It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Culinary Arts Career Below!
Researching Culinary Programs
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public institute. Since there are numerous cooking schools in the Jacksonville area and across the USA, you must create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your choices. Some obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are an excellent place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, for example reputation and accreditation that you should assess as well. So following are some critical areas that you should investigate for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the cooking institute you pick has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed review relating to their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire 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 Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, 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 cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The significant lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were unhappy with either the institutes or the courses and dropped out. They might also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a wide network of professional relationships. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you attend should be within driving distance of your Jacksonville home, unless you can relocate. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to enroll in a specific culinary arts school located in another state because of 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 prospective living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that many schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary college you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly receive little individual attention from the teachers. The best means to assess 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 pleased with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and determine what their teaching philosophies are as well as their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking college if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you pick has available class scheduling that will fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Jacksonville FL because of your work schedule, confirm that the school you choose offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary arts school has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class as a result of family, work or other obligations.
Learn More About Chef Colleges in Jacksonville