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Evaluating Cooking Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private institute. Since there a large number of cooking colleges in the Georgetown area and within the USA, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can begin narrowing your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, such as location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, including accreditation and reputation that you must assess as well. Therefore, below are some key areas that you need to investigate for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary arts college you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed evaluation pertaining to their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive excellent training, but it can also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to earn an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of success and obtained one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more renowned schools usually modernize their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an exceptional 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 culinary arts institutes you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are indications that a number of students were unhappy with either the schools or the courses and quit before graduating. They may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools provide their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or excellent reputation within the culinary community, in addition to a large network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary school that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Georgetown residence, unless you are able to relocate. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have opted to go to a specific culinary arts college located in another state because of its prominence and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to visit the campus before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Remember also that some schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one instruction. If the culinary arts college you enroll in has large classes, you will undoubtedly receive minimal individual attention from the teachers. The best means to assess the interaction between faculty and students is to audit a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are happy with the level of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you decide on provides class scheduling that can accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Georgetown TX because of your work schedule, verify that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the cooking school has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you must miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.
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