ExcelMandarin

Fantastic experience: I just completed my first class with ExcelMandarin and am incredibly grateful to have found this program. I really appreciate the focus on conversational fluency as the #1 priority (with pinyin-based reading to support learning, but no requirement to learn characters). This is a huge contrast to my past language learning experiences, which felt overly academic and didn't give me the skills or confidence to navigate live conversations with real people. I pursued some self-study at home in the few months prior to trying ExcelMandarin, but my pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar grew so much faster in just 4 weeks of their intro class thanks to the program structure. The teachers are fantastic and classes are very engaging and centered on conversational practice as a result of the flipped classroom approach. My partner has remarked multiple times on how much my Mandarin has improved thanks to this class, and I'm now able to navigate short but meaningful conversations in Mandarin in our daily lives. I'm very optimistic that taking more courses here will help me achieve conversational fluency for building a closer connection with Taiwanese family members.

Fantastic experience: The Excel Mandarin style of teaching is fantastic! The teachers are great and truly care about the students learning. They have their own app for studying that makes it never feel like a chore to do. I seriously look forward to class every week because it is so fun! And the results are real, my in-laws in China are stunned by my progress after just a few months

Fantastic experience: I joined an EM class after seeing some of their free videos on YouTube, which helped me understand tones (an area I’d been struggling with). I was not sure what to expect at first, I’m a very shy person and get self conscious when I speak, but the classes were fun and engaging enough that I didn’t really have time to feel embarrassed. I’m sure the small class size helped a lot too. The teachers have a unique way of making sure everyone is included without singling anyone out. There are even office hours where you can get one-on-one help. I feel like I’ve made a huge amount of progress in just a few weeks! I will admit I was almost scared off by the price, but after seeing how much they do for us and how invested they are in students’ progress, I feel like it is worth every penny! Yeah, it’s a bit more than the average class, but other classes do not provide this level of experience or engagement.

Fantastic experience: I've been studying with ExcelMandarin for about 6 months now, and recently completed their Q2 course. It's difficult to say something that hasn't already been mentioned by all the other glowing reviews. So what I will add is this: it's exceedingly rare to find a business led by people who both care deeply about what they do, and are so incredibly good at it. That is what ExcelMandarin is, and it shows in every facet of the student experience here. If you want to learn how to speak Mandarin, I have a hard time imagining a better place to do it.

Fantastic experience: ExcelMandarin is an extremely fun and conducive way to learn Mandarin. What I really like about this program is it's emphasis on conversation. I've spent years language learning other languages, and what has always bothered me is the lack of emphasis on listening and conversation skills--I became good at finishing written workbook assignments, but was no closer to speaking to another human. That's where ExcelMandarin is different. The entire course structure and class structure orients around conversation first. This meant that even after the intro class, I was able to start having very basic exchanges with native speakers. Another stand out quality of ExcelMandarin are it's excellent teachers and staff. You can really tell people enjoy teaching here, and that energy makes you all the more motivated to keep studying!

Fantastic experience: I am really grateful that I joined the Intro course. It's unbelievable how much I've learned in 4 weeks, given that I knew 0 Mandarin before. The class is fast paced, and has really positive fun energy. I always left smiling. I will be doing more courses at ExcelMandarin. Thank you laoshi!

Fantastic experience: I am currently enrolled in my second course at Excel Mandarin and am extremely happy with not only my progress in the course, but the system Excel Mandarin has in place. I previously tried a short course in Mandarin and it didn't go while, it was only taught using traditional characters and had at least 14 students per one teacher. Excel Mandarin is different, where they focus only speaking and listening and pair at max 4 students to one teacher. The classroom is flipped, where you are expected to study the content outside of class and then during class, it is speaking exercises and games. This really pushes you to do your homework and study hard so you are engaged in the class. Even if you feel like you didn't prepare as well as you needed, the teachers are patient and competent to helping you learn. My goal is to be able to speak Mandarin with my partner's family and I really feel like I will get there through the educational system that Excel Mandarin has setup.

Fantastic experience: Great teaching staff, and curriculum! Great place to learn Mandarin

Fantastic experience: I joined the intro course and it was really helpful. The teachers were native speakers and were brilliant.

Fantastic experience: ExcelMandarin is a community dedicated to helping you learn Chinese in a fun and effective manner outside of your busy working hours. After taking the intro class I had a strong base of vocabulary and grammar structures that I can apply in real world conversations. Small class sizes ensure you get dedicated focus from teachers and once you enroll there are many options to chat with teachers outside of class during office hours or in the online community discussion forum. The Excel Mandarin teaching staff is very friendly, professional, and committed to helping you achieve your Chinese language learning goals no matter what your skill level is.

Fantastic experience: Im on Q3 of studying Mandarin through Excel Mandarin. I essentially started with ZERO knowledge of the language and began learning so I could talk to my wife's friends/family in Taiwan since they primarily speak Mandarin. Its been a great journey learning with Tim laoshi and I think the way the class is structured really forces you to learn (in a good way). The teacher makes the class fun and engaging, the class size is small so you will definitely feel like you are participating in every session. If you have any doubts, take the trial class to see what the class structure is like before starting.

Fantastic experience: For anyone considering learning Mandarin, I would highly recommend this class! It has far exceeded my expectations in every way. It is surprising how much we have learned in such a short time. I had previously looked into a few other methods, but ultimately found that I would do much better with live instruction and classroom (online) format as opposed to self-directed material. They have put together a very thoughtfully formatted curriculum, centered around short dialogues that incorporate the new grammatical structures and vocabulary from each lesson. Our teacher (Eco) is also fantastic! She makes the class fun while pushing us to stretch ourselves a bit. And for a native English speaker, I am appreciative of the class focusing on Pinyin at the lower/intro levels. The class does require a good number of hours to keep up with outside HW and learning the new material each week. But if you are able to find the time and you’re motivated, you will definitely be happy with this class.

Fantastic experience: I’ve been studying Mandarin with Excel Mandarin for about six months now, and it’s hard to overstate how much this program has changed my relationship with the language, and with my in-laws. My biggest personal goal was to be able to have real conversations with my husband’s grandmother, and recently, I’ve finally been able to do just that. That moment meant so much to me, and I truly credit EM for getting me there. What sets Excel Mandarin apart is the combination of smart structure, fast-paced lessons, and an encouraging environment. The small class size (4 students max) makes a huge difference in the amount of time you actually get to speak in class, and our teacher is a trained, professional teacher who knows how to support students individually. She keeps us on our toes while still making the class fun and safe to take risks. The class activities are super engaging—we’ve only repeated the same game once or twice in six months! Every week I can see and feel my progress, which keeps me motivated. The other students also play a big role in keeping me accountable. It’s inspiring to be around people who are also committed to learning, and our group has gotten so close that we’ve even gone out to dinner together, with more outings planned. I plan to continue with Excel Mandarin until I’m fully fluent, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who wants to build real conversational skills in a structured but incredibly supportive environment.

