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Prescott Arizona culinary arts students at cooking schoolBecoming a chef by enrolling in a culinary institute near Prescott AZ is a great career choice. You will not only be taught how to cook spectacular dishes or prepare fancy desserts, you'll also be able to make a good living doing it. But now that you've decided, just how do you set about selecting a culinary school? Before arriving at your final selection, what qualifications should you review and compare among the cooking colleges you are considering? Remember that you must choose the appropriate program and degree in order to be a success in the restaurant and hospitality fields. There are a wide range of alternatives to select from, starting with a diploma or certificate program and advancing to attaining an undergraduate or even a graduate degree. You may attend a small baking college, an online school, or enroll in a prestigious culinary institute that provides advanced degrees. The type of degree and school you select will undoubtedly be based upon the amount of money and time you can afford to commit, in addition to your ultimate career objective. After you have established what your primary area of interest and budget are, you can begin evaluating the cooking schools that satisfy your initial qualifications. Depending upon the certification and type of culinary school you select, you could be working as a professional chef or cook in just six months. So before we dive more into the method of selecting a school, let's talk a little more about the degree and culinary school choices that are available.

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Culinary Arts College Degree Programs

Prescott Arizona chef cooking in front of flaming pan

Just as with many other trades or professions in Prescott AZ, there are a variety of degree programs that are offered in the culinary arts. At the most basic level, you can sign up for a nearby cooking course, which are more casual in nature and can run from a few hours to a number of weeks. Often a certificate or a diploma is offered after completion. They may be comprehensive in nature, such as instructing how to cook Spanish dishes, or they can be rather targeted and concentrate on one dish, for instance Crepes Suzette. Of course if you are searching for a more conventional education applicable for a career in the restaurant profession, you will most likely choose to pursue a degree program. With a degree program, you will be required to invest significantly more time.

  • Associate's Degrees can require as long as six months to two years to finish.
  • Bachelor's Degrees normally involve as much as 4 years of training.
  • Masters Degrees may take an additional 2 years or more after acquiring a Bachelor's.

More advanced training options may be available, such as Doctoral programs or specialized programs made available by culinary arts institutes. Probably the most important point to bear in mind when determining which degree to strive for is ensuring that it furnishes the degree and education needed to advance your ultimate career objectives.

Culinary Colleges

Prescott Arizona chef preparing gourmet food platter

Once you have made your choice regarding the type of training and degree that you wish to pursue, you can launch your search for the cooking school, college or institute that offers it. For example, if your goal is to train to be a chef specializing in Italian cuisine, then of course you will concentrate on those institutes that furnish the appropriate training. Or you can pick a school based on its reputation or other criteria (we'll discuss some of those later) and then choose the best degree program offered that is simpatico with your career objectives in Prescott AZ. However you arrive at your decision, cooking schools normally fall under 3 different categories:

  • Cooking Schools. Certain cooking schools do offer degree programs, but typically they offer certificates or diplomas. Their programs tend to be more focused in nature, and they can range anywhere from a couple of months to as long as three or four years.
  • Community Colleges. Regional community colleges can be more inexpensive than most private schools and a large number have outstanding programs. They almost solely offer Associate's Degrees and are founded and managed by either local or state governments.
  • Culinary Arts Schools and Institutes. The more advanced training and degrees are offered by culinary arts schools and institutes. A few institutes provide the most renowned and highest standard of training in academia. Unfortunately, since they are private institutions they often can be more costly than their public counterparts, some much more.

Choosing a culinary school will not only be based on the kind of degree or program you wish to pursue, but also the amount of money you have to spend on your education. If you decide to enroll in a public school to minimize costs, remember that out-of-state residents usually have to pay a higher tuition than in-state residents. Furthermore, numerous community colleges and regional public schools have lower tuition rates for local residents. So don't forget to research the public options within Arizona as well as within the Prescott AZ area to locate the most economical options.

Online Cooking Degree Programs

Prescott Arizona female attending online culinary schoolA number of prospective students may discover that there are no cooking institutions that are within driving distance of their Prescott AZ residence. One option is to attend online training within the convenience of one's residence. The practicality and flexibility makes it the best solution for a number of students that continue working full time while attending classes. In addition there are more programs online than ever that are accredited. Keep in mind that a considerable portion of the instruction will be provided through an externship. Externships are programs where students train under local chefs or other culinary arts professionals to ensure that they obtain practical training outside of the internet classroom. Just make sure that the online school you choose is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization (more on this later). Therefore if you are dedicated enough to be able to attend classes and study in this more independent manner, earning a culinary arts online degree might be the ideal choice for you.

Evaluating Cooking Institutions

At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you would like to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous cooking colleges in the Prescott area and across the Country, you must create a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, such as location and cost are a good place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, for instance reputation and accreditation that you should review as well. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you must investigate for each school as you compare them and make your ultimate decision.

Accreditation.  It's imperative that the culinary arts school you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed review relating to their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it may also assist in securing a student loan or financial aid which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.

Age.  Recently established schools often have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to earn an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.

Job Placement Rates.  First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts programs you are examining. Lower graduation rates are red flags that many students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and quit before graduating. They might also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary arts field, as well as a large network of professional contacts. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.

Location.  The culinary school that you attend should be within driving distance of your Prescott home, unless you are able to move. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, perhaps you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary institute located in a different state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area 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. Consider also that many schools focus their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.

Class Sizes.  The best way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get little personal attention from the teachers. The optimal way to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with a couple of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are along with their backgrounds and qualifications.

Flexible Class Schedules.  There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts institute if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you pick has available class scheduling that can accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Prescott AZ because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the cooking college has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.

Find Out More About Cooking Schools in Prescott

Find the Right Prescott Cooking School

A successful career in the restaurant and hospitality industry is contingent upon enrolling in the appropriate culinary arts school. As we have covered, there are several things that you must take into consideration when researching schools, such as their accreditation, reputations, and training facilities. As with any important decision, you need to start by getting information, and the optimal means to do that is by getting in touch with culinary arts schools directly, either in person or over the phone. If you're uncertain about which schools to explore, you may need to think about asking chefs in your area about any cooking institutes they endorse.  Afterwards use the Web to check out those schools even more before contacting them. By taking the time to carefully assess each of your education alternatives, you will find yourself in a more ideal position to make an educated decision. And when you select the right school, you will have a terrific start toward your aspiration of becoming a chef in Prescott Arizona.

 




 

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