It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Culinary Arts Career Below!
Researching Culinary Arts Schools
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there a large number of culinary arts institutions in the Dallas area and across the USA, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin limiting your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, for example location and cost are a good place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, such as accreditation and reputation that you should assess also. So below are some key areas that you will need to investigate for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts school you pick has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive review pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to garner an accreditation or to establish a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts colleges you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the programs and quit before graduating. They may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates as well. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary arts field, as well as a broad network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary college that you attend should be within commuting distance of your Dallas home, unless you are able to move. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have chosen to attend a particular culinary arts college located in another state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your potential living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that many schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the cooking school you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive minimal personal attention from the teachers. The optimal means to assess the interaction between faculty and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are along with their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a cooking program if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you choose provides class scheduling that can fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Dallas TX due to your work schedule, check that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the culinary school has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class because of work, family or other commitments.
Learn More About Chef Courses in Dallas