Have you ever been made to feel like a second-class citizen because you didn’t spend more than you were expected to in a retail store, asked a car salesman a ton of questions but never actually made a purchase, or walked into a college campus to inquire about a one day course? Ask a lot of people the latter question and they’ll probably tell you they were treated just fine. The question is, did they have access to the same high quality resources, classroom space, equipment, instructors, and curriculum as the regular full-time (i.e., full-time paying) students? There’s a chance they didn’t.
For students interested in testing the waters of culinary school, there are a select few top culinary schools where they can be assured of the same high quality of education as anyone else walking their corridors. “Part-time” should never mean second class. Students should have the same access to cooking books, text books, teacher time, student services, etc. A student should be a student no matter how much they’re paying for tuition, or how many hours they’re spending on campus.
If all of these things are important to you, make sure to check with the campus before registering for part-time studies. A few questions to ask could include:
- Can part-time students attend lectures and/or workshops by visiting chefs?
- Is there a fee for part-time students to attend lectures?
- Are full or partial refunds available if you’re not satisfied with the course?
- What other on-campus activities and resources can you take advantage of as a part-time student.
If you’re just taking a one time course for the fun of it, you may not be interested in asking a lot of questions. On the other hand, if your goal is to eventually sign up for a full-time program, or if you’re just checking it out by starting with one night course, asking a few extra questions may go a long way in helping you make a final decision.
