20 Best Summer Programs In Birmingham, AL (2022 Updated)

The best University in Alabama by far! Quality education in every area of the University. Great people and great events. If you are an alum and you are not participating in homecoming, shame on you. I've taken my kids to HC the last 2 years and they love it. You have to hit at least 1 football game a year with your kids, and bring your cardboard! If you don't know what I'm talking about, just trust me. It's a must! Go Dawgs!!!David Lovering

Samford is such a wonderful place to come and visit for admissions. The staff is extremely friendly, gregarious, and professional. The campus is extraordinary with unparalleled class sizes and unique degree opportunities. It was such an amazing tour and information session even with the difficulties of the pandemic. Definitely don't overlook Samford. You won't regret it!Sam Martin

One of the officers on campus was very polite, informative and helpful when I came to visit. The layout and grounds looked well taken care of. The signs on campus where easy to read and navigate around. I will recommend anyone to come experience Samford for them selves. Thanks Thomas!😊Hollie Davison

Where do I even begin? This was an OK school to attend and I DO mean OK. The dean was WONDERFUL and became a good friend while I was there. My advisor was amazing and I had some absolutely tops professors. The campus is small and self contained but gorgeous nonetheless. Campus police are all really good guys and there are just really good people here from the friendly caf ladies to admin. THAT SAID, there are a LOT of negatives and I do mean a LOT. The whole campus manages to be uphill in some form or fashion which is really difficult if you end up injured or disabled. There are a lot of professors with really strict attendance policies so you better have your mental and physical health in order or you're going to have a hard time. A lot of people here act like they're Ivy League so the workload is absolutely insane. God rest your soul if you're a music major. The most difficult part of my experience here was the extremely limited accessibility as a disabled individual, most notably the soulless provost. When I had to take part of a semester off due to a medical emergency, my credits weren't applied properly forcing me to take an extra semester to make up for it. We as students were never notified when elevators were out or being maintenanced and I ended up missing classes because I couldn't use the stairs. The professors with the strictest attendance policies only cared that I wasn't in class, not why. While I was there, the college couldn't keep a president longer than two years at a time so it wasn't like we the student body saw any point in getting to know the president. When Krulak was in charge, he knew us all by name and our personal issues. He made sure I never had any accessibility issues. But as soon as he was gone, it was like a totally different school. The semester I was in a wheelchair was a soul crushing hell in and of itself. This also isn't a place you want to go if you're queer. I fought one professor for a whole semester to call me by my name instead of what was on the roster. This led to a LOT of students using the wrong name which led to unspeakable dysphoria. It was a war just to get people to use that name so I just stopped trying when it came to pronouns. The best departments for fellow trans students are anything arts related like English, Studio Art, and theater. I changed my major because the science department was so transphobic. While the theater department is the best for this, it has its own issues. Then, there's the neighborhood. There's a drinking game we like to play called "gunshots or fireworks" if that gives you any idea. It's really close to Eastlake where even cops won't go. My husband was working on a roof in the area and found sniper bullets. The ER five minutes away sees a lot of stabbings and gun wounds but you should be fine if you're white. Just everyone will tell you not to turn right off campus. It's silly because the people there know who's a college kid and they aren't going to mess with any because they don't want that kind of trouble. You're safe on campus but don't park by the sorority houses unless you're cool with your car being broken into. It's a recurring problem. This is probably not a place I'm going to send my kids for a lot of reasons. I did enjoy the classes themselves and frat row knows how to party. The professors were stellar and the campus was gorgeous but none of that totally cancels out all the negative. So as long as you're straight, cisgender, white, mentally healthy, and able bodied you'll be fine!smjaygal

