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Comparing Cooking Colleges
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and whether or not you want to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there a large number of cooking colleges in the Grand Prairie area and within the United States, you must create a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start limiting your choices. Some obvious qualifiers, including cost and location are a good place to start. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the cheapest is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, for instance accreditation and reputation that you should evaluate also. Therefore, following are some key areas that you need to research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's essential that the cooking school you choose has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national organization. As previously mentioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive assessment regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are generally not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and earned one or more accreditations.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. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The significant lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts programs you are evaluating. Low graduation rates are signs that a number of students were unhappy with either the colleges or the courses and dropped out. They can also indicate that the instructors were not competent to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary community, as well as a large network of professional connections. Be suspicious of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The cooking college that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Grand Prairie home, unless you are able to relocate. You may think about attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, perhaps you have decided to attend a particular culinary arts institute located in a different state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your prospective living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that many schools target their job assistance programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the culinary college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will undoubtedly receive minimal personal attention from the teachers. The ideal way to assess the communication and interaction 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 as well as the entire course of training. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary college if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you choose provides class scheduling that will fit in with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Grand Prairie TX due to your work schedule, confirm that the school you decide on offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary arts college has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you need to miss a class as a result of work, family or other responsibilities.
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