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Contrasting Cooking Schools
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there a large number of culinary arts institutions in the Mobile area and within the Country, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example location and cost are a good place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, such as accreditation and reputation that you must review also. So below are some crucial areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary institute you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As aforementioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough assessment relating to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts programs you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are indications that many students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the courses and dropped out. They might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the culinary field, as well as a wide network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary school that you choose must be within commuting distance of your Mobile home, unless you are able to relocate. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Conversely, perhaps you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary arts school located in a different state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that a number of schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get minimal personal attention from the instructors. The best means to evaluate the communication and interaction between faculty and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their teaching philosophies are together with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you choose has available class scheduling that will work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Mobile AL due to your job schedule, verify that the school you choose offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the culinary program has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class because of work, family or other responsibilities.
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