Fantastic experience: I've been studying with Excel Mandarin for nearly a year and am incredibly happy with the progress that I've made - the structure and content of EM is largely responsible for that progress. The teachers are both native speakers and - even more crucially IMO, are trained teachers. Having someone not only explain the grammar/vocabulary to me but also *why* the rules are the way they are has been a gamechanger for me. I'm able to have free-flowing conversation, navigate restaurant, and have natural conversation with my in-laws. Some of my favorite things (which may not be everyone's favorite things): - The pace is fast. This is not a once-a-week continuing ed class, this is for people who want to make significant progress. I prepare for each class and really feel it when I don't put in enough time. That being said, the fact that I've got a few other people in my class depending on me to be ready for class discussion helps motivate me a lot. - It's focused on speaking, not on reading Chinese characters. That was a selling point for me since speaking is what I wanted to focus on and I don't have any real interest in learning to read Chinese. - It's very flexible. I travel VERY frequently for work and need to miss class somewhat often. The regular office hours and recorded sessions ensure I don't fall behind. The flexibility is clutch for working professionals with many other commitments. In general, I strongly recommend Excel Mandarin, particularly for working professionals who want to swiftly develop the ability to carry on practical conversation and who are willing to put in the work.

Fantastic experience: I've done 3 of their quarters so far. The school is excellent. I am speaking far more Chinese than I thought I could in less than a year. A couple things you should know: This isn't a traditional academic class. The majority of students are working adults. As such, you're treated like an adult. They will work with you if you miss class when family or work things come up. They don't teach character, and as you start learning, you'll understand why. They will be happy to point you to resources for learning them if you ask. You don't get traditional grades, but you get feedback on every assignment. There is a lot of study, and the class mostly consists of very small groups practicing together with a teacher. It's a great way to learn quickly. Lots of great feedback. After less than a year of study, I was able to get a cab, ask for directions, order food, but food at a market, and have very basic conversations while in Taiwan. Obviously, I have a lot to still learn, and many of those conversations were a struggle haha, but because of this school I was able to get by without English when I needed to.

Fantastic experience: I’m not new to the Chinese language and grew up in a Cantonese speaking household. I have always been shy when having conversations in Mandarin because of my pronunciation and lack of understanding of grammar structures in Mandarin. Excel Mandarin helped propel my knowledge in both. I recently traveled to China for work and have put this into practice and feel so much more confident! The teachers are excellent and create an inclusive environment within the class. As a full time working parent of two young children, I never felt ashamed when I wasn’t prepared for class. The lessons are very well thought out and the teachers move at a good pace. I truly look forward to them every week. There is a decent amount of work outside of the class and I wasn’t always able to keep up with the work. I really enjoyed the challenge to write essays in Chinese, which I never would have thought I could do. I would highly recommend this course for anyone wanting to build confidence in conversational Mandarin!

Fantastic experience: I recommend ExcelMandarin to anyone who is having a hard time learning on their own. The 3-day per week video class structure is great for ensuring you get your weekly reps in. Classes are very interactive — you spend most of your classtime speaking or listening in mandarin. Much of the interaction is with other classmates, but the teachers typically chime in for tone correction or to sum up sentences correctly— so you get true accent & sentence structure exposure as well. The team has multiple resources for you to learn, study, and practice with. I have appreciated the articles especially — for reading and listening.

Fantastic experience: I've been at Excel Mandarin for a couple months now and have really enjoyed my experience!

Fantastic experience: I started my journey with Excel Mandarin after reading their online reviews and hoping the positive comments were true. After completing two quarters and preparing for my third, I can confidently say they are! Before EM, I had been trying to learn Mandarin for a few years to communicate better with my in-laws, trying app-based learning and a community college class, but wasn't getting the practical conversational skills I needed. In just 7 months with EM, I’ve made more progress than in the previous 5 years! Excel Mandarin’s small class sizes allow for a ton of listening and speaking practice with quick feedback in and outside of class. The teachers are fantastic and encouraging, pushing us all to improve, while keeping the atmosphere fun, which makes the classes fly by. Putting in the time to study outside of class is crucial, but the results are worth it. While I still have a way to go towards fluency, I’m so happy that I can now communicate basic thoughts and feelings, and keep up during family conversations.

Fantastic experience: I started Excel in October of 2023 not speaking any Chinese. I’ve now been taking classes for 7 months and I can understand a lot when I am in Asia for business, and I can speak quite a lot. The classes are fun and engaging, and the teachers go above and beyond in helping students. They’re also very clear that they are teaching adults with lives and jobs, so I’ve never felt shamed for not knowing a word or for getting a sentence structure wrong. This is a very fast paced class with a clear goal of getting us to conversational level in a remarkably short time. The amount of work and discipline required to be successful is intense, but I have found their methods to be incredibly effective. I can say without question that I get out of the classes what I’m willing to put into them! 我很喜歡在EM學中文！

Fantastic experience: My second quarter at EM has been a seamless continuation of the great experience I had in Q1. One of the best things this quarter was the opportunity to continue learning alongside my classmates from the previous term. It felt like we were not just learning Mandarin, but also about each other's journeys and experiences. I'm particularly grateful for our teacher, who remained consistent from Q1. Her dedication to understanding us individually and incorporating our daily experiences and stories into the lessons added a personal touch that made learning Mandarin even more engaging. By tailoring the lessons to resonate with our lives outside the classroom, she not only made the content more relatable but also fostered a deeper connection with the language. One of the standout aspects of the class is the attention each student receives. Despite the diverse backgrounds and learning paces, our teacher ensures that everyone gets an equal amount of attention and support. This personalized approach has been invaluable, especially considering the amount we've been learning in Q2. Overall, my experience in the second quarter at EM has been fantastic, and I'm eagerly looking forward to what Q3 has in store. With such a supportive environment and dedicated teacher, I'm confident that my Mandarin skills will continue to improve.

Fantastic experience: ExcelMandarin is THE school to choose for learning Mandarin. Not only do they have unlimited resources to utilize, they also have great, patient, competent teachers that are there to assist you with the quickness, displaying high levels of patience especially when dealing with someone like me, who asks a million questions. Spanning worldwide with native teachers, ExcelMandarin embodies the Asian culture, while simultaneously given you a family like environment. This is definitely the school to enroll in for your Chinese speaking journey.

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend Excel Mandarin to anyone wanting to learn Mandarin. It is without question the best language course I have taken. The emphasis is on speaking and listening rather than rote memorization, which means that students get tons of practice. Class time goes by quickly, so I know I was having fun. Every teacher I've met have been kind, encouraging, and very adept at including grammar and vocab in natural-feeling conversations. I can't wait to continue!