Of course I love it…I am the President of the College. I have read some of the critical comments and question how long ago they were written. BSC is a remarkable college…extremely strong academically, very student oriented, guarantees an internship for each student and, beginning in the junior year, a mentor if desired. We not only focus on developing young men and women mentally, we also focus on leadership and character development. The campus is beautiful, the faculty and staff dedicated to providing the best education and environment possible for the students, and the sense of "family" is ever present. Extracurricular activities are remarkable…great sports, arts, theater, etc. The college sits on a hilltop outside of Birmingham so you get a wonderful campus that is close to a vibrant city. I have just completed my sophomore year as President and am very happy with the direction of the college and the remarkable students who attend…they are the very best thing about BSC. If you are looking for a superb education, the ability to get the job you want upon graduation (or the grad school you want), and a place to make lifelong friends, look no further.Charles Krulak

Our son is in his sophomore year at BSC, and loving every minute. He has been fully engaged by his professors, and has made some meaningful friendships. He started taking Chinese and is thriving. He's in a fraternity and is now on the InterFraternity Council. There are some wonderful campus ministries where he is being fed spiritually. There have been concerns voiced about campus safety: he has never felt unsafe, and trusts the campus security office and the fact that the campus is secured all the way around its perimeter. It truly is an oasis of learning and relationships for our son, and we are very grateful! It should also be noted that the college recently announced the drastic reduction of tuition for students! This is great news and will hopefully have a ripple effect across many colleges.Matthew Sullivan

Up until the World Games I had not been in this stadium. Lucky enough to acquire medal round tickets for Women's softball I finally had the opportunity to enter this facility. It is nicely kept and several places to get food and drinks. I was pleasantly surprised to see beer being sold here. The seats were great and the sky from the sunset was an excellent backdrop as the game began. It was Team USA versus Japan for the gold medal. It was a close game with the umpires making it interesting with a few questionable calls but Tesm USA prevailed 3 – 2 avenging their loss to Japan in the 2020 Olympics. The Hoover police did a terrific job managing traffic and providing escort for the athlete's to and from the stadium. If I get the opportunity to attend another sporting event here I will definitely go back.Bob Gibson

Great establishment for events! Attended a marching band festival and had a great time. Plenty of parking all around building so you do not have to walk far. Concessions available on each end of the stadium with numerous bathrooms. Also enjoyed the fact that the stadium is situated in a way that keeps the spectators in the shade for the majority of the day.Patrick Wallace

Great experience. Hoover does a super job hosting the SEC Baseball Tournament. The Stadium is well suited for college baseball and has great parking facilities which happen to be free (at least for the SEC Tourney). Lots of places to get food and drink. Friendly staffers.Donald Yates

We had a great time at McWane today. We came at 10:30, and left for lunch and an orthodontist appt. Then, we came back. We were able to explore all 4 floors before our 2 hour ride back home. My kids were so happy I took them. The staff was great, it wasn't too crowded at 11ish, and by 2:30, it wasn't crowded at all. Visited on
Weekday

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
Not sure

Price for adult entry
$16–20J Hall

Informative and fun. Not two words that you use together often. Aquarium in the Basement and three floors on top full of kid friendly activities. It was well worth the drive from Huntsville. One adult and two kids plus parking was around $56. This is great place for kids of all ages. Visited on
Weekend

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
Yes

Price for adult entry
$16–20Paul Young

I can’t remember the last time I’d visited this place. It was busy and bustling on a early Saturday afternoon. The staff was cordial and friendly while accommodating customers. The exhibits were pretty cool and informative. Great place to spend an afternoon with the family. The Legos exhibit was my favorite! I love how they incorporated local talent exhibits. Awesome job!DL Gelpin

We really enjoyed our trip. There was plenty to see, the benches were nice swings, a big variety of plants looked healthy and taken care of. It is right next to a busy road, so some parts can be fairly noisy. But overall it's a very enjoyable experience. They have a couple of different public bathrooms and some vending machines for quick drinks. Plenty of shady areas to enjoy the scenery. We didn't try the cafe, but there is one there that serves lunch. There's no entrance fee, but they do ask for donations. It's also mostly wheelchair accessible everywhere. Even the gravel paths aren't too bad.Dave Jackman

Such a wonderful place to come and enjoy a beautiful Birmingham day. It’s always peaceful and nice here in pretty much any season. I love the Japanese section of the gardens and the boardwalk through the bamboo is very well done. Also don’t miss the moon tree next to the rose garden near the entrance. I feel like every time we come we discover a new section of the gardens. I highly recommend.Kelly Finnegan

