about and pride because all of my hard work creating a cohesive and meaningful summer program paid off. Directing the Emerging Writers Institute was a true pleasure, and it reminded me that an academic program can indeed change student lives."

Director of the Emerging Writers Institute

"I give this camp a 10/10. I loved having so much time to focus on my writing! My classmates were great, and the staff was super nice. I have participated in other creative writing programs, but I enjoyed Education Unlimited more because there was more freedom in terms of my writing. This camp also helped me to not be as shy about letting others edit my work, and I really enjoyed this camp! "

Christina Bartzokis, Emerging Writers Institute participant

"I liked how this camp helps you meet new friends and become such good friends in a two week period that they are like siblings. I also enjoyed learning so much about acting. It inspired me to start to make a resume and headshot. This was much better than other camps I've been to. I learned technique instead of just performing a play. The instructors and my friends from camp gave me a lot of confidence in my acting."

Eli Wallach, California Actors Workshop participant

"I was exposed to new methods that gave me a broader range of techniques to pull from. The instructor had great knowledge and experience! Everything was clear if you had an open mind. The electives like poetry, actors' game, Shakespeare, and hip-hop were very helpful. Going to college in a year, it was nice to have a broader range of techniques."

Kathryn Acosta, California Actors Workshop participant

"The best thing about camp was how it broke down the self-consciousness that bars us from living fully and performing up to our potential. This allowed me to get intimately close with a group of amazing people and to find parts of myself I never knew I had. Thank you for this. [My acting coach] was nearly perfect: she was tough but always kept a sense of humor, which was really important to my experience here. She also brought so much of her personal talent to our class. She is an amazing person and I would trust my life with her."

Allison Ferraiolo, California Actors Workshop participant

"We work hard when we act, but we relax and have fun too. It's a great balance where we can make new friends and learn new skills. My expectations were to have a fun and educational time. It flew WAY past that! The acting instructor was an amazing teacher who taught all of us so much. He was patient, kind, and so helpful to us all. When we went through troubles he believed in us which in turn made us believe in ourselves."

Julia Belanoff, California Actors Workshop participant

"The overall amount of class was great. By the end of camp, all I wanted to do was go to class and sleep! I also enjoyed the openness and freedom we had. I feel confident in my knowledge about acting from just a few days. I would most definitely recommend this camp."

Margot Reed, High School Actors Workshop participant

"The camp administration was absolutely amazing. I would recommend this camp because I learned lots of different things. I prepared for the PSAT, writing, and study skills. I feel very proud of myself because I wrote a very well constructed persuasive essay that is much more detailed, well structured and has less grammatical mistakes than [essays I have written at school]. I have improved my PSAT math score like crazy and I feel very happy I have such a gifted teacher. I learned more vocab and grammar with [the PSAT verbal instructor]. The study skills instructor was such a good teacher and I learned a lot of skills from her such as planning a good schedule."

Timothy Lui, Prep Camp Excel Participant

"The administrators were energetic, outgoing leaders - AWESOME! I would recommend this program. It was not your average "nerd" camp. It was fun and no one was a nerd. The writing instructor reviewed our papers and gave us feedback as if we were adults, which really helped to develop our strengths. The classes were small enough to get just the right amount of attention."

Jennifer Chan, Prep Camp Excel Participant

"[Our son] wrote an essay while he was there that he is proud of. He loved the camp and wants to attend SAT prep next year. He had a fun time and dramatically improved his test-taking ability. The staff was terrific and the supervision policies were just right."

Ben Jelsma, parent of a Prep Camp Excel Participant

"The administrators were positive 24/7, and they were compassionate and cared for campers. I had a lot of fun and learned about the PSAT at the same time. I feel much more confident going into the PSAT."

Gregory Velasquez-Scafidi, Prep Camp Excel participant

"The administration was phenomenal. I would absolutely recommend this camp to others! Everyone was so kind and I learned so much! [The debate instructor] was incredibly helpful, he always answered my questions and helped me with confidence as I debated. [The delivery instructor] pushed me very hard and due to this I can speak in front of others now! She pushed me out of my comfort zone and now I am not afraid. The electives were effective because of the hands-on learning - actually doing the negotiations. I am 100% satisfied."

