Academic Driving School

Fantastic experience: They were on time to pick me up, good at directing me. Was there to congratulate me when I passed. thanks once again

Fantastic experience: I had a great experience Academic Driving school. They were punctual and always communicative.

Fantastic experience: Excellent service! I have booked a pre-test diving lesson and used their car for the behind the wheel test. Everything went smoothly from pick up at my house to the location driving tips before the test gave me confidence to pass the test with flying colours. Very professional and friendly instructor. All and all very happy with the outcome. Thank you!

Fantastic experience: Excellent instruction from Sher. Passed my test.

Fantastic experience: Great instructing

Fantastic experience: Khalil is the world class driving instructor that you could ever ask for!! He is so kind, patient, calm, knowledgeable. He successfully helped me overcome the trauma from freeway car accident 20 years ago and now I am onto the mountains and oceans!! Thank you so much Khalil!

Fantastic experience: Great experience, I’ve learned a lot as a new driver. Definitely recommend it!

Fantastic experience: I was very nervous but my instructor put me at ease I got my license and am so thankful to academic driving school

Fantastic experience: Khalil Shams was a great instructor. He showed up on time for my DMV test and gave me amazing tips to pass my test. He gave me a mock driving test and constructive feedback to help me improve my chances of passing the DMV test. This is the best driving school in the Bay!!! 5 Star service!!

Fantastic experience: Khalil was great helped me pass my dmv test with 0 errors on the first try

Fantastic experience: Achmed, my driving instructor was so patient and thorough. It only took me one try and I was able to pass my behind the wheel test. I'm so grateful for you all at the academic driving school!

Fantastic experience: I took the 6 hour driving course. By the end I was very confident and completely ready for my test. Khalil Shams took me through every possible route and pointed out common mistakes. He helped me greatly improve my lane changes and taught me a really good way to do the baking up portion. Every street I drove on during my behind the wheel test was one we had practiced on and I passed easily! Thanks!

Fantastic experience: My instructor A Sharaf, super kind, super chill, always helping in the road. Best expierence i had due to a kind instructor!!

Fantastic experience: Khalil Shams is very patient and knowledgable in providing feedback and instruction—would highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: This school was very amazing they do things with no procrastination and the instructor (Ahmed) was skilled in letting me pass , so I recommend or suggest everyone to go for this school :) thanks

Fantastic experience: Khalil is the best, he always encourages me to do a good job and always provides helpful tips on how to drive, and he is very professional

Fantastic experience: Khalil Shams was my driving instructor and he did an absolutely amazing job!! I used to be very nervous when it came to the thought of driving, but he provided me the best guidance, advice, and skills so that I was able to succeed on the road no matter what!!! Definitely would recommend him to be your driving instructor!!!!!!!

Fantastic experience: Khalil Shams was a great driving instructor! He instilled the confidence in me that I needed. He understood my personality and helped me with what I was nervous about. I highly recommend people work with him.

Fantastic experience: Khalil was a very excellent instructor! I feel more confident to drive on the road again! Thanks!

Fantastic experience: Khalil was an amazing instructor, took me on routes I’ve never been on and taught me driving tips that I will remember for my test and in the future. I will definitely recommend to my friends and younger family members who are learning how to drive

Fantastic experience: Khalil very good and thorough driving instructor. Made me feel much more confident in driving!

Fantastic experience: Driving instructor Khalil, Very friendly, and nice to chat with.

Fantastic experience: Excelentes clases, aprendí mucho con el profesor Khalil Shams y me tuvo mucha mucha paciencia. Los recomiendo muchas gracias

Fantastic experience: I passed my behind-the-wheel test on the first try thanks to Khalil Shams my instructor!

Fantastic experience: Great experience my instructor was Khalil Shams and he’s a great instructor! Thank u

Fantastic experience: Khalil helped me through every possible step and was very attentive to detail, I highly reccomend scheduling with Academic Driving School.

