Why Americamp?
Sunday, June 12, 2016
In this post I'm gonna explain probably the most common question, WHY AMERICAMP? (And also go off on a tangent about the costs etc etc, If I were you, I'd grab a cuppa and some biscuits before reading)
You've most likely done some research and found there are so many different types of companies that you can apply to work in an American Summer camp!
So what made Americamp so different?
Originally, I researched the most typical and well known "Camp America". There is also CCUSA, Camp Leaders, BUNAC and I'm sure there are many more! From my research, I quickly caught on that the application process seemed pretty brutal with Camp America. That's when Americamp tweeted me! I then caught on a few months later that my friend was to be doing Americamp over the summer!
When researching Americamp the main thing that kept appearing was that it costs more than the typical Camp America. However, as I delved deeper in my research, I also learnt that Americamp pays the highest! Imagine being in a camp, doing the SAME job as someone and getting paid so much less... You'd be pretty annoyed! So CHOOSE AMERICAMP!🇺🇸
Also, getting paid more whilst you're there means saving up a tad less spending money to use whilst you're there!😜
There is a comparison of the different organisations here if you would like to read yourself!
After noticing that Americamp had been awarded the best organisation for many years in a row and had a 100% placement rate, it had to be a no brainer!
It's also best to mention that although Americamp doesn't have their flights included in the costs, if you are taking a gap year it is a better option as you aren't restricted with flights! I am not taking a gap year, I will be heading straight to uni, but Americamp works with a flight partnership which enables you to get cheaper flights anyway.
I should probably mention fees at this point!💸💸💸💸
- In total the application fees are £259
- £49 to send off the application, this is in effect a deposit and is non refundable should you wish to not complete the programme.
- If your interview is successful and you reach stage 2, this payment is £60 which puts your application in transit to the U S of A. 🇺🇸✈️
- Then once you are placed it is £150, this includes a visa sponsorship.
- Flights on average are supposedly around £450-550
-There are extra fees like a medical health check, CRB police check and your Visa.
- I worked out it would be around £1k for all the fees, but that is me rounding up the fees, it could be around £800, I calculated extra onto the flights - just in case.
So as you can see, you have to be fully committed, it is a LOT of money - BUT HEY! ITS ALL WORTH IT❤️✈️
* A tip for you guys, start saving NOW! I have been saving already! I put away for example £20 every Thursday, and have been saving since January! I wanted to make sure I can save the whole lot and around £1k for spending money for after camp. If you put away a small sum every week, you accumulate the money quickly! Just think, if you start saving now, it's approximately 50-52 weeks til camp (oh my god), putting away £20 a week is just over £1,000 over 52 weeks and you will most likely not even notice it go!
Now I know that seems like a lot of money, but I am being extra cautious! Remember you get paid around $1500 there to travel with after camp, but there's nothing like being over prepared!
ANYWAY...
I should probably mention fees at this point!💸💸💸💸
- In total the application fees are £259
- £49 to send off the application, this is in effect a deposit and is non refundable should you wish to not complete the programme.
- If your interview is successful and you reach stage 2, this payment is £60 which puts your application in transit to the U S of A. 🇺🇸✈️
- Then once you are placed it is £150, this includes a visa sponsorship.
- Flights on average are supposedly around £450-550
-There are extra fees like a medical health check, CRB police check and your Visa.
- I worked out it would be around £1k for all the fees, but that is me rounding up the fees, it could be around £800, I calculated extra onto the flights - just in case.
So as you can see, you have to be fully committed, it is a LOT of money - BUT HEY! ITS ALL WORTH IT❤️✈️
* A tip for you guys, start saving NOW! I have been saving already! I put away for example £20 every Thursday, and have been saving since January! I wanted to make sure I can save the whole lot and around £1k for spending money for after camp. If you put away a small sum every week, you accumulate the money quickly! Just think, if you start saving now, it's approximately 50-52 weeks til camp (oh my god), putting away £20 a week is just over £1,000 over 52 weeks and you will most likely not even notice it go!
Now I know that seems like a lot of money, but I am being extra cautious! Remember you get paid around $1500 there to travel with after camp, but there's nothing like being over prepared!
ANYWAY...
