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Evaluating Culinary Arts Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there are numerous culinary institutions in the Flower Mound area and across the USA, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start limiting your choices. A few obvious qualifications, such as location and cost are a good place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the best way to decide on your education. There are other variables, including reputation and accreditation that you need to evaluate also. So following are some critical areas that you should investigate for each school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary college you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough review relating to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it can also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial aid which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of excellence and earned 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. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more reputable schools typically update their equipment and facilities. The important takeaway 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. Initially, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutions you are examining. Low graduation rates are indicators that a number of students were unhappy with either the institutes or the training and quit before graduating. They might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the cooking field, as well as a broad network of professional connections. Be suspicious of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Flower Mound residence, unless you can relocate. You may consider attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary institute located in a different state because of its prominence and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Keep in mind also that a number of schools focus their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the culinary college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably receive minimal individual attention from the teachers. The best means to assess the interaction between teachers and students is to sit in on some of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are satisfied with the amount of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their teaching approaches are along with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts institute if you will be unable to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you pick provides class scheduling that will fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Flower Mound TX because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you pick offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the culinary school has a part-time option. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class as a result of family, work or other responsibilities.
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