# Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Baking and Pastry Arts



## kristy (Oct 29, 2005)

Hello to everyone, I'm brand spankin new here and have been reading some posts, and you all sound like you know what you're talking about...
I was just wondering if anyone out there had taken the [product="27500"]Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Baking And Pastry Arts [/product] program, because I am looking at perhaps enrolling there. I would appreciate any sort of advice or tips!
A little of my background: I'm 23 and I already have an associates degree and am a medical assistant, but I've decided that I want to persue my passion of baking, but I don't want to be living in debt for the rest of my life! 
Also, were there any sorts of financial aid programs that helped a bunch?

Again, I really really appreciate any information...Thank you!!

~Kristy


----------



## jctrs (Sep 16, 2005)

IUP is a huge party college and i know a couple dozen people who have failed because of that so u have to be very strong and avoid tempatation at that college. As for the baking and pastry arts program im pretty sure its fairly new but thats about all i know.


----------



## adamm (Jul 16, 2005)

I heard iup is a huge party college too but i went to visit it today and they had signs up saying no underage drinking and if you get caught with alchol you get thrown suspended and could be expeled, but if they enforce it i dont know. As far as the collage go it is very nice. Thats probaly where i will end up going next year. They said to get in the baking and pasterie that there are only 15 people a year and the basicaly said that they are hand picked so you might want to look into that more. as far as expence goes i thinks it pretty cheap compared to some of the othere schools i looked at.


----------



## happychef21 (Sep 11, 2014)

I completed both the culinary and advanced baking program. I can tell you all you need to know. 

Normally, you complete the culinary program first, unless you have some experience you want to audition for the baking program, aka "stage" and take several exams. The culinary program is 1 year long, from August to August and goes through the summer. Class is from 8 to 4:30 everyday. You have a break from 10 to 10:30 and lunch from 11:30 to 12:30. It is 3 semesters long.  After finishing classes, you have a Toque Day Ceremony ( the fancy, tall hat). However, you have't graduated yet. You must complete a 600 hr externship ( a paid internship) to officially graduate. ( 450 hrs for advanced baking and pastry students). 

After the second semester starts, you may apply for the Advanced Baking and Pastry Programs. Your grades must be good enough, (nothing lower than a B), must have excellent or perfect attendance and some other criteria. You will be reviewed by several of the chef instructors. If accepted, and your grades don't drop and your attendance doesn't drop, you will start in August again, and go until May. You have another Toque ceremony, and then head off to externship.  

The work load is pretty strenuous, so I would re-consider getting a job at the same time, if you were thinking about it. I would say 3-4 hours of homework every night for culinary, if you want to do a good job and even more for baking. 

Now about externship. IUP has a Sponsorship fair every spring, as one of the classes, and bring the top resorts, hotels and other restaurants/ foodie place to little Punxsutawney, PA!! Biltmore, ( that's where I completed my externship, I LOVED IT!!!!), Pinehurst, Boca Raton, The Breakers, Ocean Reef, and other big name places come here to hire the students. 

I would definitely suggest going to one of the open houses, they can give you all the fine details.  

Another big point is the cost-IUP cost's $30,000 for 1 year compared to CIA's almost $60,000. Our class sizes are around 100 students, CIA's easily around 500. The only negative drawback is that you get a certificate and not a degree. I'm going back to IUP main to complete my Bachelor's so it's not a big deal for me, but it's something you should be aware of. 

That should be enough to get you started!! 

Happy Cooking!!

P.S.-The American Culinary Federation (ACF) uses the IUP Baking program as a model to judge the other schools in the country.


----------

