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Comparing Cooking Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there a large number of cooking programs in the South Valley area and within the USA, you need to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing your options. Some obvious qualifiers, for instance cost and location are a good place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, such as accreditation and reputation that you must review also. Therefore, following are some key areas that you must research for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts program you select has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough evaluation relating to their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also assist in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, 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 typically update their facilities and equipment. The significant 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. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutes you are assessing. Low graduation rates are indicators that many students were unhappy with either the colleges or the programs and quit before graduating. They can also suggest that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a broad network of professional associations. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you choose should be within commuting distance of your South Valley home, unless you have decided to relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have opted to go to a particular culinary arts college located in a different state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the location and your potential living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that some schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with plenty of one-on-one training. If the cooking college you enroll in has large classes, you will most likely get minimal personal attention from the teachers. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the communication and interaction between teachers and students is to audit several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with several of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are along with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary school if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you decide on has available class scheduling that can work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near South Valley NM due to your work schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the culinary institute has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class as a result of family, work or other commitments.
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