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Contrasting Culinary Colleges
At this point you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public institute. Since there a large number of culinary programs in the Paris area and across the United States, you must develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin limiting your choices. Certain obvious qualifiers, including location and cost are an excellent place to start. But selecting a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, for example accreditation and reputation that you need to assess as well. So following are some critical areas that you will need to research for each school as you compare and contrast them and make your final choice.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the cooking program you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As aforementioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged organization, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a thorough review regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Newer schools generally have the advantage of possessing modern equipment and facilities. 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 On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a long track record of excellence and received one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job assistance program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually modernize their equipment and facilities. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts institutes you are reviewing. Low graduation rates are indications that many students were unhappy with either the institutes or the training and quit before graduating. They may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates as well. If a school has a high job placement rate, it will help confirm that it has a great or excellent reputation within the cooking community, in addition to a wide network of professional relationships. Watch out for any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The cooking college that you enroll in must be within commuting distance of your Paris home, unless you can relocate. You may consider attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. Alternatively, maybe you have opted to attend a specific culinary school located in a different state because of its ranking and courses 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 focus their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so choose a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized instruction. If the cooking college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get limited individual attention from the instructors. The ideal means to evaluate 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 happy with the level of attention they receive in class in addition to the overall training. Also, speak with a couple of the teachers and find out what their teaching styles are as well as their histories and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will not be able to attend the classes. Therefore make certain that the school you choose offers class scheduling that will fit in with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Paris TX due to your work schedule, check that the school you choose offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the culinary institute has a part-time option. Also, check to see what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class due to work, family or other responsibilities.
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