I was and still am honestly so shocked at how proactive the Americamp team are! You can tell they put their everything into their job! The season was merely over and I'm sure there were most likely still Americampers in the states, however, this didn't stop a lovely woman called Billie. She rang me regarding my application, telling me what to improve on and what was great, she had so much time for me and I felt she was so personable which was so great and put me at ease. As I mentioned in my previous post, I don't really like ringing people, but I felt no matter who I spoke to was so lovely, which ever since has put me at ease ringing them.
After approximately 2 hours of tooing and throwing phone calls, my application was solid and I was ready for my interview! Which I think in itself explains how proactive the team are, I was honestly so shocked!
Also, I feel the need to mention Twitter! Wow, I have never known a company so active and responsive on social media before! It is fab!!! Any questions, DM or tweet @americamp and within an hour or so, someone has replied! I also love how they use cute emojis and "X" at the end of their replies. It makes everything that touch more personable.
I don't imagine any other similar companies interact with their customers the same way!
Now fast forward a few months.
In May the VIP applications opened, of course little me desperately wanted to get on board with the process ASAP, as a huge wave of regret flushed over me when everyone was
getting placed, going on the summer I have only dreamt about for the last year and 3 months.
Impatiently, I waited for the email saying I had been selected as a VIP (2 of my friends already had their emails). A moan and a paddy later, my friend told me to look in my junk folder... And voila! It was there.
getting placed, going on the summer I have only dreamt about for the last year and 3 months.
Impatiently, I waited for the email saying I had been selected as a VIP (2 of my friends already had their emails). A moan and a paddy later, my friend told me to look in my junk folder... And voila! It was there.
A day or so after this, a man called Jonathan tried to ring me, however, I missed the call, so he text me. YES text. Reason 1057 why Americamp are amazing, the ways they can contact you vice versa, is phenomenal and so modern, rather than having to too and throw with emails. He was trying to contact me as he noticed I had deferred my entry, and wanted to know if I wanted to become a VIP (unbeknown to him I was 30 steps ahead and had already been so eager) Bare in mind, this is the middle/back end of MAY, most the Americampers haven't even left for the states yet and they're pro active about next years! I'm sure most other companies applications don't open til late July/August for the next season.
The fact Americamp are opening their applications in June is amazing! It gives everybody who is really enthusiastic and keen about wanting to get their application done ASAP the option to. I was perhaps too enthusiastic when applications for 2017 opened for a short period on 1st June and by 1pm I had recreated a rough draft of my application - which parts were still filled in from last year - yippee! I also managed to send off my references (I had already asked all my teachers weeks, maybe even since January if they would be my references for my new application). So, there I was approximately 4 days after, with all 3 references complete - bare in mind these don't have to be complete til stage 2 with your oh so dreaded application video. I was also quick to notice that there was an outstanding fee on the account. Regular procedures required: I DM'd Americamp on Twitter, received an almost instant reply, rang the office... Only to find out it was me being FAR too eager and they never deducted the money on the VIP's accounts yet. OOPSIE! Sorry Americamp!
About a week after being waaaaay too keen, I got a phonecall from a man from Americamp, just a simple courtesy call to inform me that applications will be up and running next week, my goodie bag will be send out soon and the payments I already paid will show on my footprints account (pretty much a website where you will spend half your days, you will no
doubt end up constantly refreshing emails and footprints😂). I thought it was so lovely that he rang me out of courtesy, when I'm sure HQ will be absolutely mad making sure current Americampers are all prepared for their Summer in the states!
doubt end up constantly refreshing emails and footprints😂). I thought it was so lovely that he rang me out of courtesy, when I'm sure HQ will be absolutely mad making sure current Americampers are all prepared for their Summer in the states!
Another amazing point to make is that, if you're on a gap year and feeling very adventurous, you can do both Camp Thailand and Americamp! And you get a discounted price!
The most important, crucial point as to why choose Americamp?
FREE BISCUITS!!!!!!!
Who doesn't love a free biscuit.
So, flexibility in flights, low initial costs, higher pay, outstanding customer service and free biscuits... Why would you choose anyone but Americamp!
I am so looking forward to carrying on tweaking my application next week when applications open and getting my application sent off to the U S of A!✈️
Jade X
Twitter: jadexleanne
Instagram: jadeoutram_
Remember you can apply now at www.americamp.co.uk
Jade X
Twitter: jadexleanne
Instagram: jadeoutram_
Remember you can apply now at www.americamp.co.uk
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