Elizabeth Brewer, Public Speaking Institute participant

"The EU home office Camp Coordinator was responsive and friendly the entire time. She provided prompt and excellent service. Our son loved the debate portion. The greatest strength of the program is clearly the quality of the instruction. The instructors were enthusiastic and showed great attention to each campers level of expertise so they could take away valuable lessons at the end of the week. We were impressed with the staff's education backgrounds, but more importantly, we were pleased to hear how they made public speaking fun, interesting, and enjoyable. The supervision and safety policies were just right."

Gloria McDermott, parent of a Public Speaking Institute participant

"My son's comment - "Mom, it was a 100% adrenaline rush being at camp!" Overall my son had a blast. The staff, the workshops, the breakout sessions, the bonding with other students.very well balanced. The staff seemed very knowledgeable and hands-on with their students. [My son] got to spend a lot of time with them and they brought out a lot in him. Well thought-out program, well planned."

Marie Suzette Brown, parent of a Public Speaking Institute participant

"I would definitely recommend this camp to other students. It was a fun and chill way to spend a week. I didn't think it was going to be fun, but it was a blast for me. The delivery instructor's attention to my personal needs was amazing. I am now not afraid to speak because I can walk, pause and think comfortably."

David Perell, Public Speaking Institute participant

"I liked meeting new people and making new friends, having a good time learning to speak in public. I had an awesome time due to the instructors. The debate instructor has a good way of making you feel comfortable while speaking. She is nice and has fun activities to help you learn. The most helpful part of the debate instruction was learning to keep talking no matter what happens. The electives kept us exercising our mind. I wouldn't change anything."

Jeremy Wong, Public Speaking Institute participant

"Unlike many summer camps, your staff clearly demonstrates they are subject matter experts, not just bodies filling an open position."

Nandini Rao, parent of a Public Speaking Institute participant

"I went to another public speaking program that I really didn't like because they didn't teach much. At Education Unlimited, we learned what to do and what not to do. We had instruction, activities and games that helped us a ton by giving us a LOT of actual practice. The camp exceeded my expectations -- I wasn't expecting it to be this fun, and the classes were amazing!"

Meena P. Public Speaking Participant, Stanford

"The administration was phenomenal. I would absolutely recommend this camp to others! Everyone was so kind and I learned so much! [The debate instructor] was incredibly helpful, he always answered my questions and helped me with confidence as I debated. [The delivery instructor] pushed me very hard and due to this I can speak in front of others now! She pushed me out of my comfort zone and now I am not afraid. The electives were effective because of the hands-on learning - actually doing the negotiations. I am 100% satisfied."

Elizabeth Brewer, Public Speaking Institute participant

"The EU home office Camp Coordinator was responsive and friendly the entire time. She provided prompt and excellent service. Our son loved the debate portion. The greatest strength of the program is clearly the quality of the instruction. The instructors were enthusiastic and showed great attention to each campers level of expertise so they could take away valuable lessons at the end of the week. We were impressed with the staff's education backgrounds, but more importantly, we were pleased to hear how they made public speaking fun, interesting, and enjoyable. The supervision and safety policies were just right."

Gloria McDermott, parent of a Public Speaking Institute participant

"My son's comment - "Mom, it was a 100% adrenaline rush being at camp!" Overall my son had a blast. The staff, the workshops, the breakout sessions, the bonding with other students.very well balanced. The staff seemed very knowledgeable and hands-on with their students. [My son] got to spend a lot of time with them and they brought out a lot in him. Well thought-out program, well planned."

Marie Suzette Brown, parent of a Public Speaking Institute participant

"I would definitely recommend this camp to other students. It was a fun and chill way to spend a week. I didn't think it was going to be fun, but it was a blast for me. The delivery instructor's attention to my personal needs was amazing. I am now not afraid to speak because I can walk, pause and think comfortably."

David Perell, Public Speaking Institute participant

"I liked meeting new people and making new friends, having a good time learning to speak in public. I had an awesome time due to the instructors. The debate instructor has a good way of making you feel comfortable while speaking. She is nice and has fun activities to help you learn. The most helpful part of the debate instruction was learning to keep talking no matter what happens. The electives kept us exercising our mind. I wouldn't change anything."

Jeremy Wong, Public Speaking Institute participant

"The administration was phenomenal. I would absolutely recommend this camp to others! Everyone was so kind and I learned so much! [The debate instructor] was incredibly helpful, he always answered my questions and helped me with confidence as I debated. [The delivery instructor] pushed me very hard and due to this I can speak in front of others now! She pushed me out of my comfort zone and now I am not afraid. The electives were effective because of the hands-on learning - actually doing the negotiations. I am 100% satisfied."

