[chloe23]

So I finally visited both NYRS, now called AI culinary arts or something like that, and ICE. (BTW, why do they have to keep on changing names?) Anyhow, I am very impressed with both schools. Now, the question is which school should I go? They both have pros and cons. The tuition isn't that much actually since they rised their prices and they both offer externships. What should I look for in a school that will enable me to learn all the techniques and skills needed for the real world restaurant work?

[Suzanne]

Both schools will give you pretty much the same technical skills, and similar externship opportunities. And now I.C.E. has a management component, too. So think about: which do you think you will find the better place to learn? Where do you feel more comfortable that you'll get the training you want?

Did you get to observe classes? If not, you should, even just for a few minutes. Take a look at the HUMAN equation. How does the chef-instructor interact with the students? Does s/he treat them respectfully? Does s/he make sure that they understand the lesson, or just rattle off the material? How do the students act toward the instructor? Do the students seem like people you could get along with? (I don't mean do you like them or are they just like you; do you think you'll be able to focus on learning without being too distracted by the others.) Do the other students seem like people you might want to work with in the future?

And compare the actual syllabi carefully. Which one covers what you think you'll need to succeed? Is the progression of skill development logical to you? Can you get "simulated real-life" experience as part of the program? (At NYRS, we did simulations in which our class became a restaurant kitchen and we fed the entire school; you could see then and there who'd make it in the business and who couldn't hack it.)

Finally, when you're just hanging around there: do you see former students coming back and talking with the faculty? How are those interactions? Do you get the feeling that the faculty really care about their students? Do the graduates seem to be glad they went there?

Hope this all helps.