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Evaluating Culinary Arts Colleges
By now you should have decided on the type of degree that you want to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous cooking institutions in the Farmers Branch area and across the Country, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing your options. Some obvious qualifications, for instance cost and location are a good place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other criteria, including accreditation and reputation that you must assess as well. So below are some crucial areas that you must research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts college 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 authority, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it may also assist in securing a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary schools you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the institutes or the courses and dropped out. They may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a broad network of professional relationships. Be wary of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking college that you choose should be within commuting distance of your Farmers Branch residence, unless you are willing to move. You may look into attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. On the other hand, perhaps you have decided to attend a particular culinary college located in another state because of its ranking and programs offered. It would be a good idea to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the location 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. Remember also that a number of schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get limited individual attention from the instructors. The ideal way to evaluate the communication and interaction between faculty and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain 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 teachers and find out what their teaching philosophies are along with their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a cooking program if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore confirm that the school you decide on offers class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Farmers Branch TX due to your job schedule, confirm that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the cooking institute has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class as a result of family, work or other commitments.
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