studying part-time at a language school in Tokyo

[violetcrumble]

My NY resolution is to get a wriggle on with my nihongo progress, so I will attend Japanese school 2 or 3 times a week. I have researched into language schools in Tokyo and have short-listed the following:
- MLC, Meguro Learning Centre
- J's Language School
- KAI
- W.E.
- Sendagaya Japanese Institute
- AJALT, Association for Japanese Language Institute
I have choofed off some emails but while i wait for a response -
has anyone attended these schools? What's your opinion?
So far MLC is on top of the list as a friend of mine attends and she said it is really good. What I read on their website seems perfect for me also. But also J's seems really good.
The big thing for me, other than tuition cost and schedule, is that I don't want Chinese or Korean students in the class with me. My previous school was just me and 10 Chinese people and I simply could not keep up with them and spent 99% of class time guessing as to what was going on. In that class the teacher 'explained' by simply writing the kanji on the board.
Any other recommendations are welcome.

 

[thistle]

It was many years ago, but I spent 2 years at the YOshida Language Institute, it is just round the corner from Waseda U. It was a great school,
because, there were so many students from different countries, and no english was used whatsoever, either by the teachers or the students, just us and our dictionaries. Don't know what it is like these days though, but you
could check it out.

 

[violetcrumble]

Thanks for the suggestion!

I had a look at their webpage and it seems to be pretty good, like the location is perfect for me and the tuition fee is reasonable. but I am wary of the Japanese-only system because my previous class was like that and I was sitting in a hazy mist for 6 months. But Yoshida uses Minna no Nihongo and I know there is an English explanation book for it, whereas my other class had their own produced textbook with no translation.

 

[thistle]

I know what you mean, I had a book like that when I was first studying japanese in Tokyo, I only remember that most of the students were from Taiwan, and like you said there was just too much kanji and I too was sitting in a haze. When I went to Yoshida, it was for the intermediate course, so
I don't think there was much explanation in english, but there was a lot of
repetition and practice so even if you didn't 'get it' that day, it would probably hit you a few days later, like, aah that is what it means.
To me, someone explaining everything in english, makes it too easy. I guess I
could say it was challenging.

Anyways, good luck, with finding the right school.