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Evaluating Cooking Institutions
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there a large number of cooking programs in the Alice area and across the United States, you need to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, such as accreditation and reputation that you must assess as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you will need to investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's very important that the cooking program you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As mentioned previously, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review pertaining to their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in securing a student loan or financial aid which are often not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools typically modernize their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutes you are assessing. Low graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were unhappy with either the institutes or the training and quit before graduating. They may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the cooking community, as well as a large network of professional associations. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Alice home, unless you have decided to relocate. You may think about attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have chosen to go to a specific culinary institute located in another state due to its reputation and courses 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 future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that a number of schools focus their job placement programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the cooking institute you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly get limited personal attention from the instructors. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the interaction between faculty and students is to attend some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their teaching styles are together with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose has available class scheduling that can fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Alice TX due to your job schedule, check that the school you choose offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the cooking institute has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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