What our students wish they had asked before choosing a Spanish school

Choosing a Spanish school before you arrive in Bogotá isn’t easy.

At first, many schools can look quite similar. Spanish classes. Experienced teachers. Different levels. Cultural activities.

So how do you choose?

You probably start with the things that are easiest to compare: price, location, reviews, photos, and schedules.

Those things matter.

But they don’t always tell you what your days as a Spanish student will actually look like.

How much will you speak? How much feedback will you receive? Will the lessons match your goals? How many students will be in your class?

These are the kinds of questions that can become much more important once classes begin.

And they’re worth asking before you choose.

“What am I actually getting for the price?”

When you’re planning several weeks in Bogotá, your budget matters.

Accommodation. Food. Transportation. Spanish classes.

So of course you’re going to compare prices.

But comparing prices only helps when you know what you’re comparing.

How many hours of class are included?

Are materials included?

What about cultural activities?

How are the classes organized?

What kind of support will you receive?

Two courses with similar prices can offer very different experiences.

Instead of looking at the price alone, look at what happens during the hours you’re paying for.

Before you choose, ask:

What exactly is included in the course price?

“What does a normal day of classes look like?”

Once you’ve compared prices, you’ll probably start comparing what’s included.

Spanish classes.

Conversation practice.

Cultural activities.

Learning materials.

Maybe private lessons or other options.

A list like this can be helpful, but it doesn’t tell you everything.

Two schools might both say they offer “conversation practice,” for example, while using it very differently in class.

The same is true for cultural activities or personalized lessons.

The important question isn’t only whether something appears on the course description.

It’s what that experience actually looks like once you’re there.

If something matters to you, ask the school to explain it.

Before you choose, ask:

Can you walk me through a typical day at the school?

“How much will I actually speak in class?”

It’s possible to understand a grammar lesson and still feel nervous when someone starts talking to you in Spanish.

Knowing Spanish and feeling comfortable using it are not always the same thing.

That’s why “conversation practice” is worth looking at more closely.

Many schools include speaking in their programs. But what does that mean during a normal class?

Will you regularly have conversations?

Will you practice situations you might encounter in Bogotá?

Will your teacher help you express an idea when you don’t know exactly how to say it?

Will you receive feedback when you speak?

If your goal is to become more comfortable communicating in Spanish, don’t just check whether conversation appears on the course description.

Find out how much you’ll actually do it.

Before you choose, ask:

How is conversation practice included in a typical lesson?

“How many students will actually be in my class?”

“Group Spanish classes” can mean very different things.

It could mean three students.

It could mean eight.

It could mean fifteen.

And that changes the way a class works.

In any group, everyone needs opportunities to speak, ask questions, participate in activities, and receive feedback.

Some students like having more people around them. Meeting classmates and learning together may be an important part of their experience.

Others want more opportunities to participate and more direct interaction with their teacher.

Neither choice is automatically better.

What matters is knowing what kind of class you’re booking.

And when you ask about class size, don’t just ask about the average.

Before you choose, ask:

What is the maximum number of students in a group class?

“How does this school actually teach Spanish?”

This might be the easiest assumption to make.

Visit a few Spanish school websites and you’ll probably see many of the same things:

Qualified teachers.

Classes for different levels.

Conversation practice.

Cultural activities.

Spanish in Colombia.

But those descriptions don’t tell you how a school teaches.

Does everyone follow the same program?

Can lessons change based on what students need?

How is grammar taught?

How much time is spent speaking?

What kind of feedback do students receive?

How does the school connect Spanish lessons with Colombian culture?

What happens if you’re progressing faster or slower than expected?

These details can be difficult to see from a homepage.

But they can make a big difference once you’re sitting in the classroom.

Before you choose, ask:

What does a typical class look like from start to finish?

A checklist before choosing a Spanish school

Before you book, think about what you want from your Spanish classes and ask about the things that will affect your experience.

• What is the maximum number of students per class?
• How much time will I spend speaking Spanish?
• How will my Spanish level be assessed?
• Can lessons be adjusted to my goals?
• Will I receive individual feedback?
• What experience or qualifications do the teachers have?
• What happens if the class feels too easy or too difficult?
• What exactly is included in the course price?
• Are cultural activities included or optional?
• Will I learn about Colombian Spanish and culture?
• Can I combine group classes with private lessons?
• Can I talk to someone about my level and goals before I book?

Your priorities might be price, meeting other students, getting more conversation practice, or having lessons that focus closely on your goals.

There isn’t one answer that works for everyone.

The point is to know what matters to you before you choose.

What we think matters at Learn More Than Spanish

At Learn More Than Spanish, we know that students come to class with different goals.

Some want to improve their speaking. Others need Spanish for work, travel, or daily life in Colombia. Some are beginners, while others have already studied Spanish for years.

That’s why we don’t think every student should have exactly the same learning experience.

Our classes include grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and Colombian culture, with lessons adapted to each student’s level, goals, and pace.

Class size is also important to us.

Our in-person group classes in Bogotá have a maximum of three students. This gives everyone time to participate, ask questions, practice Spanish, and receive feedback from the teacher.

Students who want more individual attention can also choose private one-on-one classes.

Studying in Bogotá also gives you the chance to use what you learn outside the classroom. The Spanish you study in class is the same language you’ll hear as you move around the city, visit places, and talk with people.

For us, choosing the right Spanish class starts with understanding what you want to achieve.

So before choosing a Spanish school, ask yourself:

What do I want to be able to do in Spanish?

Once you know that, you can look at class size, teaching style, conversation practice, and course options and decide which ones matter most to you.