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Comparing Culinary Colleges
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you wish to attain, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a public or private college. Since there are numerous culinary arts programs in the Stafford area and within the USA, you need to develop a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can start narrowing down your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, such as location and cost are an excellent place to begin. But picking a school because it is the closest or the most affordable is not the ideal way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other considerations, for example reputation and accreditation that you should evaluate also. Therefore, below are some critical areas that you should research for every school as you compare them and make your ultimate selection.
Accreditation. It's important that the culinary institute you choose has some form of accreditation from either a regional or a national authority. As mentioned previously, the accrediting agency should be a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged authority, for instance the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have successfully completed a comprehensive evaluation regarding their course of study, teachers and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in acquiring a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not accessible for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools frequently have the benefit of having modern equipment and facilities. However, they may not have been open long enough to garner an accreditation or to develop a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a sustained track record of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations.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 placement program. Naturally there is some give and take dependent on the age of the cooking schools. And older, more renowned schools commonly update their facilities and equipment. The important lesson is that in the best case scenario, your school of choice will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the cooking programs you are looking at. Low graduation rates are red flags that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the schools or the programs and quit before graduating. They might also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to teach the course of study. Request that the schools supply their job placement rates also. If a college has a high job placement rate, it will help validate that it has a great or excellent reputation within the culinary field, in addition to a wide network of professional contacts. Be skeptical of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The cooking institute that you enroll in must be within driving distance of your Stafford home, unless you can relocate. You may consider attending school online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. On the other hand, maybe you have opted to enroll in a particular culinary college located in a different state because of its prominence and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to check out the facility before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the location and your prospective living conditions. Check the training facilities in person to make sure they are modern and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that many schools target their job placement programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best way to learn how to cook is with plenty of personalized training. If the cooking college you enroll in has bigger classes, you will probably get minimal personal attention from the instructors. The best way to assess the interaction and communication between faculty and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are satisfied with the level of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak 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 institute if you will not be able to attend the classes. So confirm that the school you pick has available class scheduling that can accommodate your active lifestyle. If you can only attend at night or on Saturdays or Sundays near Stafford TX due to your work schedule, make certain that the school you select offers either weekend or evening classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary arts college has a part-time offering. Also, check to see what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class because of family, work or other commitments.
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