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Comparing Cooking Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private college. Since there a large number of culinary institutions in the Laredo area and within the Country, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifications so that you can start limiting your options. A few obvious qualifiers, for instance location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But choosing a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other variables, including reputation and accreditation that you should assess as well. Therefore, following are some key areas that you will need to investigate for every school as you compare them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts school you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national agency. As mentioned previously, the accrediting authority should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough assessment relating to their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools commonly update their equipment and facilities. The valuable takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the cooking institutions you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the training and dropped out. They might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to provide their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help affirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary arts community, as well as a wide network of professional relationships. Be skeptical of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you choose must be within driving distance of your Laredo residence, unless you have decided to move. You may consider attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to attend a specific culinary arts institute located in another state due to its ranking and programs 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 area and your future living conditions. Inspect the training facilities personally to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that some schools concentrate their job placement programs within their regional communities, so pick a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The most effective method to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized instruction. If the cooking program you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely get minimal individual attention from the teachers. The optimal means to evaluate the communication and interaction between faculty and students is to attend several 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 get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and determine what their teaching philosophies are along with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary institute if you will be unable to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you choose provides class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Laredo TX due to your work schedule, make sure that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the culinary arts program has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class due to family, work or other obligations.
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