Fantastic experience: A phenomenal place to learn Chinese. They keep everything very practical, the teachers are AWESOME at what they do and super encouraging and the class is honestly tons of fun. If youre serious about wanting to learn Chinese i highly recommend Excel Mandarin.

Fantastic experience: I've completed two Quarters now with ExcelMandarin, and as before, they have provided me with an excellent environment to learn Mandarin from the ground up. I've felt my confidence slowly build up over the past few months, and without even realizing it, have become a lot better grasping the language than I thought I would at this stage. Although learning any language is a long and often difficult road, EM has been so incredibly helpful with their staff, resources, and especially teachers. I'm looking forward to seeing just how far they'll take me in my upcoming third and final quarter!

Fantastic experience: Just finished my second quarter at ExcelMandarin and have made so much progress. As someone who never successfully learned another language, it's super empowering to be able to have basic conversations with native Mandarin speakers in 6 months. The teachers and community are the best!!

Fantastic experience: It’s been such a fun, enriching, and effective experience to learn mandarin with ExcelMandarin. I’ve just finished 2 terms and I’m excited to begin my third. I’m impressed with the progress I’ve made in a relatively short time and the enjoyment I get out of every class. The instructors truly care personally about everyone’s goals and progress and they foster a fun class environment. Between the homework and the classes multiple times a week, it is a time commitment, but it’s worth it if you want to learn!

Fantastic experience: Having just finished Q2, I can definitely say I feel prepared to continue on my mandarin learning journey, even beyond the scope of EM! Would highly recommend EM for anyone looking for some structure when beginning learning Chinese, as the fundamentals EM gives you really gives you an understanding of not just what to learn, but certain structures and patterns that you’ll hear super often. If you’re hesitant to try Q1, I’d say just go for it!

Fantastic experience: Currently studying at EM and really enjoying everything about it! The teachers are great, the community is fantastic, and everyone is so supportive of my goal to learn Mandarin! I have just finished the second quarter and am anxiously awaiting the start of the third; throughout the entire experience, the staff have been so understanding of commitments outside of the class and helped me find ways to continue leaning even when things get difficult. I am super thankful to have stumbled across these guys over Yelp, and more thankful that I took a chance with them :)

Fantastic experience: With Q2 finished and Q3 upcoming, I've learned Mandarin faster than I thought would be possible. These guys are the real deal! I have to balance learning Mandarin with my full time job, and this course allows me to do that with the online format. The 4:1 student/teacher ratio during activities is what really pushes EM above regular in-person classroom instruction; everyone gets a chance to speak, listen, and be corrected. Every class and activity is a lot of fun, and the teachers are so friendly! There is no magic bullet to learn the language, and you'll have to spend your own time outside of class studying material/doing homework, but they put you on exactly the path you need to be able to communicate as fast as possible. Dooooo iiiiiit, you won't regret it!

Fantastic experience: I've taken lots of language classes over the years and as part of my day job also train and support many seasoned trainers and educators, so I'm not exaggerating when I say that Excel Mandarin is the most effective course I've ever experienced when it comes to instructional design and implementing adult learning principles. Regardless of whether you want to learn Mandarin, I honestly think it's worth taking the classes just to see what stellar instructional design can look like. The flipped model classroom is incredibly effective for forcing students to actually use the language, which is why the class is so effective for reaching fluency faster. Most of the focus is on conversational fluency, even though the course materials do support literacy (reading Chinese characters). For many folks looking to achieve conversational fluency but not worry about the time commitment associated with learning how to write Chinese, this is a great course for expediting vocabulary building. From the materials to the class exercises, it's clear a lot of attention went into all the little details. Materials present information in a very clear, visually effective (and often funny!) manner and are intentionally designed to introduce new vocabulary/grammar while skillfully weaving in vocabulary/grammar that is already known so that learning is reinforced over time. During class itself, there are lots of different types of games/activities, each designed to maximize practice for using a specific vocabulary/grammatical structure. Review weeks occur after every couple weeks, and each week there is no new grammar introduced on the third day, so the pace does not feel overly crammed, which gives the brain time to actually solidify the learning (absolutely key to language acquisition), and yet, somehow, when looking back at the entire list of grammar structures/vocabulary that has been learned over a given quarter, you often can't believe how many things you've picked up! The teachers are incredibly dedicated and skilled when it comes to facilitating exercises in ways that encourage students to practice particular structures over and over. Given the small teacher to student ratio, students have more of an opportunity to speak and practice during class. Classes are super fun and sometimes feel more like coming to hang out with a community of friends learning together, rather than feeling like "class" (though don't get me wrong, it is challenging and takes work to keep up!). One aspect I think is underrated is how incredibly prepared and adept teachers are when it comes to managing technical features during class. They quickly adapt to however many students show up on the day of (the activities are designed to be flexible enough for that to occur). They also do many things during class that maximize learning and make the class flow better. You often don't notice how much they are doing on the back-end, but as someone who tries to train trainers on how to better train in an online setting, I can very much appreciate the work that it takes. I've made so much progress in such a short period of time, my Chinese-speaking in-laws and friends have all been quite shocked (and honestly I'm shocked too). If you're looking for the best way to learn Mandarin, you really don't have to look any further!

Fantastic experience: Just finished my 2nd quarter studying with ExcelMandarin and it continues to exceed my expectations. I literally discovered ExcelMandarin through google maps reviews just like the one I’m now writing lol. So take it from me that EM is the real deal! Compared to all the other options out there to learn mandarin, many of which I tried unsuccessfully, I think the biggest differentiators are the teachers and the modern structured approach to learning. There are three live zoom classes per week in which you practice a new grammar structure and set of vocab through exercises with your classmates. The ability to practice is a structured way with the guidance and support of live teachers is game changing when learning a language. It also helps that the classes are small, only 3-4 students per teacher. The teachers are native Mandarin speakers with clear passions for teaching. Eco, Darren, Tim, and Eva especially are outstanding. They’re always so friendly and supportive, and you can really tell they enjoy what they’re doing, which truly makes the classes so much more enjoyable as a student. After two quarters I can pretty confidently understand and even converse with my mom and in-laws, all of whom are native speakers. Most importantly, these classes have given my the confidence and solid foundation to continue my mandarin speaking journey. ExcelMandarin has been truly worth the cost and time I’ve put into it. I would encourage anyone wanting to learn mandarin to give it a try!

Fantastic experience: Just finished Q2 with EM, and as always, it's been a great experience. The teachers do a great job explaining the nuances of Mandarin in an accessible way. Furthermore, the community is exceptional from a support and motivation perspective. Q2 provided the same standard of quality as Q1 - which I've come to expect with EM. Highly recommend this school!

