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Evaluating Culinary Arts Colleges
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there are numerous cooking institutions in the Texarkana area and within the United States, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifications, for instance cost and location are a good place to start. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, for instance accreditation and reputation that you must review as well. Therefore, below are some critical areas that you need to research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary program you select has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As aforementioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough review relating to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, 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 cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson 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 modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking programs you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a large network of professional associations. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you attend should be within driving distance of your Texarkana home, unless you have decided to relocate. You may consider attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Conversely, maybe you have decided to attend a particular culinary arts college located in a different state due to its ranking 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. Check the training facilities in person to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that a number of schools target their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely get little individual attention from the teachers. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the interaction between instructors 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 satisfied with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and learn what their teaching philosophies are together with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you pick offers class scheduling that will work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Texarkana AR due to your job schedule, verify that the school you choose offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the culinary school has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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