Semi-Food Related...

I'm a senior this year and I'm hoping to go to culinary school next fall. I'm mainly looking at Le Cordon Bleu either in London or Pasadena, California, mainly because their Grand Diploma consists of both Patisserie and Cuisine. I've also researched Johnson & Wales a little, although I really do not want to go to a four-year school. Does anyone have any suggestions for what to look at? Have any of you been to culinary school? If you could help me out that would be awesome, I'm really not sure what they look for in a potential student.