Fantastic experience: Currently studying here and I just finished Q2 of their fluency series. I'm so happy to have better listening skills and be more comfortable starting conversations with Mandarin speakers. The class load is a bit heavy. Classes are three times per week and you typically have homework on the off days. But I was ready for immersion on this level. It's so worth it to initially learn mostly on your own and then practice/discuss questions with teachers and classmates. They are conducted fully on Zoom so you don't have to worry about commuting. The teachers are very patient and supportive and I always left class giggling or smiling. The main focus of the program is on speaking and listening skills so you don't need to panic about characters but you are more than welcome to use and learn them along with the course. I'm just starting to immerse myself in the broader Excel Mandarin community. This place is so much more than just classes!

Fantastic experience: I just finished my second quarter and looking forward to the 3rd! All I have to say is that ExcelMandarin has set the bar extremely high for other potential teachers that want to join the organization. Eco, Eva, Tim, and Darren are seriously second-to-none and are some of the most effective language teachers I’ve had in my experience learning other languages. Not only are they able to explain complex concepts in a clear and concise manner, but their ability to connect with students and create a comfortable learning environment is truly what sets EM apart from other language learning courses. I love the fact that they create a supportive atmosphere that encouraged students to ask questions, share their thoughts and participate in class discussions, which in turn made the learning environment engaging and stimulating.

Fantastic experience: I've just finished Q2 and am getting ready to start Q3 and can honestly say, after 17 years in a relationship with a native mandarin speaker and numerous other attempts at learning the language, this is the first time that I am able to actually converse with my husband and his family in mandarin, thanks to ExcelMandarin! The class teaches a good balance of vocab, sentence structures and complex grammar to give students the confidence to communicate effectively. Class sizes are small so every student has opportunity to speak in class and improve their language skills with the very patient teachers. It's somewhat of a time commitment, but the teachers are understanding of professional commitments and give many opportunities to make up homework or watch missed lectures. Overall an excellent experience with EM! Highly recommend to anyone wanting to jump into conversational mandarin within a quick timeline.

Fantastic experience: After completing the second series of lessons with ExcelMandarin, I would like to reiterate my complete satisfaction with the learning course. They are able to provide small group language lessons in a engaging manner that also emphasizes communication. I like the increased rigor of meeting 3 times a week but unlike in my previous college courses they lessons are not lectures and revolve around communicating at the right level to learn.

Fantastic experience: I joined Excel Mandarin (EM) courses because even though I grew up going to Chinese school, the language never really cemented for me. I didn't speak Mandarin at home growing up, but lately I've been wanting to communicate more with Mandarin speakers in my family and community. I've now taken Q1 and Q2 with EM, and I'm very impressed with my progress so far. In Q1, I learned a lot of new vocabulary and key sentence structures. In Q2, I learned more complex grammar and vocabulary that's been very practical for discussing everyday life. I am now able to express my opinions more and talk about food, hobbies, and travel, which is not only useful, but also fun to practice. EM classes are a fairly significant time commitment (class 3x per week + weekly homework), but definitely worth it. Their approach to teaching - focusing on speaking, lots of practice in class, tailored toward what would be most practical for most people - has enabled me to progress faster in learning the language than I would've been able to in other programs. On top of that, my teachers and classmates are funny and enjoyable to spend time with! I can't wait to continue to Q3.

Fantastic experience: I just finished my 2nd quarter studying here! It’s been great! The class sizes are small and class time is used mostly for practicing and reviewing concepts that we study in the homework. The emphasis on speaking in class has really allowed me to improve! I also appreciate how much the teachers care about our learning. They are always quick to answer any questions we post in our class slack. They also offer weekly office hours and occasionally help organize in-person meet-ups! If you are looking to improve your speaking and listening skills in a conversational setting, this is the best class I’ve taken!

Fantastic experience: Nothing but incredible things to say about Excel Mandarin. I have taken both Q1 and Q2 now and I have gone from knowing 0 chinese to being able to understand a conversation in just 6 months. The teachers and class materials are great - I really enjoy going to class and time flies by. Private lessons between quarters have already really helped me solidify grammar and pronunciation before moving ahead to the next level. Looking forward to taking Q3 and beyond!

Fantastic experience: Excel Mandarin took my mandarin skills to a whole new level! I studied mandarin in college for like 2 years but let it deteriorate and had to quit because of other classes. Eventually I found my way to EM and was extremely happy with the learning environment and how the classes work. My listening skills have improved and I was confident enough to go on a trip to Taiwan by myself. Although in practice is an entirely different ball park when compared to i class, EM definitely made it so I could communicate with native speakers. I had to stop at Q2 so it's not like I was fluent but I was able to get by. In the future, I definitely want to continue with the rest of the courses because they were very fun and the teachers were also extremely nice. On how the classes work, you have to at the bare MINIMUM just look over the notes before class so you will know what concept is going to be covered. There will be activities where you will use the day's topic in practice so doing the homework before hand will make the process more fun so you are not sitting there lost. Even if you kinda just blow off the day's HW, which is not recommended but life happens so whatever, it's not a huge deal; the teachers won't get mad at you or put you down. They go over the topic quickly before the activities start so doing the HW/ reading the notes beforehand will just show you how much practice is needed to actually understand the language and how very quickly brushing through the concepts will leave you feeling a little incomplete.

Fantastic experience: I recently finished ExcelMandarin Q2, and as usual, it's an incredibly useful and informative. In this quarter we learned about weather, holidays, activities, and the basics of expressing opinions. While the classes may seem a little long at 1h45min, they go by really quickly because you're spending the time engaged practicing speaking and listening. I definitely plan on pursuing Q3, but only after I spend some time learning to read and write. If they offered a course specifically for that to supplement their existing curriculum, I would take it up in a heartbeat!

Fantastic experience: Despite having many apps, textbooks, guides, and still struggling with basic conversations in Mandarin, then this is the right place to begin! EM has some of the most amazing teachers (native speakers) and one of the best syllabi I have encountered while learning Mandarin. You will be surprised to see how much progress you made after taking their classes. I highly recommend EM for anyone interested in learning Mandarin.

Fantastic experience: I have so many great things to say about Excel Mandarin. They make learning one of the most challenging languages so incredibly fun. Each class is very well structured with a grammar point or two to learn and then the two exercises for class are designed to work that grammar pattern and that week's vocab into your memory. Classes are pretty small which is great because you become comfortable with your classmates quickly which also makes class very fun. I'm also a huge fan that EM doesn't push you at an unreasonable pace and that they actually take time for review weeks. Every 3rd week of class is a review week to go back and work on what you learned the previous two weeks. This is also a great way to work what you have learned into your long term memory instead of learning something for a week, moving on, and then forgetting what you learned. I'm very much looking forward to starting Q3 and then continuing with their intermediate classes after Q3!

