Klubschulen Migros Zürich Center Oerlikon

I’ll do this in English as this review is going to be for the German course (or at least, attempting to take one). The thing is, I’ve already been taken German courses from two other schools in Zürich, but as I move around I tend to try new school in order to get an understanding of what good or bad is.
I did not continue with EB Zürich as I could not enroll directly without retaking a test as I already had take courses before with them up to B1, so I though, alright, let’s try Migros which «everybody» is talking about. I made a test on the internet prior to coming, knowing I would be around B2 because that was logical and it was the continuation of the previous courses I had taken. It gave me a C1, but I knew it was too optimistic so I came to the counter saying I know it’s too optimistic, please enroll me in the B2/​1 course. However they would not, they said that indeed the test were inaccurate so I would have to do a «local» test with one of the teachers. Fine.
So I said alright, let’s do this, when do you have time? It was not before the next week, we found a time slot at 18:15, not ridiculously far from work so it seemed OK. They handed me a note with the time and I was on my way. I arrived at 18:05 the next week, waited to talk for the counter and then they took my note and gave me a ticket. I was surprised, but, well, OK again. My number was 155, and all the chair where they told me where taken so I sat on the floor. About ten minutes later, a teacher came to ask for the next which was 148. I was like «well, if I have to wait 18:15 + 7×10 = 19:25 that’s going to be bad». So I went to the counter again and said «you know I made an appointment and I though Swiss were timely […]» to which they replied that they are sorry that there is so many people today. Right, so I asked if I could borrow the red book that was in the display case which is entitled «Züritüüsch» (as you may have guessed, this is to «learn» Swiss German) to kill time. They did hand it to me. I went back and sat on the floor reading the book. Eventually, they probably took pity as I was not the only idiot on the floor or standing and brought us additional chair (there was room). But that did not really shorten the waiting time. Eventually, later, they handed a token for the coffee machine, which also make tea. So I though, alright another thing to try, I’m game. I went and too some tea, nothing too difficult here. However, another guy that tagged along try to get a café crème, but ended with cream only. Sad.
Eventually I was «picked up» by a teacher at 18:55 or so, we talked for five minutes and then she handed me a test I had to do which takes 30 minutes (could have done that before alright, but OK). So I spent five minutes saying things I could have filled before and then did a test I did before. Turned out I was B2/​1 (she corrected with a sort of plastic sheet with hole without giving me any feedback). How surprising is it not? Given I took B1 classes before.
Eventually, she handed me «validation» paper and I went back to the counter to find out that B2/​1 courses I wanted to take were full… So I though OK again, let’s try the 20:00 — 21:50 thing, which I’ll try soon, but…
What the hell is wrong with you Migros? Are you just trying to kill people that want to take courses with red tape problems? I’m seriously thinking about NOT going forward with them but I will give a try to the sample course first, it’s free anyway.

I take intensive classes at this location each day.
It‘s quite expensive, but the learning‘s fast-​paced.
Your experience depends on your class and your teacher,
so I hope yours is professional, sans slackers and creatures!
My class has 11, so we all get speaking time.
But it‘s quite disruptive when one‘s outta line.
It‘s built right beside the train and bus station,
thus, it‘s easy to find via public transportation.
So yes, for 990 Franks, it‘s an investment of sorts,
but for better Deutsch, this one I‘d report!

I’m keen on taking German courses, and have been recommended to check out the Migros language school. The greatest thing about Migros is that it’s bucket-​loads cheaper than private schools, and, this, in large part, is due to the fact that the Migros parent company subsidizes costs at its school. If a course at Migros Language School were to cost around 700 CHF, then a course through a private school could cost somewhere around 1500 CHF, or so I’ve been told.
I recently met with an adviser in order to gauge my language level. We chatted, I took a short written test, and from there we looked at the course catalog together. All of this effort was gratis, and that was fab. Mind you, she came up with the same course that I did, but also suggested that I enroll in a grammar course. One may enroll in the grammar course only after having passed a slightly more rigorous test that one must pay 30 CHF for the pleasure of taking. I made an appt. to take the test the next afternoon, and, upon completion, was told that a teacher would contact me via phone to check my level of spoken German. I hadn’t been told that there would be a spoken component to the written test. Had I known that, then I would have sorted out getting a phone before popping into Migros, guns blaring. In any case, I left an email address which may yield a phone no. from the instructor. ‘Fingers crossed’ we’ll get to chatting sooner rather than later. It’s been almost one week since the test-​taking fun, so I’ll either wait a tad longer in the hopes of hearing from her, or decide to enroll in the course that I initially chose for myself.
All around, the interface with the school has been nothing but polite and friendly. I can well imagine that folk having difficulty with the language would be put well at ease by the service they receive at Migros reception.
This particular Migros Klubschule is in Oerlikon, just outside of Zuerich City proper and easily reached via tram. From central Zuerich, trams 10 and 11 will take you to Oerlikon Hauptbahnhof, directly in the vicinity of the school. If you’re keen on taking the ‘fancy train’, then hop on at the Zuerich main train station and get off at Oerlikon main station.
**as of 2/​8, I received an email from the instructor who corrected my test stating that I am eligible to take Grammatikkurs 5. –never having heard nor read about this particular class, I was a bit confused. I wasn’t sure if this course corresponded to the C2 course I was aiming to take, or not. I called the helpful gals at Migros reception for some clarification. Turns out that Grammatikkurs 5 is equal to the C1 class (as competency level in German here is marked by the letters A, B, and C, then divided into two sections per letter). Ex.: A1-​A2, B1-B2…etc. I did the maths, and C1=5. Woot.
Let’s hope that the actual class I’m slated to take in Sept. is less confusing. :)