WOW, WOW, WOW! I never knew there were FREE botanical gardens until I stumbled upon this place! I only had an hour to spend here, so I went to the Japanese garden and the conservatory and they were both beautiful. I am so glad I stopped here because it is so stunning and free (even free to park). I would 100% recommend this place for a fun trip or a date. I hope to come back soon. 🙂Victoria O'Tool

We hiked 12 miles on a Saturday. The old mines and history were really cool. The trails need to be marked better than they are. Pretty good view of birmingham. Cool historical place. We hiked here again completing all the trails at red mountain. This is a great place to hike. Go down to the bars at mine 13 and feel the cold air blasting from below. We did the most difficult trail number 5 which was pretty easy overall. Great hike.Jeremy Brown

Lots of long trails to walk on and they’re spacious trails too! There’s always some interesting sights to see like an outdoor woods playground, zipline, historic mine, and art! Saw lots of families and dogs (very dog friendly and there’s a dog trail). It’s easy access from the parking lot to the trails (enter from across the street to the box visitors center). Will be visiting again and seeing how it looks in green!Katlynn Nguyen

This place is amazing! So much so that I stayed for four hours! I love going on Nature walks or hikes on weekends and Red Mountain will be a regular one from now on. I walked up to Grace’s Gap for a good total of a six mile hike! Should’ve taken more pics and I’m so excited to visit throughout the year in all the seasons!!Danette Darling

There is a section of the trail that is very difficult. Overall the trail is well maintained with trail markers that are visible. There is a nature conservatory that is really cool. Plus a beautiful view of birmingham when you reach the quarry. We hiked about 7 miles. It is a pretty tough trail compared to red mountain and noccalula Park. Overall nice place to hike. They have updated the signage on the trails to. Visited on
Weekend

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
No

Price for adult entry
FreeJeremy Brown

Beautiful area to hike! Trails are very well maintained and marked very well. For those that may need them, there are benches along the trail to take a break on and signs advising which trail you're on. The quarry provide some outstanding views also. A great way to spend a day! 5.00 per day parking, payable on line from parking area. Visited on
Weekday

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
No

Price for adult entry
$1–5Billy Ritch

Be sure to pay for parking via Park Mobile app. Keep your pets leashed for their safety and other visitors!! Sam loves the trails.🐕‍ Restrooms: The restrooms were spotless!! Dog-friendliness: Your pet will love the trails! Don't forget the leash! Visited on
Weekday

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
No

Price for adult entry
FreeChekiyah Hollins

No church is perfect. Never have your eyes on a pastor or teacher or you’ll never stay anywhere and people will fail you. Your focus has to be on Christ and His word. Every church is flawed the second you or me set foot in it. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. The church can be a tad liturgical and the hymns are great but there would be nothing worldly about mixing in some music that is rich with the word of the Lord and contemporary. The preaching and teaching leans toward a Calvinistic view but is sound. If you look around on any given Sunday there is a need for more diversity but I think a lot of it is the area surrounding the church. The men (and women) serve well at briarwood. BCS is mission oriented. I’m thankful for the ministry of briarwood!Jenny Hope Marlow

Myself, my daughter, and my dear friend Janet attended a ladies dinner and a tour of Caroline house on the Briarwood church campus. We were Janet's guest, it was What child is this. How much Jesus loves us all. A very uplifting speaker and a lovely dinner for the ladies of this community to fellowship and relax from all the many job that the Ladies in your lives do day to day for their families and friends and community they love.Karen McDaniel

This is one of the most beautiful and big church buildings I have seen in a long time. I went there to their bookstore after evacuating to Birmingham, AL from hurricane Ian. Found it on Google. The bookstore is very nice and has a lot to offer. Go visit, if you are there. Everyone is so nice. If I ever get back to the area, will go back for sure.Linda Edwards

