Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Chefs
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Moraine Valley Community College, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, College of DuPage, and Triton College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Saint Augustine College, Kennedy-King College, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, and Triton College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Saint Augustine College, Rend Lake College, Kennedy-King College, and College of Lake County.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, Danville Area Community College, and John Wood Community College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.
Excellence
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Illinois Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Chicago, Schaumburg
- Programs: 12 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma
Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America
- Locations: Chicago
- Programs: 10 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Certificate, Diploma
- Locations: Chicago
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Certificate
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Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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City Wide College • Chicago, IL
Studying Culinary Arts And A Minor In Management (completion in 1982)
• 8/11/2011
"I got my degree, so I can't complain. I am very satisfied with my school, as it gave me what I needed to succeed."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would have them go to Cordon Bleu, since they are most accessible now. It's a school with a better reputation, and graduates have an advantage. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | It's not exactly Cordon Bleu, but I got my degree in the field. I will say that I am successful. |
| Program Quality | 9 | They taught me well, and the professors were great. The college also put me in an internship program. |
| Instruction | 6 | This is a career you learn with hands on training. As you grow in this field, you add your own twists to food. The curriculum is just the basics, you have to learn the rest. |
| How Difficult | 2 | It was easy for me. It was all hands on training for the most part. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Mostly everything I learned was hands on. My management classes were, of course, very textbook oriented. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I can't really recall - it was so long ago. We didn't have online back then. I took most of my classes in the morning. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Class size was small. Our our laboratories were kitchen stations. My academic advisor scheduled my classes for me every semester. |
| Social Life | 5 | It was a college - there were sport teams like baseball, softball, tennis, etc. There were student clubs too. |
| Placement Services | 8 | They helped me with my first job at the hospital, when I was a senior. It was an internship. I ended up staying with the hospital for 4 years before I opened up my first restaurant. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | They help with finding a job out of school. I haven't heard from them since, though. |
University Of Illinois • Champaign, IL
Studying Food Science (completion in 2011)
• 10/10/2011
"I enjoyed my time there and the program they have. I hope to be able to give back to it when I am older. It has a promising future."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | For in-state tuition the price can't be beat. I would definitely recommend the program and the instructors. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I am not sure but I believe it is a good program. I would have to double check. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The program itself is good. The department it is in does not fit and hurts the quality of the degree. |
| Instruction | 6 | I had some great teachers and some who were not so great. I am overall very satisfied with the teaching, but there is room for improvement. |
| How Difficult | 4 | I had a relatively easy time with it. But some classes were more challenging than others. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They offered a lot of lab courses and gave us plenty of hands on projects. It was up to the students to seek additional hands on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I only had problems with a couple of classes. No problems otherwise. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Had some great kitchens with fantastic supplies to get a great understanding of what a chef works with. I hope they can keep up the great stuff. |
| Social Life | 8 | I had a lot of fun there. Met a lot of great people and future coworkers. I think it helps to be in a class with friendly people. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I was offered a lot of great help and people were available to me. I should have utilized them more! |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I was able to talk to a lot of great food companies that were seeking graduates. They have a strong career fair there. |
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