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Comparing Culinary Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to earn, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there a large number of culinary arts colleges in the Odessa area and within the United States, you must develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your choices. Certain obvious qualifications, for instance location and cost are a good place to start. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the most affordable is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, for instance reputation and accreditation that you must review also. So following are some crucial areas that you should research for every school as you compare them and make your final selection.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary institute you decide on has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As aforementioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education certified organization, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed assessment regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools often have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long history of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has been in operation, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking colleges you are looking at. Lower graduation rates are indicators that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the programs and dropped out. They can also signify that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or outstanding reputation within the culinary arts community, in addition to a large network of professional associations. Be suspicious of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The culinary school that you choose should be within driving distance of your Odessa home, unless you can relocate. You may look into attending classes online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, perhaps you have opted to go to a specific culinary school located in a different state because of its reputation and programs offered. It would be a good idea to visit the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that a number of schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the cooking college you enroll in has larger classes, you will most likely get little personal attention from the teachers. The best way to assess the interaction and communication between teachers and students is to attend some of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with a couple of the instructors and learn what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a cooking program if you will be unable to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you choose has available class scheduling that will work with your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Odessa TX because of your work schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, check that the cooking program has a part-time alternative. Also, ask what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class as a result of work, family or other obligations.
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