Reviews

I'm just taking my regular basic freshman classes and so I'm sure that I'd be getting about the same level of education regardless of where I went for this first year.

I know that I'll enjoy being here because I love Bend...however, I would love to go to a bigger college after this year.

Seriously, saving the money by living at home and going to a community college for one year is SO worth it! Fall term alone cost me less than $1000.

If you want to get your basic classes out of the way and save lots of money your first year of college then come to COCC!

The Cascade Culinary Institute (part of Central Oregon Community College) is the best culinary school on the west coast due to it's brand new facility, amazing faculty, one on one time with students and broad learning experience of various cuisine around the world. I am able to come there everyday looking forward to going to school and delving into the world of pastry! Our chef instructors continue to promote our education and help us achieve our goals as future chefs.

Don't compete! Yes, you want to be the best you can and strive to impress, but don't drive yourself crazy by trying to beat everyone else. Everyone has their own ways of learning and completing assignments. Soak it up like a sponge and have fun! Be willing to compromise with classes you may not be the most happy about. More than likely, those classes can help improve your resume and job opportunities int he future! Get involved with clubs, activities, events etc. There are tons of opportunities to network with people in the business who could change your life!

Personally, baking and pastry comes pretty naturally. I've only had difficulty with a few classes that have much more challenging obstacles. But I learn differently from other; many need to practice practice practice to finally get the skill down. A final reason I only gave 4 stars to rigor is you get to eat your homework! What's easier than that?

There are dorms on the COCC campus but most students live out on their own. It's not a terribly big dorm community. I also don't know much about them; thus, I can't give a true rating. But I know they are there and readily available!

We have our own restaurant called Elevation. It is fine dining and student run. We serve lunch and dinner Wed-Fri, with lunch being al a carte and dinner being prix fixe meals. The menu changes every semester giving our community only the best local Oregonian food! All students (culinary and baking/pastry) rotate through the kitchen, bakery and dining room to get a full education on an operational restaurant. and we have lots of FUN!

Every semester, there are numerous events to volunteer at and network with students and other chefs. Many of these events can be found through the Culinary Club and the Student Ambassadors Program. We travel throughout Central Oregon and sometimes out of state to promote the school and teach others about food. Examples are Bite of Bend, ProStart, High School get togethers, Meal of the Year, Taste of the Town etc... We also like to go to local restaurants and get to know students and teachers outside of school.
Besides food, we also live in Bend (which in Oregonian means OUTDOOR FUN!). There is so much culture and so many activities to do in Central Oregon it's ridiculous.

CHEAP!! Compared to many culinary schools in the US, it is one of the cheapest with the best education. Highly recommended if you want to save money!
CCI won an award for sustainability just a couple months ago. We strive to use local ingredients for our restaurant and learning purposes. We have one baking and pastry kitchen, one culinary foundations kitchen, and our advanced kitchen which doubles as the restaurants kitchen. We have a beautiful restaurant, Elevation with indoor and outdoor seating. There is a view into the kitchen so you can see your meal being prepared! We also have a library, storeroom, offices and our halls are decorated with art from students in the upper campus. It's like a museum!

We have the walk of steel every year for graduation. Students make two lines down the hall and raise their knife sharpening steel. Then graduates walk through the tunnel into their culinary careers!
Every midterm (once a semester) we have our Midterm Celebration (Midterm buffet). Every classes midterm is displayed in our restaurant and then we eat it! We have some presentations from students about events they have participated in and family is welcome to join.

Food passionate, motivated, knowledgeable, driven, excited! explorers, risk takers

Culinary Club and Student Ambassadors (there are other clubs at the COCC campus as well, but culinary club is all you really need!)

no Greek life...but we make Greek food in international cuisine!

We are in a very safe location and have 24 hr security features in our facility

COCC is great for small classes where the students have one-on-one contact with the instructors. The advising part of registration is great because the advisors only recommend classes that the student needs to be or should be taking to be successful in their chosen field. The instructors offer outside of classroom help and are timely in getting feedback to students. I've learned more in the last year and a half at COCC then I did in four years of high school.

I love the campus because it's beautiful in the summer and in the winter. The campus is set on a hill which can be difficult at times but is a great workout if you have classes all over campus. There is a great view of the mountains and it doesn't feel like we're right in town. Feels more like we're up in the mountains somewhere.

The tuition and registration costs for COCC is amazing compared to big universities. Although it's still expensive for someone who doesn't have a full time job, I was able to get a loan through the school to pay for this year and it's been a lifesaver. The classes really are worth the money it costs per credit.

Register early!!! There is such a demand for education right now that registering early is very important. Even though current students have priority over new students, classes still go quickly! Also, when you are getting ready to register, know what classes you want before it comes time to actually register. Plan, plan, plan! It really pays off in the end.

COCC is great for just about anyone who is looking to jump into a higher education. Only 200 level and lower classes are offered mostly but its a great starting point for someone who isn't ready to move into a huge university. Community college is a great transition from high school or not going to school to a university. The atmosphere is wonderful and the people here are some of the friendliest around. If you're outdoorsy its even better because you would be right in the middle of everything; skiing, snowboarding, hiking, camping, floating the river, fishing, shopping, hunting, biking, running, etc.

At COCC you learn a lot more then you would at a university because the class sizes are smaller. Since the classes are smaller the teachers have more time to spend with each student and therefore you are able to ask more questions so you can understand the material better. The teachers also like to help the students in every way they can and try to make it so everybody, whether a visual learner or not, can learn the material. I have been a student for a full year and felt that all the classes I took were worth it.

Everybody at the college is really helpful and nice. The teacher especially are fantastic because they sometimes act like one of the kids instead of a teacher. This makes learning more fun and easier. Also the students are great because no matter if you are their friend or not they will help you if you need it. The campus in general is a great place to be.

I decided to attend COCC instead of OSU for my first two years because the tuition cost are reasonable. At OSU the tuition would have been very expensive but COCC is about right and I could afford everything I needed. Also if you cant afford all the cost COCC is willing to help you so you can go to school and get an education.

Definitely check all you options but COCC is a great place to start because they have lots of options to chose from so you can start your education close to home.

COCC is perfect for anybody because no matter who you are or what you look like people will accept you.