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Bartending School?

M

Mizugori

Senior member
So... I'm in NYC, and I have decided to give bartending a shot while I'm still in school. It's basically impossible to get a position though, you have to start as like a bar-back (read: slave) and sweat your balls off for a year making crap $$ hoping that they will eventually promote you. I worked as a "server assistant" (read: busboy [read: slave]) at Applebee's last fall for a few months and let me just say, never again. What a shoddy deal, they would always have like 4 lazy-ass hostesses standing at the door doing jack shit but getting the same tip share cut that the two bus boys were getting. They also did a lot of questionable things like expecting us to lift kegs of beer by ourselves in the back room (read: back injury waiting to happen).

Anyways, I found out about bartending schools, and have considered it a lot. There are quite a few in NYC, but I am looking at Authentic Bartending School on 34th st in particular, as it has been around a long time and seems to be a good, legitimate school. They are licensed by the New York Board of Education, and have numerous positive reviews online on citysearch. I went and checked it out, and it seems decent. The school was also featured on an episode of 'Conan O'Brian.'

Any thoughts?? It's basically $600 for a 40 hour class, with job placement and re-taking classes as desired for life. It also includes the TIPS certification class.

Has anyone on here taken a bartending class, and/or is a bartender? What are your thoughts? How did you get started?
 
Originally posted by: ChrisIsBored
I just came to laugh at you for even considering wasting your money for bartending school.
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QFT

Also as with anything you are going to start at the bottom.
 
The only thing you'll probably get out of bartending school is being able to make drinks for your friends when they come over.
 
either be a hot girl or know someone otherwise you'll never get a job. you don't need to goto school for it. its not difficult to make drinks. College taught me how.
 
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
How about something that can really benefit you while you're in college, like an internship.
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I'm already finishing up an internship doing unix system admin and perl programming. been at it for several months now.
 
you guys are being idiots. how about this rule: don't post unless you are a bartender, or have gone to bartending school. because otherwise your opinion is just conjecture and i don't need it.
 
So I don't look like a complete ass.. I'll add some input.

First, you have absolutely no skill in bartending, therefore automatically you assume that 1) You can get a job straight off and 2) You deserve a job with no prior experience. Let that soak in for a few seconds.

If you truely want to spend some time behind a bar (and i've had a lot of fun and made a lot of easy/non-taxable income the last 3 years of my life) then you're going to start at the bottom. Even people with prior bartending experience will start out bar-backing (that is unless you have a nice pair of tits). Bar-backing gives you the knowledge and experience of what's actually behind the bar. If you can prove yourself able to multi-task well enough for all the shit you have to do while bar-backing, then you've got potential to be a decent bartender.

Bottom line though, if I don't see you willing to do any hard work starting out bar-backing, then you'd have no chance in hell getting a job from me.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
you guys are being idiots. how about this rule: don't post unless you are a bartender, or have gone to bartending school. because otherwise your opinion is just conjecture and i don't need it.
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Go and ask the bartender at your favorite pub/bar if he/she ever went to bartending school.
There's your answer.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
So... I'm in NYC, and I have decided to give bartending a shot while I'm still in school. It's basically impossible to get a position though, you have to start as like a bar-back (read: slave) and sweat your balls off for a year making crap $$ hoping that they will eventually promote you. I worked as a "server assistant" (read: busboy [read: slave]) at Applebee's last fall for a few months and let me just say, never again. What a shoddy deal, they would always have like 4 lazy-ass hostesses standing at the door doing jack shit but getting the same tip share cut that the two bus boys were getting. They also did a lot of questionable things like expecting us to lift kegs of beer by ourselves in the back room (read: back injury waiting to happen).
Click to expand...

I just wanted to say that I bussed in a similar environment for 2 years straight. Not only all the above, the busboys where I worked had to keep a fireplace going and stack the wood pile.

Oh, and the hostesses were the best perk of the job.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
you guys are being idiots. how about this rule: don't post unless you are a bartender, or have gone to bartending school. because otherwise your opinion is just conjecture and i don't need it.
Click to expand...

