hi everbody, it s me, Kaan. ! First of all, i just got shocked when i read the `first` review about transworld and to be honest i thought the one who wrote it was drunk or very high:) i graduated from Seljuk University in 2006 with a degree in english teaching, some time after my graduation i decided to do something different instead of being a regular teacher in Turkey and came to San Francisco, to Transworld Schools. Because my uncle and my brother have been living here in San Francisco for such a long time, they chosed Transworld Schools right away for me when i asked them to find me a good school to get the international english teacher certificate. Mrs. Odeh helped me very much with the process of getting the F-1 visa, (like: what i should bring with me to the consulate, what i should say in the interview, how much money i should have in my account, life style in sf, hostels in sf. . etc.) then she explained everything about the certificate program by sending me e-mails or sometimes over the phone. Couple days after i arrived here, i realised that my english (especially my speaking and writing ability) was not good enough although i was an english teacher. Then i changed my mind and instead of getting the TESOL certificate, i decided to take some ESL classes. first i met the teachers and decided to take their classes. In a very short time i got what i wanted. Then i felt more confident, and became a student of TESOL certificate program. i finished it with a very good grade after 14 weeks. Now i am a student of City College of San Francisco , Department of Supervision and Management. i have lots of friends from different parts of the world , i am taking a very serious certificate program, my books are not like the simple ones that you guys see in the regular bookstores, but I DONT HAVE ANY COMMUNICATION or COMPREHENSION PROBLEM!!! There is a saying in Turkey,it is like: Do you speak English? What are you talking about? I live in English:) (which means basically, ``not only speaking``, but aslo writing, listening and reading ) Thank you transworld!!! read more

I read these reviews about Transworld School, and I have to absolutely agree with the rating of five stars. I am currently a student of the CTESOL teacher program and I have nothing but good things to say about the program, the teachers and the director of the school herself! Such a terrible review brings a few questions to my mind personally. It seems to me that the individual giving the review has a fine grasp of English for one thing which makes me wonder why they were taking an ESL class in the first place. Secondly, I can personally attest to the nature of the director as she has been nothing but accommodating to me and my needs as a student and prospective teacher. I have talked with Transworld Students who have completed courses before I came to the school , and they also have nothing but glowing recommendations and in fact have returned to take more. I think it's pretty safe to say this person's opinion is extremely one sided for some reason. Perhaps someone wants to tear down their good name only to build up another school? I'm not sure, but I think someone would have to be taking a great leap to say the teachers or director of this fine school are anything but accomidating and helpful. As with any institution there are guidelines they follow or else they would not remain in service so long. Transworld school methods are tested and pr oven effective in real world situations. I have been teaching Intermediate students myself and they are very responsive and can make themselves easily understood. I think it's very unfortunate that this person has such a negative attitude about just about every aspect they could possibly think of. Learning and teaching English is fun, or it should be. In my experience it has been very pleasant at the school and I would highly recommend that if you have an interest in learning/ teaching English you make an appointment to check a class out and go judge for yourself. Best Wishes! read more

I attended Transworld for over a year as an ESL student and I can tell only positive things about my learning experience. In the beginning I was unsure which class I should take. The director gave me a brief introduction to each course and answered all of my questions. I really got the feeling I am taken care of from the day one. The Proficiency 4 and TOEFL classes I decided to attend weren't too crowded averaging 6-10 students. Before I went to Transworld I tried 2 other schools. Intrax Institute was too pricey for my limited budget and at the other school teaching process was like a boring routine. One of my friends recommended me to check out Transworld. They have reasonable pricing and a very friendly and knowledgeable teaching staff. I made some good friends and in the course of the year I felt my English was getting better and better. The only thing that was kind of frustrating was slow Internet connection in the computer lab. Oh yeah... and there is a Subway on the ground floor so you can get a nice sandwich in a matter of minutes which is a real bonus. :) If you're looking for a reasonably priced school combined with quality teaching Transworld is the school of choice for sure. You'll totally get your money worth there. read more

Every negative review about this school is 100% true, this school DSO is forcing students to put 5 stars reviews to cover all the negative reviews done by honest students that were victims of this school. So basically how it works here is you have to be paying your tuition every month and if you miss any payment for any kind of circumstances the DSO Ceri Rich-odeh will not help you in any way she will try to suck money out of you by threatning you everyday that she will terminate your student's status in the most dishonest way she can do it. also none of these students can afford expenses or school tuitions She is fully aware that every single one of her students is working illegally but she is trying to hide it because she can get into trouble with the ICE and they will shut down her buisness. 99% of the students are tunisians, brazilians or turkish which makes it impossible for any of these nationalities to afford life in california (bay area) which requires atleast 4000$/month to barely make it and not be on the streets. We are making a group and we are trying to sue this DSO we will reach to every single falsely terminated student and everyone who's been or still being a victim of this school. read more

