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Evaluating Culinary Institutions
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private college. Since there are numerous cooking programs in the Brownwood area and across the Country, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start limiting your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, such as reputation and accreditation that you must evaluate also. So following are some crucial areas that you should research for every school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts school you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough assessment regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire 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 acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are indicators that many students were unhappy with either the schools or the programs and dropped out. They may also signify that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts field, as well as a wide network of professional connections. Be suspicious of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you attend should be within driving distance of your Brownwood residence, unless you can relocate. You may consider attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Conversely, perhaps you have decided to go to a particular culinary school located in another state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to visit the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally 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 be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best approach to learn how to cook is with a lot of one-on-one training. If the culinary college you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get minimal personal attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to assess the interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with a few of the teachers and determine what their teaching approaches are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you decide on has available class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Brownwood TX because of your job schedule, verify that the school you decide on offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary arts college has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class because of family, work or other responsibilities.
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