I did goto bartending school. It was cool but not necessary. Like I said you will only get a good gig by knowing people.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
you guys are being idiots. how about this rule: don't post unless you are a bartender, or have gone to bartending school. because otherwise your opinion is just conjecture and i don't need it.
Click to expand...

I'm neither a bartender or have attended bartending school. Looks like I just broke your rule.

Now hurry and get me my drink from a real bartender.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
you guys are being idiots. how about this rule: don't post unless you are a bartender, or have gone to bartending school. because otherwise your opinion is just conjecture and i don't need it.
Click to expand...

I bartended part-time for a year or so. It was at a large corporate restaurant. I started off as a server and was brought into it. They taught me everything I needed to know.

I would imagine that each place has their own way of doing things so going to school for it might actually be counter-productive in that you have to re-learn how to do things.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
you guys are being idiots. how about this rule: don't post unless you are a bartender, or have gone to bartending school. because otherwise your opinion is just conjecture and i don't need it.
Click to expand...

i was a bartender. going to school for it is a waste of time and money. put your dues in at at bar. the staff will respect you more and the customers will recognize you too.

i always hated douchebags from bartending schools coming up to the bar and spouting off stupid names for things or trying to come up with new "newest, coolest" drink.

when i worked in broadripple most orders were for beers or something like a rum and coke. it isn't rocket science. know some of the major shots (sufer on acid, lemon drop, kamakazie, etc.) and you will be fine.
 
Originally posted by: ChrisIsBored
I just came to laugh at you for even considering wasting your money for bartending school.
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Plus if he has problems moving beer kegs he is seriously picking the wrong line of work.
 
i dont have problems moving beer kegs. YOU try picking one up by yourself, and hoisting it onto a shelf 4 feet off the ground-its just horrible for your back i dont care if you're mr universe its a bad system. the shape and top only handles also make it an awkward lift.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
wahhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhh. waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhh. waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhh. waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhh. waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhhh. wahhhhhhh. waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
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look for a new line of work.
 
you know guys, i posted asking for some valuable, educated/experienced input. i have gotten ZERO so far. 90% of you guys aren't even qualified to be posting you just have nothing better to do so you make some half-assed judgmental comments without fully understanding the topic, or having any real knowledge of bartending and/or bartending schools.

i will update after i finish classes, and have finished my first night of work. the update will include how much i made.
 
I want to go to bar tending school just because. I'm always the bar tender at our parties so I might as well get a certificate. Do it? whats the worst that can happen? waste a couple hundred? at least you'll learn something!
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
you know guys, i posted asking for some valuable, educated/experienced input. i have gotten ZERO so far. 90% of you guys aren't even qualified to be posting you just have nothing better to do so you make some half-assed judgmental comments without fully understanding the topic, or having any real knowledge of bartending and/or bartending schools.

i will update after i finish classes, and have finished my first night of work. the update will include how much i made.
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If you're looking for someone to come up and say "It's great, go do it." Keep waiting. People have already replied with some good input and you've just been ignoring it.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
you know guys, i posted asking for some valuable, educated/experienced input. i have gotten ZERO so far. 90% of you guys aren't even qualified to be posting you just have nothing better to do so you make some half-assed judgmental comments without fully understanding the topic, or having any real knowledge of bartending and/or bartending schools.

i will update after i finish classes, and have finished my first night of work. the update will include how much i made.
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: pointingatyou;:laugh:

don't forget to add the 25% inflation rate to how much money you make.
 
Originally posted by: Mizugori
you know guys, i posted asking for some valuable, educated/experienced input. i have gotten ZERO so far. 90% of you guys aren't even qualified to be posting you just have nothing better to do so you make some half-assed judgmental comments without fully understanding the topic, or having any real knowledge of bartending and/or bartending schools.

i will update after i finish classes, and have finished my first night of work. the update will include how much i made.
Click to expand...

are you serious???? amish, dainbramaged, icebergslim, and chrisisbored all posted that they have either bartended or gone to bartending school and all of them are telling you it's a waste of time. if that isn't valuable information to you, then gtfo of this forum and go elsewhere for uniformed morons to tell you that going to bartending school is the best thing for you to do.
 
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