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Comparing Culinary Institutes
By now you should have made a decision regarding the type of degree that you wish to attain, and if you want to enroll in a private or a public institution. Since there are numerous culinary institutions in the Temple area and within the United States, you need to create a checklist of essential qualifiers so that you can begin limiting your options. Certain obvious qualifiers, such as cost and location are an excellent place to begin. But picking a school because it is the closest or the least expensive is not the best way to make a decision regarding your education. There are other factors, such as accreditation and reputation that you must assess also. Therefore, following are some critical areas that you need to research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your ultimate choice.
Accreditation. It's important that the cooking college you select has some type of accreditation from either a regional or a national organization. As previously stated, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a thorough review regarding their curriculum, instructors and facilities. Therefore not only does accreditation help ensure that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the benefit of possessing modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to acquire an accreditation or to establish a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, outdated equipment, but have established a lengthy track record of excellence and acquired one or more accreditations. Also, the longer a school has operated, the more graduates the school can reach out to for its job placement program. Naturally there is some give and take based on the age of the culinary arts schools. And older, more reputable schools usually update their facilities and equipment. The significant takeaway is that in the best case scenario, your selected school will have an outstanding reputation, accreditation and a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. First off, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary institutions you are examining. Low graduation rates are red flags that many students were unhappy with either the schools or the courses and dropped out. They may also signify that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates as well. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a great or exceptional reputation within the culinary arts field, in addition to a large network of professional connections. Be skeptical of any school that will not furnish this information.
Location. The cooking college that you enroll in should be within commuting distance of your Temple home, unless you can relocate. You may consider attending college online, but you would still need to travel for your externship training. Conversely, maybe you have opted to attend a specific culinary college located in a different state because of its ranking and courses offered. It would be a wise decision to pay a visit to the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are comfortable with the area and your potential living conditions. Inspect the training facilities in person to make sure they are up to date and that the equipment is contemporary. Consider also that a number of schools concentrate their job assistance programs within their local communities, so choose a location where you will be happy working.
Class Sizes. The best method to learn how to cook is with lots of personalized training. If the culinary school you enroll in has large classes, you will probably receive little individual attention from the instructors. The ideal means to evaluate the communication and interaction between instructors and students is to attend a few of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Find out if they are pleased with the amount of attention they get in class as well as the overall training. Also, speak with some of the instructors and determine what their teaching styles are together with their backgrounds and qualifications.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no point in enrolling in a culinary school if you will not be able to attend the classes. So make certain that the school you decide on provides class scheduling that will work with your active lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Temple TX because of your work schedule, check that the school you choose offers either weekend or night classes. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the culinary arts institute has a part-time offering. Also, find out what the make-up protocol is if you have to miss a class due to family, work or other responsibilities.
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