I had most of the instructors of this school in this order: Michael, Andre, Darren, and Bruce. I found out later from Michael, who did the scheduling, that it was actually random, but that perfectly aligned with my learning style. I had no experience in driving prior to this school.
I started out with 1 package of 3 lessons for $200, just to try out during my spring break. I was very satisfied by the end of the package, so I paid for another one. Though I do have to say, my schedule is very flexible so I didn't really have much problems with scheduling. I called in a week before, asked for the dates I wanted my lessons to be on as well as either "morning" or "afternoon". I would always have a slot in all my desired dates. Michael usually calls and sends a text around 5-6pm the day before about scheduling and confirmation. Each lesson is 2 hours long. Depending on the instructors, there may or may not have a 5 minute break between. I value content rather than technical, so this is all I have.
On my first lesson, Michael went over the basics of the road. For the first chunk of time, we went over the basic mechanicals of operating a car and basic rules of the road. The next 15 min is at the office with illustrations of two intersections. As a visual learner, this really helps. For the next hour, we were back on the road for left- and right- turns. Even for a fish brain like me, I was able to utilize what I had learn into my muscles very quickly. Everything was clear, precise, and straightforward. This is what I look for.
I had Andrae for my next lesson. We worked on my mentality and the psych of the road. I definitely was surprised when Andrae had me drive up ramp into the freeway. I thought I wasn't ready for it, but apparently I was. After the first 40-min on the freeway, it definitely erased my anxiety of driving-on-the-road. As Andrae would say, "it's like getting into the zone". The minutes after, driving locally didn't seem that scary anymore.
My next few lessons were with Darren. He's the guy to go to for any techniques on how-to-drive-smoothly and details on car mechanics. He patiently answered all my meticulous questions from posture to pedals, from smooth-stops to constant-speed. My turns and stops improved immensely.
My last lesson of my package was with Bruce. I'm very grateful for his reminders and warnings. I was a little high-on-my-horses, but he pulled me to the ground. His tips are on the point. They are very, very useful for facing driving-test proctor today.
I didn't want to schedule a test during my spring break so I scheduled one during the summer, which is today. I wasn't confident in myself after a full course load and just going for the test, so I got another package. I had Bruce and Andrae for reviewing and practice.
I passed on my first try today. So much for my worries. A big thanks to the staff of Zoan Driving School!
5 stars because I definitely got every single cent of my buck. Compare to my friends who had unclear and expensive driving instructors, my experience with learning how to drive is way better. Zoan Driving School is packed with approachable and professional instructors, so I didn't need to worry about that. Alright, end of my review. read more