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Comparing Culinary Arts Programs
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institution. Since there a large number of culinary arts schools in the Edinburg area and within the USA, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start limiting your choices. Some obvious qualifications, such as location and cost are a good 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 considerations, for example accreditation and reputation that you need to review as well. Therefore, below are some critical areas that you will need to research for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the cooking school you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, 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 confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a sustained history of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more graduates 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 reputable schools commonly modernize their facilities and equipment. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are looking at. Low graduation rates are indications that numerous students were unhappy with either the colleges or the courses and quit before graduating. They can also suggest that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a broad network of professional connections. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The cooking school that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your Edinburg home, unless you can relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to go to a particular culinary arts school located in a different state due to its prominence 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 future living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that a number of schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary school you enroll in has larger classes, you will probably receive little personal attention from the instructors. The ideal way to evaluate the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with a couple of the instructors and learn what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you choose has available class scheduling that will work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Edinburg TX because of your work schedule, verify that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the culinary arts college has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you have to miss a class due to work, family or other commitments.
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