Case study · Solo Learner · 14 months

Cherise Brooks — B1 to DELE C1 in 14 months.

A 33-year-old marketing lead in Atlanta went from intermediate Spanish (B1 from college, dormant for 8 years) to DELE C1 pass — without taking time off work, without moving abroad. The exact 14-month rhythm + what mattered.

Starting level

B1 (dormant)

Ending level

DELE C1 pass

Months elapsed

Where Cherise started

Cherise had taken Spanish in college (4 semesters), traveled to Mexico City for a summer in 2017, and hadn't actively used Spanish since. When she started Koydo in March 2025, the placement test put her at solid B1 — she could read newspaper articles, hold a 15-min conversation, but had lost the ability to write coherently + made many idiomatic mistakes.

Her schedule structure

Two 30-min 1-on-1 lessons per week (Tuesday + Friday mornings, before work). One 60-min weekend cohort session (Saturday mornings, DELE-prep cohort of 6 students). Daily 15-min Spanish podcast on her commute. Saturday evening movie in Spanish with target-language subtitles. Total: ~3 hours/week of structured Spanish + ~7 hours/week of passive input.

The hard middle (month 5-9)

B1 → B2 is the famous plateau. Cherise stopped feeling like she was improving around month 5; her tutor (Daniela Reyes, DELE specialist) pushed her into harder material — Hispanic-American journalism, García Márquez excerpts, debate-style speaking practice. Cherise nearly quit in month 7; the cohort's social accountability (she didn't want to miss a Saturday cohort session) kept her in.

The DELE C1 push (month 10-14)

Last 4 months: weekly DELE practice essay + oral interview drills with Daniela. The cohort split into pairs for oral practice. Cherise sat the DELE C1 in May 2026 + passed with 78 (the pass threshold is 60). Total Koydo spend over 14 months: ~$420. Time invested: ~250 hours including practice.

Quick answer

Cherise Brooks — B1 to DELE C1 in 14 months. A 33-year-old marketing lead in Atlanta went from intermediate Spanish (B1 from college, dormant for 8 years) to DELE C1 pass — without taking time off work, without moving abroad. The exact 14-month rhythm + what mattered. Starting level: B1 (dormant); Ending level: DELE C1 pass; Months elapsed: 14. Cherise had taken Spanish in college (4 semesters), traveled to Mexico City for a summer in 2017, and hadn't actively used Spanish since. When she started Koydo in March 2025, the placement test put her at solid B1 — she could read newspaper articles, hold a 15-min conversation, but had lost the ability to write coherently + made many idiomatic mistakes. Two 30-min 1-on-1 lessons per week (Tuesday + Friday mornings, before work). One 60-min weekend cohort session (Saturday mornings, DELE-prep cohort of 6 students). Daily 15-min Spanish podcast on her commute. Saturday evening movie in Spanish with target-language subtitles. Total: ~3 hours/week of structured Spanish + ~7 hours/week of passive input.

In their words

“I tried 3 apps + 2 conversation partners before Koydo. The cohort changed everything — when you don't want to disappoint 5 other adults working toward the same exam, you show up. Daniela was the difference between drifting at B1 forever and actually passing C1.”

— Cherise Brooks · Marketing lead, Atlanta

Find your DELE C1 tutor →

Loading…

Where Cherise started

Her schedule structure

The hard middle (month 5-9)

Quick answer