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Contrasting Culinary Arts Institutions
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 institution. Since there are numerous cooking schools in the Bedford area and across the United States, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start narrowing your options. Some obvious qualifiers, for instance cost and location are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, including accreditation and reputation that you must review as well. So following are some key areas that you should investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary school you select has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As aforementioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed evaluation relating to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools typically update their equipment and facilities. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are indications that numerous students were unhappy with either the colleges or the courses and quit before graduating. They can also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish 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 culinary field, as well as a large network of professional connections. Be skeptical of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you choose must be within commuting distance of your Bedford home, unless you have decided to move. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have chosen to attend a specific culinary school located in a different state due to its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the location and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that some schools target their job assistance programs within their local communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one training. If the cooking college you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably get minimal individual attention from the instructors. The best means to assess the interaction between teachers and students is to attend some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their teaching philosophies are together with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts program if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you select provides class scheduling that can work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on weekends near Bedford TX due to your work schedule, make sure that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the culinary arts school has a part-time alternative. Also, find out what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class because of work, family or other obligations.
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