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 Community College of Philadelphia, Drexel, Montgomery County Community College-Central Campus, and Community College of Allegheny County.
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 Yorktowne Business Institute, Keystone, and Drexel.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Yorktowne Business Institute and Keystone Technical Institute.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Community College of Philadelphia, Keystone, Bidwell, and The Restaurant School.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Westmoreland County Community College, Community College of Philadelphia, Community College of Allegheny County, and Harrisburg Area Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Drexel, Mercyhurst College, The Restaurant School, and Keystone.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Commonwealth, Mercyhurst College, The Restaurant School, and IUP.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Drexel.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Drexel.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Commonwealth, Bidwell, The Restaurant School, and Keystone Technical Institute.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Pennsylvania Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
- Programs: 12 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma
See these schools on a map
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Sort Reviews By:Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
Montgomery County Community College • Pottstown, PA
Studying Culinary Arts (completion in 2011)
• 8/13/2011
"I would have liked to have gone to a cooking school. This school was cheaper than a cooking school would have been, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It gave me the degree I needed to get the job I want. Hopefully I can advance in my career with this degree. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | It is not known as a cooking school. It does teach cooking skills, though. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Some of the courses that I had to take were not relevant to my degree. The classes that were geared toward cooking were good. |
| Instruction | 8 | Same reasons as above. Some of the classes were not relevant. The classes that were relevant were very informative. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Some of the information was learned in my high school culinary classes. I did learn a few new things. The classes that were not relevant to my field were harder. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The classes that are related to cooking are very hands-on. The other ones are not. | |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The culinary classes were held off campus at a technical high school. There was a library available and an on campus store. |
| Social Life | 4 | Since this is a community college, there weren't as many opportunities to socialize. They do attempt to offer social activities. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I haven't used these services. What I have heard about them has been good. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Sometimes it is hard to get a hold of somebody. When I do connect with someone, they are helpful. |
Penn Foster • Scranton, PA
Studying Caterer (completion in 2005)
• 8/14/2011
"They provided me with an education. Also, overall the school was very good. I would recommend it to a friend."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it to a friend because the campus is great and you get hands on training. Also, the teachers were very friendly and eager to answer questions. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | This was a pretty well known school and had been one of my dream colleges. Also, the campus was really nice. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The professors were amazing. The facilities could have used a little updating. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instructors were pretty good at teaching us in the classroom and using hands on approaches. They could have been a bit nicer at times, but they were still good. |
| How Difficult | 5 | At times I found it challenging. But, sometimes I found my love of cooking to outweigh the stress. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The culinary school provided hands on training combined with a little bit of classroom education. It was very helpful to actually get into the lab. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | There were times when I had to be at a certain place at a certain time. But, there were also times when I was able to come anytime during a certain time range. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | For the most part the facilities were pretty good. The libraries are very nice and have all of the latest computers and books. |
| Social Life | 5 | I wasn't too active in the organizations, but it was a good social experience. I got to meet some very cool people. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The have a great program that helps you find a job right out of graduation. Also, there was a lot of help provided by councilors. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The alums were able to get me a career as a chef. Also, my parents helped me get into the school. |
Pennsylvania Culinary Institute- Le Cordon Bleu • Pittsburgh, PA
Studying Specialized Technology - Culinary Arts (completion in 2006)
• 9/27/2011
"I believe they provided me with a top-notch education that prepared me for the real world. I am honored to this day to call myself a graduate of PCI, and still recommend it to others."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The Le Cordon Bleu Program is nationally accepted as one of the best in the world. There are campuses in almost every major city in the US. It is a bit more pricey than, say, the Art Institutes, but comes it with centuries of experience and love of all things food. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | They still provide a quality education for those wishing to pursue a culinary career. The curriculum is up-to-date and continues to expand as the culinary world itself does. |
| Program Quality | 10 | We (the students) were taught some of what the culinary world has to offer. We were given ample chances to practice our skills in the real world through party catering and other events. |
| Instruction | 10 | The Le Cordon Bleu Schools are very in-depth with their instruction. All of the instructors work, or have worked, successfully in the field, and they impart their knowledge and experiences to the students hands-on. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Not really a heavy work load. The academics are challenging, though. Some classes require a lot of commitment and hard work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There are a number of required academic classes, including math, nutrition, wines, and a few state-required courses. They were all culinary-related, however. The main classes were the kitchen courses, which have some book work, but it is mostly hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They are a year-round school. There are no summer breaks, just major holidays. I don't believe there are weekend classes, and there is no online option. (You can't really learn how to make a decent espagnole sauce from a computer!) |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The professors and instructors are always available during school hours, and sometimes afterwards. Depending on the student-teacher relationship, they will even provide a home phone number. The library/media center is small, but well stocked. Classrooms are of average size, but big enough to accommodate the student body, as they have several schedules available. |
