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Contrasting Culinary Schools
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public college. Since there a large number of culinary arts colleges in the Lake Jackson area and across the Country, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifications, 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 best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, including reputation and accreditation that you must assess also. So following are some crucial areas that you should research for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's very important that the culinary arts institute you select 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, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive evaluation pertaining to their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it can also help in securing a student loan or financial aid which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been operating long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy history of success and obtained one or more accreditations.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. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more renowned schools commonly 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. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary programs you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are signs that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the courses and dropped out. They may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates as well. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the cooking field, in addition to a wide network of professional connections. Be wary of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary institute that you enroll in should be within driving distance of your Lake Jackson home, unless you have decided to relocate. You may consider attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have chosen to go to a specific culinary institute located in a different state due to its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are comfortable with the area and your future living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that many schools concentrate their job placement programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized instruction. If the culinary arts school you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive little individual attention from the teachers. The ideal way to evaluate the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are happy with the level of attention they receive in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with several of the teachers and determine what their teaching philosophies are together with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking college if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make sure that the school you select provides class scheduling that will work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Lake Jackson TX due to your job schedule, check that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary arts college has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class due to work, family or other responsibilities.
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