Providence. RI: One Sunday afternoon in March I decided to go with my brother and parents to Johnson and Wales University's Accepted Students Day at the Radisson Airport Hotel owned by the school. I had also visited the school with my brother in October, when we were greeted with a full-course breakfast prepared by the Culinary Arts students. It was very impressive.

The trip to the Radisson was very informative. With my brother, who is an accepted student, I was able to learn about the school and sample some of the best pastries I have ever had, prepared by students.

The campus is located in the heart of Providence, which offers a unique urban atmosphere and is within walking distance of the city's Performing Arts Center. Being in the city allows the students to obtain jobs in their field. Johnson & Wales has an upside-down curriculum which means the students are given courses directly related to their field of study. The professors work closely with many industries to discover what they want from graduating seniors, which gives the students an edge in getting jobs when they graduate.

Once a year, Johnson & Wales holds a job fair. Every student is required to attend. For freshmen and sophomores, it entails talking with companies about their future goals. For juniors, it can mean placement for the summer. For seniors, it can be an interview for a career. These companies know the school's reputation, and they come to the fair to hire. Many seniors have multiple offers.

Besides owning two hotels, the college also owns and operates a small mall near the campus. The college encourages students in the Hospitality College, Culinary Arts College and Business College to do practicums for work experience. Also, they have a four-day school week so students can maintain a job during the year. In addition, some of their clubs relate directly to the majors.

In my two visits, I learned a great deal. The University has a 98% job placement rate within 60 days of graduation. The tuition does not increase during students' matriculation at the school, providing they are continuously enrolled. Since most tuitions increase about 5% a year, this is quite a savings.

Johnson & Wales also has a three-term year instead of the typical two semesters, which enables students to take fewer courses each term. This system lets students explore different options and still do well in their classes.

One of the best things about the college was the dorm rooms. Of all of the dorms I have seen, these were the biggest and the nicest. Each double room had its own private bath. Two of the six residence halls are smoke-free and alcohol-free.

Johnson & Wales is continually trying to improve their school. They are building a new recreation center. They also have other campuses located in Miami, Florida, Charleston, South Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia. So if you ever get the urge to travel and try something new, you can transfer to one of these!

The Johnson & Wales Wildcats are in the NCAA Division III and a member in the Great Northeast Atlantic Conference. They have many different sports teams.

To apply to Johnson & Wales you do not need SAT I scores. The admissions office will also do a free scholarship search to try to find money to make the tuition affordable.

Johnson & Wales has many positive points. It has a full array of sports programs and clubs.

The university has a very good reputation for all of its majors. I definitely give this university the thumbs up.


Reviewed in 1998