Fantastic experience: Khalil Shams was a very good instructor very nice and professional

Fantastic experience: I took a driving class here for the first time and I passed my driving test!!! My instructor is the best! His name is Khalil, I would love to recommend him to everyone who come to take a driving lesson here. He is a supportive, so friendly, easy going, very patient and super helpful. He is the best one. Not only that, but he also taught me a lot of things that I never knew before. You can ask him whatever you want to know, he is willing to answer you for sure. I am really happy that I decided to take a class here! I highly recommend Khalil to be your instructor! Wish you the best of luck like me, guys!

Fantastic experience: Kahlil very friendly past my test first try Highly recommend

Fantastic experience: My driving instructor was Khalil and with him I learned to drive in the highway, intersections, and all of the overall all the rules of the road. Because of him I am much more confident and capable with driving and I’m sure I’m going to pass my driving test! Highly recommended

Fantastic experience: Khalil is a Good instructor

Fantastic experience: Great experience Khalil shams

Fantastic experience: I had khalil he was very nice and patient with me while driving! I passed my first try also, thanks to the sessions!

Negative experience: Extremely poor quality instructions. The instructor I had often kept saying gas pedals when he meant brake and vice versa. As a new driver, it was very difficult to follow his instructions. I learned more in one class from another driving school than I did in 5 classes here. I would not recommend this school to anyone, especially if you are new to driving.

Fantastic experience: Very good driving school. My driving instructor Ahmad was very kind and helpful

Fantastic experience: I had 2 hrs class with David before taking my DMV driving test, he was very profesional, patient and gave me a lot of advices around the area where I was about to have my test so today I Passed my behind the wheel. I can’t thank enough to David 100% recommended.

Fantastic experience: Sher, my instructor, was calm and encouraging throughout the session. He focused on imparting the fundamentals clearly which helped me clear the test in one attempt. Would recommend!

Fantastic experience: Really really accommodating and patient instructor. I had a DMV driving test with them and they accommodated my appointment at the last minute. There was a really big line at the DMV but the instructor was extremely patient and didn't complain at all. I passed my test and kept in mind some of the tips he had given me before the test which were really helpful. I would really really recommend them to anyone who is in need to learn how to drive and also for a DMV test.

Negative experience: My daughter did the five driving lessons with Academic Driving School. It was very hard to schedule any lessons that weren't during school hours as there was limited availability. The instructor was on time and friendly according to her. However they left out some basic instructions for passing the DMV test like make sure you are looking over your shoulder when backing up instead of relying on a video screen. My daughter has failed the DMV test twice now so not all that impressed with the results. Especially since the instructor told her she was ready to go.

Negative experience: Not trying to be rude but my husband and I were behind this person driving this car. He was not driving good and was on his phone the whole time. He was zooming on the red lights.

Fantastic experience: I took a class before my behind the wheels test, and it was essential, with Shaerzed as a instructor I passed on the test with only 6 points.

Fantastic experience: Did my driving test yesterday and passed thanks to the knowledge and lessons i gained from these guys. Sher the manager gave me good advice and tips and let me drove a tesla which was wonderful. Elton lessons were exceptional, he taught me freeway driving, defensive driving and even treated each lessons as If we were doing the DMV test. I highly recommend these guys.

Fantastic experience: I have one thing to say—fantastic! Actually I have multiple things to say, and they're all good. Sher was my instructor. I have previous driving experience, but I let my out-of-state license lapse. I went with Academic Driving School for the DMV behind-the-wheel test and for a little driving training. Sher picked me up at my apartment and got me in the driver's seat. He helped me regain my confidence in driving and he made sure I was comfortable behind the wheel before the test. We went over all the little things they ask you to do before you start driving, and we drove around the city near the DMV under his instruction. I was pretty nervous before riding with Sher today, but by the time the test came around my nerves had cooled, and I passed no problem!! He even walked me to check-in counter for the driving test at the DMV. Super nice. If anyone I know ever needs a driving school, Academic Driving School will be my go-to recommendation! Thanks again Sher!!!

Fantastic experience: Great instructors! Very nice experience, I learned a lot and passed after taking a few lessons with them! Highly recommended

Fantastic experience: It took me a while to find a driving school, I just wanted to get a couple hours practice since I'm an immigrant with driving experience and wanted to get my drivers license to buy a car. I paid a 2 hour riving session and the instructor gave me really good tips that I wasn't aware of. After that, a week later I decided to book my behind the wheel test at the DMV and they were able to assist me without problems. I passed the test on my 1st attempt and now I'm waiting for my driver's license. If you're new to the area or you want to learn how to drive I would totally recommend paying for these guys services, totally worth it. It seems they cover the whole bay area and they go and pick you up and drop you off when you're done, so no need to worry about getting to the driving school and then going back to your house. I wish I had found them earlier. I would recommend to get an update on the website since it looks super old and not that nice, I was hesitant to pay because the website didn't inspire confidence.

Fantastic experience: I contacted ADS as I needed to check my skills before the “behind-the-wheel” test (I have European DL for long time already) and I had 1 lesson with Mashal. He’s great instructor and professional man. Doesn’t matter that I drive long I respect him as he exactly explained me what are the crucial points, judged my mistakes and I corrected them, the way I passed the exam in 1st trial. I very highly recommend him as a objective, professional teacher and Academic Driving School as an institution.

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend this driving school.Very professional. My son passed the DMV road test on the 1st try!

Fantastic experience: I was scared to death of driving and really thought I will never be able to drive. The choice of your instructor is very important and Ahmad was really patient, calm and he gave me confidence. He was really comforting and supporting when I was freaking out and it helped a lot , especially for me coming for Europe where the rules are different. And I passed my road test on the first time!! Thank you much Ahmad ADS3, you’re the best⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fantastic experience: After taking lessons with the school for over a year, I passed my road test. They were very helpful in teaching me the rules and made me feel comfortable driving.

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend this school, I used their services for my drivers test as I needed a car to do the test in, they also did a one hour warm up drive before my behind the wheel test, Sher was patient and helpful which really helped me pass my test.

Negative experience: After you pay they never answer the phone. Please don’t waste your money. Horrible experience.

Fantastic experience: This is the best school because they have those prices I purchased a 6 hour lesson for only $359 that's not bad Sher is really easy to talk to he patient wit me He explains me everything about defensive driving he makes me feel confident in taking a test which I will be doing for the second time next month & Toyota Corollas are very comfortable to drive I recommend this Driving School for any beginner highly recommend it despite the negative reviews on here

Fantastic experience: Got five behind-the-wheel lessons with an hour's worth of practice right before the scheduled DMV test. The instructor was very calm; he lets you drive with uninterrupted focus and without unnecessary stress. He gave me a rundown of the basics of driving on our first lesson, and reviewed the things the test proctor looks for right before I met the proctor for my test. He pays attention to your performance and speaks up whenever you make even the most minor flaw in your driving, which keeps you on your toes. Also, he was very timely on arriving at my house to start the day. This is a good place to learn how to drive if you're new to it, or to brush up your driving skills if you already have some experience. As for me? I got my license on the first try.

Positive experience: It’s only a four star because of the pricing... Pretty much my experience went like this: I purchased the 6 hour package (2 hr a day) on top of the DMV test package which is why it was a little expensive. My driver was quiet but communicated very well. I felt like he only said anything if I made a mistake and he answered my questions thoroughly. Driver was very flexible on changing my pick up & drop off location. And last Thursday (07/31/2020) I passed my behind-the-wheel test so at the end of the day to me it was a little expensive but it was worth it.

Fantastic experience: Amazing people with amazing service

Fantastic experience: Excellent instruction and incredible tips. Highly recommend if you want to pass your test. They also helped me obtain an appointment much faster than the DMV did so I got my liscence in advance!

Fantastic experience: I had most my driving lessons with Ahmed and had wonderful experience with him. He is timely and he silently observes and mentions the mistakes. Even-though it is a bit costly for me as I had to take more lessons, it is well worth the price.