Fantastic experience: My time with ExcelMandarin has far exceeded my expectations! Looking back at the progress and what I have learned is so cool. While a bit nervous to start learning a language, Q1 was such a positive experience that I moved to Q2. Q2 was even more fun and I really started to feel comfortable. You can tell the course is thoughtfully designed and the teachers are the best. They are thoughtful, caring, and really invested. They make time to answer questions even outside of office hours. I'm excited to move to Q3 and feel lucky to have found EM.

Fantastic experience: I recently completed my second quarter of study with ExcelMandarin. I cannot recommend the program highly enough. EM is staffed with excellent, experienced teachers and the curriculum is innovative and well balanced. After only 20 weeks of study with EM, I am more confident in Mandarin than I was in Spanish was after several years of high school instruction. The difference is largely attributable to the teachers' patience and clarity of exposition, as well as the coursework's concentration on conversational exchange through gameplay. These two factors are often sorely lacking in language instruction. It is a brilliant program. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Learning Mandarin through ExcelMandarin has been a great experience! I've just completed Q2 now and I'm really impressed with how far my classmates and I have progressed. I think this is largely due to a well-paced curriculum and fantastic teachers. Everyone I've interacted with has been incredibly kind and supportive, and the fun environment EM immerses you in during class has made learning to speak much easier for me. If you're like me and want a straightforward path towards learning Mandarin, you can't go wrong here!

Fantastic experience: I completed Q2 and Q1 with ExcelMandarin and I been surprisingly impressed with how much I have been learning! I have enjoyed getting to know my fellow students and all the teachers have been great. I liked that the teachers stayed the same from Q1 to Q2, so they knew my learning strengths and weaknesses. As a busy working professional, ExcelMandarin is a time commitment, but the combination of digital learning tools and in class instruction/practical speaking make it possible to effectively learn Mandarin.

Fantastic experience: I’ve tried other programs, and I feel that Excel Mandarin is the best so far in that it focuses on speaking and listening, not on reading and writing characters. This has made such a difference in my progress. Although I love learning the characters, that part has always been a distraction for me. There is only so much time in my day, and for me to get to fluency, the speaking must come first. In the written material at EM, they do show the characters along with the pinyin, so the students can be familiar with the characters, but the primary focus is on communicating and speaking fluently. I started with the Q2 course and was impressed how immediately I was learning to form complex sentence and I could understand how to use the correct grammar to express subtle differences in Chinese speaking. Excel Mandarin program is so thorough, that they clarify questions that I didn’t realize that I had. I’m so happy that I am able to express ideas and opinions with confidence. When I first started I was a little nervous about the class being fast paced, but the teachers make the class very relaxed and enjoyable. There are multiple teachers in the class and they all cooperate to make sure everyone understands the material. The attention and care are amazing. I also love that they give us the material to study ahead of the class, so that when they are explaining new content in class, we have already studied it beforehand and are familiar with it. If we have questions, we can post them ahead of time and have those questions answered at the beginning of class. It is also very helpful to hear question from the other students being explained. Another wonderful thing is that, the deadline for handing in the homework is midnight the day before class. They have this rule so that they have time to give us feedback before class, but it also has another benefit for me. Since I am a procrastinator, as many of us are, I appreciate that it forces me to study every day, not just the day of my class. So we have class every other day and the homework is completed every other day. Also, there are so many free Chinese language resources that they give to us and encourage us to use every day. And they have extra things to do outside of class, like office hours for extra help, and fun activities available like Chinese movie night or game night with other students. Everyone is very friendly, helpful, and encouraging. You cannot take this course without seeing amazing results. If you really want to speak Chinese, I recommend getting serious and enrolling in Excel Mandarin. You won’t regret it. My only regret is that I didn’t find this program sooner.

Fantastic experience: I recently completed the second quarter of ExcelMandarin. As with the first quarter, it was an outstanding experience. I saw several of the same classmates and mostly the same instructors, so the class started with a high baseline of community feeling and only grew from there. It was fun to learn some more complicated grammar structures and to practice them in useful contexts like dining out or health and fitness habits. The curriculum includes a lot of thoughtfully designed in-class games that are fun and super engaging and do a great job of cementing the concepts from the preceding homework assignment and the lecture. The homework is also engaging and well presented, and is open ended in a way that gives you space to really stretch yourself if you have the time and inclination. Grading is fast, personally tailored and very helpful. It's easy to get invested in the recurring characters. ExcelMandarin is an organization run by people who are clearly committed to cutting edge instructional design and continuous self evaluation. It is an intense experience well worth the monetary and time resource investment for the motivated adult student.

Fantastic experience: I had the pleasure to attend EM for their Q2 quarter. I had studied a little bit of Chinese beforehand, though because it had been a long time since I practiced it, originally I was planning to start from Q1. However, when I noticed that the homework was not as challenging, I asked if I could be placed in Q2 instead. Darren and EM were extremely accommodating, and being in Q2 ended up being the right fit for me. I had a great time learning Chinese with EM. The structure and cadence of the class allowed me to be more comfortable with thinking in Chinese more innately and communicating much more effectively. I find the teachers extremely helpful and patient, and the class activities very fun. My classmates were great as well. Even as the class was conducted via an online platform, EM was a great experience. I would recommend EM to potential students that are interested in learning how to better communicate and function in Mandarin in everyday life.

Fantastic experience: Learning Mandarin Chinese is hard. Most of us need help. Excel Mandarin is a great place to get it. Let me put it in perspective. According to the U.S. State Department, most students need about 500 hours of instruction to become proficient in French – but they need about *2,400 hours* to reach the same level of proficiency in Mandarin. Even though there are no magical shortcuts, Excel provides classes and activities that make learning Mandarin as efficient and enjoyable as possible. I just finished Excel’s 10-week Q2 session and it was time well spent. The instructors start each class by explaining one or two grammar points. Then, games and unstructured conversations let students practice the grammar points and new vocabulary. Outside of class, instructors are available 24/7 to answer questions via Excel’s Slack channel. They are prompt and patient. Homework assignments give students more practice, with helpful feedback from the instructors. Included with Excel enrollment are subscriptions to two other helpful sites: Du Chinese provides graded reading, listening, and speaking practice, while Hack Chinese provides flash card lists that correspond to Excel’s lessons. Mandarin Chinese is the most widely-spoken language in the world, followed by Spanish and English. It’s important. If you can learn some of it, you should. And you won’t find a better online program than Excel Mandarin.

Fantastic experience: I've always wanted to learn a 2nd language and ExcelMandarin is making that a reality. I recently had lunch with a friend of mine and was actually able to have a conversation entirely in Chinese! The teachers are absolutely wonderful and really care about the success of the students. I can't recommend the program enough.

