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Evaluating Culinary Arts Schools
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and if you would like to enroll in a public or private college. Since there a large number of culinary programs in the Highland Village area and across the Country, you will want to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. Some obvious qualifications, for example cost and location are a good place to start. But selecting a school because it is the closest or the cheapest is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other criteria, for example reputation and accreditation that you must assess also. Therefore, following are some key areas that you will need to research for each school as you compare them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the cooking program you select has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As previously stated, the accrediting authority 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 evaluation pertaining to their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it can also assist in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their equipment and facilities. The significant lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutions you are assessing. Lower graduation rates are indicators that many students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and dropped out. They may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools furnish their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a wide network of professional connections. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary arts school that you choose should be within driving distance of your Highland Village residence, unless you are willing to move. You may consider attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have decided to go to a specific culinary arts institute located in a different state because of its ranking and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the location and your future living conditions. Tour the training facilities personally to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that some schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so select a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with lots of one-on-one training. If the cooking school you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get little individual attention from the instructors. The best way to assess the interaction between instructors and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and determine what their teaching philosophies are as well as their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you decide on has available class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Highland Village TX due to your work schedule, confirm that the school you pick offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the cooking school has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of family, work or other commitments.
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