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Evaluating Culinary Arts Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there a large number of culinary programs in the Pine Bluff area and within the USA, you will want to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your choices. Some obvious qualifications, including cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, for example reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate also. So following are some critical areas that you should research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary arts school you pick has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed review pertaining to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutions you are examining. Lower graduation rates are red flags that many students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and dropped out. They might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, as well as a large network of professional contacts. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you attend must be within commuting distance of your Pine Bluff residence, unless you are willing to relocate. You may look into attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to enroll in a specific culinary arts college located in another state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that a number of schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The best approach to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized instruction. If the cooking institute you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely receive limited personal attention from the instructors. The optimal way to assess the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to sit in on several 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 entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and learn what their teaching philosophies are together with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking school if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you pick has available class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Pine Bluff AR because of your job schedule, make certain that the school you choose offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the culinary institute has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class as a result of family, work or other responsibilities.
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