Fantastic experience: Great teaching staff, curriculum, and student/staff community! I have taken Q1 and Q2 and felt myself improve immensely. Q1 is great because you get the necessary building blocks and they guide you through how to start learning this complex language. It can seem overwhelming at first, but they are very patient and I feel they genuinely want to see you succeed. Additionally, I like how the curriculum isn't a text book - they developed their own which is much more interesting than a boring, standard college rigid text book. They also incorporate different kinds of media: some of it is reading, some of it is watching videos, etc. Their homework activities are a good spread of listening exercises as well as translation both of which help you prepare for class. The in-class Zoom activities are very creative as well and get you to apply your homework skills live with other classmates. I was most nervous at first about conversing live in another language because I had little experience in that, but these activities are fun and get you to broaden your comfort zone. Also the student to teacher ratio is great. I felt I got adequate attention. It is also cool that sometimes we do things as a group, sometimes we do things in break out rooms, sometimes it's just one on one with another classmate - the variety is nice and you feel that classes go by really fast. Q2 is great because by that point you feel more comfortable speaking much more Chinese in class and not relying on English as much. You'll be surprised by how quickly you master Q1 concepts that were hard back then. Now in Q2, you can start taking on more complex sentences and thoughts. I am looking forward to Q3 eventually. In general too ExcelMandarin does a good job at building a community which you can utilize or not depending on your bandwidth. It's at least available to you. For instance they do game nights, movie nights, weekly newsletters with useful information, Office Hours, etc. It all adds to the effect that there's a bunch of us who all want to work together to learn this language, keep each other to high quality standards, and have fun while we're at it. Lastly, shout out to some of my teachers: Darren, Ella, Eco, Alina, Tim for being both patient and enthusiastic towards my success. Much appreciated!

Fantastic experience: My time learning with ExcelMandarin has been awesome. The classes are always fun and engaging and the community is very welcoming. The support I get from my teachers has contributed so much to my learning and it's been one of my favorite things about ExcelMandarin and is something that I think sets it apart from other language learning schools. The course curriculum is mostly centered around learning speaking/listening and using pinyin, so that is something to consider before starting with ExcelMandarin. With that said, they still provide you with different tools/platforms for you to learn reading/writing in Chinese if you want to pursue that as well. If you are a first time Chinese learner then this is definitely the place to start! I also highly recommend the community events! Many current/former students are still active within the community so you'll always get to share/learn with other students from a range of proficiency levels.

Fantastic experience: I am so thankful for Excel Mandarin! I've completed two of three quarters so far, and have learned more than I ever thought I could. I've tried multiple times over the last 5 or so years to learn mandarin on my own, but it never stuck, and felt like too big of a challenge. But with the way vocabulary, grammar structures, etc are broken down in our resources, and the way they are taught by the knowledgeable, helpful, and enthusiastic teachers makes learning Mandarin feel doable. It is definitely still a challenge, but learning through Excel Mandarin has me feeling energized and confident that I can do it! I'm already able to have simple conversations with my grandmother in Mandarin, and that has been so special I really don't know how to articulate it. If you are looking for kind teachers who care about your success, well though out and helpful resources, and a learning pace that pushes you without being too much, check out Excel Mandarin!

Fantastic experience: This is a serious Mandarin class staffed by really passionate and thoughtful teachers who use the latest technology and pedagogical techniques. The school is affordable and designed in a way to be friendly to people with fulltime jobs (like myself). The school also fosters a really supportive community of passionate language learners, and accommodates all styles of learning. If you're at all interested in learning Mandarin, you should consider giving this school a try!

Fantastic experience: The best way to learn Chinese!! When I first began looking for Mandarin learning courses, I was purely doing it to win the appeal of my boyfriend's Chinese-Canadian family. Upon finding ExcelMandarin, I had no idea what to expect, and I definitely did not expect to have these classes be some of the best highlights of each week! These guys aren't messing around, I honestly can't thank them enough for all I've learned so far! Everything is so so wonderfully planned out for each semester according to everyone's levels, not to mention the teachers really do foster an amazing sense of community with everyone in class. I never feel like any question I ask is a dumb question -- everything is answered timely and with so much attention/care. I couldn't have asked for a better way to learn my fourth language. Honestly, I wish I had found them sooner! My boyfriend's family is so impressed with my progress already, and I also can't believe how fast I've been learning. It's all thanks to this wonderful EM family.

Fantastic experience: Enrolling in Excel Mandarin has been such a good choice for me! Going into the first quarter I was wary of adding a high-pressure learning experience to my (already busy) day. But the school's approach could not be further from that: the exercises are carefully designed, the instructors lean into the fun of learning and making mistakes, and my cohort of classmates have made it feel like I’m part of a team. I just wrapped up the second quarter, where we added new grammar structures and useful sets of vocabulary (e.g., weather, travel, food, etc.). The school paid for a subscription to a flash card app called Hack Chinese and it is easily the best one I have tried yet! I appreciate the way the Excel Mandarin continually enhances its curriculum—whether it’s new tech, different course structure, or just being responsive to student feedback. If you are looking for a way to open the door to Mandarin, this course is a great place to start!

Fantastic experience: Just finished the Q2 course and it was just as great as Q1. Things I loved about this quarter: - Teachers continued to challenge us but in a warm/encouraging manner. - The in class games/conversation practice were really fun and engaging. - We built on top of the fundamentals from Q1 and were able to start debating and expressing our opinions. I noticed I was able to understand and participate in a lot more conversations with native speakers.

Fantastic experience: Q2 with ExcelMandarin was an excellent experience. The team continuously works to improve the curriculum and the effort really shows. Although the grammar concepts were more challenging, and some simplified characters were included in course materials, the pace of the course was designed so that none of it became entirely overwhelming. EM's community and staff are extremely supportive, and the learning environment is entirely positive. There is a built-in understanding that people are going to get busier at different points throughout the quarter, which helps to keep the motivation going when the class schedule doesn't align with other responsibilities. Looking forward to Q3!

Fantastic experience: I was sold on the innovative approach that gives you the feel and advantage of immersive without taking all of your time, and EM has delivered. EM has a unique combination of great student teacher ratio and interesting/challenging homework. If you like a challenge, can commit the 1.5h per day, and your goal is rapid Mandarin proficiency, EM is the best/only way as far as I can tell.

Fantastic experience: Consider yourself lucky if you are reading these reviews because you have just found the greatest language learning experience out there. Prior to the course, I had never attempted to learn a foreign language outside of a traditional classroom setting and especially had never tried to learn Mandarin. I decided to enroll in ExcelMandarin on a whim with little background knowledge about the program and I am glad I did. After 2 quarters of ExcelMandarin, I am able to hold basic conversations about a variety of topics, listen to Mandarin audio and even read books with Chinese characters! I am truly baffled by the amount of progress that has been made in such a short amount of time. What makes this program a success is the meticulous effort that has gone into creating and updating it. There is the perfect amount of speaking, listening and writing practice to keep you making tremendous progress every week. The teachers truly care about your progress and make every class fun and exciting. This class will be a lot of work and you will probably feel overwhelmed at times. But if you stick with it, I can guarantee you will truly be shocked by the progress you made in such a short period of time.

