<p>What can you tell me about the Beloit CLS program? My son is considering going for Russian this coming summer.</p>
<p>Woodshall - my D attended Beloit CLS for 2 summers but in Chinese so I can’t speak directly about the Russian program but I can tell you some general things that most likely will apply to all the CLS programs. It is extremely intense, the 8 week program is the equivalent of 3 college language classes. The students work very hard but there is an incredible bond and camaraderie that develops. They take a language pledge so during most of the day he will be speaking in Russian. The teachers she had were excellent. They have cultural events and field trips related to each language. My D absolutely loved all of it, even the late nights and hard work, because they learned a lot and had fun doing it.</p>
<p>I went to CLS last summer, and I absolutely adored it. I was in Japanese, so I don’t know much about the Russian program (people tend to talk mostly only to the people studying the same language, especially Japanese since we had our own separate dorm). The people there are wonderful and from all sorts of backgrounds. In my Japanese I class alone, there was a guy from Sweden, a girl from China, and a girl who moves back and forth between California and Taiwan (and two of them were going to enter Princeton’s Asian Studies PhD program in the fall). Most people were in their early-to-mid twenties, but I had just finished my junior year in high school and there was an older college professor (50s, maybe?) in one of the upper classes. Everyone was fantastic and we all got along with each other and studied together. </p>
<p>Each language does some kind of field trip (last year Japanese went to a Japanese festival in my hometown–the building where I take AP tests, in fact–and then a Japanese restaurant), we have movie nights, each language group takes a turn preparing a traditional meal to serve to everyone, and we sit with our class during lunch and dinner to practice the language. The teachers are wonderful. You’re in class from morning until about three, so there’s a LOT of studying, but there’s still time to relax before and after dinner (the gym and pool are both open). Be prepared to do quite a bit of homework, though. It won’t be as heavy if he’s in level one, but the upper levels have it much harder.</p>
<p>I cannot recommend it enough. I would love to go back this summer, but unfortunately can’t afford it and need to get a summer job just to help with regular tuition. I really hope your son gets to go! Aside from being a great opportunity to study the language, it’s also a great community that it’s wonderful to be a part of.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your feedback! He’s also considering the Bryn Mawr Russian Language Institute which I’m having a hard time finding out anything about.</p>
<p>Thanks so much – very helpful!</p>