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Researching Culinary Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous cooking programs in the Abilene area and across the Country, you will want to create a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start limiting your options. A few obvious qualifiers, such as location and cost are an excellent place to start. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, for instance accreditation and reputation that you should assess as well. So below are some key areas that you will need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts college you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed review pertaining to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in obtaining 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 in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly modernize 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 newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutions you are examining. Low graduation rates are red flags that many students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and dropped out. They may also signify that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the cooking field, as well as a broad network of professional contacts. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking college that you attend must be within driving distance of your Abilene residence, unless you are willing to move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to go to a specific culinary arts college located in another state because of its prominence 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 prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that many schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary program you enroll in has large classes, you will probably get little personal attention from the instructors. The ideal way to evaluate the communication and 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 satisfied with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with several of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are as well as their backgrounds and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you select provides class scheduling that can accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Abilene TX because of your work schedule, make sure that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the cooking institute has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class due to family, work or other commitments.
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