My husband and I have been very pleased with the quality of the well-rounded education our son is receiving at ISS. The school is run very efficiently and effectively and the students are afforded opportunities not offered to other students. The staff truly seems to care about him and he feels it. He would never have the relationships and interactions with teachers in other schools. He loves ISS and being part of the community. We are proud of him and are so pleased he is part of such a wonderful school experience.Dr R Jackson

(Translated by Google) I came because of john green's comment, that the culver creek of "Who are you alaska" is similar to this high school (which john green himself studied) (Original) Vim por causa do comentario do john green, que, a culver creek de "Quem é você Alasca" é parecido com esse colégio (que o próprio john green estudou)Henrique Souza

We are finishing up construction of the new classrooms which are beautiful like the campus and energy efficient. you have much freedom at this school. This is definitely the place to go for lifelong friends and a quality education.Jackie Ferrari

This church has really helped my friends, my tenants for which I am landlord, and myself out with rent and prescriptions. They also have a food box from 10-4 where there has been many nights that I got food from them,it's very much appreciated and this church is a real Christian Church.Bobby Jones

My great friend Jeff McClelland is the organist here. They have truly a world class choir and music program. I have attended their services from time to time, and I have never had anything but a beautiful experiencePat Cates

Oh wow, big beautiful, majestic building and the people are so welcoming. So professional, some chuches could take some pointers. It's not the size, but the people that make an organization function. Thumbs up!!!!!Cassandra Bell

We had such a fun day. At the gate you can purchase tickets for the train ride, carasel and general admission. You can purchase tickets to feed the giraffes, as of Sept 24, 2022 it was $4 per person, kids under 2 is free. The zoo employee was sweet in handing us lettuce to give to the giraffes and take pictures for us. We loved seeing the primates and the elephants. There are loads of animals to see such as zebras, ostrich, red pandas, sand cat, lion, jaguar, and so on. They are adding some new exhibits very soon. If you do the train make sure to check the times for when it departs, we made a mistake of not checking and ended up not being able to get onto the train by the time we left the zoo. If you need strollers or wheelchairs you can rent those, the kiosk is on the outside of the gift shop. They don't hand out maps, there is a QR code you can scan to get the map on your phone. The gift shop is very nice, we bought only a magnet but they sell toys, stuffed animals, clothes, hats, jewelry, hand soaps, posters and many more things. Visited on
Weekend

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
Yes

Price for adult entry
$16–20Melody Owen

We visited yesterday for Memorial Day. There wasn't a line to enter so that was great. The zoo layout is good and the pathways provide a combination of sun and shade so we weren't too hot. I believe the majority of the animals were out for us to see. They don't give you a physical map and the digital one was confusing. It is better to use the large maps throughout the park. Now for the cons. A lot of the exhibits with glass were hard to see through because it was so dirty. It made seeing and taking decent pictures nearly impossible. The food and drinks are so overpriced. Pack your own water to avoid paying $5 a bottle. There were quite a few off exhibit display signs so I'm not sure which animals we didn't get to see. Overall a good experience. We enjoyed ourselves. Visited on
Public holiday

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
No

Price for adult entry
$16–20Alisha B

I really enjoyed the zoo it had everything spread out and spaced nicely. There was a lot of shaded spots to cool off and rest if you were tired from walking. I was a little disappointed on how dirty the glasses were to all the exhibits. I was very surprised at how close you could get to some of the animals in the different fence exhibits. I felt like if the animals were in there anyone could throw anything in to the animals or someone could get hurt. I brought my grandbaby here she was happy so that made me happy. Visited on
Weekend

Wait time
No wait

Reservation recommended
No

Price for adult entry
$16–20GMOM#1

Freshman year my son was well adjusted finally after not wanting to go then here comes sophomore year (currently). Now he’s popular and well mannered clean and the harassment and embarrassment is approaching fast. He cannot go to class and back home without someone complaining about him! I don’t like it! Administration is assuming that anything going on has to do with my child and it is very discomforting for him to be a 15 year old and not enjoy his high school years with people that favors 1 class of kids over the other! Be careful everything that looks good is not! Dealing with Ms Kidd has been wonderful but others not so much!Chameka Thompson

My son just started and i am very excited, they have an amazing program for teens, college prep, work study and what makes it more amazing the wonderful staff that this school has they really care about these children. I am looking forward to the new school year.ter b

This school is second to none!! I have two children that attend and the administration is great along with a very dedicated teaching staff. The support I received during a bumpy time was AMAZING!! I cant thank them enough for being in my kids and I corner.T. B.

