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Comparing Cooking Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there are numerous culinary institutions in the Coppell area and across the Country, you must develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your options. A few obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, for instance accreditation and reputation that you should assess also. So following are some critical areas that you must research for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary school you pick has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive assessment regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to earn an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are examining. Low graduation rates are red flags that many students were unhappy with either the schools or the training and dropped out. They might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a large network of professional contacts. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking college that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Coppell home, unless you are able to relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary arts college located in another state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that some schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive little personal attention from the teachers. The ideal manner in which to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to sit in on several of the classes. Ask some 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 several of the instructors and determine what their teaching approaches are along with their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts program if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you choose has available class scheduling that can work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Coppell TX because of your job schedule, confirm that the school you decide on offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the culinary college has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of work, family or other responsibilities.
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