Late last year (2008) I completed the CTESOL (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program at Transworld Schools in San Francisco. I am very satisfied with my experience at Transworld. The program manages to combine training in ESL theory/pedagogy and practicum. You are specifically trained in lesson planning, and then teaching in front of real ESL students who are living and studying here in the Bay Area. Even if you have teaching experience, this in an invaluable opportunity to practice the ESL teaching in a professional environment - which is then often expected from employer's as a given part of professional certification in ESL. The CTESOL instructors I worked with were engaging, and conveyed a strong and diverse perspective on ESL teaching. The course itself is also an excellent crash course in grammar, if that's not your professional background! I also believe it's a good professional development step, in terms of spending money on job-related training. ESL is a good profession for travelers, and I managed to find employment almost immediately here in the Bay Area (San Francisco and Berkeley.) read more

I highly recommend this school to anyone who wants a high quality course with great staff. I did my research and Transworld Schools is an accredited school, which basically means they have to perform to the highest standards. If you don't believe me, contact ACCET (the accrediting agency) or go in and see for yourself. I was lucky enough to live locally and went in and met with the director. She also happens to be the owner and I have to say that she is great. She has so much knowledge about the field and was very happy to take the time to talk to me about the different kinds of courses and what I could expect once I graduated. The teachers were fantastic. They were friendly and very professional. They took time to work with me on an individual basis. I found the classes to be interesting and very informative. Until I took this course, I never knew how fun grammar could be! I kid you not. I had a great experience at this school. Thank you to everyone at the school for giving me such a wonderful experience. I look forward to a long and prosperous carreer! read more

Although I am not an ESL student, I find the last review shocking. I completed a CTESOL course at Transworld a little over a year ago and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of teaching at the school. As a CTESOL student not only did I learn a lot of effective teaching methods, I was also able to sit in on some ESL classes. In my experience, the teachers were great. Upon receiving my certificate, I found work abroad and have been teaching for the past year. Speaking with some of my coworkers who completed different certificate programs, I feel that I received a great education at Transworld. Some of my coworkers claim that they learned nothing in their certificate programs and that they were basically paying for a piece of paper. At Transworld, I learned a lot and was able to get real life teaching practice before finding a job. I don't want reviews like the last one to dissuade people from taking classes at Transworld because my experience was the opposite. I have nothing but positive things to say about my time there. read more

I studied at Transworld for over a year and had a great experience as their student. The teachers are all really helpful and always gave me extra help if I asked for it, and I really learned a lot. The teachers are all really friendly and easy going, and that made it easy for me to stay focused in class and made me much more successful in the end. Most of all, the director Ceri is so, so helpful. I don't understand these other negative reviews about the director, maybe they have her mixed up with someone else, because Ceri truly cares more than any school director I have talked to. I looked at many schools before I came to Transworld, that were closer to my home, but I chose Transworld because the staff was so ready to help me. Ceri doesn't mess around, she is the real deal and I am so thankful to her and the rest of the staff for the guidance they gave me and the way they prepared me to move forward. read more

What a brilliant school! The staff is so proactive and experienced, and the teachers are always focus on strengthening my weaknesses with a high level of quality . The content of the class is always interesting and varied. The teachers always have interest in looking for different ways to motivate the students , turning the learning experience into a much more inspiring process . I can see my improvements already and I'm surprised to see how much progress I've made in such little time. The school is located in a good area with an excellent connection to the public transport system. The academic counselor service is great, including the president Ceri . She is very helpful at every level, clearly explaining the necessary steps and providing me all the information that I needed. Willing to learn or improve your English skills? I strongly recommend Transworld Schools ! read more

I paid ridiculous amount of money to one language school first I came to SF. One of my friend recommended Transworld Schools. Now wait! It's an amazingly cheap school. First I heard the price I thought that they don't take the education serios. But after I started, I realized everything was perfect than my previos school. In this school, you can make your own schedule. You can meet a lot of people from everywhere. The capacity of school is more than i expected. You have a lot chance to enjoy your classes with great teachers. Another good thing is elective classes. They have pretty good options for every level. Teachers are really nice. They always will to This school is absolutely perfect. Has good education system and cheap. If you don't want spend a huge amount of money for a language school just go to Transworld Schools. You will enjoy your time while learning English. read more