I can't say enough about this place. To start, the staff are some of the most knowledgeable people in Birmingham, Al when it comes to math. I have only personally worked with a few, but everyone there is professional, kind and shows genuine concern for the students. My son has been going for 2 school years now. He is now in an accelerated honors program which has him doing some college math while in the 9th grade. No matter the challenge, this staff(Crystal, Spencer, Lauren, and Jack) goes beyond to make sure, not only does my son work the problems correctly, but also that he has a thorough understanding, and able to work the problems by himself before moving forward. I also respect the way they keep the facility clean, quiet, and students are spaced out. I have sat in numerous times and had conversations with other parents and we all agree, they are very familiar and prepared for each student and their needs from the moment each of them enter the building. My son really likes that they try to keep the student with the same instructor(unless necessary), and they are rewarded at the end of the day. I like the fact that the staff communicates with me about my son's progress or whatever is going on at the end of the day. But, it doesn't matter which one they end up with, their needs are met. I have referred several people, and will continue to keep my son here as long as I can. THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING MY SON. WE TRULY ARE GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATE YOU.Meshia

My daughter wanted to get tutored for the ACT and I called Mathnasium to see if they offered tutoring for both the ACT and SAT. They offered tutoring for both and we signed my daughter up for five weeks, one on one tutoring. She has never been so eager to learn math. She liked the one on one tutoring better than a group setting. Because the tutor focused on what she needed to work on to achieve a great score. The tutor was great and knew exactly what my daughter needed to prepare for both test. I would recommend anyone to Mathnasium. We had a great experience!LaTanya Johnson

The Mathnasium Team has helped my son gain confidence and put him a step ahead in the Math category for his grade level. The Teachers/Tutors know how to make Math fun and enjoyable for my nine-year-old son. I would recommend Mathnasium to parents with kids struggling in Math and parents with kids who are just looking for a challenge.Valerie Hanson

I joined CFT 3 years ago not knowing what to expect, other than what I had been told about CrossFit from other people. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be the right fit for me, as I had always been the type of guy to go to the gym and lift heavy for a couple of hours each day. If someone had told me 3 years ago that an 8 minute workout would exhaust you but also give you the exercise you needed that day, I would have told them they were crazy. Now I know better. The coaches are phenomenal. Their patience and consistency in coaching can help anyone achieve their fitness goals. All you have to do is walk in the door and they’ll take you from there.Jason Stephens

I am new to the CF world and cannot brag enough about my experience thus far. Not only are the coaches encouraging and personable but extremely helpful! Everyone has been very welcoming, immediately making me feel accepted into their community! I have been a member at various gyms throughout the years and at times have felt uncomfortable, unwanted, and honestly, just uneasy. Change can be tough but bettering my physical AND mental state is important to me. CrossFit Trussville is helping me change for the better so my advice is to stop by and try it out; you never know, you may fall in love with it too!Alana Hoelzeman

This place is truly a blessing. After living away from Alabama for 10 years, we moved back and settled down in the Trussville area. I was going to try a few different CrossFit gyms and after my visit to CFT, I knew I had found the gym for me. They treated me like family from day one. The coaches are exceptionally knowledgeable, caring, energetic, and supportive! We've made a lot of friends at CFT, which has been great after relocating to an area where we don't know anyone. It's rare to find a place that cares about their patrons the way CFT does. This gym rules.Corey Witt

Our 6 children have thoroughly enjoyed their music lessons at Birmingham School Of Music. The teachers have all been great and the owners, Russ & Laura, are wonderful people! The opportunity our kids have had to play in the monthly concerts in a relaxed atmosphere has helped build their confidence in all areas of life. I couldn’t let them have all the fun… I am now taking guitar lessons for the first time and am really enjoying it! Thank you Birmingham School of Music; I highly recommend anyone looking for lessons to give them a call! You won’t regret it!Katie Rudemiller

