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Evaluating Culinary Colleges
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to earn, and whether or not you want to enroll in a public or private college. Since there are numerous culinary colleges in the Portland area and across the United States, you need to develop a checklist of important qualifications so that you can start narrowing down your choices. A few obvious qualifications, such as cost and location are a good place to start. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other considerations, including reputation and accreditation that you need to evaluate also. So following are some critical areas that you need to investigate for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate decision.
Accreditation. It's essential that the culinary arts school you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As aforementioned, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized authority, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a detailed evaluation pertaining to their course of study, instructors and facilities. So not only does accreditation help confirm that you will receive excellent training, but it can also help in obtaining a student loan or financial assistance which are often not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of possessing modern equipment and facilities. 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 On the other hand, more established schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of success and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job assistance program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more highly regarded schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The important takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an exceptional reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with newer equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, ask what the graduation rates are for the culinary arts schools you are evaluating. Lower graduation rates are red flags that a number of students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the training and dropped out. They may also signify that the teachers were not competent to teach the course of study. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary community, in addition to a wide network of professional associations. Be suspicious of any school that will not supply this information.
Location. The culinary college that you attend should be within driving distance of your Portland home, unless you have decided to move. You may think about attending school online, but you would still have to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have chosen to enroll in a particular culinary institute located in a different state due to its ranking and programs offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the facility before enrolling, to make certain that you are satisfied with the location and your prospective living conditions. Tour the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is contemporary. Remember also that a number of schools concentrate their job placement programs within their local 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 training. If the culinary arts program you enroll in has larger classes, you will undoubtedly receive limited individual attention from the teachers. The ideal means to evaluate the interaction and communication between instructors and students is to sit in on 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 get in class as well as the overall training. Also, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching approaches are together with their experiences and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no benefit to in enrolling in a culinary arts school if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you select provides class scheduling that will work with your busy lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Portland TX due to your job schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the culinary arts institute has a part-time alternative. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you need to miss a class as a result of family, work or other obligations.
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