Elizabeth Brewer, Public Speaking Institute participant

"The EU home office Camp Coordinator was responsive and friendly the entire time. She provided prompt and excellent service. Our son loved the debate portion. The greatest strength of the program is clearly the quality of the instruction. The instructors were enthusiastic and showed great attention to each campers level of expertise so they could take away valuable lessons at the end of the week. We were impressed with the staff's education backgrounds, but more importantly, we were pleased to hear how they made public speaking fun, interesting, and enjoyable. The supervision and safety policies were just right."

Gloria McDermott, parent of a Public Speaking Institute participant

"I would definitely recommend this camp to other students. It was a fun and chill way to spend a week. I didn't think it was going to be fun, but it was a blast for me. The delivery instructor's attention to my personal needs was amazing. I am now not afraid to speak because I can walk, pause and think comfortably."

David Perell, Public Speaking Institute participant

"I liked meeting new people and making new friends, having a good time learning to speak in public. I had an awesome time due to the instructors. The debate instructor has a good way of making you feel comfortable while speaking. She is nice and has fun activities to help you learn. The most helpful part of the debate instruction was learning to keep talking no matter what happens. The electives kept us exercising our mind. I wouldn't change anything."

Jeremy Wong, Public Speaking Institute participant

"Unlike many summer camps, your staff clearly demonstrates they are subject matter experts, not just bodies filling an open position."

Nandini Rao, parent of a Public Speaking Institute participant

"My debate instructor, Jeff, was GREAT. The best debate instructor ever. He was supportive, friendly, caring, understanding and nice. I don't think there will ever be another debate instructor as good as him. I found the mini-debates to be the most helpful part of the class."

Grace L. Public Speaking Participant, Stanford

"Everything was excellent. I liked the small size of the program, and the organization was awesome. Public speaking used to be so frightening but this camp made me much more comfortable. A+!"

Allison Torsiglieri, Public Speaking Institute participant

"I have learned more in one week with Education Unlimited about public speaking than in my whole school year. I am a much more confident speaker than I was at the beginning of camp because I now know good ways to write speeches. I recommend this camp because you learn a lot and make new friends."

Niklas Koehne, Public Speaking Institute participant

"The camp far exceeded our expectations. Education Unlimited is well-managed and generally top notch. The greatest strengths of the programs were the experience, expertise, enthusiasm and caring of the instructional staff and camp counselors. [The program director] is an outstanding administrator and educator. She was responsive to the girls. interests and needs, willing to make adjustments, always enthusiastic, highly organized and competent - the ultimate professional educator."

Carole Marazzi, parent of a Sally Ride Science Camp participant

"I feel that this camp has completely changed who I am. It has given me more confidence and a new look at the world. I definitely recommend this camp to others because you get to meet so many new girls your own age and plus, you have so much fun that by the end of the day you are disappointed that it is over!"

Jessica Honea, Sally Ride Science Camp participant

"The excursions like the Tech Museum and the tide pools were really fun and I liked it a lot. I thought the curriculum was great because I learned so much. The Marine Science Instructor had done so much like gone to conferences, made a non-profit organization, and she has gone on a research cruise. She also added humor into her info making the class more enjoyable. She seemed so happy to be here. She inspired me to continue to learn about science."

Sarah Benke, Sally Ride Science Camp participant

"I would recommend this camp because you can learn a lot and keep your mind sharp over summer but also have a ton of fun! Camp was fun and engaging contrary to what I expected. All aspects of camp were excellent!"

Clara Berger, Sally Ride Science participant

"The camp far exceeded our expectations. Education Unlimited is well-managed and generally top notch. The greatest strengths of the programs were the experience, expertise, enthusiasm and caring of the instructional staff and camp counselors. [The program director] is an outstanding administrator and educator. She was responsive to the girls. interests and needs, willing to make adjustments, always enthusiastic, highly organized and competent - the ultimate professional educator."

Carole Marazzi, parent of a Sally Ride Science Camp participant

"I feel that this camp has completely changed who I am. It has given me more confidence and a new look at the world. I definitely recommend this camp to others because you get to meet so many new girls your own age and plus, you have so much fun that by the end of the day you are disappointed that it is over!"

Jessica Honea, Sally Ride Science Camp participant

"The excursions like the Tech Museum and the tide pools were really fun and I liked it a lot. I thought the curriculum was great because I learned so much. The Marine Science Instructor had done so much like gone to conferences, made a non-profit organization, and she has gone on a research cruise. She also added humor into her info making the class more enjoyable. She seemed so happy to be here. She inspired me to continue to learn about science."

