Johnson & Wales University-Providence Reviews

"Jwu presents itself as a good school that is there for the students however it is really not. The moment you have to deal with any faculty at the school good luck. Thought my time at jwu I have gone through having 3 financial planners (they got fired or quit) and 2 academic planners which were both horrible and did not care for my success. A majority of the school is run by adjunct professors and it does not create a comfortable learning environment as well, if a student is in need of accommodations you need to fight for them to even listen. As well, good luck getting grades in your courses. A majority of the professors I have had do not grade any tests/quizzes or assignments until the end of the semester which makes no sense as you have no clue wether or not you are doing the work properly or not until it is too late. This university is registered as a non profit but is very financially motivated only caring about how to get more tuition money out of students based off the schools mistakes. Maybe their culinary program is different and well structured, however if you are going to apply to jwu for any other program please think twice. If you do attend wait until you see how many people transfer out after the first semester or are miserable dealing with the university for the rest of their enrollment."

"Though it's one of the smaller and lesser-known programs at JWU, I cannot speak highly enough about the Graphic Design program. During my time at JWU, I was able to explore several different facets of the design world, including courses in print design, photography, video editing, website developing, print production and more. The professors on staff all have real-world experience in studio, in-house and academic settings, and I found (and still find) their insight invaluable while navigation both the business and creative sides of the Graphic Design field. The caliber of work that's created within the program only gets better each year. I've returned to campus for the past two years to participate in an annual Alumni gallery and I'm blown away by the accomplishments and work of my peers. The biggest downside with JWU Providence, for me, was not related to ,y program, but to campus life in general. If you aren't in the culinary school, there is not much of a "campus" feeling as your classes and dorms are in downtown Providence. While this is fun and unique for many reasons, it can make the social aspect more challenging than with a traditional college campus. It seemed to me that the best ways to make a large group of friends were to join Greek life or party every weekend, neither of which I was interested in. School-supplied housing is also scarce, so I would not bet on living in a dorm room beyond your Sophomore year."

"The people who complain about this school, will be the same who complain about ANY school. They pick an easy major, with very little job potential and expect that because they went to school that they will get a job immediately out of college. The thing is, unless you go for something in STEM (protip: no social sciences/liberal arts) OR culinary arts (one of the best schools in the nation for it) then you most likely will not get a job right away. Now that that is out of the way. This school is fantastic for my particular major. It is currently one of the only schools in the tri-state area that offers this major and the job potential is amazing. Overall, the professors in this major really do care and are some of the best I have every had. The gen-ed professors are alright. Though, that is most likely my bias talking. TLDR; Don't pick a lousy degree and expect to find a job right away. This school is really good for the STEM fields and the Culinary arts. Also we have business majors but I have literally never met one so can't tell you how that is."

"It had great resources and was money well spent"

"Having personally gone through the CASPA process and after applying to a multitude of schools, I can truly attest that Johnson & Wales University is, without a doubt, the best institution to choose when seeking to master the breadth of knowledge and skills required to become a Physician Assistant. The summer semester, filled with foundational coursework and cadaver dissections, perfectly prepares the student for fall/spring semesters, at which time each body system is addressed in an integrative way that promotes applicational learning. Mastering the clinical medicine, diagnostic imaging, patient care techniques, and pharmacology as they relate to each system allows students to analyze, connect, and remember content at the most high-functioning level."

"The program is extremely integrative and unique compared to other PA programs. In the first few months, there is essentially an anatomy and physiology boot camp facilitated by the use of a cadaver lab. The rest of the curriculum is divided into modules that incorporate the patho-physiology, diagnostics, pharmacology and patient care relevant to that topic. For example, during Cardiology you are learning the diseases, how to read an EKG and the associated medications all at the same time. It is an extremely challenging and fast paced program. The faculty is very supportive and invested in our education. They are very skilled at preparing us for patient care in the real world. Highly recommended!"

"Johnson and Wales University is very strong in the aspect that it is diverse. Their students come from various countries and states, so I learned about many cultures. The atmosphere is one that is enjoyable. During my experience there, I found most students to be open-minded, welcoming and friendly. Johnson and Wales offers a variety of clubs and organizations and there is constantly an activity or event to be involved in, whether it is hosted by a RA, student council or another organization. Because of these factors, I found my transition during my first year to be a smooth one. In regards to the degree program, all of the professors were experienced, helpful and did not hesitate to push students out of their comfort zones. They constantly challenged our beliefs, ideas and opinions to help us learn more about ourselves and others. Every professor I had in my program made themselves available so students could seek help from them. For the most part, I felt prepared for my field when I graduated. While the university hosts several career fairs for all majors, because the psychology major is still somewhat new, it is much smaller than most programs and students in my degree did not have as many opportunities to participate in the career fairs. However, our professors had quite a few people from the field present to our classes so we could network and learn more about our profession. Another area where those studying my degree did not have as much opportunity was study abroad, also because of how new the program is. We were still able to travel abroad, but only had the option to take general education courses. The only areas I found to be weak in the university were financial aid and the Student Academic Center. Johnson and Wales tends to provide less financial aid to those who are not in their first year, meaning most students have to pursue avenues such as work-study, other on-campus jobs and academic/ sports scholarships to afford the costs of the university. Most of the experiences I had with the Student Academic Center were more detrimental than helpful. Many of the staff members either did not know how to answer certain questions or misinformed me of the correct processes, leading me to have to seek help from other resources. Other than those areas, I find most aspects of this university to contribute to a positive experience as a student. The positive aspects outweigh the negatives."

