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Contrasting Cooking Schools
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there a large number of culinary arts schools in the Allen area and across the United States, you need to create a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your options. Some obvious qualifications, for example cost and location are an excellent place to start. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other considerations, such as accreditation and reputation that you should review as well. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary program you pick has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough evaluation pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been operating long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long history of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The significant lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary colleges you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are red flags that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the programs and dropped out. They may also signify that the instructors were not competent to teach the course of study. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a broad network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you choose must be within driving distance of your Allen residence, unless you have decided to move. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary arts institute located in a different state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your potential living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that a number of schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the culinary school you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely receive little personal attention from the teachers. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to audit some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the amount of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with several of the teachers and find out what their teaching philosophies are as well as their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a cooking program if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you select offers class scheduling that will accommodate your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Allen TX due to your job schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the cooking school has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.
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