Since our daughter, Samyra Godwin began Birmingham School of Music her interest for singing and playing the piano has grown. Her confidence in what she is learning has moved her from being shy to performing in front of large audiences. Also, her excitement for learning new things at home and school has been influenced from learning music because it keeps Samyra busy and challenged; therefore, Samyra is become focused and eager to excel.Theotis Godwin

BSOM has been the best… my daughter started her music learning journey doing voice and piano, during the 2020 pandemic and it has been a bessing.she has always loved music we as parents are thankful that with the help of BSoM we are able to give her a strong foundation of music as a gift!!Navneet Godwin

We found Birmingham Fencing Club when looking for a summer camp for our two kids. We had such a great experience, we signed up for lessons and our son now competes with BFC in regional tournaments. We appreciate the high-quality coaching and the many ways the club works to support their fencing families along the athletic journey. Highly recommend both the club and the sport!Christa Cordova

Friendly, inviting, and open atmosphere. It was a lot of fun and no stress. The young man leading the class did an excellent job. We are looking at signing up and even seeing it my 7 year old can do it! Definitely worth at try! The Saturday try out is free!Steven Shotts

Just a student myself, but I quite enjoy it here. For someone as sedentary as me workout has been something I've missed. Great teachers, very positive atmosphere, and overall a really good way to learn fencing.Pumpklin

This company has been very dishonest and unfair to myself and my family. We were excited to get my son some help as he had become unmotivated and uninterested in school. The first problem began at the initial sign up process. We were expecting for him to be tutored in Chelsea since it is the center closes to us. AFTER I ran my credit and got approved with Comenity Bank they told me that my son would not be able to go to that center because it was closing. Since I had already ran my credit right after bankruptcy might I add, I decided to take the further drive to get my son some help. The one in Hoover turned out to be too far away. Much further than we were told and we were unable to attend the tutoring. Sylvan has continued to bill us for services not rendered. FINALLY gave us a 1275 credit and left us with a balance of over $600 for services we did not receive. I had just got my credit score back over 700s and was in the process of purchasing a new home. This company has completely ruined it for me and my family and has continued to not respond after numerous calls texts and voicemails. I would not recommend Sylvan to ANYONE! I do urge others who have had nightmares with this company to share. After mo the of no response this is the only other option I had is to post a review. I hope this saves someone else a lot of time and money!Elaine Lee

My son has been struggling with reading for a long time. He has a late birthday, so I always thought that I should have held him back. I signed him up for extra tutoring at the school, which was great but it wasn’t enough. My friend introduced us to Jason and his staff about mid school year. It was the best decision we made to follow through with the sessions. My son was making D’s and F’s on his reading assignments prior to him attending the learning center. He was nervous to read aloud in class and his confidence level was non-existent. Fast forward 4 months later…he ended the quarter with all A’s, even in reading. He enjoys reading now and has this new found confidence, not just in reading, but almost in every subject. Big thanks to Jason and his wonderful staff at the center! Michellechelle1221

My son started going to Sylvan at the beginning of 5th grade and was 2 1/2 grade levels behind in reading. He is about to finish the 2nd nine weeks of 6th grade on the A/B honor roll! He is reading on or above grade level now. He has improved so much we also started adding some math sessions. Jason and his staff are amazing to work with and have truly changed my child's life! He was a very discouraged learner before, but now he has the confidence to take on any task at school. He believes in himself now, and that is a huge blessing! CherieCherie South

