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How to Pick the Right One Near Prescott Arizona

Prescott Arizona culinary students at cooking schoolYou have made a great career choice to become a cook or chef by enrolling in a culinary institute near Prescott AZ. You'll be able to earn a good living doing what you love by learning to cook incredible dishes or make elegant desserts and pastries. But just how do you set about picking a culinary college now that you've made your decision to enroll? What requirements should you research and compare among the contending cooking institutes before arriving at your ultimate choice? Keep in mind that you must pick the right program and degree in order to be a success in the restaurant and hospitality industry. There are a multitude of options to choose from, starting with a certificate or diploma program and advancing to earning an undergraduate as well as a graduate degree. You may attend a small cooking school, an online program, or enroll in a prestigious culinary institute that offers advanced degrees. The type of degree and school you select will probably be based on how much money and time you can afford to spend, as well as your ultimate career goal. Once you have decided what your primary area of interest and budget are, you can begin assessing the culinary arts schools that meet your preliminary qualifications. Depending upon the degree and type of culinary school you select, you can be working as a professional chef or cook in just 6 months. So before we dig more into the method of choosing a school, let's talk a little more about the degree and culinary school choices that are available.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Culinary Arts Career Below!

Culinary College Degree Programs

Prescott Arizona chef preparing flaming dish

As with numerous other professions or trades in Prescott AZ, there are a variety of degree programs that are available in the culinary arts. At the most elemental level, you can enroll in a local cooking class, which are more casual in nature and can run from several hours to a few weeks. Typically a certificate or a diploma is offered after completion. They can be broad in nature, for example teaching how to cook French dishes, or they can be very specific and focus on one dish, such as Crepes Suzette. Of course if you are searching for a more formal education applicable for a career in the restaurant industry, you will undoubtedly choose to pursue a degree program. With a degree program, you will be required to invest considerably more time.

  • Associate's Degrees can take anywhere from six months to 2 years to finish.
  • Bachelor's Degrees typically entail as much as four years of training.
  • Masters Degrees can take an additional two years or more after attaining a Bachelor's.

Additional advanced degree options may be offered, including Doctoral or specialized programs offered by culinary arts institutes. Probably the most important issue to keep in mind when deciding on which degree to strive for is ensuring that it furnishes the credential and education required to advance your ultimate career goals.

Culinary Arts Colleges

Prescott Arizona chef preparing gourmet food platter

Once you have made your selection regarding the kind of instruction 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 Spanish cuisine, then naturally you will concentrate on those schools that provide the suitable training. Or you can opt for an institute based on its ranking or other factors (we'll cover several of those later) and then choose the best degree program available that is compatible with your career objectives in Prescott AZ. However you make your choice, cooking schools basically fit within 3 different categories:

  • Cooking Schools. A few cooking schools do offer degree programs, but usually they offer diplomas or certificates. Their programs tend to be more specialized in nature, and they can range anywhere from a couple of months to as long as 3 or 4 years.
  • Community Colleges. Regional community colleges can be more economical than most private schools and a large number have exceptional programs. They almost solely offer Associate's Degrees and are founded and managed by either state or local governments.
  • Culinary Arts Schools and Institutes. The advanced degrees and training are offered by culinary arts schools and institutes. Some institutes provide the most renowned and highest level of training in academia. Unfortunately, since they are private schools they generally can be more costly than their public counterparts, some a lot more.

Choosing a culinary school will not only be based on the type of degree or program you would like to pursue, but also the amount of money you have to invest in your education. If you decide to enroll in a public institution to reduce costs, keep in mind that out-of-state residents generally have to pay a higher tuition than in-state residents. Furthermore, many community colleges and regional public schools have lower tuition charges for area residents. So don't forget to research the public alternatives within Arizona as well as within the Prescott AZ area to locate the most affordable options.

Cooking Online Training Programs

Prescott Arizona female enrolled in online culinary coursesA number of prospective students may find that there are no culinary arts programs that are within travelling proximity of their Prescott AZ home. One option is to attend online classes within the convenience of one's residence. The practicality and flexibility makes it the one solution for a number of students that continue working full-time while attending classes. Also there are more programs online than ever that are accredited. Remember that a considerable component of the instruction will be furnished under an externship. Externships are programs where students work under area chefs or other cooking practitioners so that they receive practical training outside of the online classroom. Just make sure that the online college you choose is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved agency (more on this later). Therefore if you are dedicated enough to be able to participate in classes and study using this more independent fashion, obtaining a culinary arts degree online might be the best choice for you.

Comparing Culinary Institutes

By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous culinary programs in the Prescott area and across the Country, you must develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, for instance reputation and accreditation that you should assess also. So below are some key areas that you will need to investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate choice.

Accreditation.  It's very important that the culinary arts institute you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive assessment relating to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.

Age.  Recently established schools often have the benefit of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement 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 equipment and facilities. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.

Job Placement Rates.  Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are assessing. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the courses and dropped out. They may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking community, in addition to a wide network of professional relationships. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.

Location.  The culinary college that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your Prescott home, unless you have decided to move. You may look into attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have opted to enroll in a specific culinary arts college located in a different state because of its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your future living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that a number of schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.

Class Sizes.  The best method to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized training. If the culinary arts college you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly receive limited individual attention from the instructors. The best means to assess the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to sit in on some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with some of the instructors and determine what their teaching philosophies are along with their experiences and credentials.

Flexible Class Schedules.  There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you select has available class scheduling that will work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Prescott AZ because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you pick offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the cooking program has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class as a result of family, work or other commitments.

Find Out More About Chef Schools in Prescott

Find the Best Prescott Cooking School

A rewarding career in the restaurant and hospitality industry is dependent upon choosing the appropriate cooking college. As we have addressed, there are various things that you must take into account when researching schools, including their reputations, accreditation, and training facilities. As with any career decision, you need to begin by collecting information, and the best approach to do that is by contacting cooking institutes directly, either face to face or by telephone. If you're not sure regarding which schools to explore, you may want to think about consulting with chefs in your area about any cooking schools they recommend.  Afterwards go on the Web to check out these schools further before you contact them. By taking the time to carefully research each of your education alternatives, you will find yourself in a more ideal position to make an informed decision. And when you choose the perfect school, you will have a great beginning toward your dream of becoming a chef in Prescott Arizona.

 




 

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