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Researching Culinary Arts Institutions
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you want to attain, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public institute. Since there a large number of culinary schools in the Plano area and across the Country, you will want to create a checklist of important qualifications so that you can begin narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, for instance cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But deciding on a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the ideal way to decide on your education. There are other factors, for example accreditation and reputation that you should evaluate as well. So following are some critical areas that you will need to investigate for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary arts college you decide on has some form of accreditation from either a local or a national authority. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a detailed assessment regarding their course of study, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ascertain that you will receive exceptional training, but it may also assist in obtaining a student loan or financial aid which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools often have the advantage of having modern equipment and facilities. 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 Conversely, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained history of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has been in business, the more alumni the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Obviously there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their equipment and facilities. The valuable 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. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are examining. Lower graduation rates are indications that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the institutes or the programs and quit before graduating. They can also indicate that the teachers were not competent to teach the curriculum. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a school has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or excellent reputation within the cooking field, as well as a broad network of professional relationships. Watch out for any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your Plano residence, unless you can move. You may consider attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, perhaps you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary college located in a different state due to its reputation and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the area and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities personally to make certain they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that a number of schools target their job assistance programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will satisfied working.
Class Sizes. The ideal approach to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the cooking college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely receive minimal individual attention from the instructors. The optimal way to assess the interaction between instructors and students is to sit in on a few of the classes. Ask some of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they receive in class in addition to the entire course of training. Also, talk with some of the instructors and determine what their teaching philosophies are along with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary arts college if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you decide on provides class scheduling that can accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on weekends near Plano TX due to your job schedule, make sure that the school you decide on offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the culinary arts school has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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