I love classes, hobbies, cooking...all of the categories that we're discussing here. I especially love to cook. But I'll take a contrarian view- culinary school doesn't sound very fun, or the best way to become a great home cook. Of course, fun is really subjective, so i can't determine that for you, but have you ever worked in the restaurant industry? It's a noble profession, but really really hard work and so different from cooking at home. IS the program you're considering primarily to prepare people for restaurant work? And you don't get to chose what you'll learn either. Have you talked to culinary school students? The people I know you've done it have said it's hard hard work and some have dropped out.
Also, you can learn so much on your own. Think of every great cook you know, chances are that's how they learned.
Thanks kbr195 for voicing the other side of it - much of what you just said I was telling myself when working out if I should do it.
You are absolutely right about the REAL life of being in the food industry, it's not glamorous like you see those celebrity chefs on TV. (WTF Paula Deen??)
I know this from first hand, my first summer job was in the food industry. I was a dish washer/bus boy for a nice local restaurant. In the 3 years I was there I saw how grueling it was for the cooks/chef.
They offer a few different programs but the program I'm taking is not 'geared to prepare you to work in the industry', it's just for people who want to be great cooks at home. There are 3 compulsory technique courses but then you get to choose the 6 electives you want to take (I'm thinking BBQ, Butchery, French, Southern Italian, Spanish and Vegetarian, if anyone was interested! haha). The classes aren't graded and it's a very relaxed atmosphere, very different from their program for people who want to work as a chef. There was a lot of courses if have to take which would be a complete waste of time/money ( college English, computer skills, restaurant math, etc) ... I'm sorry I don't need to spend $300 boning up on my computer skills.
So I get to choose what I'll learn, it's a great relaxed atmosphere, the trade off is it can never be used to become a Chef.
I love your idea of rifling through cook books at the library. I should give that more consideration... I just worry the way I am, I lack the discipline to learn as much as I would at a school. The tuition is a penalty I pay for lacking a discipline! haha but if after a class or two I'm not blown away by the program I won't take any more courses and I'll start your library idea.
UPDATE: I've officially signed up for the first class! I start in late September, so unfortunately have to wait 2.5 months. If I do the whole course will be roughly $3200 and if I time the classes right I figure I should get about $800 of that back in taxes. I'm also hoping each class will be able to replace two meals, which will save a bit there too... you see, I'm walking ya through my train of thought that (attempts to) justifies this expense haha