sisterhazel Anonymous

Aren't there lots of stories about these specialty schools trading diplomas for cash? Sanford-Brown comes to mind. And, anyhow, we can't all be Julia Child!

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

mizery Anonymous

Ace Mart sounds like a great lead. Thanks Tereese.

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

kirk Anonymous

Nice reporting, Teresa. It appears that anyone interested in this school really ought to do some deeper digging.

From a news release issued on October 1 in conjunction with a class-action suit filed against CEC and the California Culinary Academy:

"California consumer class action lawyer Ray Gallo, who represents these former CCA students, said, 'CEC claims to offer a high quality education to approximately 90,000 students at more than 75 campuses across the world in a variety of career-oriented disciplines. We expect to prove that the California Culinary Academy, CEC's once-elite culinary school in San Francisco, misrepresented and hid the truth of its increasingly poor reputation and inability to place graduates in well-paying jobs-and did so acting under CEC's instructions. We also expect to prove that CEC, CCA, or their personnel accepted undisclosed benefits from lenders to place students in loans that exceeded market rates. I don't know what's happened at other CEC schools, but I have seen reports of similar sounding lawsuits involving other CEC schools, and I have heard that at least one CEC shareholder is demanding that CEC refocus its strategy on providing quality education to its students.'

"In the suit, students allege the following:

"* While CCA was once well respected, CEC ended selective admissions, admitting everyone or nearly everyone, and ended meaningful graduation requirements, graduating everyone or nearly everyone.

"* As a result, students allege, a CCA degree is not prestigious and does not open doors-many employers even consider it a minus. Even students who did well at the school often find employment only at $10 or $12 an hour upon graduation, making their students loans(often $50,000 or so, plus substantial interest) difficult or impossible to pay, contrary to what CCA promised them.

"* CCA, CEC, or their employees received undisclosed benefits from lenders to place students in above-market rate loans, and some students face interest rates of 19%."

Does anyone know what the tuition is for El Centro's program?

1 year ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

gophercat Anonymous

The tuition for El Centro's culinary program is the same as for any of its college courses: $39 per credit hour, or $117 for most (three credit) classes. I've taken a couple of classes, and usually my books and supplies cost more per class than my tuition. All in all, it's a great deal.

12 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

ghost Anonymous

Teresa, You really need to get your facts straight while comparing CIA to Le Cordon Bleu. The tuition you mention for LCB in fact includes the same as CIA's in exception to the meals outside of class, yes it does include books, supplies, uniforms everything. Have you taken the program are you a culinary expert, what are your credentials in determining a good school or not? Do me a favor go on to harvard universities website and see if you can find the price of their school... does that make them a shady school now? People like to bash what they do not understand and clearly you do not understand, but I guess yellow journalism is what the viewers prefer then the facts 100% truths.

Great reporting Kid,

For the one posting the comments on the law suit probably true and legit but what school or university at one pont has not had a law suit. You are talking about 8 students out of thousands and thousands, its a sad thing to focus mainly on all the bad stuff which is the small percentage and know one looks at all the good these schools have done for students who could not get into a traditional university these kids are now doing what they love for a living obviously you guys are not. Get a Clue I could post thousands of stories about negative things on every company, school, government agency, religion that would be juicy, once again know one puts focus on all the good stuff only the bad which is a small percentage. Sounds like you guys are real winners in my eyes. Sounds like you guys are a sad look at the small percentage of negative people... Hey now their I go being negative about the way I perceive you guys shame on me I bet you guys are nice people just misunderstood...

11 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

kirk Anonymous

What's your connection to the school, ghost?

11 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

bsb2007 Anonymous

In defense of the LCB/texas culinary academy... People seem to think that attending culinary school will secure them a high paying job upon graduation. This is not true. regardless of what school you attend, be it the Culinary Inst. of America or your local community college, you still start at the bottom after completion. This means the crappy jobs nobody else wants to do! And attending culinary school does not make you a chef, it teaches you the basic techniques. There is no substitute for intern/externships- and if there is one thing an LCB program offers, its quality experience that other schools cannot (with the exception of CIA, Johnson & Wales, etc). In almost all cases LCB/Texas Culinary Academy in Austin is rank in the top 50 cooking schools in the world. One census has it rank #2 right behind CIA. LCB/TCA also provides all the equipment you will need throughout your career.

11 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

nevia987 Anonymous

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

4 months, 1 week ago

andiekins Anonymous

I am actually a student at the Le Cordon Bleu in Dallas and I feel that your statements are not knowledgeable ones. Yeah, tuition is steep, but any specialty school has high tuitions because they are not recieving government subsidations. About the aggressive admissions, you'll find that anywhere as long as the rep is working for commision. It doesn't mean its a bad school. Same goes for car shopping, if you are going to buy a 30k car, the salesmen have to be aggressive to sell it. Doesn't make it a bad car.. Second, I feel I am learning alot from the courses I am currently taking. My classes are small, and because of that, if I need any extra attention my professors are always available and willing to give me some extra lessons. So Teresa, I think you have good intentions but you don't know the entire story... better luck next time

3 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

cindyoneal Anonymous

THIS SCHOOL SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS THE FIRST STUDENT ENROLLED IN THIS SCHOOL AND I WAS LIED TO AND CALLED NAMES BY THE DIRECTOR OF COMPLIANCE AND THE NEW PRESIDENT. I HAD A MEETING WITH BOTH OF THEM AT 9 AM AND THE PRESIDENT AVOIDED ME AND THE DOC DIDN'T SHOW UP UNTILL 11:15AM THEY ARE NOT PROFESSIONAL AND THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE STUDENT. I SHOULD KNOW I AM ABOUT TO ENTER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS WITH THEM AS I AM WRIGHTING THIS. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWING TWC GUIDLINES AND THET WILL EVENTUALLY LOOSE THEIR ACCREDIATION IF THEY DON'T HIRE ALL NEW NOT MONEY HUNGRY STAFF

1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )