I am looking at language schools in Madrid. There are many with different price ranges. Formula Si is the cheapest I've found but no one has seemed to have heard of it. Do you have any info on it vs. Don Quijote, Enforex and Elemadrid? Thanks!

There are countless language program in Madrid to choose amongst. I am not very familiar with the Madrid based schools, but I can suggest some tips to find the school that best fits your needs. These are a few ideas to consider before enrolling yourself in any specific school.

1. Size of class, without a doubt the smaller the better. Believe me, there is a big difference between a classroom of 12 and one of only 4.

2.Nationality of the majority of the school. Some schools tend to have a student population drawn heavily from one country or region. The language learning problems a native speaker of a european language will have is quite different than those encountered by a native speaker of a non-western toungue. I would recommend you avoid schools with high enrollment percentages of non-western speakers, if you natively speak a western language. Likewise, if you are a non-native speaker of a western language, avoid schools full of westerners. It can be very tiresome to hear someone ask for the meaning of word that is virtually universally understood by all westerners.

3. While I recommend you abide by rule 2, I also advise you avoid studying with just those who share your nationality. If you are in a school with just other Anglophones, you will find yourself speaking more English than Spanish. Try to find a school with a diverse population, and be eager to associate with those from other countries. In my experience Europeans tend to be slightly more diligent in their studies, whereas Americans are frequently looking for an excuse for a vacation.

4.Consider average age of the students. Some schools market their programs for more mature students. If you are 30+ and are studying with 18 year old students who have an entirely different outlook on life, you may find yourself frustrated with the in class conversations. Of course, if you are 18, then the gereatric crowd should be avoided.BTW, Elemadrid promotes itself as a school with a more mature enrollment.

5. Unless you have a terrific referral, I advise you avoid the smallest schools. The larger and mid-size shools are far more likely to meet your needs. In the smallest academies you may find only 3 or 4 levels of students. Believe me you can not possibly lump students into so few levels. The larger scools have an enrollment that allows them to better divide students into 6 or 8 different levels. You do not want to be repeating material you already have mastered, soley because some of your classmates had not been exposed to it before.

6. Cost, you don't always pay for what you get, but be leary if some schools is much lower than the average or much more than the norm.

7. Consult the Instituto Cervantes web-page . You can get some idea about the enrollment and history of the schools you are looking at.

Have fun, learning Spanish is a joy not a job!

hello...i have attended both don Quijote and Formula Sí . while both were good schools, i enjoyed don Quijote. i took 4-6 weeks of classes as well as the DELE prep class. I just preferred it. Formula Si is definitely cheaper and yet in a very nice area near Retiro. don Quijote is truly in the heart of the city between Gran Via and Calle de Acala.
buena suerte!

I went to Formula Si last October and November. It is on Calle Velazquez in a lovely building, and has great teachers, computers, and an active social events schedule. Price-wise, I looked at aa-lot of schools, and I think that it gives you the best service for the most reasonable price.