Fantastic experience: ExcelMandarin is an amazing school to learn Mandarin. What really stood out to me was the structure of the Q1 course and all of the fantastic teachers. Just like anything else, you get out of it what you put in. As long as you can make that commitment, you can quickly pick up the building blocks to get you on your way to holding conversations in Mandarin. The Excel Mandarin way of learning was different from other foreign language courses I've taken before in high school and college, in a good way. You can tell they've put in the effort to building a way to learn Mandarin remotely, that can be worked into your everyday life. However, the teachers are where you get the greatest learning value. They're passionate about YOU. They do everything they can to help you learn, adjust to your needs, be as available as possible, care about you as a student AND care about you as a person. They build a community from day one, not just a transactional class. Did I mention the many Mandarin learning resources you get access to? All accessible from your computer or phone? You can quite literally keep learning and practicing from anywhere you are. I fully intend on continuing my learning with them in their Q2 course.

Fantastic experience: I just started my second quarter with Excel Mandarin and have learned so much. Chinese is hard, and I’d studied about 6 months before starting with Excel Mandarin, but couldn’t make myself understood to my Chinese students. Now, after 3 months we can share short conversations and I can understand what they are talking about with their friends. As a teacher I really appreciate the work that goes into all of the lessons, individualized feedback on tones during class and in the homework. The class is challenging and I can feel my brain stretching, but it is worth it.. Just the translation and Chinese language resources they provide are priceless. 谢谢 Excel 中文老师！

Fantastic experience: I just finished Q1 at Excel Mandarin, and all I can say is Excel Mandarin is an amazing school. Teachers are so inspiring and caring. They are passionate about teaching and they care about your learning progress. I love how they encourage me to use what I’ve learned as much as possible. Great pacing and use of class time. They’re also available outside of class to answer any questions I may have. Excel Mandarin uses a unique approach to learning Mandarin and made it enjoyable to attend every class section. All the content I’ve learned was useful. With the conversation-based teaching method, after I finished Q1, my friend was impressed because I was able to hold a conversation with her in Chinese. Overall, I'm glad that I found Excel Mandarin - a community where people are serious about teaching and learning Mandarin.

Fantastic experience: My experience with Excel Mandarin has been very positive. I entered with no skill in Mandarin and 7 weeks of classes later I have a decent, if simplistic, vocabulary, a working understanding of pinyin, and can communicate in relatively simple sentences. The program focuses on speaking and listening and using natural language patterns which is very practical. I'm not interested in an academic study of the language--I just want to be able to be conversational, to order off the Chinese menu at a restaurant, and travel in China. If you have similar goals, I highly recommend this program. I've already enrolled in the 2nd quarter. Teachers are caring and patient. Homework can be a little taxing, but there's no grades--they'll provide corrections/suggestions only. Note: If you're intimidated by Chinese characters, this is a great program for you b/c they eschew the characters in the first quarter and we're told learning the characters is optional for the remaining quarters.

Fantastic experience: I just finished up my first quarter and I'm super impressed. I learned way more than I thought I would in just 7 short weeks. The homework is a little heavy in the beginning but they warn you ahead of time so you can plan accordingly. Taking the classes online has been super easy, and honestly has made it possible for us to join. I wouldn't have been able to make in-person classes work with my schedule. The teachers are warm and kind, knowledgeable, always available for questions, and I've felt truly supported. I'll be continuing on with the next quarter in the spring and can't wait to keep learning.

Fantastic experience: I have completed one quarter with ExcelMandarin. I had no Mandarin language experience at all. I wanted a challenge, and I wanted that challenge to broaden me out as a person. The SF Bay Area is a great venue for utilizing Mandarin. I am enthralled with ExcelMandarin. I’m almost 69 years of age so I knew I represented my own biggest barrier...a lifetime without exposure. What helped me? The staff is quintessential. From the founder to each instructor I feel the same dynamic: support, encouragement, and the path toward competence. They live up to their mission. I’m continuing my studies, and I am even more interested in the culture behind this amazing language. I highly recommend ExcelMandarin.

Fantastic experience: After countless attempts at learning another language through classes at school/college & self study, I decided to bite the bullet and look into a more tailored approach in learning Mandarin. During my research, I came across Excel Mandarin. Excel Mandarin ticked all of the boxes I was looking for; small class sizes, learning Mandarin from the absolute beginning, and in person classes (this was pre-COVID19). After reading the reviews on their website and meeting with Evan, I took the plunge and signed up. Then the pandemic happened. As one of the requirements I had was wanting in person classes, I was very skeptical about the online class format. However these fears were quickly quashed as Evan and the ExcelMandarin staff have carefully curated an exceptional online class experience, one that is fun and hands on for all students and still allows for dedicated time between students and teachers. Not only has the online class format exceeded my expectations, but ExcelMandarin as a whole has exceeded my expectations. I started off with zero mandarin knowledge and within weeks I was able to understand and construct multiple sentences. The ExcelMandarin staff are very patient and are always on hand to answer any questions you have (even out of class), help with tones and provide you with meaningful feedback. It is clearly evident in all classes, how much they truly care about your development (just meeting with Evan will show you this). The curriculum is thoughtfully constructed and great for complete beginners, or people who are wanting to get back into Mandarin. ExcelMandarin has also been great at listening to feedback of students and working to always continuously improve upon the learning experience. I have read other reviews for ExcelMandarin and wholeheartedly agree with them. These classes definitely aren't for the faint hearted. But if you are serious about learning Mandarin, you won't regret joining the ExcelMandarin family.

