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Evaluating Culinary Arts Colleges
At this point 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 institution. Since there a large number of cooking colleges in the Donna area and across the United States, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifications, for example location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other factors, including reputation and accreditation that you must review as well. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts institute you select has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner 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 On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long history of excellence and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools typically update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected 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 colleges you are reviewing. Lower graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the institutes or the programs and quit before graduating. They can also signify 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 high job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a broad network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you attend must be within driving distance of your Donna home, unless you have decided to move. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have chosen to enroll in a specific culinary institute located in a different state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to visit the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Consider also that many schools focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely get minimal personal attention from the teachers. The ideal way to evaluate the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask a couple 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 entire course of training. Also, speak with several of the instructors and learn what their teaching styles are together with their experiences and credentials.
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 confirm that the school you select has available class scheduling that can work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Donna TX due to your job schedule, confirm that the school you choose offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the cooking school has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
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