"Seen as a slacker school by most people in the area. Great culinary school, but if you go there for anything else it's pretty average. If you go there for the Fashion Merchandising program, don't. They build it up like it's this great program comparable to F.I.T and the like, but it's nothing like them at all. They focus on the business side of the industry with little focus being put in the fashion side of it. If that's what you're looking for then you should be fine. Also, they try to pigeon hole you into these big box stores. The big one they push is Target. They have people from Target come in and try and sell the company to you. At career fairs the type of retail companies that are there are; Target, Toys R' Us, Old Navy, etc. They make a big deal you're freshman year about how you can work in showrooms or become a buyer then by senior year that's not true at all. My freshman year, everyone wanted to be a buyer, that's like the end all be all for retail students. You're lead to believe that you're on the best path to obtain that career. By senior year I had a professor tell our class that most companies hire Finance majors to be buyers because it's all numbers and math. If I had to go back and do it all over, I might have stayed at JWU and simply chose a different major."

"Going to school for a degree in the culinary field is something that needs to be considered carefully. Often cooks and even lower level managers are paid very low wages so that paying college debt becomes nearly impossible. J &W charges students a large amount of money, and I haven't had any raises or job offers because of my education, so I am not sure it was worth it."

"I went to JWU for two years in their Sports, Entertainment and Event management program. While I did not spend a lot of time on campus, I was impressed with nearly all of my professors and learned an incredible amount while I was there. Providence also has a lot to offer if you are into exploring cities and enjoy that atmosphere. Classes tend to cap around 40 students as well, offering a more personalized schooling experience overall."

"The graduate program is fantastic there is nothing I would change it shows us students how the real work force is and how to deal with it."

"Johnson and Wales University has a remarkable MBA program on a newly innovated campus names Harbourside. My graduate program has professors who have a credential from a well-known university and have more experience more than 20 years. Student services team is really helpful, such as student activities and international student service.I always get help every times I ask for. Excellence career serviced, it provides career workshop and job fairs every week.Finally, the tuition fee is the most affordable. I can say that it’s the best deal in New England comparing with other college located in the city area. The con is I still feel unsafe to walk around campus in the night time; I am a woman and sometimes I have a late night, class. The graduate campus locates in a sketchy area. The campus has a terrific security team, but I still hesitate to walk around by myself."

"The biggest pro to this program is the faculty. They are all competent, empathetic Physician Assistants (PA's) who are dedicated toward training future PAs. They are eager to answer questions, respond quickly to emails (even on the weekend) and are invested in the success of their students. The PA building is brand new with a patient care lab, cadaver lab, lecture halls, small group classrooms and study rooms. I have loved my experience at the JWU PA program and the only potential con I see is that we are a new program and there were some minor bumps along the way. Overall the program is fantastic and I am confident that I will be ready to practice medicine when I graduate!"

"The graduate program at Johnson & Wales has an incredibly diverse international population. There are students from over 90 countries which provides a truly global perspective on business studies. There is no graduate student housing available and living in the city of Providence is costly."

"The quality of education received from Johnson & Wales is top notch. The instructors are all professionals that have worked in the field of study. They will help you network and reach your goals even after you graduate. This trend also continues with the rest of the University. The Career Services center is also a top notch service available for students. The services available include help finding jobs or internships. Editing and having 'mock interviews' with professional experienced staff that have worked in the industry as recruiters, HR or the field in which you are applying."

"Johnson & Wales looks good on your resume but as far as criminal justice it doesn't help you get a job in less you are trying to be a police officer and not everyone goes with criminal justice to be a officer. Other than that it is a great school! I wish i had more money so i wouldn't be in so much debt."

"I love that Johnson & Wales offers the Enhanced Accounting Track. The faculty is wonderful and always there to help."

"JWU MBA program has given me everything I need for the future to ensure a great job for me"

"The pros of my graduate program is that I'm learning new things that are related to Business, and that help me in both my professional career and my personal life. In addition, I'm discovering my strengths and weaknesses, and passion through this program. I also have the opportunity to develop my social network through meeting international and national alumni. The cons of my current program is that the school where I'm currently studying is not ranked as one of the top 50 in MBA programs. In addition, the program doesn't offer many options for courses."