Sarah Benke, Sally Ride Science Camp participant

"This camp has so much exciting stuff! The camp counselors and instructors had very good attitudes, were really helpful and had so much energy. I loved everything about it! It can't get any better! It just plain rocks!"

Panisa Sermchaiwong, Sally Ride Science participant

"All of the science experiments were very interesting, and there could be nothing better. The staff were super nice and always in a great mood. Camp was so much better than I expected. I would definitely recommend this camp to other students - it was the best camp ever!"

Sonya Shankar, Sally Ride Science participant

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The organization and efficiency of the camp was excellent; everything seemed to run smoothly. The camp administration always seemed to be in good moods and brought excitement to all aspects of the program. The Study Hall time from 3-5pm on Fridays made me keep on track with my Cal course. The college level writing course really gave me a head start on my college applications. I would recommend this camp to other students because it is just, overall, a great experience.

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Stephen Schultz, Summer Focus participant

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I would recommend this camp, yes! The time frame of six weeks really helps you build relationships with others and grow in yourself. The time frame helps develop skills for living on your own. The mere exposure to college life really prepared me for what I need to expect next year in college.

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Nicole Castillo, Summer Focus participant

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The best feature of this program was meeting people from all over the world. This camp is too perfect to improve. The administration was positive, fun and upbeat. This is a great way to spend the summer because you learn so much. The Sunday excursions were awesome.

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Alpha Diallo, Summer Focus participant

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I learned that it is important to have self-discipline when taking college courses. I thought that the visits to San Francisco were a great opportunity to experience the culture. [The History of Social Protest Instructor] was very attentive to us if we felt we didn't understand anything. I learned more about myself than I expected. I enjoyed the realistic college experience.

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Melissa Cohghuyen, Summer Focus participant

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The best feature of the program was the access to college-level courses and dorm life. The Resident Assistant is one of the most promising, creative, hilarious people alive. He might just be the child of Zeus and Marie Curie. The public speaking instructor was powerful! Being involved with debate helped me with my Cal class.

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Will Seltzer, Summer Focus participant

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I learned that it is important to have self-discipline when taking college courses. I thought that the visits to San Francisco were a great opportunity to experience the culture. [The History of Social Protest Instructor] was very attentive to us if we felt we didn't understand anything. I learned more about myself than I expected. I enjoyed the realistic college experience.

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Melissa Cohghuyen, Summer Focus participant

"The camp was well organized and the staff was always on time. The camp administrators always motivated and encouraged us with positive energy. Taking a class at Berkeley was difficult but it was a real college life experience. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something difficult and challenge myself, thanks to this program, I reached my goals! "

Yasmin Benamour, Summer Focus participant

"I love staying in the dorms and having that sort of college experience for two weeks. Having so much hands-on learning in video production was great too and the experience helped me learn much quicker than a lesson. I liked that we started filming right away. I also liked the trip to the beach and movies. This camp was much more professional and advanced than the other video production ones I've attended. The facilities were all fantastic. The computers and cameras we used were awesome and make a difference between our videos and homemade ones. The instructor has a great way of quickly explaining things so that you get it right away and has a lot of knowledge of how films are made in Hollywood. He's always at your service to help and has the ability to be everywhere at once. The overall effect that was created from the auditions to lights to "hurry up and wait" to shooting schedules to late(ish) night editing was all very real to me and I felt like it was a real production rather than just a camp."

Lila Scott, Video Production Camp participant

"It was an awesome experience working with the video instructors, making movies and trying to meet a deadline. I wanted to learn how to use camera angles effectively, write a script, and learn how to edit and I was able to learn everything. Being professional filmmakers, the instructors knew everything. I wouldn't change anything - maybe make it longer."

Oscar Median, Video Production Camp participant

"I didn't realize that the counselors would know so much. I was worried that I wouldn't meet new people and make friends, but it all turned out great. The most helpful part of the class was getting to actually film and direct a scene. I'd never really done that before. Also learning how to use the editing software system was helpful. The Boardwalk field trip was a really good trip."

Molly Highman, Video Production Camp participant

"At school, the teachers usually teach to the top of the class, so I was left not knowing what to do. This camp was different - it was personalized to my needs. The equipment was easy to use and very efficient. I wouldn't change a thing."

Sean Clark, Video Production Camp participant