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Evaluating Cooking Schools
At this point 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 culinary arts institutions in the Pasadena area and across the United States, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, for instance accreditation and reputation that you need to assess also. So below are some crucial areas that you must research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts school you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As aforementioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive evaluation pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive excellent training, but it can also assist in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, 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 renowned schools typically update their equipment and facilities. The important takeaway 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. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts programs you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the programs and dropped out. They might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts field, as well as a large network of professional associations. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you choose must be within driving distance of your Pasadena residence, unless you are willing to move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have decided to enroll in a specific culinary institute located in a different state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools concentrate their job placement programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has large classes, you will probably get minimal individual attention from the instructors. The best manner in which to assess the interaction between faculty and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary program if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you choose provides class scheduling that can work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Pasadena MD because of your job schedule, confirm that the school you decide on offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the culinary arts college has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class because of work, family or other commitments.
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