I personally was not happy with my experience at Body Logic. I enrolled November 2019. I was given a tour by Renee and she had stated that every Wednesday would be a theory day and made it seem like she would be there to teach. However, I believe I only had 3-5 theory days where a sweet instructor (I believe she is no longer at body logic) “lectured” the entire time I attended (I was attending full time for 6-7 months) Everything I learned I taught myself. I didn’t mind at the time since I am hard working and able to learn on my own through the textbook and research but I regret paying $10,000 cash to teach myself. Some people are also not able to teach themselves. Renee mostly worked on her clients and my classmates and I rarely saw her teach us. The times that she came in we mostly heard her talk about her financial situation with the school. Due to the financial situation she fired the sweet lady who was the state board prep instructor. Therefore, I had NO state board prep at all- I had to do it all on my own and figure it out with my classmates at the time. All of my classmates and I were unhappy but were not able to say anything since we were afraid she would not allow us to graduate if we did. Now that I have graduated and gotten my Esthetician license I’m not afraid to speak up about my experience. I understand esthetics school only teaches you the basics and how to pass state board – You must advance your education through other classes and resources. However, Body Logic did not teach me the basics nor how to pass state board. I did everything on my own and believe that it was not worth my investment.Sydney Le

This is the sweetest most professional school I have ever been to or attended at! I just graduated from esthetics and I was blessed with the best teachers ever that taught me everything I needed to know and more to be able to pass my state board practical and written exams. I truly feel like they are my family more than a school. I couldn't have asked for a better environment to learn in. If anything I want to stay as long as possible just to be able to see and talk to everyone including the owners Renee and Lauren Hughes. These two go above and beyond what is expected and required to make sure each and every student is learning and understanding as they should and that no student gets behind. They genuinely care about every student and make you feel apart of their family. 💙Megan Sullivan

I am a recent graduate. I couldn’t have asked for a better educational experience. The staff is totally helpful (& they continue to help after graduation). The treatment rooms and office are extremely professional- it’s easy to forget it’s a school. I made so many friends with students as well as staff. I’m an “older” student who decided mid-life to change careers – I couldn’t be happier I made that leap. I looked at other places, but in my opinion this is the ONLY school to consider. I just wish I’d done it years sooner! You can’t go wrong learning esthetics, cosmetology or massage therapy at Body Logic School.Kathy Carter

I wanted to thank you for attending and engaging our daughter's IEP meeting a couple of weeks ago. We realize how important it is to have a strong team when it comes to special education; and we appreciate you partnering with us on our daughter's behalf. We've been very pleased with all our daughter has accomplished since beginning Grade Power. Although we know she is still catching up, we are very relieved to have found a program that is helping her achieve real results. I appreciate the pro-active approach learning and preparing for tests and assignments, which seems to be the back bone of the Grade Power method. You are giving her the tools to effectively learn versus cramming and bracing for mediocrity or less. Our weeks are a lot less overwhelming as we implement the strategies and methods you are teaching our daughter. I feel like we are managing school assignments and test into our lives instead of the dread and disruption of the night before information whipping to pray we suffered enough to get an average grade. We are seeing independence and organization developed from Grade Power running over into all aspects of our daughter's life – that is HUGE for us. Most importantly, she is finding confidence through academic success that she desperately needed. She loves going to Grade Power, and is upset when we have to reschedule. I want you and your staff to know what a great job you are doing with our daughter, and that our family is very thankful for all you do! Now if you would just move to Homewood, my life would be complete.Laura Berry

My son really struggled with reading during kindergarten and into first grade, and I was worried about him falling farther behind. It was frustrating for both of us and clear that I couldn't help him. His teacher recommended a tutor and that did help him some. Initially we went this route thinking it would be cheaper than Gradepower. As summer approached, I knew we needed a plan to keep working on his skills. After meeting with Tony, I realized Gradepower was less expensive per hour than what I had paid the tutor. He progressed wonderfully over the next six months and gained so much confidence. Thank you Gradepower!Lindsay Knight

We heard about Grade Power learning through Andrea Lindenberg on Talk 99.5 – My daughter wanted to make sure she was more than prepared to take the ACT for her dream school. We talked with the teachers at Grade Power and one thing that convinced us this was the right place for her, is that other ACT prep centers said they could get her prepared in a week or two. Grade Power advised us that this is not the best way to prepare for the ACT. My daughter went for 6 weeks of ACT prepping, which resulted in her being excepted to her Dream School – Belmont University. Sincerely, Troy GigisTroy Gigis

