School

Graduate schools are a great way to switch careers or advance the one you have. I talked about the most common reasons to get a grad degree, and my new school series will give you a quick glimpse of what options are out there.

Think you have what it takes to be the next Anthony Bourdain? Well, why not start off where he did, at the Culinary Institute of America, a cooking school that's based in New York. As a graduate, you'll be part of the school's elite alumni network, which boasts of Alinea's Grant Achatz, Chipotle CEO Steven Ells, Iron Chef's Cat Cora, and the list goes on. Jennifer Purcell, one of the associate deans at the CIA, told me more about the famous culinary school.

SavvySugar: What can a typical student expect to experience at the CIA?

Jennifer Purcell: A class day may start at 7 a.m. and end around 1:30 p.m., and that’s for a kitchen course. [Expect to] stand on your feet and cook, and kitchens are warm! They can be long days, but we also have sit-down lectures, courses and classes, but the bulk of our coursework is culinary. You’re in the kitchens, and repetition is key, because it’s how you build your skills. The classes are sequential so your building blocks of starting with basics and you build on those throughout the program until you end up in the CIA's four public restaurants. The whole experience is to synthesize all of your training and put it into action in a live restaurant.

To find out about the common misconceptions people have of cooking schools, read on!

This post was shared by reader Imnickiegurl in our Ask Savvy group.

A couple of years ago I was kicked out of college.  A  year later I returned to a different school and after the upcoming spring term, I will be finished with my bachelor's degree.  As I started looking for internships and jobs in the accounting field, I am wondering how to address the fact that I was kicked out, and I'm trying to figure out how much will this limit my career opportunities. Any advice?

Ask anything career- or budget-related — well, almost anything — by posting your questions in the Ask Savvy group, and readers and I will weigh in to support you.

This question comes from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I am a very driven person and in a very strange period in my life. It's one of those transitions that is testing everything I thought I knew. I graduated from medical school about a year ago and have been studying for my boards and now am going to try to get a residency. I came back home, leaving my friends and my independence, which has really been hard for me.

I met my boyfriend around that time, so he met me while I was just coming home, and starting to slow things down to undertake the process of adjusting to my new life and commit to studying. But my life has been so stagnat. I do have things to do, but I am at home most of the time, studying, barely have any real friends so I don't really go out at all unless it's with him. He is great, I can't say one bad thing about him, we are very serious about each other and things have been on a straight path since day one.

I am starting to feel like because of my lack of things to occupy my time with, aside from just studying, I find myself boring, and sometimes bitter for the lack of stimulation. I don't mean to be, but I honestly don't have anything else to do. Lately, I feel like he is just going through the motion of things, but that I don't really excite him. And I can't really blame him. I can't get a job, until my residency comes through, and I don't really have the time to do much else.

How do I know if he is sick of me, and what could I do to help this. We have been together for a year, I don't call him during the day or anything like that, but there is nothing I contribute to the relationship that doesn't change from day to day.

Any insight would help, thanks!

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it, anonymously, to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

When I was in college, I was big on grazing. Between study sessions, rushing from class to class, and not having time for a full-blown meal, snacks were my staple. And while I didn't gain the freshman 15 my first year, I did make a lot of questionable food choices. Most of the food sold on campus was pretty unhealthy, but it was the only option I had at the time. By my sophomore year, I wised up. Every day I took a few healthy snacks with me that would make it through the day in my backpack. If you're looking for some snack ideas to start your school year right, here are a few suggestions:

• Trail mix is a great way to satisfy the munchies. It satisfies both salty and sweet cravings and, if made the right way, provides healthy nutrition that your body needs. Make your own trail mix, or buy some from Trader Joe's. FitSugar reader nic22 loves the individual bags of almonds, cashews, and cranberries from TJ's.

For more ideas, keep on reading.

Mommy Dearest,

I loved school, but my brother and sister-in-law were never into academics. Their son (my nephew) is going into third grade and always talks about how bored he is in class. His test scores are extremely high and though his teacher recommended placing him in a nearby private school where he would be challenged, my brother isn't interested because of the cost. He hasn't even looked into scholarships which I can't understand. I make a good living and want my nephew to take advantage of the opportunity because I know he will do well at the school. Is it out of bounds for me to talk to my brother about footing the bill?

— Auntie Who Wants to Pay

Dear Auntie Who Wants to Pay,

I don't think there's any harm in extending the offer to your brother and sister-in-law. It's very generous of you, but be prepared in case they decline. There might be reasons (aside from academics) that they want their son to stay at his current school — friends, demographics, his comfort level, etc.

— Mommy Dearest

Need a laugh? Then we highly suggest you watch this ridiculously funny "commercial" for Salt Lake Community College's Barbering and Cosmetology School. It's not unintentionally absurd, though. It was created by Rhett and Link, a couple of (adorable) roving pranksters who're currently traveling across the country making some of the funniest faux-mercials ever. Check out the video and tell us whether you'd let these nice young ladies give you a $2 haircut: