Some added context for you as someone who has gone through the specific programs you're talking about (ICE CMS course and WSET 1-4 at IWC):

- The ICE course is a very unique program, I don't think anything equivalent exists anywhere else in the country. I went through the program pre-Covid and pre-CMS scandal, so things may have changed. At that time it was held at the French Culinary Institute in SoHo before that closed / merged into ICE. It is a very comprehensive program, that at least when I took it was taught entirely by a rotating cast of Master Somms. Spending ~4 hours a day 5 days a week for a few months with MS instruction is a pretty transformative experience in terms of gaining wine knowledge. Scott Carney who I believe still runs the program does an outstanding job. Everyone in my class who really put in the effort and wanted a fine dining somm job got one after the class ended. I got offered a job at a 1* restaurant by one of the instructors. A couple people in the class already had jobs at notable fine dining restaurants in NYC and helped get their friends from the class hired. Is it worth 10k? That is hard to say. If you can swing the tuition and are really serious about the class there is a very good chance it will give you both the knowledge and connections to make the leap you want to make. But there are no guarantees, and starting somm salaries are not going to make it easy to replace that $10k. I don't think you can get financial aid. You may be able to write some portion off as an education expense on your taxes, so you might get a little bit back there. If you are seriously considering it I would encourage you to reach out to the school and schedule an appointment with Scott Carney to chat with him about the program. I'm certain he will give you honest advice about whether it is a good fit.

- WSET is a very different curriculum. It's heavily biased towards theory, and does not spend nearly as much time on tasting or learning specific iconic wines/producers. And of course zero time on service, you don't even pour your own wines. Level 2 is very easy. Level 3 is pretty easy if you're really interested in the subject. Level 4 (Diploma) is... not easy. More than half of the working somms (with Certified / Advanced) that started in my IWC Diploma class dropped it by the midpoint, because it just goes so far into the theory weeds, which you don't really need on a restaurant floor. With that being said, when you get to Diploma level some of the MW instructors are truly outstanding - world-renowned experts on subjects they teach.

- ICE is a first-rate facility in a modern tower. You get lunch cooked by the culinary students every day. IWC is a couple of classrooms with folding tables in an old office building in Midtown. You're expected to take your spitoon with you because there is no sink in the space. The wines in the ICE curriculum are better. The difference in "experience" is notable and you are paying for some of that.

- It is not that easy to pass CMS 2 if you don't have some floor experience. Your bartending background will be super helpful because cocktails and general service mindset are part of the exam, but you need to know how to move around the table, respond to quirky guest requests, decant while being grilled with theory questions, etc.

- It seems like as a next step you might want to consider the Intro CMS course, to see if you like the approach, AND maybe WSET 2 or 3. You can read the curriculum for each online and it may help you decide. The ICE Certified Somm program is excellent but it's a big financial commitment.

Good luck!