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Evaluating Cooking Colleges

At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there are numerous culinary arts schools in the Tucson area and across the Country, you need to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example location and cost are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other variables, such as reputation and accreditation that you need to review also. So following are some crucial areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.

Accreditation.  It's very important that the culinary program you select has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified authority, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough evaluation pertaining to their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.

Age.  Newer schools frequently have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long history of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.

Job Placement Rates.  First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indicators that many students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the programs and quit before graduating. They might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary community, as well as a large network of professional connections. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.

Location.  The culinary arts school that you attend must be within driving distance of your Tucson home, unless you can move. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Conversely, maybe you have decided to go to a particular culinary college located in a different state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your prospective living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools concentrate their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.

Class Sizes.  The best method to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one instruction. If the cooking program you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive limited individual attention from the instructors. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the communication and interaction between teachers and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the level of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their teaching approaches are as well as their histories and qualifications.

Flexible Class Schedules.  There is no point in enrolling in a cooking program if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you select provides class scheduling that can accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Tucson AZ due to your work schedule, confirm that the school you decide on offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary arts program has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class due to work, family or other obligations.

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