Anonymous: Hello, My name is Mandy, I am currently a junior in a high school and I am intersted going JWU for Baking and Pastry Arts, and I am trying to collect as much info as I can before I go there :) and I saw online that you currectly attending that university so I thought maybe I could ask you questions about that university. Do you like the program ? What do you guys basically make,like desserts or what?

Oh nice to meet you! Have you visited any of the campuses yet? Which campus are you leaning towards?

I attend the Denver campus, and personally I really like it! It is the smallest campus, so you end up seeing familiar faces around campus and getting to know the chefs, professors, and staff better. If you like a smaller, more personal campus I would choose Denver. The weather is awesome during summer through October but be prepared for snow in the winter because it can get really cold..down to the negatives. I’d recommend bringing a car if you have one!

Your freshman year you take two trimesters of labs and one where you take academic classes like math, science, etc. Labs are divided into 5 different classes per trimester. Each class is 9 days long and 6 hours each day. You go to class 4 days a week and usually have 3 day weekends, with the exception of Friday labs. but those don’t happen often. Since there is a lot more baking students, you may be registered for AM, PM, or PPM labs. AM: 6am-12pm, PM: 12-6pm, and PPM: 6pm-midnight.

I really like the program! I’d prefer PM labs because you can stay up late the night before, get a decent amount of sleep, and still have the rest of your night. I’ve never had AM labs, but a lot of my friends have had them and you get the rest of your day.  I wouldn’t suggest PPM labs because it’ll mess with your sleeping schedule. unless you stay up late anyways or want to have a job in the daytime.

In labs you usually only get one major project/homework assignment assignment and 4 quizzes total throughout the whole 9 days of class. 

Your sophomore year, the trimesters are split up into one trimester of labs, academics and internship. you have have the option of doing your internship in the summer. spring and summer are the most popular, so they may fill up fast.

Labs you take freshman year: fundamental skills and techniques, pies and tarts, classic pastry, cookies and petits fours, hot and cold desserts, chocolates and confections, intro to cakes, intro artisan bread baking, viennoiserie, and how baking works.

Labs you take your sophomore year: specialty cakes, entremets and petits gateaux, advanced artisan bread baking, plated desserts, sugar artistry.

A day of labs consist of: lecture, quiz, production, and cleanup. Day 1 through 7 is where you get to make the different products, practicing the methods, learn the material, and watch demos from the chefs. Basically preparing you for the practical exam and the written exam. Day 8 and 9 are exam days. 

I really like how the program is set up, although I wish each class was longer than 9 days. In each class you make a variety of desserts and you get to try everything you make. Remember, you don’t have to eat so much of everything! Eat in moderation.

Oh! Providence is the only campus that offers the bachelor’s degree for BPA. 

Dorming wise: I’d go for Presidents hall. Johnson hall is crazy haha and Wales hall isn’t too bad. For johnson and Wales hall you will share a bathroom with another room (so two other people). They recently put triples in johnson too. Wales you can’t move the furniture around, unlike Johnson Hall, but the closets are bigger! I think Presidents is more expensive because you have a private bathroom with your roommate and there’s carpet. Plus, you control if you want the AC/heat on (but you don’t get to control whether it is AC or heat). I lived in Presidents both years but I had friends who were both in Johnson and Wales Hall. Although..I feel like if you are in Johnson or Wales Hall you will meet more people, but that also really depends on how outgoing you are or how active you are on campus.

I hope this helped! Good luck in college and I hope you make the best choice for yourself, your career, and future endeavors. :)