Culinary Arts Degree Programs
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Hobbs New Mexico
You have made a wonderful career choice to become a chef or cook by enrolling in a culinary college near Hobbs NM. You will not only learn how to cook extraordinary dishes or make fancy desserts, you'll also be able to make a nice income doing it. But just how do you set about selecting a culinary college now that you've decided to enroll? Prior to reaching your final choice, what requirements should you review and compare among the culinary schools you are considering? In order to be successful in the hospitality and restaurant industry you must choose the right culinary program and degree. There are a wide range of options to select from, starting with a certificate or diploma program and advancing to earning an undergraduate as well as a graduate degree. You can attend a small baking college, an online program, or enroll in a large culinary institute that provides advanced degree programs. The type of credential and school you choose will no doubt be dependent on the amount of money and time you can afford to spend, together with your ultimate career objective. When you have established what your primary area of interest and budget are, you can start evaluating the cooking institutes that satisfy your preliminary qualifications. Depending upon the degree and type of culinary school you choose, you can be working as a professional cook or chef in just six months. So before we dig more into the process of choosing a school, let's talk a little bit more about the degree and culinary school choices that are available.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Culinary Arts Career Below!
Culinary Institute Degree Options
Just as with a number of other industries or trades in Hobbs NM, there are several degree programs that are available in the culinary arts. At the most basic level, you can enroll in a local cooking course, which are more informal in nature and can run from just a few hours to a number of weeks. Typically a certificate or a diploma is presented upon completion. They can be broad in nature, for instance demonstrating how to cook French meals, or they may be quite specific and focus on one dish, for example Crepes Suzette. Naturally if you are looking for a more formal education applicable for a career in the restaurant profession, you will undoubtedly want to enroll in a degree program. With a degree program, you will be required to commit considerably more time.
- Associate's Degrees can require anywhere from 6 months to two years to complete.
- Bachelor's Degrees generally call for as much as four years of instruction.
- Masters Degrees can take an added two years or more after attaining a Bachelor's.
Additional advanced degree alternatives may be available, such as Doctoral programs or specialized programs made available by culinary arts institutes. Probably the most important point to keep in mind when determining which degree to pursue is ensuring that it provides the credential and education needed to advance your ultimate career objectives.
Culinary Institutes
When you have made your choice regarding the type of training and degree that you would like to pursue, you can launch your search for the cooking school, college or institute that offers it. As an example, if your desire is to train to be a chef specializing in French cuisine, then of course you will concentrate on those schools that furnish the suitable training. Or you can choose a school based on its ranking or other criteria (we'll discuss several of those later) and then select the most ideal degree program offered that is consistent with your career goals in Hobbs NM. However you arrive at your decision, culinary schools basically fall under 3 distinct categories:
- Cooking Schools. Some cooking schools do offer degree programs, but in most cases they offer diplomas or certificates. Their programs tend to be more specialized in nature, and they can range anywhere from 1 or 2 months to as long as 3 to 4 years.
- Community Colleges. Area community colleges can be more affordable than most private schools and many have excellent programs. They almost solely offer Associate's Degrees and are founded and maintained by either local or state governments.
- Culinary Schools and Institutes. The advanced degrees and training are offered by culinary arts colleges and institutes. Some institutes provide the most highly regarded and highest standard of training in academia. However, since they are private institutions they tend to be more costly than their public counterparts, some much more.
Selecting a culinary arts school will not only be based on the kind of degree or program you wish to pursue, but also the amount of money you have to spend on your education. If you decide to enroll in a public institution to lower costs, keep in mind that out-of-state residents normally must pay a higher tuition than in-state residents. In addition, many community colleges and regional public schools have lower tuition charges for local residents. So don't forget to explore the public alternatives within New Mexico and also within the Hobbs NM area to find the most affordable options.
Culinary Online Degree Programs
Many potential students may discover that there are no culinary arts institutions that are within driving distance of their Hobbs NM home. One alternative is to enroll in online training within the comfort of one's home. The convenience and flexibility makes it the best solution for a number of students that are still working full-time while attending college. Plus there are more schools online than ever that are accredited. Bear in mind that a significant part of the training will be provided under an externship. Externships are programs where students train under area chefs or other cooking practitioners to ensure that they receive practical training beyond the internet classroom. Just make certain that the online college you decide on is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved agency (more on this later). Therefore if you are dedicated enough to be able to go to classes and study in this more independent manner, earning a culinary arts online degree just might be the ideal choice for you.
Comparing Culinary Arts Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there a large number of culinary institutions in the Hobbs area and across the USA, you need to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, for instance location and cost are an excellent place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, such as accreditation and reputation that you must assess also. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you will need to research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary program you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive assessment regarding their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the training and dropped out. They may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the cooking community, as well as a broad network of professional associations. Watch out for any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary college that you attend must be within driving distance of your Hobbs residence, unless you are willing to relocate. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary arts school located in a different state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that some schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the cooking program you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely get limited personal attention from the instructors. The optimal way to assess the interaction between instructors and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their teaching approaches are together with their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary college if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that will work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Hobbs NM because of your work schedule, check that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the cooking college has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
Find Out More About Chef Schools in Hobbs
Enroll in the Right Hobbs Culinary School
A rewarding career in the restaurant and hospitality industry is predicated upon choosing the appropriate cooking college. As we have addressed, there are various things that you must take into consideration when researching schools, such as their accreditation, reputations, and training facilities. As with any important decision, you should begin by compiling information, and the best method to do that is by contacting culinary arts institutes directly, either face to face or over the phone. If you're uncertain regarding which schools to check out, you might want to think about asking chefs in your area about any culinary colleges they endorse. Then use the Internet to check out those schools even more before contacting them. By taking the time to thoroughly research each of your education alternatives, you will find yourself in a much better position to make an educated decision. And when you choose the ideal school, you will have a terrific beginning toward your aspiration of becoming a chef in Hobbs New Mexico.