Camp America or Bunac?

Hiya im in my final year of uni and an thinking about applying for an american summer camp. Does anyone know te acceptance rate of applicants or if you can apply for both camp america and Bunac. Iv been looking and it seems Bunac is about £200 pounds cheaper to do but is camp america better?

Thanks :smile:

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Reply 1

Expression

znicz

Applying for both Camp America and BUNAC would be a waste of money.

Personally I'd go with BUNAC, but only because I went with BUNAC during my summer (2005) and had a fantastic time - and have only heard good reviews from everyone else who has been with them since.

Acceptance rates and Placement Rates could be very different things, and obviously all this depends on the recruitment needs of the camps in America anyway - all of which is linked to their success at retaining the staff from the season just gone.

Reply 2

callum9999

I don't know about BUNAC but I went with USA summercamp / Camp Leaders and I both paid less and received (slightly) more pay than the people who went with Camp America.

Reply 3

Anon the 7th

never heard of Bunac

Id deff go for Camp America...I want to do that one day...maybe a summer soon :cool:

Reply 4

wordsearch

I went with BUNAC. The main reason is because they were cheaper and paid more, but they were also really supportive. They had someone to meet me at the airport to help me check in as I had never been on a plane before, and they also send someone out to your camp about half way through to check on how you're doing. They've also been really helpful since - I needed a security reference due to the fact that I've been out of the country for too long and they got back to me within a day with one.

Reply 5

x.Crystal.x

znicz

Im in my final year too, ive applied for CCUSA :smile:

I didn't want to go with Camp america, because one, its more expensive, and 2 i've heard some bad things about them taking alot of your pay after camp (?)

I went with CCUSA because my friends went with them and they had an amazing time :biggrin:

Reply 6

brokenheroes

CCUSA ruined my summer :frown:

anyone know if placements are still gonna be as tight this year as they were last year?

Reply 7

x.Crystal.x

brokenheroes

CCUSA ruined my summer :frown:

anyone know if placements are still gonna be as tight this year as they were last year?

How so?

Reply 8

brokenheroes

x.Crystal.x

How so?

well i applied, got interviewed, got accepted. they say that they place everyone. several months later, i still hadn't been placed. i got a phone call from them saying they were finding it hard to place people this year, so would i consider being a "camp helper" (can't remember what they are called, but a cook/cleaner/handiman person). i really wanted to go, so even though it was nothing like what i applied for, i said yes. we had another quick phone interview, redid my application a little bit. that was fine.
about a week after that, i got an email saying my application was cancelled and to try again next year. i was obviously like, "wtf!?" so i called them up, and they said there was a problem with my online application (when i followed the instructions of the lady on the phone perfectly) and open applications are automatically cancelled on this date, spaces were few and far between anyway and there was nothing i could do and i'd get my money back in the next few days.

also guys are generally placed a lot easier than girls, just as a sidenote.

Reply 9

fasteddy

All the companies do is get you to the states, they are all pretty similar to be honest, its when you arrive thats when the fun begins!

Try asking for advice on the summer camp worldwide forum, there are hundreds of people who have been to camp in the past few years... http://www.summercampworldwide.com/chat

Reply 10

Miss Lisa

To an extent, they are similar but I have done three years of camp. The first year that I went, the organisation I used wasn't terrible, but I didn't feel necessarily gave me much support whilst out in the US, so I decided when I applied the following year to go with BUNAC (as a lot of people at my camp had gone through them and recommended them) and they were brilliant! I found that they not only were really helpful and efficient in helping you organise your summer camp application and the visa but they are also excellent when you actually get out to camp. They came and visited me whilst I was there to make sure that I was happy and having a great time! So I would definitely recommend them, plus I found them to be a lot cheaper than some of the other companies as they don't make a profit from either you or the camp, so the initial cost is cheap for you and my camp paid me a higher salary at the end, as they weren't having to pay any fees to BUNAC.

Also I would not let the competition for places put you off applying. I applied really late and still got placed at a camp. It is just trying to sell yourself in the application as much as possible. If you want to do it, apply! You'll have the best summer ever! I have worked at an all girls camp in Maine for the last three years, teaching riding and also acting as a general counselor by living in the bunks with the campers. I get to spend all day out in the sun with horses, the campers are brilliant (I had the 14 and 15 year olds) and love hearing about England/ the English accent/ anything English and it is just such a lot of fun. Plus I got to go on some great trips, like to Canada and around Maine with the campers.

I think/talk about camp all the time and have met hundreds of people from literally all over the world! Plus because of doing camp, I have been travelling around a lot of the US both the East coast and the West coast and also down to Florida and then a bit of Mid-West, so pretty diverse! That is something that I just would not be able to afford to do if it wasn't for doing camp first and then travelling on my salary. I've had so much fun!

DEFINITELY DO IT!

