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Evaluating Cooking Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to attain, and if you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there a large number of culinary colleges in the Big Spring area and across the Country, you need to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing your options. Some obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are a good place to start. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, such as reputation and accreditation that you need to evaluate as well. Therefore, following are some key areas that you should research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary program you choose has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment relating to their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to earn an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of success and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually modernize their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts programs you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the training and dropped out. They can also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts field, as well as a broad network of professional contacts. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Big Spring home, unless you have decided to move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to go to a specific culinary school located in a different state because of its reputation and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your potential living conditions. Look over the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that a number of schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will undoubtedly receive little personal attention from the instructors. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to sit in on some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their teaching philosophies are together with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you decide on has available class scheduling that can fit in with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Big Spring TX due to your work schedule, make sure that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary arts program has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class as a result of family, work or other obligations.
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