Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Saint Paul College and MCTC.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Minnesota State.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of HCC and Minnesota State.
Excellence
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at HCC, South Central College, and Minnesota State.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Minnesota Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Minneapolis
- Programs: 12 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma
Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America
- Locations: Saint Paul
- Programs: 10 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Certificate, Diploma
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Minneapolis St. Paul
- Locations: Mendota Heights
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Certificate
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Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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St. Olaf College • Northfield, MN
Studying English/Education (completion in 1998)
• 8/13/2011
"Upon graduation I felt prepared for any career. I felt that nothing could compare to the stress of my senior year."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The degree I received prepared me for a wide range of careers. The school is highly regarded by employers and graduate schools. Many of my classmates went to ivy league schools after graduation. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The school I attended was a small private school. It was well known for music, but it's English program was also well known. |
| Program Quality | 8 | From the degree I am able to do the supervisory and administrative portions of the job. Cooking is the easy part for most cooks on the slope - it is being able to manage others and file paperwork properly that is the major issue. |
| Instruction | 7 | Although I did not go to school for cooking, the instruction I received at my school prepared me for a variety of positions in many fields of employment. An english/education degree prepared me for supervising others and writing reports for all of the jobs I have had since graduating. |
| How Difficult | 9 | I had to write many 5-20 page papers and reports during all four years of school, since it was an English degree. I also had to student teach and supervise youth for my Education minor. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My experience was unique and incorporated all styles of learning. As an english major I was immersed in book learning, but as an Education major we were always learning and using different techniques relating to teaching others. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | When I was in school the internet was just emerging, so classes were only offered on campus -- like most schools at the time. They do offer summer classes and an intensive one-month class during the month of January called an Interim. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The class ratio is 1:15, so I knew the teachers very well. Also, the library is top rated, so I never had to worry about finding my materials for research. |
| Social Life | 8 | I joined different athletic groups, which allowed me to develop bonds with fellow students with similar interests. We were also put in groups for our entire freshman year so that we had a network of friends to follow for the rest of the four years. The retention rate at my school was in the 80th percentile. |
| Placement Services | 8 | They informed me of many job fairs my senior year. Also, they gave me information about work in the area after graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I hardly ever use the alumni services at my school now. However, after I graduated the school was always helpful when I needed transcripts or other paperwork. |
University Of Minnesota • Minneapolis, MN
Studying Cooking (completion in 2000)
• 9/25/2011
"I was pretty satisfied. I got a full college experience and the education I wanted."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This was a pretty great chef school. They also had many other programs that just made it a great experience. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The University of Minnesota has a moderately good program. It isn't considered one of the best, but it does its purpose. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It was a great program. I really loved it. |
| Instruction | 10 | The quality of the instruction was phenomenal. I learned a lot, and it really prepared me for my career. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I've always been pretty good at cooking. This course challenged me a little. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some of it was hands on, but some of it was book learning. It was really up to you. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They had some flexibility. Not a huge choice, but about the amount you would expect. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The resources at the University of Minnesota are probably the best in state. |
| Social Life | 9 | I had a great social experience. They had a great athletics program, and also many social events. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Well, they helped me a bit. I feel like I did quite a bit myself though. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | They send me an email every now and then. Sometimes they give me a phone call. Nothing out of the ordinary. |
Hennepin Technical College • Brook Park, MN
Studying Culinary Arts (completion in 2011)
• 11/8/2011
"I am very satisfied with Hennepin Tech. It offered low costs, job placement and great instruction."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I love my job and if anyone loves cooking/baking I would definitely recommend it. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Hennepin Tech has a very good culinary arts reputation. It is about as good as Le Cordon Bleu and Institute of the Arts. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I think my school has an excellent culinary arts program. I felt very prepared and ready to enter the workforce. |
| Instruction | 9 | All of the chefs who instructed me were top of the line. They demonstrated skill and were very helpful to everyone in class. They took time with you and helped you hone your skills. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I did not find this major to be extremely difficult. I have pursued other majors before which were a lot harder. The work load is not too bad. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The culinary arts program is very hands on. It needs to be hands on for this major. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | There are morning, evening, night, summer, and online classes to choose from. For Culinary Arts, online classes are not a real option. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I think that Hennepin Tech's facilities are about as good as anywhere else. The advisor's are friendly and helpful and there are labs, classroom space and extra resources on top of the library. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was not really a part of anything social at my school. I know there are some academic clubs available. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Hennepin Tech has great job placement assistance. They also have career services and will work with you to help you with your goals. |
| Alumni Network | I am not entirely sure about the alumni support since I am a recent graduate. I think that it is average for a technical college. |
Le Cordon Bleu • Minneapolis, MN
Studying Culinary Arts (completion in 2001)
• 12/21/2011
"I love the classrooms and instructors. This is an awesome school and would do it all over again. I am a satisfied student and they taught me well!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend this school to others pursuing this career. They have a nice culinary arts program where you can put your skills to work! |
| Program Reputation | 9 | I think the current reputation of the school is awesome. I know it's a very popular school and many chefs attend for their education. The major that I chose is perfect for me and I love what I do. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school was a short but educational program that taught me the things I needed to succeed. I also purchased the required tools to make the perfect pastry desserts. |
| Instruction | 10 | Great instructors who taught us well. Very well organized schedule and fun classes. |
| How Difficult | 7 | At first it was hard because I'm not the best at math. I know this career requires knowledge of numbers because we do a lot of measuring. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I love that there were plenty of books but the hands-on is the best part of the school. I think you learn better when you actually get to try things out. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I think the school scheduling is pretty flexible. You could either do part- or full-time. I opted for full-time. It was very convenient overall. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I think the classroom space and facilities are great. It's just enough room to work with and it's a great school. I couldn't ask for more. |
| Social Life | 5 | There could be more organized events and parties. I love to make up desserts and do creative foods and desserts and I think if we would of had more parties, it would be fun to make more of our creative desserts. |
| Placement Services | 9 | I rate this pretty high because they will help you find a job. They will also teach you how to build your resume to become an appealing candidate. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The support was good. They helped us in finding careers by teaching us the right way to interview. |
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