What is the most important value of Tiger Rock Karate? Greed. Despite the very good instructors, this school is my least favorite extra-curricular activity my family has participated in. Really, for what seems to be one reason – greed. First, it's just expensive. $25 for per year to register isn't bad, but that in addition to the $99 per month is more. Then they upsell you for testing, which they push really hard, even if the student isn't ready. Then they upsell you for tournaments, and upsell you for merchandise, and then upsell you for gear. Here's what finally earned the one star rating though. My daughter was having a hard time in school and we needed her to take a break from Karate. Tiger Rock is very good about letting you pause your lessons, if you jump through their hoops. My daughter had missed two weeks of lessons, so we decided to pause her lessons. But they still charged me for the next month's lessons anyway. I called and talked to Kristin, who wasn't attentive at all to the conversation. I ask if she could reverse payment on they coming pre-billed month and she told me she couldn't. Then I asked why and she said, "I just can't." Not great. So after waiting a week or so, I decided to pull my daughter from the school. I emailed and explained the situation and after a week received a reply that I would have to come in and sign an agreement to cancel, AND that cancellation required 30 days notice. So now Tiger Rock got two months of payments from me ($200) for nothing on their part. There's no reason they couldn't let me cancel my daughters lessons and not charge for the next month's instruction that she would not receive. Greedy. Update: Mr. Williams called me personally, and we were able to work out my situation. I never had a problem with him and was surprised by the response I had when asking about the reason for their no refund policy (which wasn't him). It was very out of character for this school. The staff have always been very helpful and friendly apart from that one situation. I've upgraded my original review and given it an extra star.Paul Martin

Pros: -Great equipment -Great space -Attentive staff and instructors -Emphasis on safety with practical self-defense techniques -Sadly, the best Taekwondo school (for my schedule) in the entire Birmingham area -It's not WTF, so at least you won't break your knees trying to learn Taekwondo! Cons: -Instructors teach poor technique – students who are testing for black belts have zero flexibility, bad balance, fail to pivot on basic kicks, and generally look sloppy. -Money, money, money. You join and immediately they tell you it's $50 for the uniform, $85 for the month, $20 for the t-shirt, $20 for the striking pad, and $65 for the first testing. Once you reach green belt, it's mandatory to spend over $250 on a set of sparring gear that can be easily obtained for $50 outside the organization. -Students pushed to go to testing, regardless of ability to pass, in order to profit from testing fees. -Terrible basics. Stretching is rushed (5 seconds per stretch? Really?), conditioning is minimal, and instructors in the white belt class blatantly ignore key points (foot positioning, correct way to make a fist, how far to safely extend the arm in a punch) and rush students through to testing without creating firm basics. The end result is sloppy, unbalanced upper belts who honestly couldn't hold their own against a properly-trained student from another organization. Overall I was a bit disappointed. I had far better instruction at a hole-in-the-wall school in a small town in Tennessee than I did here in a large, professional center in a large city. Unfortunately, this really is the best you will find in Birmingham. Master Chong's TKD is pretty good, but sadly did not match my schedule.Sandra Miselem

My kid was with them for about 6 months. Almost do not have any progress at all since he started. There are a lot of issues with that place and at the end I decided to leave: 1) They are not professional in training and dealing with kids. They used to focus with older kids and do not pay attention for younger ones. 2) They take too many days off. Within these six months period we have almost one week off every other month, and some times every month. 3) In the beginning couches used to focus with my son, and then after a while they start not bay attention to him. Some times I see him doing the positions wrong and they do not correct him. They only pay attention for the other kids whom stayed with them for a longer time. I need to practice with my kid at home every day to help him cope up with other kids. 4) Payment policy is very strict. If you enrolled you will need to stay with them at least 3 months. You have to sign a 60 days leaving notice. 5) Classes time is not good. they are either just after work (5:30) or before it (4:30), if you live any where but hoover you will never make it on time. And if so they will not let you enter the class.Ahmed Elhattab