Fantastic experience: If you’re looking for an intensive, fast-paced, and engaging Mandarin course, this is the one for you. Some background: I had planned to take the first quarter of ExcelMandarin’s (EM) “Fluency” series in March 2020. But then the pandemic happened, so EM shifted their business model to Zoom classes. I was part of the first online cohort and I’m not gonna lie — I was pretty skeptical at first. Like most second-language learners, I’d only taken in-person classes for other languages, and assumed it’d be too difficult to replicate the same level of interaction here. But the online model came with 2 major benefits: 1) zero commute; 2) with Zoom’s breakout rooms, it’s much easier to engage with other students/teachers whereas you deal with cross-interference in a physical classroom. We often break into 1:1 (student/student) or 4:1 (students/teacher) small groups so minimizing cross-interference is so important. The teachers are fantastic. Our main teacher is Evan (EM’s founder), and he brings an unbelievable amount of energy to each session. His co-teachers are so lovely and bring a breadth of experiences — we have second-language learner teachers (helpful for working through pain points that English speakers face) as well as native speakers from Taiwan and China (helpful for hearing natives speak and for their insight on more esoteric words/phrases). My classmates are awesome. Even though we all have different learning objectives and experiences with Mandarin, everyone’s really friendly, empathetic, and passionate. I’m so thankful to have such a supportive community at EM. In addition to Zoom, we use Canvas for our syllabus and assignments, Google Slides for lecture slides, Slack for communication between classes, and online language resources like DuChinese, Pleco, and Quizlet/Anki. I bring this up to emphasize that the EM experience isn’t just Zoom classes — it’s truly a multi-faceted one that extends beyond the class itself, and relies on several tools to develop your comprehension, speaking, and writing skills in a holistic way. One note about the structure of the “Fluency” series. In the first quarter, students only learn pinyin and don’t learn characters until the second quarter. This wasn’t an issue for me, but something to keep in mind for students who want to learn characters right away. Also, this series focuses primarily on simplified characters. While some resources are provided to learn traditional characters, teachers use and communicate with simplified ones only. I literally did not know how to read a single character or say anything more than “hello,” “thank you,” and “I love you” in Mandarin before taking this class. Now, I’m currently in my second quarter of the “Fluency” series, and while I still have a long road to actual fluency, I can read, write, understand, and communicate in Mandarin in a way that I never could’ve imagined prior to taking these classes. Don’t let the online component deter you from learning something new this year. If you’re looking to dip your toe into Mandarin classes, you can’t go wrong with ExcelMandarin.

Fantastic experience: Definitely been having an awesome experience here at ExcelMandarin. It’s a pretty small school so most classes just feel like you’re talking to friends. There’s definitely a big focus on the spoken language in the first two quarters which I’ve been enjoying. Unlike most people, my interest in Chinese was pure intellectual curiosity. I was also intrigued by Evan’s claim that he can get you fluent in 6 months. I have to say that I’m pretty impressed by my progress with the caveat that is a BIG commitment - definitely not a decision I’d take lightly, you can’t really “dabble in the language on the side” at this school. If you’ve made up your mind though, I doubt you can find a better school - if you do, for any language, please reach out to me @ shashank2khanna- at - gmail

Fantastic experience: What an AMAZING experience! I decided to commit to learning Mandarin because my spouse is from Taiwan and I have always said I wanted to learn. After a recent trip to Taiwan for Lunar New Year, I was introduced to lot of family that could not speak English. I told myself that would commit to learning this year. I did a lot of research and reached out to Evan at ExcelMandarin to schedule a class observation. Also, I should note I’ve taken several years of college level Spanish, and a year of German as well as 6 years of Latin while in Secondary school. This has by far been the best learning experience so far! After the observation, I was hooked! I enrolled in the Spring 2020 Level 1 Fluency course. Due to COVID-19, the classes were transitioned online to Zoom. I was skeptical at first, but the class was even better in a virtual space because it allowed for better break out room conversations and more individualized learning. I am now completing Level 2 and have been all in this semester. It’s incredible how much I’ve learned. I am already translating simple paragraphs as well as having simple conversations about important daily activities. My spouses parents are amazed at how we they can understand me and agree that the progress is incredible. Besides having an amazing team of instructors, the other students are great too and probably 90% of the students from Level 1 continued to Level 2. We have created friendships and connections that go beyond the class. If you are looking for an amazing learning experience, look no further, ExcelMandarin is where it’s at!

Fantastic experience: After a fair amount of independent study, I reached a place that many language learners do. I found myself bumping up against the limits of what I’d be able to accomplish on my own and I began searching for some sort of structure to facilitate deeper learning. There are a lot of options out there and you certainly won’t find a shortage of college courses, tutors, and apps that claim to help you build a fundamental understanding of a language. I spent a lot of time researching my options but I knew I had found the right path for me after previewing a few classes offered by ExcelMandarin. Fast forward about six months and I have nothing but good things to say about my experience! Unlike many courses that prioritize memorization drills and worksheets, ExcelMandarin focuses on helping develop the toolset you’ll need for the lifelong journey that is learning a language. I’ve never felt more engaged, excited, and supported in any education environment I’ve been in previously. The fact that I’ve been able to remain as passionate as I have while maintaining the speed of this intensive course is a true testament to the thought and care that is put into every element of the experience. In addition to that, I can’t speak highly enough about the instructors and classmates that I’ve had the pleasure of sharing this experience with. I was pleasantly surprised by the friendships and community that have organically grown from my time in this course. In a world of video calls, the people I share my evenings with make all the difference in the world.

Fantastic experience: Learning through ExcelMandarin has been amazing to say the least. This is, by far, the best language learning experience I’ve ever had. The teachers are passionate, enthusiastic and genuinely care about the students and their progress. It’s an accelerated, immersive and challenging course that has brought me unbelievably quickly to a point of understanding and speaking Mandarin, and I’ve only gotten as far as a term and a half. I highly recommend enrolling to anyone who is even the slightest bit interested in language. 我真爱中文！

Fantastic experience: I'm so happy I found Excel Mandarin! I tried learning Mandarin on my own for years and was never able to progress very far. I went searching for schools and settled on Excel Mandarin because they focus on getting you comfortable speaking as quick as possible. This was evident immediately as most of our class time is spent speaking and we get to meet three times a week, so no long layoffs between classes! The teachers are great and the class format is engaging, fun, and practical. I'm now on my second quarter and couldn't be happier with my progress!

Fantastic experience: I cannot say enough about good things about my experience with ExcelMandarin. Evan and his team are exceptional teachers and the curriculum they have set up far surpasses any of my previous experiences learning Chinese in more formal, "academic" institutions. The course is brilliantly constructed. The information prioritizes the necessary foundation of speaking and listening, while introducing characters once that baseline is established. I am not a natural language learner, but I've found the classes and homework allow me to strengthen my skills in a way that not only works, but feels incredibly natural. The only thing better than the course itself are the individuals who run it. Evan hosts a fun and engaging class, quickly defying any of my fears about online learning. We get the opportunity to work individually, in pairs, and in small groups, utilizing a wide array of tools and methods to ensure learning is possible for everyone. Every teacher is kind, professional, and encouraging. They all genuinely care about each student's progress and go out of their way to provide additional resources and help for those that want it. I am blown away by my time with ExcelMandarin, making it one of the best educational experiences I have ever had. I'm always looking forward to the next class, the next week, and the next quarter. This truly has been worth every penny and minute I've spent with the EM team! Thank you to all of the incredible staff there that has made such a challenging language accessible and fun to learn for all of us!