| Social Life | 10 | No athletics at a culinary school, but there were plenty of student or school sponsored parties and activities to participate in. There were also volunteer opportunities to attend, whether for fun, charity, or work experience. |
| Placement Services | 8 | As said before, they focus mainly on local placement post-graduation. They are very helpful in finding work for students while in-school. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | There is a network to sign up on, but it's mostly focused on those who remain in the state after completing the program. The network could be a bit more broad and have more of an outreach. |
Wilkes Barre Vo-Tech • Wilkes Barre, PA
Studying Culinary Arts (completion in 2014)
• 10/15/2011
"I got a certificate that got me into a decent job. I'm still disappointed that the student body was so awful, but that's all behind me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If they have enough money to get through a proper culinary school, then I would tell them to stay in College Prep. If the person in question couldn't afford to go to college, then Vo-tech is a great option. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | No one really talks about the culinary portion of Vo-tech. To my knowledge, though, there isn't anything negative. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The certificate got me into a job really fast, and because I worked hard, I managed to get to the top in a few months. The school was alright, but the student body was awful. |
| Instruction | 8 | I knew how to work just about every machine when I walked in on my first day. I had just enough knowledge to prepare all of the meals I needed to make. |
| How Difficult | 1 | I never did bad in the class. The teacher did a really good job and was very lenient. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We did tons of work maintaining equipment, cooking new foods, and making the food look good. We never opened a book in class, other than the occasional reference book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | We had one schedule each year for 3 years. We would either have class in the morning or afternoon. This was never changed, and we had no choice of what to take. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The classroom was big enough for what we were doing. We had a small portion of the library full of books that pertain to the subject. |
| Social Life | 1 | Vo-tech has a bad reputation for being a place that the lower class goes to. This held true, as much of the student body was violent. I can't count how many times I've been threatened. |
| Placement Services | 5 | It's a mixed bag. Depending on what you take, you might get lucky, or you might not. I didn't get much help, but other majors did. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | For my field, this was pretty poor - next to no help after I got out. For auto body and other classes, this was pretty good from what I've heard. |
Lafayette College • Easton, PA
Studying Culinary Arts (completion in 2009)
• 11/30/2011
"I spent a lot of money for my schooling, and I do not feel that it properly prepared me for the real world at all. I also feel that there is a lack of interest in the culinary arts field at my college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would most certainly not recommend it, because Lafayette has a very tiny culinary arts program and has not expanded the department at all since it was first established. The students will lack the hands-on training they will need for the real world. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | Not many people attend Lafayette College for culinary arts practice. In fact, it's one of the smallest majors at the school. |
| Program Quality | 4 | My school did not prepare me for the real world that well. My school gave me education that I feel will never be used in my field. |
| Instruction | 4 | There was never a good focus on cooking and preparing our foods for customers. The focus seemed to be on getting us to know more about food than actually cooking it. |
| How Difficult | 1 | It was definitely a very easy major, because of the lack of instruction and focus on the real world. As long as we did well on homework and quizzes, we would pass no matter what. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My school placed a huge focus on the importance of knowing what types of foods were out there in the real world. However, too much focus was placed on books and not enough on hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I had a very flexible time in college. I never had any issues with my classes or not being able to schedule them properly. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | There is a very low demand for culinary arts students at my college. The library was the best place for information regarding culinary arts. |
| Social Life | 8 | I thoroughly enjoyed college and my experience there. I had many friends outside of my major. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I had to find my own job. My school did not help find me a job that was in my area at all. They helped me revise my resume, but that's about it. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | My school has a strong alumni network. However, there are very few culinary jobs through them that one can get. |
Art Institute • Pittsburgh, PA
Studying Restaurant Management (completion in 2008)
• 12/31/2011
"I felt as if I learned a lot of useful skills. I was granted the autonomy needed to complete this degree in the little extra time I had. I was well-supported by my professors."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | A recommendation would depend on the amount of experience the person had. In our industry experience is a greater asset than education, so if they had the experience, I'd recommend that they not spend the money on tuition, but on a down payment on their own restaurant. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The Art Institute reputation used to be much better, but I notice more and more students who aren't truly meant for this industry, thus diluting the student body with mediocrity. I think they need to be a bit more selective of the students coming in, and should require at least six months of experience before allowing enrollment. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I had an AAA from the Art Institute of Seattle, and so it was a bit easier to complete my Bachelors. I felt I got a well rounded education, and enjoyed the online school experience. |
| Instruction | 9 | I felt that my professors were clear, concise and always available. I could tell they loved teaching. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Considering I was working full time (50 hour weeks) and pregnant, it was pretty difficult. Had I been a student only, I'd say moderately difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My Bachelor's was mostly focused on the business side of the industry, so I would say it was very book. My AAA from AIS was 85% hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I was a student of the online school. That afforded me a great deal of flexibility, while maintaining deadlines. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I was an online student, but we did have a great online library, and many of us still held online study groups. |
| Social Life | I was an online student. I lived several thousand miles from the school. | |
| Placement Services | 8 | I have not used it. I know, however that many of my classmates have used the services successfully, and know that the people who run those services work hard. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I get an email once a year with an Alumni newsletter. I don't really use that resource. |
Review your current or past school and help others make better career decisions.