I went to Transworld Schools to do the CTESOL program. Laid off from my previous job, I was looking to get back into teaching, and ESL had been recommended to me by a friend who taught with the JET program in Japan. It was a good program: the teachers were smart and friendly, and the classes did a good job of cramming you on English grammar, as well as instructing you on their teaching methodology. The most fun, and sometimes stressful, part was working with real ESL students. You get to design your own lessons, and present them to ESL students, and actually get practice teaching. So you practice doing the job, and you get to meet foreign, interesting people along the way. Overall, I enjoyed my TESOL experience. I am still in touch with my classmates from the course, and that was also a fun way to meet new people and get some contacts/peers in the ESL field. read more

I am an English language teacher in Greece and this summer I visited San Fransisco. My hotel was next to Transworld school and everyday I was really impressed by the great amount of students coming out having happy faces. The last day of my visit I decided to enter the school and ask if it is possible to attend a lesson. My curiosity to see how the lessons are held and why all these students seem satisfied was really big. The director was polite and allowed me to attend a lesson. It was an amazing experience! The teacher was friendly and encouraging. The lesson was interesting and the students were well motivated. They participated a lot and they did not hesitate to use the English language! Their performance level was really good although they were only beginners. Well done! I wish I could have the chance to attend TESOL courses in Transworld school! read more

Transworld Schools has a great CTESOL program! I had been thinking about teaching ESL abroad, as I have a partner who travels a lot for work. The program worked well because it gives you a fair amount of observed teaching practice - the instructors you learn intensive grammar with also critique your lesson planning (and teaching) for actual ESL students. This was awesome for me, as I didn't really have strong classroom experience going in. I had professional experience going into the program, but Transworld's job placement assistance was a great resource in looking for a job teaching ESL overseas. I got direct help with my resume, as well as all the sort of info you need to know: questions you'll be asked by interviewers, good cities to look in regionally, other strategies and pointers. Those two things really helped me out! Good luck! read more

All reviewers are mostly students who want to be spoon fed throughout school. I took the TOEFL and university preparation classes and I'm glad I did because I'm transferring to San Francisco State University and I took the placement test and they put me in the highest level immediately so I don't have to waste a semester or two studying English at the university. The teachers are really nice and humble in Transworld and the director is a straight forward woman who's always clear on deadlines but people want the school to baby sit them. It's different in a university because if you forget a deadline or don't pay your tuition on time you are gone from that semester immediately, Transworld doesn't do that to you... read more

I'm genuinely grateful to be part of Transworld school. Not only is the tuition the most affordable compared to other schools in the area, but the quality of education we receive is outstanding. The teachers are incredibly dedicated ,they go above and beyond to make sure we understand the material and are always there when we need help, whether it's during class or after hours. What really stands out to me is the director's attitude so kind, approachable, and always ready to listen. They genuinely care about our well-being and success, and it shows in everything they do. This school doesn't just feel like a place to learn , it feels like a community where everyone is rooting for each other. read more

i heart about transworld from my friends. they were so happy studying there. my brother went there to study toefl before he transfered to college. i also attended english classes for few months. it is very friendly atmosphere and teachers are so nice and helpful. you definitely get what you pay for the class. i am on a student visa so i had some questions about the regulations before i transfer to a university and travel to my home country. i got so much help and consultation in the school. i had all my questions answered by the director/owner of the school. she is so helpful and very good at what she is doing. she helped me alot. i recommend transworld to everyone. read more

I really love this school. I studied over there for almost a year and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The Teachers and the people who work in the admission office are the best assets for the school. Because of the quality of teachers, I have been able to improve my English and be able to achieve a very good Toefl score, 110. Likewise, when I needed to transfer to another school for a graduate program, the people who works in the admission office had help me in every single step. I will never be tired to say thank you, thank you to all the marvelous people who works in Transworld. You have become part of my family. Thank you again. read more

The school is very nice!!! Here have a great teachers like Rashaan (The best!), Ellen, Elliot, Mark, James and etc... The school offers everything that it is necessary to learn English. You can meet amazing people of different cultures here. In Transworld school you find the best price to learn and improve your English, the school have a good location in Downtown of SF. The workers in the school are the best, always they do everything to help you! (Mai is the best!) It`s my first time in United States to learn english and Transworld schools show me the best way in learn. Thank you transworld for my experience have been the best here. Guilherme. read more

This place is HORRIBLE!!! Their competitive pricing structure makes it seem like an attractive choice for ESL students, but think twice before going here. The place is unorganized, teachers have little interest in or regard for the needs of the students. Placement tests are worthless, as students will likely end up being placed into one of the few course levels that happen to be running at the time. Guidance is minimal at best. No regular course materials, no real progressive learning is expected here. The owner/director Ceri Rich-Odeh is unprofessional to the degree of being outright rude and personally insulting. Not recommended at all. read more