Reply 11

Carmel x

When i was researching all the different companies i found it soooooo daunting! But i found BUNAC to be the company i felt drawn to going with. The fact that their a non profit organisation reassured me they weren't going to be charging me more than neccessary and when i rang to ask them a few questions they were unbelieveably helpful and friendly! My dad had always told me about them saying i should do something different and go away for the summer but i was always unsure as to how difficult it would be and how to go about doing it. I can't believe i waited until my final year at uni to just do it! If i could turn back the clock i would have done it in my 1st smmer of uni!

I had the most amazing time and i would NEVER have been able to afford to go to America without the help of BUNAC. ! I was quite worried about when i got out there and if something bad happened what i'd do, thankfuly nothing bad did happen...touch wood...but if it had, just knowing that there was a BUNAC office in New York made me feel sooooo much better about it!

If your wondering which company to go with, i would recommend BUNAC with flying colours!!! I did the KAMP programme and worked in the officeof a summer camp. I got the chance to do and see things i've never been able to before, i saw a shooting star! :smile:

i'd never seen one before! I met loads of wicked people who i miss loads having come back home 2 weeks ago! I went travelling for 6 weeks and went here there and everywhere, i can't believe that i went from just filling out the BUNAC application form to actually getting there and doing it!

If your unsure as to whether to do it and who to go with, i say just DO IT and go with BUNAC!!! :smile:

Reply 12

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Carmel x

If your wondering which company to go with, i would recommend BUNAC with flying colours!!! I did the KAMP programme and worked in the officeof a summer camp. I got the chance to do and see things i've never been able to before, i saw a shooting star! :smile:

I've snipped your quotation, but I support everything you said in your original post and I'm really pleased you had a great time this summer!

Can't believe that was me 4 years ago!

BUNAC, KAMP Programme, and in the Summer Camp office.

If you want transferable skills thats where you go. Unbelievably busy place, all throughout the day! The office never stops. :yep:

Which camp were you at?

Have some welcome rep.

Reply 13

Ellie Loves It!

BUNAC were an awesome help to me and everyone i have spoken to thus far says the same!
apply now and get a place early.

Bunac it up! :smile:

http://www.bunac.org/uk/summercampusa/

you definitely won't regret it.

Reply 14

marknorthlondon

There are tons of companies, don't forget Interexchange who are also pretty good :smile:

Reply 15

NatashaScotland

Hey Guys!

I am just back from my first summer at Camp doing the Summer Camp USA program with BUNAC. I looked into a lot of the differnt companies before I started my application process and I found that BUNAC come out best. I feel that you get better value for money combined with a good quality service. The application fees and the wages are both good - which leaves more cash for your travels :smile:

. They also try and place you at a camp that will suit your individual needs - for example i got placed at a samll, independent, non competitive all girls camp which was fantastic! I am not sporty so I liked being at a camp where sport is not really the main focus of the activities! Anyway I had a fantastic time at Camp and BUNAC were great! I am going to go back with BUNAC again to do camp next year - counting down the days! Hope this is helpful! Oh and I must have emailed BUNAC so many times with questions about the program and they were always really helpful so you should maybe give that ago if you have any specific questions! Hope this is helpful! Camp Geek!

Reply 16

Jess B x

I found BUNAC to be the best company for me. I was the only one out of my group of friend to decide to go away for the summer and I was very put off by having to go and work in a different country all by myself.
However when I had finally made my decision to do it and not be such a chicken and lose out on such a great experience I decided BUNAC was my best option on a number of things.
Being a student I was instantly drawn to BUNAC's non-profit side of things. Having thousands of pounds of dept over my head from the student lifestyle (you know what I mean!) I had to do this the cheapest way possible! It was also nice to know that every penny i was giving BUNAC was coming straight back to me through the amazing support they give.
Another reason was because I was going out there by myself, the group flight drew me in even more! Knowing that I could spend a 8 hour flight with people in exactly the same bout as me and find out who I was going to be spending the next 15 weeks with was amazing!
When out in America I luckily didn't have any problems. However my friends did... She was stressing over it for weeks but she rang the BUNAC New York office and they sorted it out within a week! She was really grateful for the support BUNAC gave her and it gave me the sense that i wasn’t out their alone!
Anyways! That’s enough about me blabbing on! I guess what I’m trying to say is BUNAC were amazing for me and I would recommend them in a heartbeat!
Hope that helps anyone on making their decision!
Jess xxx

Reply 17

x.Crystal.x

I've finally applied to BUNAC, and booked my interview.
I originally applied to CCUSA, but got rejected for reasons i do not understand, but after reading all the reviews about BUNAC, I was silly not to apply with them in the first place. They seem so much friendlier and helpful than CCUSA (never received any correspondence from them during the application process)
I have my interview on the 14th of November I cant wait :smile:

Reply 18

fasteddy

BUNAC, Camp America, Interexchange are all really good companies!

You are in for the best summer ever :smile:

Reply 19

x.Crystal.x

brokenheroes

I have now found out how annoying CCUSA can be, I just thank god I was rejected now rather than later. But hopefully ill be in for a better chance with BUNAC.