At Cuba Now!, we believe in learning through real-world experiences—not tutors or cram schools. Our students train alongside globally competitive peers—young people with fewer resources but extraordinary achievements. This peer-to-peer model builds resilience, adaptability, and an appreciation for hard-earned success.

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For students aiming for top universities, programs like SUMAC follow a familiar academic path. But Dr. Robert Clyne—an elite college admissions consultant and global educator—believes that true success requires more than just prestige and classroom learning. Drawing on his 35 years of experience overseas, and 16 years in some of America’s toughest schools, having helped over 300 clients get into top programs, he saw firsthand how many students mistakenly view education as a magical key to success, rather than what it truly is—a tool that must be sharpened through real-world challenges.

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That’s why he created the Cuba Now! Experience—a summer camp unlike any other.

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Here, students are removed from their cultural and academic bubbles and placed in the reality of a failing economy, where luxury brands are absent, but Olympic athletes, world-class musicians, and resilient communities thrive. They don’t just learn about global issues; they experience them firsthand. This is not an ordinary summer camp—it’s an immersive, life-changing journey designed to produce students who not only gain admission to top universities but thrive in them.

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A Learning Model That Builds Real Thinkers

At the heart of the camp is Dr. Clyne’s advanced critical thinking methodology, inspired by the Harkness learning system, where twelve students and one teacher sit around an oval table discussing complex ideas together. There are no raised hands, no lectures—just dialogue. It’s where students develop the “courage to speak,” the “compassion to listen,” and the “empathy to understand.”

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It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about learning to think—deeply, critically, and collaboratively. Students are empowered to take control of their own learning, and every voice carries equal weight. Dr. Clyne’s version of this method is even more rigorous, with a stronger focus on “social science, global issues, and real-world problem-solving,” preparing students for the intellectual challenges of top universities.

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More Than Just Ivy League Education—A Survival Experience

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1. The Reality of a World in Crisis
   In Cuba, students are stripped of their usual comforts and placed in an environment that tests their adaptability, resilience, and leadership. They experience life without the distractions of consumer culture, learning firsthand how a society functions under extreme economic hardship. Through this experience, they gain a perspective that no classroom or brand-name summer program can offer.

2. Training in Mind and Body
   Beyond academics, the camp integrates both physical and mental discipline. Students train in boxing with Cuban champions, practice mindfulness techniques to sharpen focus and resilience, and embark on nature-based adventures that push their limits. They also participate in musical and cultural immersion—from recording with Grammy-winning producers to witnessing sacred Afro-Cuban ceremonies—experiences that challenge them to rethink their understanding of the world.

3. A Competitive Edge for College and Life
   This camp was built to create a new kind of student—the kind top universities seek—intellectually fearless, globally aware, and adaptable to any challenge. While other summer programs reinforce academic status, the Cuba Now! Experience forges leaders who can navigate an uncertain future.

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For students and families who understand that true education is earned, not handed out—this is the camp that will set them apart.