Fantastic experience: Sher did a wonderful job instructing me how to drive since this is my first time driving he came to my house conveniently on time picked me up and let me drive to the DMV I had no problem he's first she showed me where everything was located at and you made me feel comfortable and ready to drive I drove to the DMV we had a nice time driving he told me all the rules I messed up some messed up but you help me fix them he told me what I do wrong and when I went in and do the DMV test I passed thanks to him and it needs to be more instructors out there like this if this your first time driving you need to talk to this guy he knows what he's doing thank you

Fantastic experience: Very happy with their service. The instructor is calm, and is able to verbalize and correct all mistakes. Most important one needs from an instructor is a calm voice so as a student, it eliminates the stress out of learning about driving.

Fantastic experience: I recommend academic driving school, very professional

Fantastic experience: I haven't driven in a long time and needed some help on my driving skills. I was bad at making wide turns and rusty on lane changes and parallel parking. But based on the teachings of the instructor from the Academic driving school, my driving improved tremendously. He is a patient, calm, and attentive teacher, I learned a lot from him after a few lessons. This driving school is the best and you will get your money worth.

Fantastic experience: Sherrard is excellent driving teacher. Since job change and relocation, I was forced to get a driving license. I am over 45 and have never been driving before. So, you can imagine how nervous I was to drive in crowded Bay aria. Sherrard explains me the things I needed to work on. He was patient in correcting my mistakes. Already after couple of lessons I lost my fear of driving. I started to feel more confident in driving soon. Since I was pressed in time, he even took me to my DMV appointment for behind the wheel test out of his coverage aria (which I passed successfully). Thank you for being so awesome, Sherrard! Very highly recommend (10/10)

Fantastic experience: #1 driving school ... I really love how they help me on getting my Ls...thanks too the guy and the mini Cooper

Fantastic experience: Good Service of Driving behind the wheel.

Negative experience: We had a driving lesson last September. Instructor wasn’t very timely picking my student up from school to start his first two hour lesson, this was also after a reschedule on the instructors part. I would have let that slide, but when I contacted the instructor recently to get a letter stating the first 2 hours had been completed (as I went with a different driving school for the final 4 hours and they requested proof....other than the illegible signature on the permit), this guy said he had never heard of my son! I had to search for proof of payment. After I found it, I contacted this person AGAIN from Academic Driving School and now he is not responding at all. I gave him all info he requested and he’s just not responding. Absolutely unprofessional.

Fantastic experience: Had a week of instructions before my driving test with some experience beforehand. I definitely learned a lot and even got my license first try! They definitely helped me feel more confident about my driving.

Fantastic experience: Booked the one hour session before the DMV behind the wheel test. The instructor was very punctual and professional. Gave me useful tips that helped me a lot during the test.

Negative experience: Well my daughter had 1 behind the wheel lesson, which went fine. We scheduled a set of 3 lessons for $360. I am having a hard time getting ahold of Adam to make an appointment - he isn't responding to emails in a timely or satisfactory manner. Hopefully this will soon be rectified.

Fantastic experience: My experience with the Academic Driving School was very satisfactory and the service provided of great professionalism. My instructor was Sher who is patient, experienced, and punctual. They were very helpful and accommodated some not so practical requests that I had without any problems. Thanks mostly to the school I passed my test easily.

Fantastic experience: The instructor was clear and helpful in my lessons, and helped me overcome my struggles in driving. When I took my practical test, the instructor helped navigate the process and was there waiting when I passed. I definitely recommend this class for anyone learning to drive!

Fantastic experience: I had a great learning

Fantastic experience: Instructor is punctual and very cool. I took only 3 classes from him and was able to clear the test. I would recommend you to take a class just before the test so that he can correct you if needed.I did the same and it proved to be very helpful.I would highly recommend this school to others. Happy and safe driving!

Fantastic experience: Outstanding everything. recommended to everyone.